If you find yourself struggling to whip up a storm in the kitchen, it could be down to a simple but common mistake. Michelin-trained chef Poppy O’Toole has pointed out that a lack of “confidence” is often the stumbling block for many aspiring cooks.
It may seem trivial, but this deficit can seriously derail your culinary efforts, the Mirror reports. A confidence deficit can cause you to overcook dishes out of fear or ruin ingredients by over-beating or handling them. If that wasn’t enough, hesitation can lead to not following recipes precisely.
Speaking to the Mirror, Poppy, who is also a judge on BBC’s Junior MasterChef, said: “I think one of the biggest mistakes people make in the kitchen is not having the confidence to do it. For example, when people “You see ‘pan fry for eight minutes’, people get a little scared and want to touch it and turn it, but we’re looking for that caramelization, so it’s about having the confidence to leave things alone.”
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Poppy also stressed the importance of having enough time to properly complete kitchen tasks. She noted that because “everyone is busy,” there is a tendency to rush, which should be avoided.
The chef advised against rushing and suggested that patience usually gives the best results. She recounted how she let a béchamel sauce simmer for 30 minutes instead of rushing the process as usual, which resulted in the “best” sauce she had ever made.
Poppy praised the sauce, saying it was “beautiful,” “perfect,” and “silky smooth,” and even mentioned that it had “more flavor” and lacked the “flourless texture” that can sometimes ruin a bechamel. She said, “Don’t be in too much of a rush to finish things.” She suggests taking your time, as that’s when the real culinary magic happens.
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