INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

This month, Virginia Willis, the food stylist for "The Main
Ingredient," shares some tips about the implements in your kitchen
without which no meal is complete!  In the same spirit as the
award-winning actress who gratefully  acknowledges the
behind-the-scenes personnel, a good cook is aware of  all the
ingredients and implements that play a part in the production  of her
masterful meal. The pots and pans that ornament my kitchen  have
particular qualities that assist me in the preparation of my  favorite
dishes.  Cast iron  I like to use my grandmother's cast-iron skillets,
beautiful gems  that are slick and ebony from decades of use and proper
care.  Benefits: Very efficient in absorbing, conducting and retaining
heat.It's good for pan-frying or sautéing meats, onions and
vegetables.  Types include:  Regular "traditional" black cast iron and
coated cast iron (see  below). Tips: Requires "seasoning," or smoothing
out the pan's  surface to prevent food from sticking. My nonstick
surface  suggestion: coat pan very well in vegetable oil, then bake it
in a  hot oven (350 degrees) for one to two hours. The best way to
clean  pans is to wipe them out with a soft cloth or paper towel; then,
if  necessary, buff lightly with a nylon pad. Use soap and water only
in  difficult cases. It's absolutely imperative to thoroughly dry a wet
cast-iron skillet to prevent rust. To do so, leave pan in a low oven
(200 degrees) until completely dry.  Price: Very affordable. Available
not only in cookware stores but in  good hardware stores as well.
Coated cast iron  This type features all the benefits of regular cast
iron, and is a bit  easier to care for.  Tips: The heavy bottom
prevents food from scorching and the cookware  holds up very well to
both high-heat and long, slow, low-heat cooking.  Price: Expensive, but
an investment you'll have for the rest of your  life: The popular brand
Le Creuset guarantees its pans for 101 years!  The classic six-piece
set is about $300. A single piece, such as the  five-and-a-half-quart
round French oven, is about $200.  Lightweight aluminum  When cooking
stock or pasta, I use a lightweight aluminum pot.  Benefits: Very good
heat conductor.  Drawbacks: Aluminum reacts to acidic or alkaline
foods. When making  light-colored sauces, I find that the gray metal
sometimes discolors  the liquid. In these cases, I opt for my anodized
aluminum cookware  instead.  Tips: Lighter-grade aluminum cookware is
great for quickly heating up  water to blanch vegetables.  Price:
Moderately priced; available in several different gauges.  Anodized
aluminum (Calphalon)  My Calphalon cookware is a heavy-gauge aluminum
that's anodized and  has a charcoal finish.  Benefits: It conducts heat
well and doesn't discolor food the way  other aluminum pans do.  Price:
A seven-piece set will run you about $260 and a single piece,  like a
five-quart sauté pan, is about $150.  © 1998 Lifetime Entertainment
Services. All rights reserved.  MC formatted using MC buster by Barb at
PK Recipe by: Virginia Willis  Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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