FOOD #1 Garlic
FOOD #2 ▼
Want to peel garlic safely and get out some aggression? If so, cover the garlic clove with the shallow, concave side of a wooden spoon and press down hard (with or without muttering “Serenity now” under your breath). The cup of the spoon prevents the garlic clove from shooting out across the work surface, and your brute force separates the peel from the clove.
FOOD #2 Kiwi
FOOD #3 ▼
Even the sharpest vegetable peeler isn’t the best tool for removing the hairy, thin skin of a kiwi because you either lose most of the fruit’s soft flesh or mangle it in the process. In the test kitchen, we use an alternative, inside-out peeling method. Start by trimming the ends of the fruit, and then insert a small spoon between the skin and the flesh, with the bowl of the spoon facing the flesh. Push the spoon down and carefully move it around the fruit, separating the fruit from the skin. Then gently remove the spoon and pull away the loosened skin.
FOOD #3 Tomatoes
Blanching tomatoes—that is, boiling then plunging them into a bowl of ice water—is the easiest way to loosen their skins. But removing their loosened skins with a knife? Not so easy. Your knife can tear the peel and make this tedious task even worse. When that happens, try this super simple test kitchen-approved method: Place the stubborn tomatoes in a kitchen towel and rub lightly.
About the Author: America's Test Kitchen
8 Comments
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I use a Swissmar serrated peeler and it takes the skin right off with no loss. It also works well on tomatoes, peaches, and other soft fruits. It’s part of a 3-piece set that also includes traditional and julienne peelers.
How about shallots? I find it hard to get rid of the super thin skin.
I like Saveur’s method for peeling garlic, myself – but it’s a bit noisy. I just put the remaining cloves in a ziplock bag and add to the fridge, pull out a few when necessary.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Video/video-How-to-Peel-a-Head-of-Garlic-in-Less-Than-10-Seconds
Wonder if it would work for shallots, too? I have a hard time with shallot skins too, Teaeggs!
High Altitude is causing a big problem in cooking. My Cream Puffs were disaster Beans aren’t tender. Any formula would be helpful I’m at 6,500 to 7,000 ft in the White Mtns of Arizona
Is there a book out Help.
Arlene H Vernon, AZ
I was hoping they had a solution for shallots as well. Those are such a pain to peel. Usually I end up cutting the larger bulb into a couple of pieces and peeling each piece, but there must be a better way.
Hi arleneh1947, the test kitchen did a lot of testing on high-altitude cooking and baking. (You can read more in our book, Baking Illustrated: http://amzn.to/oXclBZ) We packed our whisks and our recipes to Golden, Colorado, which has an elevation of 5700 feet. Some general conclusions: At high altitudes, the most sensitive recipes are those that contain leavener and/or a high proportion of sugar. There aren’t hard-and-fast rules for adjusting recipes for high altitudes; the process requires some trial and error. But for cream puffs, if the dough is dry and hard to roll out, a possible solution is adding an extra tablespoon or two of ice water to the dough. Good luck!
Hi, shallot fans. Here’s a tip from Andrea Geary, Cook’s Illustrated: “When I had to peel loads of shallots or pearl onions in the past, I’d blanch them in boiling water for about 45 seconds, then shock them in cold water, drain them on a towel, THEN peel. It loosened the skins a bit and made the task less of a chore.” Let us know if that helps!
Also works with potatoes. Boil potatoes with skin on, then rub off skin with a moistened wash cloth – easy on the hands too