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Wednesday, October 31, 2001
Outside the box

Ask Food Network Kitchens   Q. I put my clean shrimp in egg wash, then cover it with bread crumbs and seasoning. It all falls back off while frying. How do I get it to stick?
   - COOKING IN CLEVELAND
   A. You're having a problem because you are asking a wet egg wash to stick to a moist shrimp. The same thing happens with pieces of chicken with the skin still on. The skin is slippery and a wet coating won't stick to it.
   What you need to do is dust the shrimp with flour before you dip it in the egg wash. The egg wash will bind with the flour and form a sticky base for the bread crumbs.
   Be sure that you have coated the shrimp thoroughly so that the surface of the shrimp is dry when it hits the oil. If the surface is wet, the wet part will evaporate quickly and lower the temperature of the oil. Oil that is too low will be absorbed into the breading and will make the shrimp taste greasy.
   Q. Can I use regular, uncooked noodles in lasagna? I know there are noodles on the market that are designed to be used uncooked, but they are more expensive.
   -TRACY B.
   A. A few years ago, about the time that "no-cook" noodles came onto the market, I began experimenting with different ways of making lasagna. I found that using regular, uncooked noodles worked great with a few minor changes.
   When using regular lasagna noodles that have not been boiled, it is a good idea to make a little more sauce and add a bit more liquid to it. The extra sauce and liquid will help your noodles to cook without drying out the lasagna.
   It is also important to spread the filling to the edges of the pan, covering the noodles completely. If there is a little bit of uncovered noodle, it may not cook and will not get tender. Using these modifications, I end up with delicious lasagna every time.
   The no-cook sheets also work great for lasagna. They are a little different from traditional lasagna sheets and yield a slightly different product. No-cook pasta sheets have been precooked, which is why they need no further cooking.
   Either way is a great alternative to the traditionally long and arduous process of making lasagna. You can feel good about saving yourself a few bucks by using the regular lasagna noodles and you will feel good whichever way you choose when you save yourself valuable time and end up with a delicious product.

   COOKING HINTS
   A continuing compendium of tips and techniques for cooks from Food Network Kitchens:
   Mulled cider or wine
   When mulling ciders or wine, use whole spices - like cinnamon stick, allspice berries, peppercorns, star anise or mace blades. Whole spices are more potent and ground versions make these drinks look unpleasantly muddied.
   Onion Tips
   When preparing an onion for slicing, dicing or mincing, cut the onion in half lengthwise, through the tufted root end and then pull off the skin. Laying the cut onion flat on the work surface makes it easier and safer to cut.
   Leaving the root end attached keeps all the onion layers intact, which makes each cut more efficient. If adding raw onions to a dish, temper their harsh bite by soaking them in ice water for about 10 minutes first.
   Ripe pears
   Some pears come to market rock hard, but if left at room temperature they will soften - tucking them into sealed paper bag with a banana speeds up the process.



- Scripps Howard _News Service

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