Everyday Food - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [77]
PER SERVING: 395 calories; 25 grams fat; 5.9 grams protein; 38.3 grams carbohydrates; 1.3 grams fiber
1. HALVE AND PEEL Using a sharp knife, slice onion in half lengthwise, through the root. Slice off tip of stem end from each half, then peel off papery skins.
2. SLICE HORIZONTALLY Holding onion steady with one hand, slice horizontally at even intervals, stopping short of the root.
3. SLICE LENGTHWISE Inserting tip of knife near the root, slice down at even intervals. Curl fingers away from the knife with each slice.
4. SLICE CROSSWISE Holding root end, slice down cross wise. The pieces will fall away as you chop. Brush the pieces to the side of the cutting board with the blunt edge of the knife. (Never use the sharp edge for this, or the blade will become dull.)
PEEL Place a clove inside a garlic peeler, a special rubber tube made for this purpose; roll back and forth to remove skins. (Or trim root end and peel off papery skins with your fingers.)
SLICE Hold a peeled clove, flat side down, in place with one hand (curl fingers inward). Carefully slice very thinly with a sharp knife.
CRUSH Here’s another way to peel garlic when it will be chopped (not sliced). Hold the blade of a large knife flat on top of clove, and press firmly until skin splits. Pop out crushed clove, then slice off root end.
CHOP Rock the sharp edge of the knife blade back and forth across a crushed, peeled clove until pieces are desired size (small for chopped; very small for minced).
STRIP To remove leaves from woody herbs such as thyme and oregano, grasp a sprig at top and sweep stem from top to bottom with your fingers, against the direction of the leaves.
SHAVE For leafy herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, the leaves can be picked from each stem. If a large amount (such as a whole bunch) is called for, use a sharp knife to remove the bulk of the leaves from the tough stems, with a short, downward motion. Discard the stripped stems, or reserve them for flavoring soups or sauces.
CHIFFONADE This is a good technique for cutting large-leaved herbs, such as basil, into thin strips. Stack several leaves and roll tightly lengthwise. Using a sharp knife to avoid bruising, slice thinly crosswise.
STORE Wrap herbs in damp paper towels, then place in resealable plastic bags and refrigerate 2 to 4 days. Do not rinse and dry herbs until just before using them.
1. HALVE LENGTHWISE Place an avocado on a cutting board; holding it steady with one hand, use a large sharp knife to cut the fruit lengthwise all the way around the pit. Keep your hands away from the edge of the blade, and cut slowly.
2. TWIST TO OPEN Hold the cut avocado in the palm of one hand; gently twist the top half with the other hand to release from the pit.
3. REMOVE PIT Place avocado half with pit on the board; carefully (but forcefully) whack the blade of a large knife into the pit. Make sure your knife is sharp; a dull blade can slip. Twist to remove the pit; tap on pit to release from knife.
4. SCORE AND PEEL Use a paring knife to dice or slice each avocado half, without cutting through the skin. Cupping avocado, scoop out flesh with a large spoon.
Instead of crushing tomatoes with your hands as you add them to the pot, use kitchen shears to cut them right in the can.
The easiest way to pit an olive is to lay the blade of a large knife over it and smack the blade with your fist or the heel of your hand. The olive should split open, causing the pit to pop right out.
When a recipe calls for peeled fresh ginger, reach for a spoon: Holding ginger steady with one hand, scrape the spoon toward you in short strokes. To reach especially tight crevices, you may need to slice off a knobby portion and then continue peeling.
Using a paring knife, gently cut through the shell and into the flesh, from head to tail along the center of the back. Then pull off the shell and vein together, leaving tail intact (if desired).
To gauge butter’s firmness, press