Culinary shortcuts: a proud tradition
How do you cheat at cooking? That was the question Observer Food Monthly asked top chefs following Delia Smith's new 'How to Cheat ...' and OFM's exclusive interview with her this Sunday.
What they've shared aren't exactly trade secrets - presumably none of them would ever use instant mash or Boursin cheese in their restaurant kitchens - instead these are tricks that might make your life easier, and your food look posher, but definitely without compromising on the finished product.
So Giorgio Locatelli extols the virtues of chucking a leg of lamb into a slow-cooker as you leave for work in the morning, Michel Roux admits to keeping herb butters in the freezer to liven up grilled meat and Atul Kochhar makes ice cubes from garlic and ginger to use in his curries. Who, except John Torode, knew that chucking a mug of water into the cavity of a chicken means you can roast it fast and hard and it will steam from within? Or that you can cook lots of poached eggs in a roasting tray on the hob, as Simon Rimmer does?
Everyone has a cheat or two they use in the kitchen, and they don't have to involve buying pre-prepared ingredients (although they can certainly help - just ask Eric Chavot, he makes cakes with leftover Twix bars).
Sometimes a little lateral thinking, or a new piece of gadgetry, can shave hours off the cooking time, or just get rid of the bits you hate doing - chopping garlic, grinding spices, gutting fish? - leaving you more time to twiddle about with stuff you do like making, hit the wine, or just eat more courses.
So what do you dislike doing in the kitchen? And how do you get out of doing it? (Whining, foisting the job on someone else, and buying ready meals don't count ...)
