“Everybody Thinks You Got A Michelin Star”: 36 Fancy Cooking Techniques That Are Shockingly Easy

Corn starch will thicken a sauce. Gives stuff like Chinese food that nice glaze. I mix it with a little bit of cold water or broth to dissolve first.

Put some effort into plating. Presentation is a massive part of how people perceive a dish. Don't just throw food on the plate and call it a day. Think throw how you want it to look like and wipe of any drips. Does wonders.

Let your base or stock cook for HOURS. Recipe says 3, cook it for 5 or 6 hours at least. Just gently simmer it. It WILL make a big big difference.

Cooking onions. “Omg what are you cooking it smells soooo gooooood” lmao every time.

Lattice crust on a pie.


Show up with a lattice top crust, and people assume you're a heckin' wizard. It takes less the 10min and very little thought.

Cook with a hand towel on shoulder. Look fancy making Mac n cheese!

Remunos_Redbeard:

100% this.
Optional: wear a Betty Crocker branded (or similar) apron.

whinny_whaley:

I do that because I obsessively wash hands between touching anything and also can't handle much heat on the handles so it's easier to find. Didn't know I was showing off.

Garlic mashed potatoes? Boil your peeled or unpeeled halved potatoes for 20 min along with a handful of whole peeled garlic cloves. They’ll get perfectly mashed along with potatoes when done. Add butter, cream/milk and salt when mashing. Thanks, Betty Crocker!

Texture and acid can elevate almost any dish.

If you look down at your dish and everything is just a soft texture, it can easily fall flat. Toasted panko breadcrumbs are like this universal hack that elevates anything. You can add butter, garlic, parsley and lemon zest/ juice to toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top to help cut through the richness of pasta dishes or anything creamy/fatty. I guess it’s a gremolata with breadcrumbs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this and it’s so easy to just make ahead and store in the fridge, the breadcrumbs should stay nice and crisp as long as you don’t overdo the lemon juice/parsley. Fresh is always better.

I like to add this to pasta, or top a piece of grilled/baked fish. Also good topping stews or soups if they are able to sit above the liquid.

If it’s an Asian dish try crushed toasted peanuts and sesame seeds.

If you’re making something a little more delicate/healthy, tossing a small handful of arugula or other crunchy green with a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little bit of sugar or honey, it can brighten up anything that’s a bit bland or monotone. Just a small amount added like a garnish, not necessarily a side salad, but I like this so much that it’s often a side salad portion.

Caramelizing onions. It’s just patience, but it makes you look like a chad.

I grind up some pepperoni and put it into my spaghetti sauce.. Along with a serrano. It adds some extra tang and kick.

If you’re having trouble with excess oil in a cheese sauce, adding sodium citrate will keep the oil from separating from the cheese. It has zero impact on flavor and will give you a smoother, creamier sauce.

Pickled veggies and fruit. All you need is a jar, a veggie/fruit, vinegar, water, and some sugar. It’s a perfect healthy garnish or addition to elevate the flavor of any dish. It’s sweet and tart and crunchy, many times what is missing from a dish.

Here’s some examples:
- pickled red onions
- pickled cucumbers
- pickled jalapeños
- pickled mango.

Deglaze your pan with a little alcohol. If you are on a gas stove you have a little fire for a couple seconds. My son loves it, granted he is 8.

ThatMerri:

A bit of water or stock works just fine, if you're of the sort that can't have alcohol in their diet for whatever reason. Can't flambé it, but it'll still do the job of deglazing your pan just fine.

When you make a ham and cheese sandwich, call it a croque monsieur.

Related, watch Jacques Pepin "cooking at home" on YouTube. Tons of simple and cheap recipes and techniques that often have a fancy-looking result.

Dried Beans. Saute some onion in olive oil, add in 1 lb of dried beans,2 Tbsp Salt, cover with water, deliberately hard boil the beans for 15 min, then set to low simmer for 3 hours. Makes the most delicous bean soup you've ever had. Beans are amazing.

Making macarons. They are sooooooo easy but, everyone acts like they are ridiculously hard. So, any time you make them, you look like some sort of professional baker.