Recipes Unraveled

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Recipes Unraveled

Story Created: Jul 8, 2008 at 1:30 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 8, 2008 at 1:30 PM EDT

Ingredients



Air Date: 7/9/2008


When it comes to recipes, the sources are endless, from generations-old family favorites scribbled on bits of paper to those found in food magazines, newspapers and cookbooks and on Web sites.

One thing they all have in common is that, if we want the end result to be right, we need to know how to read a recipe properly. It sounds simple but, believe it or not, lots of times the reason a recipe fails isn't because it's tough to make, it's because we haven't read it first.

To avoid some of the most common pitfalls, pick up any ingredients you don't already have on hand before beginning to cook. Once it's time to begin, set out those ingredients and any measuring tools, small appliances or equipment you need to work with. The fancy French term for that is "mis en place," which simply means, in English, "everything in its place."

Next, carefully read the ingredient directions. For example, there's a big difference between 1 cup rice, cooked, and 1 cup of cooked rice! The first is telling us to take 1 cup of rice and cook it; the second is calling for 1 cup of rice that's already been cooked. The difference between the two is about 2 extra cups of cooked rice...and that can really change a recipe!

Last, use the recipe as a guideline for when to start checking for doneness, as in "cook until golden" or "when the juices run clear," but your good judgment is always required, no matter what you read.

And now that we've unraveled our recipe, we're ready to cook up some...

 

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