huffingtonpost Use This Simple Trick to Determine Whether an Avocado Is Ripe Inside — Tips from The Kitchn Isn't it disappointing to cut into an avocado you've been nurturing to perfect ripeness only to find a brown, slimy mess inside? Avocados are usually sliced open just before serving, so this is especially frustrating. But worry no more! There's a simple, foolproof way to tell whether you will discover a creamy, luscious green interior or a brown slimy mess the next time you cut open an avocado. Here's a surefire tip for keeping your guacamole green and fresh! Error loading player: No playable sources found This tip comes from Erica, a Seattle-based food and gardening blogger. How to Tell If an Avocado Is Ripe To make sure you're taking home an avocado that's perfectly green and creamy on the inside, and free from ugly brown spots, the key is checking under the stem. Peel back the small stem or cap at the top of the avocado. On the other hand, if you pull back the stem and find brownbrown underneath, the avocado is overripe, and you're likely to find brown spots inside the fruit.
Shrimp Burgers on Zucchini I had a dish similar to this in a small restaurant in Mexico, and at Gloria’s request, I created my own version at home. I use medium-size raw shrimp and puree the tails in a food processor, then combine the puree with pieces of the shrimp to form thick burgers. 1 1/4 pounds shelled and deveined medium shrimp3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives2 tablespoons olive oil2 firm zucchini (about 1 pound), cut into 3/8-inch slices (about 3 1/2 cups)1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 tablespoons unsalted butterMinced fresh chives Cut the shrimp crosswise in half. Cut the remaining shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces and add them to the bowl. When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large skillet. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another large skillet with a lid. Arrange the zucchini on four warm plates.
The Best Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Brussels Sprouts. Along with Lima beans, probably the most infamous object of children’s fear and loathing in the food world. I can’t say I hated them as a kid – I never even tried them until I was an adult. And that first time, my boyfriend at the time was a chef, so I loved them. But I never attempted to make them myself until I went all paleo, because I assumed they were difficult to make, or at least it was difficult to make them taste good. I was soooooooo wrong. I suspect that the traditional hatred of Brussels sprouts may have been a result of boiling to death and a lack of seasoning. So all I’m saying here is – let’s not blame the Brussels sprouts for some unimaginative cooks. This recipe does exactly that. And that’s exactly what happens to your Brussels sprouts as they bake. Aside from how wonderful these Brussels sprouts taste, and how easy they are to make, they are good for you. And now you can make them super yummy as well. The Best Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts Serves 4
Parchment-Roasted Red Snapper with Tomatoes & Zucchini This is one of my favorite ways to prepare fish, because it’s so light, easy, and flavorful -- not to mention beautiful! You can make the parchment packages several hours in advance and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready. Feel free to use any type of squash or zucchini, though baby zucchini are especially cute. 2 small summer squash, thinly sliced into rounds (I usually use a combination of zucchini and yellow squash)4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzlingFine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper4 (4-ounce) fillets red snapper (or other thin fillets, such as tile fish, tilapia, redfish, or trout)20 red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup dry white wine, divided 8 sprigs fresh thymeParchment paper Couscous, for serving Fresh, chopped basil, for garnish Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place one piece of parchment paper on a clean workspace.
The Hungry Excavator: Sizzling Pork Sisig Recipe A few months ago, my dear friend Cherrie invited a bunch of us over to her place for a Filipino Fiesta to celebrate her birthday. Boy oh boy, was I excited or what. Everyone knows how I feel about potlucks (so much more fun than eating out). Besides that, everyone knows that Filipinos know how to throw one heck of a food party. I decided immediately that I wanted to make a Sizzling Pork Sisig for the fiesta. The Internet tells me that "Sisig" means to "snack on something sour" but my understanding of this dish is that it's pork parts (head, cheek, liver, belly, etc etc ) that's been braised in vinegar before being grilled, diced and served on a sizzling hot plate. I just used the cheek and belly this time cause it's easier for me. Thank goodness for Footscray Happy to report that all the ingredients I didn't initially have for this recipe could be bought at Footscray. This was our amazing spread that night (not including desserts) and OMG we had a whole roasted pig too!!!!! Method: 1. 2.
Veggie Tofu Stir Fry I remember the first time I tried tofu. It was raw in a whole grain wrap along with some mustard and veggies and I honestly couldn’t finish it. And when it comes to food I’m a trooper. But, that all changed recently during a trip to San Antonio when I ate the best tofu of my life. Two bites in and I was in heaven. The best part? It really worked you guys! The basic trick is first drying the tofu, then baking it at a high temperature to brown it and create a tougher texture, and then letting it set out to dry even more. For this recipe I made a quick and simple stir fry but once you have the basics down this tofu could be used in just about any recipe you already love. I hope to incorporate it into more of the meals we regularly prepare to see just how versatile it is. Because it was diced, baked, left out to dry and then stir-fried in the sauce, the tofu soaked up so much flavor, rendering it absolutely irresistible. Tofu That Tastes Good: Stir Fry Author: Minimalist Baker Serves: 2-3
Vegetable Broth Base A good vegetable stock is an important ingredient to have on hand, but supermarket offerings don’t taste like vegetables, and traditional homemade versions are expensive and time-consuming to make. In our recipe, we grind a selection of fresh vegetables, salt, and savory ingredients to a paste that we can store in the freezer and reconstitute as needed. Leeks provide good allium flavor, and a small amount of freeze-dried onions support the fresh flavor of the leeks. Long-simmered vegetable broth tends to be murky and off-tasting. Ingredients 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped and washed thoroughly (2 1/2 cups or 5 ounces)2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2/3 cup or 3 ounces)1/2 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3/4 cup or 3 ounces)1/2 cup (1/2 ounce) fresh parsley leaves and thin stems3 tablespoons dried minced onions2 tablespoons kosher salt1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce Directions 1. 2.
20 Five-Ingredient Chicken Recipes to Make for Dinner When it comes to making dinner, I always count it a victory when I find a recipe I want to make and I already have all the ingredients. It's even more of a win when I can count all the ingredients on one hand. Get ready for a victory dance because we've got 20 satisfying chicken dinners that are perfect for dinner. And not counting the basics — like oil, salt, pepper, and water — these winning recipes all have just five main ingredients (or fewer!). 1. How To Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time Need some chicken for a salad, or to top some pasta? 2. This is the kind of recipe that belongs in your core arsenal as a home cook. 3. Think of this method as a cross between braising and roasting. 4. There's a lot to love about boneless skinless chicken thighs; they're inexpensive, tasty, and easy to cook. 5. Doused in a double dose of hot sauce — first to marinate and then to coat — these oven-baked wings are arguably just as crispy, sticky, and addictive as their deep-fried brethren.
Citrus Tilapia Recipe 1. On a plate, combine the flour and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the tilapia in the flour. 2. 3. Per serving: 200 calories, 9 g total fat, 7 g total carbohydrate, 0 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugars, 23 g protein, 55 mg sodium Nutritional analysis provided by Other Reprinted, with permission, from the American Cancer Society. This is the perfectly balanced burger, according to a 'flavour perception' expert There’s no accounting for taste, they say, but it turns out they might be wrong about that. Charles Michel, a food scientist and ‘flavour perception’ expert at Oxford University in the UK says he’s come up with the formula for what he calls “the multisensory perfectly balanced burger”. Multisensory... huh? According to Michel, it’s not enough to combine traditional sweet and savoury flavours and hope they pack enough punch to make a great cow sandwich. You’ve got to think bigger than that. “Science has shown that deliciousness is a perception created by our brains with stimulation coming from all the senses, and not only a sensation happening in our mouth,” he said in a statement to the press. To get the most out of a burger, apparently we need to simultaneously appreciate it with five of our senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touching. And don’t think you’ll be serving this thing up on a plate, either.
food52 Sure, you could sling together penne alla vodka in half an hour and it will taste just fine—there's spice and cream and tomato and, mysteriously but necessarily, vodka (we'll come back to that). But if you're going to commit—to the cream, the vodka, all of it—you can do a whole lot better than just fine. Especially when you nestle up under the wing of Ina Garten. This pasta is Garten's version of one that's been on the menu at Nick and Toni's in East Hampton for more than 20 years, and so loved that she featured on her show The Barefoot Contessa and in her 2012 cookbook Foolproof. The recipe title technically doesn't even have the word vodka in it, but it's the first vodka sauce that comes up every time I try to ask the world for a good one. It starts the usual way sauces do—sauté onion and garlic, add some chile flakes, then booze, then tomatoes, but then it swerves off course. The vodka can only help the process along. Serves 4 to 5, with leftover sauce Photos by Bobbi Lin