Darina Allen - "Your oven should never be moody”
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Doreena Allen, chef and founder of the Ballymalu Cookery School. Good afternoon. Welcome back.
Good morning, Brendan.
So, Doreena, we're going to do a bit of old-fashioned home ec today now, back to basics, right? So you're going to be a kind of a cooking agony aunt and set us straight on some common kitchen mistakes. OK, so we'll start with the basics, our equipment. You're saying know it, use it properly. Tell me about scales, for example.
Oh gosh, well that's super important, particularly for baking because baking is what they kind of call an exact science. So it's not a question of throwing a little pinch of this and a pinch of that because you get a very uneven result. So really good scales that weighs really accurately is super important. And buy one that you're not going to have to replace again in a short time.
A good pan is important as well.
A good heavy, preferably an iron pan, actually, because a lot of those non-stick ones now, there's a lot of concern about they have something, a couple of nasty things in them. So unfortunately, the cheaper they are, the more nasty seem to be in them. But anyway, so try to get, actually, I came across two lads now, and I'm going to forget their name, in Cork the other day who are making super iron pans. and really good ones. Now, they're not exactly given away, but you'd have it for life, if you know what I mean.
What basic kitchen equipment should every home cook invest in?
If anybody wants to ring me later, by the beginning of the week, I'll have their name, okay? That's a bit hopeless, Brendan, sorry. Should have had my homework done, didn't know you were going to ask me that.
Okay, we might have figured it out by the end. The oven. You say choosing an oven is as important as choosing a life partner.
Well, I think it is. Again, this is something to really buy the best possible oven you can.
Why are accurate kitchen scales essential for baking success?
And you don't want to want the whole pile of gadgets and spits and things and all the rest of it. Just a one that can maybe give you the option of a fan oven and a conventional oven in one. And, you know, if you get a dodgy oven, a lot of them have hot spots and burn things and everything, the cheaper, less good ones. And basically, as I say, it's nearly as important to choosing a partner because otherwise you'd be cursing it every single day.
But no, the problem is with it, like a life partner, when you have it, then you're stuck with it. So then once you do have the oven... You need to kind of get to know it and understand its moods and rhythms and hot and cold spots.
A good oven shouldn't be moody. It should be even temperature right through. And basically, if there is a hot spot, a lot of people say, oh, I can't cook, I burn everything. And honestly, half the time it's either the recipe that doesn't work or else the oven. So if it doesn't, if it has a hot spot, go back to your manufacturers or your shop and get it changed or whatever they shouldn't have.
And we should get a good knife or knives as well.
Yeah, Sue, really, and very important to learn how to sharpen a knife. Now, if you can't do it yourself, and if you're friendly with the butcher, they're brilliant at sharpening knives. But otherwise, buy yourself a knife sharpener. And I know they take a little bit off a knife every time. But honestly, to have a sharp knife, it can actually save you money in the end, not to speak of.
Oh sure, listen, the difference when you sharpen a knife and then the next time you go cutting, you're like, oh my God, this is what a knife is supposed to be like. So basically, so we have the basic equipment then and you were saying a lot of, so a lot of the reason we think we're bad cooks is because we don't have good equipment. So that's the, and a good chopping board as well. Right.
What are the benefits of choosing heavy iron pans over cheap non-stick?
A really good heavy hardwood chopping board, not a plastic chopping board.
No? No, no.
One good hardwood chopping board and you'll have it for life. And I'll tell you a little tip, Brendan says me, ancient. Basically, if you write on... These heavy hardwood chopping boards are not cheap, okay? So basically, if you write on one side F for fruit and C for cooked and on the other side you could put O for onion and R for raw and then you can use both sides of it and so on.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:18
2
What basic kitchen equipment should every home cook invest in?
1:18–1:42
3
Why are accurate kitchen scales essential for baking success?
1:42–3:28
4
What are the benefits of choosing heavy iron pans over cheap non-stick?
3:28–6:05
5
How do I choose and troubleshoot an oven to avoid hot spots?
6:05–9:12