for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Recipes, Cooking tips and maybe some 'Home Made' secrets !
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lancashire lass
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for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by lancashire lass »

Quote from the Spicing up the cooking thread ...
Meanqueen wrote: 08 Dec 2022, 12:35 I have given up with butternut squash. Too chuffing hard to peel and chop up.

ilona

{cry}
I've always thought vegetable peelers were a waste of money - I remember having a potato peeler (wooden handle with string wrapped round, the metal bit had a slicing blade for peeling and along one edge was a zig zag pattern which I never knew what it was for) and it was nigh on useless. However, I can highly recommend using a Y peeler - I bought one recently from Asda which didn't cost very much. It is a metal one, feels solid to handle (plastic ones look flimsy) with a rubber grip and didn't cost very much at all, and it sliced through the butternut squash skin effortlessly like it was butter. Even other vegetables like carrot, parsnip & potato are peeled in seconds - I won't be using the paring knife for peeling again!
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Spreckly
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by Spreckly »

I cut my thumb very badly a few years since on a peeler. I binned it. I remember the one with string round the handle. My son who was a chef at one time bought me one from some cookwear shop, which has been brilliant. He replaced it a few years since. I do find a sabatier knife does a good job.
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Meanqueen
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by Meanqueen »

Thanks for the tip. Even cutting through it after it has been peeled is hard going. Maybe I need a new sharper knife.

ilona
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lancashire lass
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by lancashire lass »

Meanqueen wrote: 23 Dec 2022, 16:43 Thanks for the tip. Even cutting through it after it has been peeled is hard going. Maybe I need a new sharper knife.

ilona
Back in 2009 I treated myself to a set of kitchen knives from an online retailer which I seem unable to find now (it was called Westfalia) which sold anything from gardening tools to kitchen gadgets at a fraction of the cost from other retailers. The set I have are known as Japanese knives and the closest that I can find look like these (click on the link for the photo)
ProCook Japanese Knife Set
4 Piece and Magnetic Block
With their authentic Japanese feel, the set of 4 ProCook Japanese knives include 18cm nakiri, 16.5cm chefs, 16.5cm santoku and 20.5cm carving knives so you can become a true sushi chef in no time! Ideal as a gift for a friend, each blade in the range benefits from integral holes to allow for easy food release.

The blades are all made from the highest quality stainless steel offering fantastic chopping, slicing and dicing performance and are finished beautifully with a carved wooden handle formed to fit comfortably in your hand. With a high chrome content these knives won't discolour easily either.

Due to the nature of the wooden handles we do not recommend dishwasher use.

The magnetic block is made from durable sustainable bamboo and has extremely strong magnets to hold your knives in place.
Mine includes 2 smaller knives (one has a deep triangular shape blade with a short cutting edge, the other like a vegetable paring knife) The first time I used them, they were so sharp they were like surgical scalpels which was quite scary at first (but most accidents happen when trying to force blunt knives) I think I paid under £20 for the set back then but I'd say they are as good as the most expensive chefs set you could buy and I've been very happy with them. You do need to look after them differently to the usual kitchenware - the knives should never go into a kitchen drawer but in a special knife holder to protect the knife edge from damage, and not put into a dishwasher (mine have bamboo wooden handles similar to the ones in the link photos, so not a good idea anyway) as the action of the detergent and washing method can damage the knife edge. In addition, like all chefs knives, to maintain sharp knives they need to be sharpened regularly (I have a kitchen devil grinding stone sharpener) - just before using them would be ideal.

I didn't really know what each knife was used for as they are designed for different purposes (for example, meat carving, sushi and so on) as the set didn't come with instructions but over time I have worked out for myself what knife works best for what I need to do which may not have anything to do with their original purpose (for one, I don't eat sushi)

With regards to cutting the pumpkin / butternut squash into pieces, I use the big knife where the top bends down to the point (I put the pointed end on the chopping board then lever the knife back through the squash and use my other hand flat on the top to help push it down - I haven't had need to use a kitchen towel to protect my hand but worth considering if not confident) which seems to work best with not much effort.
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by p.penn »

I know it’s more expensive, but I buy the ready peeled and chopped butternut squash. I love it in soup with coconut milk, chilli and lime juice.
Helen xx

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lancashire lass
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by lancashire lass »

p.penn wrote: 01 Jan 2023, 13:24 I know it’s more expensive, but I buy the ready peeled and chopped butternut squash. I love it in soup with coconut milk, chilli and lime juice.
I'm more or less the same buying ready sliced mixed peppers and sliced mushrooms from the freezer units (it means I have some ready to use anytime rather than make a special effort to buy fresh and then not use them up and having to throw them away later)
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lancashire lass
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by lancashire lass »

lancashire lass wrote: 23 Dec 2022, 14:43 I can highly recommend using a Y peeler - I bought one recently from Asda which didn't cost very much.
It slices through (hard) cheese into thin shavings ... I was being lazy about getting up for the cheese grater and happen to have the Y peeler with me. I was quite impressed by how it shaved off the slices. It was only for a small amount and a cheese grater would probably be better if wanting to do a lot, but who knows - I may have discovered another use for the peeler )j;
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by Mo »

Will it do butter too? My kitchen isn't kept warm (and I don't like 'spreadable' butter - it seems oily), so I put thin bits of butter on the bread and give it 10 secs in the microwave. The bread gets warm and if I flip the butter over I can spread it. But the thinner the better.
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lancashire lass
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by lancashire lass »

Mo wrote: 04 Jan 2023, 23:21 Will it do butter too?
I'm not sure. Unfortunately I do use spreadable butter so not something I can test.
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Re: for Meanqueen (and anyone else) ...

Post by Mo »

lancashire lass wrote: 05 Jan 2023, 09:30
Mo wrote: 04 Jan 2023, 23:21 Will it do butter too?
I'm not sure. Unfortunately I do use spreadable butter so not something I can test.
No, that would be messy {rofwl}
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