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Tips & Tricks
Do you ever wonder if you are using a tool wrong in the kitchen? Sometimes, they often seem pretty self explanatory. It doesn’t necessarily mean you are using it wrong but sometimes there are better ways! This is what happens when I see others trying to get zest off of a citrus fruit. How to use a microplane and microplane the right way!
The way I do it is in the video below:
Now, this may seem weird or awkward to get used to or even try but I have my reasons!
First, when home cooks and even professional cooks or chefs are using a zester or microplane, most want to zest the heck out of a citrus fruit to get as much zest as they can out of it. The problem with that is, once you hit the white part of the fruit known as the pith, you get that bitter part of the plant that you most likely don’t want.
Getting the zest the way I’ve instructed ensures you are essentially “shaving” the top layer of the skin of the fruit rather than gouging into it. Making a dessert or whatever you are making that includes this part of the fruit can really impact the overall flavor if you end up using the pith and can really ruin the dish you are creating.
This is the extra wide microplane I am using in this video:
I also have this one as I like the comfortability of the handle:
Make sure when done with the rasp grater, you clean it by hand (do not put in the dishwasher to protect those sharp edges!), dry thoroughly and put back on the protective cover to store.
Some other uses for your rasp-style grater that a lot of professional chefs like myself use:
Garlic: Rub garlic cloves over the sharp part of it to get an easy smooth paste to throw into your dishes! Why dirty another dish (or have to buy another specialty item) like a garlic press when you already have a zester?
Ginger: Instead of the spoon trick, use your zester to finely grate your ginger for your recipes! It creates the most superior ginger as it pulls the oils & essences out of it & easily cuts through those fibrous roots.
Hard Cheeses: Although we don’t personally use a lot of hard cheeses as there aren’t many vegan varieties, this is a great way to top a dish you are bringing to the table with some saltiness & acidity!
Bread: Burn some of your bread or toast crust? A great way to get the burn off is a microplane! Shave off the burnt ends!
Pie Crust: Have some pie dough that got a little over cooked in the oven? Shave that layer off to get back that perfect pie you made!
Now you can see, there are so many. uses for your microplane instead of just using it for your citrus zest needs. Home cooks rejoice as if there are ways to make things easier in the kitchen, a microplane is a handy tool to get you through it quickly and get you to your table quicker.
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