The best recipes are the ones that are brief. Clear and concise ingredients paired with methods that are no longer than three or four short paragraphs. At times is it necessary to describe a technique in-depth, but this is the exception not the rule. Here at Edible Times I pledge to keep it as simple as possible – for my sanity and that of ET readers. After all, the best part about cooking and baking is getting to the eating part.
Shorthands & Methods Legend
AN as needed, use as much as you need, to your own taste
ea each, refers to “one carrot” or “one egg”
fl oz ounces for pourable liquids, use a measuring cup
oz ounces by weight (use a scale)
qts quarts
tsp teaspoon
Tbs tablespoon
TT to taste
Blanch: To cook vegetables for mere seconds in boiling water (they will probably be finished using another method)
Braise: To cook a large piece of meat in liquid that comes a third of the way up the sides of the cut
Chopped: Just cut it up willy-nilly, it doesn’t need to be pretty
Deglaze: To add a liquid to a hot pan and scrape up the bits left behind by seared meat
Dice: If size description is left out, assume a ¼-inch cube
Flambé: Setting fire to an alcoholic liquid while cooking. Flame from a gas stove, or a lighter can be used, exercise caution
Minced: Cut the ingredient into the smallest pieces possible
Pan-fry: Think Southern-fried chicken. The ingredient is only submerged half-way (at the most) in the cooking oil
Sauté: To cook an ingredient in a small amount of oil or butter over medium-high heat
Sear: To cook an ingredient over medium-high heat in order to achieve a golden brown exterior
Stir-fry: Really high heat, very little oil, toss ingredients constantly
Zest: To grate the rind of a citrus fruit or a whole spice on a small-hole grater such as a microplane
One last mention – all recipes found on Edible Times will be reliable. Tried and tested, tested and tried multiple times. They will not be one hit wonders that only received one pass in the kitchen before publishing. That would be careless, and unfair to anyone else who relied on a reckless recipe.
