Tim’s Tips for Happy Cooking

Recently, I called the customer support line for New York Times subscribers. Seems as though I had neglected my annual subscription rate which now bordered on the price of dinner for four at a Michelin star restaurant. The last time I called, which could have been during the Clinton administration, the agent offered me a deal of just $3.99 a month. But she also reminded me to mark my calendar and call again the following year lest the rate go up. Which it did. But by the time I called, it was nearly $18 a month. And yes, I am a rube.

So I called and spoke to a polite young man with a curious accent. Turns out he was from Costa Rica. I told him it I had visited there twice and thought it was a beautiful country with lovely people. He thanked me and agreed. By the end of the call, my rate was $6.00 a month including a subscription to the paper’s food section and vast library of previously published recipes. That alone may be worth the price of admission.

One of the first articles I read from the newly-accessed food section was about helpful tips for cooking. It was clearly written for the kitchen-timid just embarking on boiling eggs or learning the ropes of their new-fangled microwave. The article listed 11 tips including things like using a large cutting board, buying a knife you can sharpen, getting a heavy skillet, and learning how to read a recipe. After giving the article a thorough read, I came up with my own tips for the kitchen. Here they are.

Tim’s Tips for Happy Cooking

Disclaimer: I am not Jacque Pepin—but I wish I could cook like him. We’ve bought his books and watched his cooking shows since the 80s. Pepin is the Yoda of the chef world. No one does technique better. His short videos currently on Facebook are gold. My experience wearing the big apron, on the other hand, comes from years of making dinner, screwing up, and hopefully learning from the sometimes happy accidents. Onward.

Work ass-backwards: when putting together a meal, it’s best to work backwards. In other words, set the table first and put on the playlist of tunes you’ll be enjoying.

Open the wine: prep the bottle you’ll be enjoying before cooking the meal. That way you won’t forget it when dinner hits the table. Mind the temperature of the bottle if it’s a white or pink wine and dinner prep will be a while. You may need to open the wine and put it back in the fridge. You can use the cork to reseal the bottle (or the screwcap). Better yet, buy a few of the Oxo bottle stoppers that can be put in the dishwasher and reused for years. They’re the best way to reseal an open bottle of wine.

Stick to simpler recipes: Years ago when my wife Carla and I first moved to San Francisco and were both bartending, we often made extravagant meals on our nights off. Byzantine, multi-page recipes from the sadly now long gone Gourmet Magazine were usually the inspiration. Dinners often took hours to prepare and we ended up staggering to the table with the kitchen a complete mess. Hopefully, we enjoyed the fruits of our labor. At the very least, we enjoyed each other’s company. The maxim here is to stick to simple recipes. If there’s over a dozen ingredients or it takes over an hour to make the recipe, odds are you’re better off with something more basic. There are always exceptions. Braises, stews, and soups that need simmering for an extended time come to mind.

Use a cooking thermometer: the best cooking advice I can give. Don’t hallucinate having worked on the line in a steakhouse and think you can guess when a pricey cut of beef is medium rare. Odds are you’ve already over-cooked it. And that thing about touching various parts of your hand as a reference for done-ness is an urban myth. Check the temp of any protein early and often. Also know that the temp will rise by a few degrees as it rests. And you’re letting it rest before plating it, right? Ten minutes minimum for beef. Which reminds me of my next point.

Err on the side of under-cooking meat: that way you can temp the beef/pork and then give it more time, if needed. When in doubt, take the pan off the heat and temp the meat. You’ll be glad you did.

Use butter for browning: I practically always sauté things using olive oil. But if something needs a bit of browning, I use a combo platter of butter and olive oil. It’s not like a tablespoon of the former will harden your arteries.

Use good olive oil: There’s a lot of fraud in the olive oil market. Know that some oils you see in supermarkets labeled “extra virgin” are probably anything but. As your attorney, I advise you to buy the 1.75 liter bottles of Kirkland Italian or Tuscan organic extra virgin oils. For the money, they are as good as it gets. Anything better, and by that I mean the 500ml bottles of estate Tuscan oils, should not be used for cooking. Instead, drizzle them with delight over meat, fish, and salads. While you’re at it, tear off bits of a baguette and dip them in the oil. Life is good.

Buy good skillets: I’m with the Times on this one. We’ve had a 12-inch cast iron skillet forever. It’s black as sin and could easily be wielded like a weapon. Actually, it wouldn’t be a good weapon because it weighs a ton. But it’s perfect for steaks that get seared on the stove top over high heat before being popped into the oven to finish. Otherwise, I gave Carla two Le Creuset non-stick skillets for Christmas. The ones we’d been using had lost some of their non-stick surface. Which makes me think it ended up in our gullets. Perish the thought, but buy good skillets. They heat slower and more evenly, and are forgiving when it comes to cooking over high heat.

Use quality knives: also agree with the Times on this one. Start with a small paring knife and chef’s knife. Sharpen them at home or have a service do it. Once sharpened, be mindful. I’ve cut myself on one of our just-sharpened knives seconds after Carla told me to be careful. Didn’t score any points with that one.

Tongs: I use kitchen tongs to cook with more than any other utensil. Get good ones with silicon tips so you don’t scratch the pricey non-stick pans.

Use more garlic: this is a personal one. I always add one more clove of garlic to any recipe, thinking it may be needed to ward off vampires or just add a bit more savory kick to the dish. Besides, if someone joining you for dinner doesn’t like garlic, they may actually be a vampire. And they probably wouldn’t be your friend anyway.

Use kosher salt: our-go to is Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. I can’t find it locally here behind the adobe curtain so order it from Amazon. It’s worth it. Diamond is flaky and less dense than other Kosher salts, notably Morton’s. Which means over-salting is rarely a problem. Regardless, just make sure you use Kosher salt when cooking and not table salt. The last time I dined with someone who made dinner using regular table salt, I could really taste the iodide.

Pepper too: Fresh pepper from a grinder is a thing of beauty. You get the spice/heat and complexity of flavors. Pay extra for good peppercorns too. It’s worth it.

Prep before cooking: a no-brainer. Get started by laying everything out on the counter you’ll be using. Hopefully, you have a counter. Otherwise, cooking is like bartending in that prepping thoroughly before the shift pays off with less stress during actual game time. You might even pour a splash of wine to help with mental preparation.

Allow more time for the meal: regardless of how much you cook, odds are dinner is going to take at least 15 minutes longer to make than you think. Using the ass-backwards rule, allow for more time.

Downshift before eating: When you’ve plated dinner and everyone hits the table, take several deep breaths when you first sit down before digging in. Otherwise, you’ll still be in dirt bike mode from cooking and will hoover the meal. This is one I’m sometimes guilty of.

Offer a toast: Finally, it may seem like a pointless ritual, but start dinner with a toast. Prost up those present, others living (or not), or the occasion—no matter how mundane. It may only be Monday, but at least no one got hurt—and that includes you in the kitchen while making dinner.

Bon appétit!

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