Here are a few catering tips to help choose, prepare and cook vegetables
Buying and choosing vegetables
red peppers are sweeter if they are wrinkled. Similarly wrinkled yellow or green peppers just have a mellower flavour. They are not bad. if the bottom of cabbage is too white it is a sign that the leaves and root have been trimmed off. purple coloured turnips taste better.the brighter the colour of a dried bean the fresher the bean. fresh brocoli should not smell strong. If it has a strong smell do not buy it.lettuce will last longer if you cut out the core and sprinkle sugar into the cavity.if you cut the tops and bottoms off carrots and put them in a plastic container they will stay fresh in the fridge for weeks. do not store apples and carrots together because the apples give off a gas which will spoil the carrots. avocado can be stored in the fridge if you haven't used it all providing you leave the stone in. never store potatoes and onions together or the potatoes will spoil. a dry sponge at the bottom of the fridge salad drawer will keep fruit and vegetables fresher because it will absorb excess moisture.a good way to store onions or garlic is in the foot of some sheer tights! This keeps them dry and fresh.cut an x shape in the base of brussel sprouts and they won't fall apart when cooking use our knife a stainless steel spoon use our spoons rubbed on your hands after preparing onion will help remove the smell.if tomatoes are a little bit soft place them in a bowl of ice cubes and salted water. to skin tomatoes cut an x in the bottom, put it into boiling water until the skin starts to split and then into icy cold water until it cools. The skin will practically fall off.an egg slice is good for cutting mushrooms evenlyadd chunks of sliced bread to the pan to stop an unpleasant smell when you cook cabbage and cauliflower. another way to stop the smell of cooking cabbage is to add a bay leaf to the boiling water.carrots are easier to scrape if you dunk them in boiling water first.do not cut lettuce - tear it to stop it turning brown. Put salad dressing into a spray bottle and spray rather than drown the lettuce and make it soggy.if your hands smell of onions soak them in some milk. if you cut yourself just press the inside of a clear onion skin onto the cut and leave it there as long as possible. Onion is a natural antiseptic.If roast potatoes are taking too long to brown sprinkle a little flour over them as they cook. Boiled potatoes will stay firm if you add a little vinegar to the boiling water. To stop potatoes falling apart when you cook them simmer then on a low heat rather than cook them too quickly. if you add a little milk to water covering peeled potatoes they will not discolour add a little milk to the water when cooking cauliflower if it is a little past its best and it will be lovely and white again!to cook delicious broad beans add chopped parsley to the cooking water.Storing vegetables
Preparing vegetables
Cooking vegetables
