Crumbling Cookies Caper
Posted by Gina on Mar 16, 2009
Why are my peanut butter, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies crumbling into pieces? Got the recipe online:
1c sugar, 1c brown sugar, 1c butter (I used 50/50 smart balance for baking), 2 eggs,1c peanut butter, 1tsp vanilla, 2c flour, 2tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1c oats (I used steel cut kind that might have been in smaller bits than they meant), and chocolate chips.
The culprit in your crumbling cookies caper is the steel cut oats. They require much more cooking time and water than regular rolled oats. What happened is that they absorbed all the moisture from the surrounding dough, but it still wasn’t enough, so the dough became crumbly and the oats remained crunchy. This recipe sounds tasty and looks like it should work just fine as long as you use rolled oats. Instant oats are fine as well. Mmmm… cookies!
Prime Rib
Posted by Gina on Mar 15, 2009
I was looking up recipes for Prime Rib on Epicurious.com. I came across a comment where someone suggested cooking the roast @ 200 degrees for 30 minutes per 1/2 lb. , removing the roast for 30 minutes as you increased the temperature to 500 degrees and then cooking for an additional 30 minutes. I am very interested because they claim that due to the low temp. you retain all or most of the juices.
I just don’t want to have a table of guests waiting for me to bring out a raw roast. Do you have any experience with this method or comments about the probable success?
This is a great method for cooking prime rib. The last stage of the cooking process at 500 degrees should get the fat cap on the roast nice and golden and delicious. Be sure to let your roast rest for 20 minutes before carving. And if some of your guests prefer a more well-done cut, you can always slice off a piece and sauté it quickly on each side. Note that if you are cooking a smallish roast, you will need to reduce the cooking time of the last half hour (at 500 degrees) to just 15 minutes. Also, it is really helpful to keep an oven thermometer in the oven at all times to make sure your oven stays at an even temperature.
Convection Ovens
Posted by Gina on Mar 15, 2009
I used to use a gas oven but recently bought an electric one, the manual is confusing plus vague and I do not understand it at all.
I have attached a picture of the whole oven and of the dials, there are 3 dials one for temperature, function and time. there is also a switch for the fan. I baked a cake yesterday and the settings for the dial that I used were the same as they are in the picture. The cake turned out raw from the middle but crispy and cooked from top and bottom.
Please help me adjust the settings for baking cakes and what would I need to do with the settings while roasting.
Should the fan be off or on? What is it for? I think it circulates heat all around that’s why I kept it on. I get the temperature and time dial but really need help with the function dial.
I am sorry you are having so much trouble with your brand new oven. I have a lot of experience using the small convection ovens and I have not run into the trouble you have experienced. The first thing I recommend is putting an oven thermometer in the oven and testing the accuracy of the temperature for an hour or so on each of the settings. If the oven runs hot by 25 degrees you can then make the adjustment on the temperature dial. My oven at home runs 50 degrees hot most of the time so I have to rely on the thermometer I keep in the oven at all times.
As for the dials on your oven, my best guess is the following:
- The top dial is for the temperature. You knew this, but just thought I’d cover all of them.
- The middle function dial refers to the two different heating elements and their location in the oven.
- The symbol at the 3 o’clock position is for the heating element on the top of the oven, best used for things that you want to brown.
- The symbol at the 6 o’clock position is for the heating element on the bottom of the oven, best for roasting and slow braises.
- The symbol at the 9 o’clock position is for turning on both heating elements at the same time: this would be best for baking.
- The bottom dial is simply a timer.
- The switch on the bottom turns the fan on or off. Using the fan distributes the heat around the oven and usually makes for more even cooking. If I am using a convection oven, I always use the fan for everything I put in there. It cooks things a little more quickly and efficiently.
It sounds like your oven must run hot since your cake was golden brown on the outside and raw in the middle. How frustrating! If after you test the temperature, you find that it is indeed running hot, you might consider returning your oven for a new one or getting a different brand. The ones I am used to using are professional mini convection ovens and are quite expensive, but work beautifully. Hopefully you will be able to get the results you want from this oven with just a few minor adjustments.
Brown Rice Cookery
Posted by Gina on Mar 15, 2009
I have been trying to cook long grain brown rice (instead of the quick kind) and it keeps turning our “crunchy” instead of soft. I have followed directions on the package and for my steamer/cooker, but each time it comes out the same. Can you give me directions on how to cook long grain brown rice so that it comes out fluffy and soft?
Long grain brown rice will never be quite as fluffy and soft as white rice because the bran is intact. But it does have a lovely texture and nutty flavor when fully cooked.
It sounds like the trouble you are having is that the rice is being cooked too fast or at too high of a temperature and the water is evaporating before getting absorbed into the rice. A quick fix is to just add a bit more water to the mostly cooked pan or steamer of rice and let it cook a little longer until the desired result is achieved.
If cooking the rice on the stovetop, wait until the rice and water have come to a boil and then cover the pot and lower the flame to the lowest setting possible. After this allow the rice to simmer until tender. You could also try doing the whole thing in the oven in a covered dish. This ensures that the rice will be cooked slowly and have plenty of time to absorb all the water it needs. This also makes certain that there is little chance of the rice getting burned. This method takes a little longer, but if you factor in that you may not need to scrub a scorched pot afterwards, it could be worth the extra 15 minutes. 
Gnocchi
Posted by Gina on Mar 15, 2009
I was wondering if you know what the secret is to making a gnocchi that does not have a “gummy” consistency when eaten. The gnocchi I’ve had at some of the better trattoria’s in Italy had a soft, melt-in-your-mouth type consistency, but my homemade gnocchi is chewy. Any hints on how I can imitate the better Italian version? (as an aside, Trader Joe’s sells a couple types of gnocchi from Italy, but I noticed they are also gummy/chewy. I’m starting to think that is what gnocchi consistency is intended to be!?) -Joan
I agree that there is nothing else like tender delicate handmade gnocchi that melts in you mouth! But I must admit that achieving this quality is a bit tricky and requires practice.
I have found that recipes that call for baking the potatoes rather than boiling them yield a lighter, fluffier dumpling. This is because there is less water in the dough which cuts down on the gumminess. Also, I like recipes that call for a little bit of baking powder because it gives the gnocchi extra lightness when they are boiled.
Here is a recipe that I have had success with:
5 lbs russet potatoes
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 3/4 tsp baking powder
4 egg whites
3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
-Pierce potatoes and bake at 400 degrees until tender.
-Peel potatoes while warm and press through a potato ricer or food mill.
- Mix potatoes, salt, baking powder, and egg whites in a large bowl.
-Add flour (a little at a time) and mix with hands until the mixture forms a rough ball.
-Divide dough into two batches keeping one covered
-Knead dough on a dry, lightly floured board until smooth (about 3-5 minutes).
-With a sharp knife cut a piece of dough and roll into a rope about the thickness of your index finger.
- Cut rope into 1 inch pieces and form slightly.
- Boil in gnocchi in batches in salted water until they float.
-Remove them gently with a slotted spoon allowing most of the water to drip off before adding them to your warm sauce.
Some other notes:
-Give yourself a few chances to make this recipe or one like it because getting a feel for how much to knead the dough takes some doing. Feel free to cut this recipe in half to get some practice.
-If the gnocchi falls apart or disintegrates when put in boiling water then you will probably need to work the dough a bit longer or add a tiny bit if moisture to the dough.
- If the gnocchi are gummy or not tender then you may need to cut back on how much the dough was needed or add a bit more flour to the mix.
-Have the sauce you are going to flavor the gnocchi with ready to go because once the dumplings are cooked they need to be eaten and not handled too much
Hope this information helps and you are able to make the gnocchi of your dreams!