Quick tips charter issue

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Measure Ingredient
\N \N To Shuck Oysters
\N \N Peeling and Seeding Tomatoes
\N \N Segmenting Oranges
\N \N Dicing Onions

To shuck oysters you need an oyster knife. a common can opener can also be used to open up the shell. Start by preparing a plate filled with rock salt or seaweed to hold the opened oysters. Brush the oysters as clean as possible under running water t o avoid the possibility of contamination from bacteria on the shell. Using a folded kitchen towel to protect your hand, hold the oyster with its convex shell down to catch the liquor.

1. Every oyster has a hinge. You can use a can opener in much the same way as you would to open a soda bottle, but hold it upside down.

2. If you use an oyster knife, wedge the tip of the knife into the hinge. Push and turn until the hinge pops.

3. When the top shell loosens, run the knife along the inside of the top shell to sever the oyster from it. Lift off the top shell.

4. Now run the knife under the oyster, severing it from the bottom shell. Keep as much of the liquid in the shell as possible and lay the oyster on rock salt or seaweed.

Peel ripe tomatoes by dropping them in boiling water and leaving them there for about 15 to 30 seconds, depending on the ripeness. Remove with a slotted spoon and peel with your fingers. Unripe tomatoes are more challenging ÄÄ if boiled to the point of loosening the skin, the flesh cooks. it's easier t o peel them raw with a sharp paring knife.

1. To seed tomatoes, cut them in half through their equator.

2. Gently squeeze out the juice and seeds while giving the tomato a sharp downward shake. Use your fingers to remove any remaining seeds.

Removing the bitter membrane from citrus fruit is an essential step in many tarts, and also produces a more pleasant fruit salad. The task is made easier by sharpening a medium-size paring knife or vegetable knife.

1. Cut the ends from the fruit and sit it on a flat surface. Trim all the peel and white pith using a large chef's knife, making a series of vertical cuts.

2. Insert the blade of a paring knife between the membrane and the pulp of each segment, and cut towards the center.

3. Flip the cutting edge away from you so that the blade is now parallel to the next membrane. Push out to remove segments.

A large well-sharpened chef's knife is the best tool for this task.

Cut off the ends of the onion and then peel it. Be careful not to remove too much of the onion, although you should remove dried-up outer layers.

1. Cut the onion in half, from one end to the other.

2. Make several horizontal cuts from one end of the onion almost to the other, but don't cut all the way through the root end. The exact number of cuts will depend on the size of the onion and the desired size of the dice.

3. Now make several vertical cuts, from one end to the other. Cut all the way through the onion.

4. Finally, chop across the lengthwise cuts from step 3. Use your knuckles as a guide for the knife while holding the onions with your fingertips. Always pull your fingertips towards your palm, extending the knuckles outward when doing this sort of dicing. It provides more control and eliminates the possibility of an accident.

Cook's Illustrated Charter Issue Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 12-23-94

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