Top Tips For Successful Vegetable Cookery

Appears in

Published 1999

Remember, good cooking starts with good shopping. Always buy the best and freshest vegetables available and never compromise on quality.
Prepare vegetables carefully and use good sharp knives to cut them so that they do not get bruised.
Never leave prepared vegetables soaking in water before cooking. The vitamins will leach out and some vegetables become waterlogged, a Season the cooking water well with salt. But don’t use bicarbonate of soda as it increases vitamin C loss.
Don’t overcook vegetables when boiling them; the longer they are cooked, the more goodness is lost to the cooking water.
Many cooks are afraid of high heat. A high heat achieves the best results for techniques such as roasting, chargrilling and stir-frying, sealing in flavour and nourishment.
Give vegetables accompaniments the same attention and respect as you would the main course.
When combining foods, do so in such a way that they bring out the best in each other, with contrasting but complementary tastes and textures.
Don’t be afraid to rely on a vegetable’s natural flavours. A simple head of broccoli, for example, cooked to perfection, needs no embellishment.
Be prepared to experiment. Trust your own instincts when it comes to taste.
Remember, good presentation is also a vital ingredient.
Be patient, organised and, most importantly, cook with love.