THIS MONTH IN OUR TEST KITCHEN...

As the delicious. food team cook and test recipes, there’s constant tinkering and fervent discussion: timesaving ideas; new tricks we’ve heard of; some technique we’ve dreamed up and want to try… Then there are the questions and input we get from colleagues as they come to see what’s cooking. On these pages, our aim (with help from our regular experts) is to reproduce that test kitchen atmosphere, sharing the most useful ideas and tips we’ve discovered. It’s cookery gold!

TEST KITCHEN

OUR ROUGH MEASURES: HOW TO INTERPRET THEM

Delicious. recipes are written to be as quick and hassle-free as possible, so if an exact, laborious measurement isn’t needed, we use these terms:

GLUG Hold the bottle upside-down and listen. The liquid will pour out, then thin as air enters the bottle making a glug noise. When you hear the noise, stop.

DRIZZLE Upend the bottle (of oil, say) for 4-6 counts, keeping it moving.

SPLASH Same as a drizzle but count to two.

DOLLOP A heaped dessertspoonful of something soft, such as cream or ricotta.

PINCH For salt, we use a four-fingered pinch. If it’s spicy like cayenne, it’s a two-fingered pinch (now wash your hands).

BUT REMEMBER… If we give a more precise measurement, it’s because it’s important!

TOP 5 FREEZER ESSENTIALS

1 HOMEMADE STOCK

A must-have in risottos or reduced sauces. Making good stock takes time, so make as big a batch as you can and freeze in useful quantities: 250ml, 500ml and 1 litre.

2 HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE

Proper tomato sauce defrosts quickly in a pan and has many uses. Stir into pasta, use as a base for bolognese, or pile onto toast and add cheese for a kind of instant pizza. Add vegetables/pulses with herbs/spices for soups, stews and curries; or add capers and olives for a base for baked fish.

3 BUTTER IN SMALL CHUNKS

It’s always handy to have butter in the freezer, but in big blocks it takes ages to defrost. Freeze in 50g chunks instead, marking the total weight on each freezer bag. Much more versatile. The delicious. team like salty butter for toast or sandwiches, but we always use unsalted for baking.

4 BACON OR PANCETTA LARDONS

Again, as they’re small, they can be cooked from frozen so you’ll always have a flavourful base for soups, stews and sauces. Add an onion, stock and frozen peas and you also have the makings of a decent storecupboard risotto.

5 CRUMBS, CROUTONS & CROSTINI

Croutons and crostini can be baked/fried from frozen for soups, canapés or salads. Dried breadcrumbs remain fairly separate when frozen and defrost almost instantly. Use to coat food for frying or for pangrattato. A good use for old, dry pieces of bread.