Tips Techniques And Vegetables

The peculiar yet delicious pepper you need in your life.

Take yours to the next level by doing this one thing.

Don't be afraid to turn up the heat.

Smarter, not harder.

No accessories required.

We've got a technique for each variety.

No more mushy potatoes.

Make the most of your farmers market haul.

The flavor goes all the way up!

We explain.

It's great for more than pie.

They stay crunchy-fresh for over two weeks.

No soggy crusts here!

Relief for jalapeño hands is right in your pantry.

The best way to peel pearl onions is also the easiest and the fastest.

Nope, it’s not in the baking aisle.

Don’t overcook them!

Number two is a total game-changer.

The purple root vegetable is becoming super popular for a reason.

This is an easy fix.

It’s all about the technique.

While those inexpensive pumpkin carving kits you see at the grocery store may seem appealing, they're actually not your best bet.

Serve them at your next party!

For your best mashed potatoes yet.

Yes, you can freeze mashed potatoes. Here's how.

Here’s to the humble, dependable spud. It has to be one of the top kitchen staples of all time, loved for its versatility — giving us creamy mashes, comforting hashes, cheesy gratins, crisp fries, crunchy chips, fluffy bakes to load with butter and sour cream, and much more. We tend to take this kitchen stalwart for granted, stashing it in the pantry with little care and expecting it to be there at our beck and call. But that doesn’t always pan out.

It can be daunting to face a butternut squash. Learn how to cut butternut squash in four easy steps.

Here’s how to dice, chop, mince, and everything between!

No peeler, no problem.

The methods are super simple!

Here's how long it really takes to caramelize onions, and why recipe writers sometimes pretend otherwise.

Behold, a potentially life-changing video from Saveur that helps you get corn off the cob quickly and easily and makes excellent use of a multi-tasting bundt pan! I can’t believe I missed this video when it came out last year, but it’s never too late to learn a brilliant kitchen trick. As shown in the video, a bundt pan helps hold the cob in place and neatly catches corn kernels and milk as you shave them to use in salads, dessert, juice, and more.

We don’t use the term brassica often, but we’re definitely familiar with the hearty veggies that live in this family, with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage being the most popular. But don’t stop there. From rutabaga to turnips, here are five brilliant brassicas to work into your meal plan right now. While turnips are available year-round, you’ll notice they’re making a big appearance is CSA boxes right now and will again in the springtime.

Of all the ingredients in all the world, potatoes happen to be my favorite. Fried, mashed, and nestled under a roasting chicken, I love them no matter the preparation. I even love them frozen. And that’s because, when it comes to making a quick, filling snack, there’s no better item to have on hand than shredded hash browns. Frozen hash browns have chameleon-like properties. When fried or baked, they add a surprising pop of crunch to an otherwise texture-less dish.

Long, tender green spears of asparagus are a spring favorite. We wait all winter for the first glimpse of them at the farmers market, but its pale sibling, white asparagus, doesn’t get quite the same fanfare — at least not in North America. In Europe, its appearance is perhaps even more celebrated. Beyond the obvious difference in color, what exactly is the difference between white and green asparagus?

Don't let any extra cabbage go to waste! Here's how to properly store it in the freezer.

Follow this visual guide to learn the best way to cut cabbage for your recipe.

Read more to learn how to shred cabbage properly.

This is absolutely the best method for the crispiest, crunchiest, and most tender sprouts!

Like with potatoes, broccoli is particularly delicious when smashed and roasted to perfection.

I just received two plump eggplants in my CSA box, and as I was sticking them in the refrigerator, I suddenly questioned whether this was the right move. Remember that tip for how to store cucumbers? Turns out eggplant is similar. Until now, my go-to storage spot for eggplant has always been in the refrigerator — either the crisper drawer or bottom shelf, depending on the size.

We get a little confused if a recipe calls for a roaster or a broiler chicken. Can different kinds of chickens be used interchangeably? Have you also wondered about the difference between these sizes of chickens? Wonder no more! Here’s a handy guide to identify those chickens and a few pointers on swapping and preparing. The terms tend to get tossed about and used interchangeably in chicken recipes and articles.

Celery leaves — known primarily as a throwaway top to an already underappreciated vegetable — are so often discarded. It’s a real shame. Celery leaves are actually a bonus to their stalks and completely virtuous on their own. Here’s everything you need to know about prepping them and turning them into a vibrant pesto. Celery leaves are delicious, nutritious, and packed with intense celery flavor.

This method simply yielded the best of everything: a perfectly crispy exterior with a fluffy interior.

When we picture a baked potato, we picture it wrapped in shiny aluminum foil. Why is that? Because restaurants serve them that way? Because our parents did it? We think we must have done it out of habit, without knowing the reason. Not anymore… Some say wrapping baked potatoes in aluminum foil helps them cook faster (aluminum conducts heat, then traps it), and it does keep them hot for longer once they come out of the oven, which is why we think restaurants use this method.

You really don't have to make mashed potatoes day-of for them to come out perfect.

If you are like me, you need a good recipe to handle the absurd number of eggplant varieties, like baby heirloom eggplants, you buy during the summer months. Especially, those sweet little Fairy Tale eggplants. With purple and white stripes and a miniature form, they are completely irresistible. I buy a basket of the adorable veggies from every vendor who sells them at the farmers market. Am I alone?

Flavorful shiitake mushrooms are such a foundation of Asian cooking. They have an intense flavor that always reminds me of my Chinese grandmother’s cooking, where she used shiitake mushrooms in soups, braises, and steamed dishes. My grandmother always had a big glass jar of dried shiitake mushrooms in her pantry, and I’ve picked up this habit too!

There are a lot of reasons to always have carrots on hand — they’re one of the ingredients for mirepoix or homemade stock, make great snacks or crudité, and are inexpensive to buy (even if you choose organic). It’s more economical to buy them in packs or bunches, but how can you keep carrots fresh and crisp if you don’t plan on using them up in a few days? Here’s our easy way. First of all, trim any green tops off the carrots.

This time of year, when eggplant of all shapes and sizes is in abundance at the farmers market, it seems like the possibilities are endless. Throw it on the grill, roast it, braise it, stuff it, or stir-fry it — regardless of how it’s cooked, eggplant is bound to be delicious. That is, as long as you avoid these common eggplant cooking mistakes.

Eggplant can be one tricky fruit to cook (yes, it’s actually a fruit — not a vegetable), particularly when fried and sautéed in a hearty vegetarian meal. Often the result of being mistreated, it can get a bad rap — one it doesn’t entirely deserve. When handled right, eggplant’s texture ranges from tender and creamy, to silky and smooth. When things go wrong, it’s another story entirely.

Just reach for a little old fashioned kitchen wisdom.