Easy Fixes for Cooking Mistakes

Country Living

Every chef, amateur or otherwise, knows the terror that takes over when the salt cap isn't screwed on as tightly as you thought, or your would-be heavenly dish cooks a little too long. We consulted Rebecca DiLiberto's helpful book, The Penny-Saving Household Helper, for simple tips to fix some of the most common food flubs.


Soups
There's nothing more frustrating than over-salting a soup or

stew you've spent countless hours - and countless dollars in ingredients - making. Try adding wedges of raw potato or apple to absorb the salt (for extra flavor, try amazing gourmet sea salts). Simmer for 10 minutes or so, then remove the wedges. If your soup is still too salty, sprinkle in a spoonful of sugar. If that doesn't work, a dash of apple-cider vinegar may do the trick. Finally, try diluting with water or low-sodium broth.

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Soups that are too fatty can be fixed too. If you have time, put the pot of soup in the fridge, wait 30 minutes, then skim the grease from the top and reheat. If you're short on time, add a few ice cubes and remove them as soon as you see grease sticking to them. Or try tossing a large lettuce leaf into the pot to absorb any extra oil. Discard the leaf once it looks limp.

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Meats


Marinate inexpensive cuts of meat in at least one of the following: beer; vinegar; or citrus, papaya, tomato or pineapple juices. These liquids contain enzymes or acids that will combat the meat's toughness.

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And if all else fails, tenderize tough meat by gently scoring the surface with a pizza cutter - for better results, go against the grain of the meat.

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Burns

If you burn milk while heating it on the stove, add a pinch of salt to temper the scorched smell and taste.

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If you burn gravy and don't have enough time - or drippings - to start from scratch, stir in a teaspoon of smooth peanut butter for each cup of gravy. This should eliminate any burned taste.

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