Tamron Hall shares recipes from new cookbook to make you 'A Confident Cook'
Two-time Emmy Award-winning television host and executive producer of her eponymous talk show, Tamron Hall, is out with a new cookbook and to celebrate the debut, she's sharing recipes and tips to execute three basics every home cook should learn how to master in their own kitchens.
The veteran journalist and bestselling author joined "Good Morning America" on Tuesday alongside her co-author and James Beard-Award winning culinary producer and chef Lish Steiling.
Their joint title, "A Confident Cook: Recipes for Joyous, No-Pressure Fun in the Kitchen," was the result of their years-long friendship and came together as a way to share empowerment and excitement with those who are just beginning to cook.
How to scramble eggs, soft scrambled eggs recipe
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 2 minutes
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
"We are both big breakfast people, but we honestly prefer it at home, where we can control the outcome of our eggs. Both of the following techniques for eggs, shield, a soft and tender curd. This one is small and custardy, almost portable, and the one that follows has large, long curbs that are tender and coded in a bit of the creamy goodness. we beg you to try your eggs this way. There is nothing sexier than silky eggs. After you try it, if you go back to hard – cooked, go ahead, but just try it, for us," the pair say in their book.
"As you know, we season everything as we go, so we season our eggs before cooking them. Often folks don't, so if you are having gas, remind them that you prepare the food in a way it should be enjoyed, so they should think twice before reaching for the saltshaker," they added.
Ingredients
6 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly ground, black pepper, everything bagel, spice, or hot sauce, optional
Method
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Note to the cook: crack the eggs on a flat surface, such as the countertop. This helps ensure a clean crack and lessons the chances of broken eggshell in your eggs.
Use a medium to large whisk to Mix the eggs together, smooth and cohesive, a good one to two minutes. There should be no identifying the white from the yolks just sea of smooth yellow. The mixture with the Salt and whisk to combine.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Nonstick is your friend with eggs. If you do not have a nonstick pan, simply be sure to heat a stainless steel or cast – iron skillet over medium heat for a good amount of time to make sure it is heated well, all the way through. Hot pan, hot, then. When the pan is heated, and the butter to the pan and heat until melted, and the bubble subsides slightly.
Add your eggs to the pan and do nothing for about 10 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, start vigorously, stirring the eggs, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan to release any cooked egg mixture. This is a two-handed exercise. Use your non-dominant hand to shake the pan back and forth while you use your dominant hand to manage the spatula. The goal is to create small creamy curds when the eggs are starting to look mostly custard but are still a little runny, after about 45 seconds, remove the pan from the heat and keep stirring to finish cooking the eggs, another 15 seconds or so.
What you are left is a plate of creamy custody eggs for four. If you like your eggs, cooked a bit more, return the pan to the stove top until desired doneness.
Top with freshly cracked, black pepper, everything bagel, spice, or hot sauce, and serve with toast.
The case for sheet pan bacon
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 13 minutes
Yield: as many as you like
"We both love bacon and could find a way to use it in almost everything. But wouldn't it be nice to avoid the mess it creates when fried in the skillet? Behold the sheet tray, bacon. By laying the bacon on a sheet tray and broiling it in the center of the oven, Not directly under the broiler, you are basically doing the exact same thing as frying it. The bacon slowly renders it's fat and fries up crispy, all while keeping your stove, top clean, and your arms free from any splatter burns. Not to mention the fact that it stays flat, so it is perfect to layer on your sandwiches or tuck into tacos," they said.
Ingredients
As little or as much thick – cut bacon as fits on your rimmed baking sheet
Method
Preheat the boiler to high. Position rack in the middle of the oven.
Lay the bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Do not overlap the slices, but they can fit snuggly on the tray if needed. Broil on the center rack until beginning to sizzle and Brown, about five minutes. Flip the slices of bacon and return the tray to the oven until lightly browned on the second side and beginning to crisp, another four minutes. Flip the bacon, one more time and return to the oven until desired done, another 2 to 4 minutes, depending on how crispy you prefer it. Drain the bacon on a paper towel lined plate or tray. Save the rendered fat desired for another delicious use.
Easy Vinaigrette
Prep time: 5 minutes
Yield: about a 3/4 cup dressing
Ingredients
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Method
Place the diced shallot in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse the shallots under cold running water. This will remove some of the harsh onion flavor and help. Keep the vinaigrette much more balanced. Dry the shallots well and add them to a pint jar with a twist on lid. To the jar, add the mustard, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Twist on the lid and give the dressing a shake until it is thick and creamy, about 30 seconds. Taste it. Think about it. The dressing should be nicely seasoned with a good amount of zip. One thing to note: just because you're dressing is season does not mean that your salad won't need more salt. There's a lot of water in greens and vegetables, so they need to be seasoned too in order to let them live their best life.When you have a delicious salad at a restaurant, you better believe it is because they seasoned both the dressing and the salad.
The beauty of a vinaigrette like this is the ratio. We tend to lean more toward a brighter dressing, so our ratio is one part vinegar or acid and two parts olive oil. This is a good starting point for any other variation you would like to try. be told, different assets can have different "strengths" and if you start adding things like sweeteners, this can greatly affect that ratio, so always taste. That's the only way you will know if the balance is to your liking.
How to Sear a Steak
Prep time: 30 minutes to temp, one minute to season
Cook Time: Entirely up to you
Yield: your call
For weeknight meals, we don't always have the time to heat up the grill. Knowing the technique for searing a steak inside on the stove, top is a fabulous way of getting dinner on the table and minutes.
Ingredients
Steak, cut of choice
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Unsalted butter
Herbs or garlic clove, if desired
Cheek of lemon, if desired
Method
Pull your steak out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. The exception to this rule is if you would like your steak, rare or black and blue or if you have a very thin steak, you are trying to keep around medium cooked. In that case, you want your steak cold when it hits the pan or grill so that the heat does not work its way into the center. The key to getting a good sear on your steak is to dry it very well on paper towels. All sides, dab, dab, dab. We mean it, dry. Leave it resting on the paper towel and get your pan ready. Place your skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a splash of olive oil and heat it until it moves freely in the pan, another 30 seconds.
Now generously season your steak all over with soul and with fresh black pepper if you like it that way. When it comes to the soul, it takes more than you think. For a 6-ounce fillet, it will take a good 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt To season it perfectly. It looks like a lot, but meat can take it.
Dab the steak one more time on the paper towel and add it to the pan. Press gently to make sure it is flat against the pan and let it be. Yup, just let it cook, undisturbed. A good sear will take time, anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes. Use your senses. When you smell that deep browning happening, go ahead and give it a check. The steak will release easily from the pan if it is even close to ready to flip. When the first side is deep, golden brown, flip the steak and sear on the other side for another two minutes if it is a thin to medium thick slab.
After those two minutes, add a nubbin of unsalted butter to the pan, along with some thyme or rosemary and a clove of garlic.
Push the steak to the edge of the pan away from you and tilt the pan toward you so that The now Brown herb infused butter pools by the handle. Using a shallow spoon, based the steak by spooning the pulling butter over it repeatedly, for another minute. Remove the steak to a plate to rest for at least five minutes. A squeeze of a cheek of lemon over the steak is lovely at this point, as it brightens the steak, bringing out its meatiness (And at the same time cuts through a bit of the richness).
If you are working with a thick steak like the one we have a recipe for on page 139, you may have to finish it off in an oven set at 425° F For anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. Don't be afraid to use an instant-read thermometer.
Yes, you can learn the touch test, but that takes practice, so while learning the touch test, go ahead and double check your work. Pull the steak at 120 for medium rare, 135 for Medium and 155 well without being dry. And just in case, here's another reminder to let the steaks rest. That will ensure that the meat carryover cooks to your desired proper temperature.
Most important take away in all of this? Make sure it's super dry meat. That's being placed into a hot pan. Generously with salt. Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy the process.
By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave Goodmorningamerica.com. These e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies than Goodmorningamerica.com. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Influencers may receive a commission or have business relationships with a recommended brand. SOME PRICES ARE DYNAMIC AND MAY CHANGE FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. Have questions about ordering or a purchase? Click here.
More GMA kitchen picks
"A Confident Cook: Recipes for Joyous, No-Pressure Fun in the Kitchen" - Hardcover
- $23.42
- $35
- Amazon
