Kitchen Mastery

Sharpen your culinary prowess with essential equipment and clever shortcuts. These practical tips and must-have kitchen gadgets are game changers that can take you from novice to confident home chef. Discover how great gear, properly used, can be the secret ingredient to kitchen success.

Smart Techniques: How to blanch vegetables for freezing

Ever wonder how cooked vegetables maintain their bright-green colour and natural sweetness? It all comes down to blanching, the culinary term for briefly boiling vegetables and then plunging them into an ice bath. This process locks in their colour and halts the enzymes that cause spoilage. Skip this step and frozen veggies can turn limp, rubbery or bitter once defrosted. Blanched vegetables will keep their texture and flavour beautifully for months and will be ready to toss into soups, stir-fries or side dishes anytime.

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Use a large pot and plenty of water. This keeps the temperature steady and ensures even blanching. Aim for 4 litres of water for every 500 grams of vegetables.
2. Prepare the ice bath. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
3. Boil the vegetables in small batches. Overcrowding the pot lowers the water temperature and can result in uneven blanching.
4. Time it right. Most vegetables need only 1–4 minutes. Tender greens like spinach blanch in under a minute, while denser vegetables like beans or broccoli need a little longer. Their colour should brighten and when bitten, they’re just the right balance of crisp and tender.
5. Plunge. Transfer vegetables to the ice bath. Leave them in for the same amount of time they were boiled. Remove the vegetables and if needed, add more ice to the bath so it’s nice and cold for the next batch.
6. Pat dry and pack. Excess moisture can cause freezer burn, so dry the vegetables thoroughly before sealing in freezer bags or containers.

Top Tips: How to keep berries from moulding

Few things are sadder than finding a punnet of berries turned soft or furry overnight. Here’s how to keep them fresher for longer.

• Give them a quick vinegar bath to help kill mould spores. Mix 3 cups of water with 2 tbsp vinegar (organic white distilled or apple-cider vinegar). Gently stir the berries around for 2-5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
• Dry completely. Spread the berries on a clean tea towel or paper towel until no moisture remains.
• Pick out any berries that show signs of mould and continue doing this each time you use the berries.
• Store in a glass container lined with paper towel and leave the lid slightly ajar.
•Don’t mix your berries. Wash and store different types of berries separately.
• Store in the fridge’s main compartment, not the crisper drawer, where humidity is higher.
• If you don’t do the vinegar rinse, then wash just before eating.

Hero Gadget: Steamer Basket

A steamer basket is one of the simplest tools for healthy cooking. The food sits above the water in a perforated basket. This design allows the steam from the boiling water to rise and cook the food gently without the need for added fats or oils. Steaming helps preserve more water-soluble vitamins and minerals and keeps ingredients moist and tender. Vegetables stay bright, fish turns flaky, and dumplings hold their delicate texture.

How to use a steamer basket

Steamer baskets come in two main types: stainless steel or bamboo. Stainless-steel steamers are sturdy, easy to clean, and fit neatly inside a pot or pan. Bamboo steamers are light and stackable. They are ideal when you want to cook several things at once.

To get the best results, fill your pot with just a few centimetres of water so that the water doesn’t touch the basket. Let the basket heat up and wait until the steam is rising before adding your ingredients. Arrange everything in a single layer, leaving a little space for air to circulate. Place dense vegetables near the edges where the steam is stronger. Keep the lid closed to hold in heat and moisture and resist the urge to peek. Glass lids are a great option to see the progress as it happens.

Steamed food doesn’t mean boring food. For added flavour, use aromatics. Toss some herbs or a few slices of ginger or citrus peel into the water. Even a splash of broth or wine can work beautifully. When the food is done, finish with a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon to enhance the natural flavours of the food. If healthy, fuss-free cooking is your goal, a steamer basket is a kitchen essential. When you see how easy it is to cook fresh, light meals with steam, it’s sure to become a trusted kitchen companion.

Appliance Spotlight: Falcon Classic FX

Falcon’s Classic FX 90cm Induction Range Cooker isn’t just beautiful to look at. It’s built for the real way we cook: sometimes for a crowd, sometimes just for two and always with care. This modern take on the classic range combines a multi-function oven with five responsive induction zones, offering control and power in one sleek design. Here’s how to make the most of it in your kitchen.

Three ways to cook with the Falcon Classic FX:

1. Cook big when it counts
When you’re entertaining and the menu is ambitious, the Classic FX shines in full-capacity mode. The 114-litre oven easily fits a roast, trays of veggies and a dessert all at once, while the fan setting keeps heat consistent across every shelf. Up top, five induction zones let you juggle sauces and sides without losing control. They’re fast to heat and respond instantly when you turn them down. It’s the kind of reliability that you need when cooking a feast for family and friends.

2. Go small, save energy
During the week when you don’t need the full oven but something leaner and more economical, you can downsize with Falcon’s clever Energy Saving Panel. It transforms the oven into a compact 49-litre
space. This means you can cook a single tray of baked fi sh or a quick frittata while using less power and preheating in half the time. It’s an easy way to cook mindfully without sacrificing performance or flavour.

3. Fine-tune the finish
For those moments that demand precision such as crisping pastry, melting cheese or gentle slow-roasting, the Classic FX offers dedicated settings to help you nail the details. It offers functions such as browning-element only, base-heat only or slow oven (for low temperatures).

With its baker-style window, choice of six colours and brass or chrome fittings, the Classic FX balances elegance and everyday practicality. Every detail is designed for ease and intention. A true ally in a healthy kitchen, Falcon makes sustainable cooking feel joyful.