Become a culinary genius in 2023 with these kitchen secrets!
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Food is a universal language, and here at the SDC, we all share the same goal of becoming better cooks in the new year.
If, like us, one of your New Year's resolutions this year is to finally become the master chef you've always wanted to be in the kitchen, then hold tight – we've got plenty of tips and tricks from top chefs that will make you look like a cooking expert in no time.
Unbelievably Fluffy Rice
Harry Dhanjal from Atta Restaurant wants everyone to know that a rice cooker isn't necessary for fluffy and flavourful rice.
Here's all you have to do: Soak 500g of basmati rice in lukewarm water for 15 minutes to soften it. While it is soaking, boil the water and add ¼ tsp of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil.
Rinse the rice and place it in the pot. After about eight minutes, you will start seeing the rice rotating in the water – at this point, remove a piece of grain and test it. Drain the rice and spread it on a flat tray to cool down.
Tacos Made the Right Way
Have you been struggling to get that perfect crunch in your tacos? Well, according to Daniella Guevara Munoz of La Popular Taqueria, it's all about the simple touches.
Rather than stuffing your tacos with lettuce, sour cream and cheese - simplifying the ingredients is the way to success. Fill them with grilled, sliced meat and a salsa made with diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeño chilli and garlic blended.
And for the tortillas? Daniella says that it's all about the heat. Get a bowl of water big enough to dip a tortilla in, then take it out and put it in a very hot pan and cook for just a few seconds on each side.
Now your tacos are ready to eat.
The Perfect Pasta
For perfectly cooked pasta, Danny Russo of The Russolini Group recommends boiling water and then adding 7g of rock salt per litre.
Once the water has boiled again, add the pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and begin your timer – if the packet says eight minutes, cook it for six. Before you strain the pasta, take out some of the pasta water and set it aside.
You can add a little of this to your sauce to add a beautiful flavour and starch.
Save Your Veggies with this Dressing
Overcooked your vegetables? Don't panic! According to the head chef of Africola, Joel Tisato, you can always save them with the right dressing.
'No matter how dreary the cos lettuce at the back of the crisper may be or how overcooked your pumpkin is, a simple dressing can make anything delicious,' Tisato says.
All you need to make this 'magic' dressing is a mixture of 300ml yoghurt, three tablespoons of tahini, three tablespoons of lemon juice, one crushed garlic clove, and a pinch of salt and white pepper blended all together – but feel free to add more water to bring it to your desired thickness.
Quick and Easy French Pudding Recipe
If you need a more impressive dessert recipe too, Ayhan Erkoc from Cotham Dining has got you covered. His French pudding – which, believe us, is much more delicious than it sounds – only needs five basic ingredients to make, and it's very easy.
All you need to prepare for this one is 250ml of cream, three eggs, two egg yolks, 100g of sugar and 15g of flour, all of which you need to blend together and pour into an ovenproof dish that you've sprayed with oil and put your preferred berries in before. Bake it in your oven at 200°C for around eight minutes.
'It will puff up like a soufflé, but not evenly. Serve it alone or with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of your favourite ice cream,' Erkoc adds.
You can also check out the recipe in this video below:
Credit: Chef Billy Parisi.
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce slash Dressing Recipe
Want to give seafood, rice paper rolls, spring rolls or coleslaws that extra kick of flavour? Kevin Nguyen of Le Feu Vietnamese French restaurant shares his recipe for a Vietnamese dipping sauce and dressing.
To make it, simply take 50ml fish sauce, 50ml lemon juice, 100ml simple syrup (made using a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar), two garlic cloves, and one long red chilli and blend them until smooth. Rest the sauce for 30 minutes and refrigerate before use. If you are using this for a salad dressing, add 50 ml of water.
Perfect Gnocchi Every Single Time
And finally, Nicole Bampton from Capriccio Osteria has the key to making the perfect gnocchi every single time. Her secret? 'A potato variety that doesn't have a lot of moisture, such as a desiree,' she notes.
'I like to roast them whole on a bed of rock salt to sweeten them and add extra flavour to the gnocchi instead of boiling them like some recipes say.'
Be sure to use a gentle hand when you bring the ingredients together, and always use a potato ricer. And don't forget to shock them in ice water after they come out of the boiling pot, before reheating them in a pot of boiling water for two minutes.
Members, now that you've been given access to some of the top chefs' kitchen secrets, why not try your hand at cooking that five-star meal at home?
Share the amazing results with us in the comments below - we'd love to hear about what you've been creating in the kitchen! Who knows, it might even end up being featured in the newsletter. Bon appetit!
If, like us, one of your New Year's resolutions this year is to finally become the master chef you've always wanted to be in the kitchen, then hold tight – we've got plenty of tips and tricks from top chefs that will make you look like a cooking expert in no time.
One of the best ways to develop as a home cook is to listen to the guidance of seasoned professionals. Credit: Pexels/Rene Asmussen.
Unbelievably Fluffy Rice
Harry Dhanjal from Atta Restaurant wants everyone to know that a rice cooker isn't necessary for fluffy and flavourful rice.
Here's all you have to do: Soak 500g of basmati rice in lukewarm water for 15 minutes to soften it. While it is soaking, boil the water and add ¼ tsp of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil.
Rinse the rice and place it in the pot. After about eight minutes, you will start seeing the rice rotating in the water – at this point, remove a piece of grain and test it. Drain the rice and spread it on a flat tray to cool down.
If there's one dish that almost everyone loves, it has to be fluffy, well-cooked rice. Credit: Unsplash/Chanhee Lee.
Tacos Made the Right Way
Have you been struggling to get that perfect crunch in your tacos? Well, according to Daniella Guevara Munoz of La Popular Taqueria, it's all about the simple touches.
Rather than stuffing your tacos with lettuce, sour cream and cheese - simplifying the ingredients is the way to success. Fill them with grilled, sliced meat and a salsa made with diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeño chilli and garlic blended.
And for the tortillas? Daniella says that it's all about the heat. Get a bowl of water big enough to dip a tortilla in, then take it out and put it in a very hot pan and cook for just a few seconds on each side.
Now your tacos are ready to eat.
The secret to the best tacos is to keep it simple and fill it with grilled, sliced meat and a homemade salsa. Credit: Pexels/Vinícius Caricatte.
The Perfect Pasta
For perfectly cooked pasta, Danny Russo of The Russolini Group recommends boiling water and then adding 7g of rock salt per litre.
Once the water has boiled again, add the pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and begin your timer – if the packet says eight minutes, cook it for six. Before you strain the pasta, take out some of the pasta water and set it aside.
You can add a little of this to your sauce to add a beautiful flavour and starch.
For the perfect pasta every single time, the key is to boil water and then add 7g of rock salt per litre and let it come to a boil again. Credit: Pexels/Klaus Nielsen.
Save Your Veggies with this Dressing
Overcooked your vegetables? Don't panic! According to the head chef of Africola, Joel Tisato, you can always save them with the right dressing.
'No matter how dreary the cos lettuce at the back of the crisper may be or how overcooked your pumpkin is, a simple dressing can make anything delicious,' Tisato says.
All you need to make this 'magic' dressing is a mixture of 300ml yoghurt, three tablespoons of tahini, three tablespoons of lemon juice, one crushed garlic clove, and a pinch of salt and white pepper blended all together – but feel free to add more water to bring it to your desired thickness.
Rescue your veggie salad with this easy-to-make dressing. Credit: Unsplash/Nielsen Ramon.
Quick and Easy French Pudding Recipe
If you need a more impressive dessert recipe too, Ayhan Erkoc from Cotham Dining has got you covered. His French pudding – which, believe us, is much more delicious than it sounds – only needs five basic ingredients to make, and it's very easy.
All you need to prepare for this one is 250ml of cream, three eggs, two egg yolks, 100g of sugar and 15g of flour, all of which you need to blend together and pour into an ovenproof dish that you've sprayed with oil and put your preferred berries in before. Bake it in your oven at 200°C for around eight minutes.
'It will puff up like a soufflé, but not evenly. Serve it alone or with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of your favourite ice cream,' Erkoc adds.
You can also check out the recipe in this video below:
Credit: Chef Billy Parisi.
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce slash Dressing Recipe
Want to give seafood, rice paper rolls, spring rolls or coleslaws that extra kick of flavour? Kevin Nguyen of Le Feu Vietnamese French restaurant shares his recipe for a Vietnamese dipping sauce and dressing.
To make it, simply take 50ml fish sauce, 50ml lemon juice, 100ml simple syrup (made using a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar), two garlic cloves, and one long red chilli and blend them until smooth. Rest the sauce for 30 minutes and refrigerate before use. If you are using this for a salad dressing, add 50 ml of water.
Some dishes such as spring rolls may feel incomplete without an amazing dipping sauce. Credit: Pexels/Dima Valkov.
Perfect Gnocchi Every Single Time
And finally, Nicole Bampton from Capriccio Osteria has the key to making the perfect gnocchi every single time. Her secret? 'A potato variety that doesn't have a lot of moisture, such as a desiree,' she notes.
'I like to roast them whole on a bed of rock salt to sweeten them and add extra flavour to the gnocchi instead of boiling them like some recipes say.'
Be sure to use a gentle hand when you bring the ingredients together, and always use a potato ricer. And don't forget to shock them in ice water after they come out of the boiling pot, before reheating them in a pot of boiling water for two minutes.
For the best gnocchi, roast potatoes on a layer of rock salt and use a potato ricer to make them light and fluffy. Credit: Pexels/Karolina Grabowska.
Share the amazing results with us in the comments below - we'd love to hear about what you've been creating in the kitchen! Who knows, it might even end up being featured in the newsletter. Bon appetit!
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