Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge
Artichokes
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2-3 days
Asparagus
Discard rubber band from bunch
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2-3 days
Avocado
Ripen hard fruit in an airy spot up to 5 days
Accelerate with ripe banana/apple
Basil
Store whole plant with roots in water, plastic bag over leaves, in fridge
Store cut bunch unwashed in paper lined plastic bag in fridge
Beans, dried
Do not salt cooking water
Beans, fresh
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2-3 days
Beef
Store in fridge on a rack over a container to collect juices covered with a damp cotton cloth
OR wrap in grease-proof paper
Large joints use within 5 days
Cubed meat use within 3 days
Minced meat use within 48 hours
Meat thermometer temp 'C: 63 rare / 71 medium / 77 well-done
Bok choy
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2-3 days
Wash well
Broccoli
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2-3 days
Separate florets from stems and soak in lightly salted water 10 mins
Peel stalks and cook separately from florets
Cauliflower
Cook in lightly salted boiling water for about 8 mins
Carrots
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 5 days
Celery
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2-3 days
Chicken
Remove from wrappings, transfer to plate covered in cling film
Use whole fresh chicken within 4 days
Use portioned fresh chicken within 2 days
Meat thermometer temp ‘C: 82
Chillies
Store fresh at room temperature
Coriander
Stand with roots in cold water and plastic bag over leaves in fridge
Cucumbers
Do not put in fridge in cool weather
Dill
Store unwashed paper lined plastic bag in fridge 1 week
Duck
Use whole fresh chicken within 3 days
Use portioned fresh chicken within 2 days
Eggplant
Store in fridge 4 days.
Eggs
Store in carton in fridge pointed end down.
Fennel
Store bulb in cling film in fridge 5 days.
For salad slice fine on a mandoline and refresh in cold water.
Figs
Store in single layer in fridge 3 days.
Garlic
Do not refrigerate.
Store as potatoes.
Lamb
Store as beef
Large joints use within 5 days
Minced meat use within 24 hours
To roast : 220°C on rack with dish with 2 cm of water below to catch juices, rest 30 mins before roasting, 10 mins per 500g (cooked pink), rest 20 mins
Meat thermometer temp 'C: 63 rare / 71 medium / 77 well-done
Leeks
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 1 week
If cooking whole clean by making a crossways slit at leafy end and stand in a tall container of water for 2 hours.
Dry well before cooking.
Mango
Will ripen once picked.
Figs
Store in single layer in fridge 3 days.
Garlic
Do not refrigerate.
Store as potatoes.
Lamb
Store as beef
Large joints use within 5 days
Minced meat use within 24 hours
To roast : 220°C on rack with dish with 2 cm of water below to catch juices, rest 30 mins before roasting, 10 mins per 500g (cooked pink), rest 20 mins
Meat thermometer temp 'C: 63 rare / 71 medium / 77 well-done
Leeks
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 1 week
If cooking whole clean by making a crossways slit at leafy end and stand in a tall container of water for 2 hours.
Dry well before cooking.
Mango
Will ripen once picked.
Speed ripening by placing next to bananas, apples or tomatoes.
Melons
Honeydews will ripen at room temp for 2-3 days
Other melons will not
Mint
Store unwashed in ventilated plastic bag in fridge
Mushrooms
Store in paper bag in fridge
Mussels
Store covered with damp cloth in fridge 2 days
Lemons
Store in single layer
Noodles
Egg : rinse dried noodles, boil 4 mins in salted water, drain, rinse in cold water, drain
Somen/udon/soba : add noodles gradually to boiling unslated water and stir slowly, add 1 c cold water and bring back to boil, repeat twice more, cook til tender, drain, rinse under cold running water, drain
Rice vermicelli : soak in warm water 15 mins, drain, put into boiling unslated water 15 mins, rinse under cold water, drain
Cellophane : soak in warm water 15 mins, cook in unsalted water for 15 mins, rinse under cold water, drain
Okra
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 4 days
Oranges
Juice warmed fruit
Oven temperatures 'C
v hot 230
hot 200
moderate 180
slow 150
v slow 120
Papaya
Will ripen once picked
Parsley
Stand with roots in cold water and plastic bag over leaves in fridge 1 day
Pick leaves and store in paper lined ventilated plastic bag in fridge
Parsnip
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 1 week
Do not store in cling film
Peaches & nectarines
Store in single layer
Will not ripen once picked
Pears
Pears need oxygen circulating around them or they will rot
Should be picked hard but fully mature then stored at a cool temperature to ripen slowly
Ripe pears soften near the stem
Once ripe store in paper bag or ventilated plastic bag in fridge 3 days
Can hasten ripening as for avocado
Peas
Eat fresh as soon as possible as sweetcorn
Prawns
To ‘velvet’ mix ½ c cornflour 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda for 1 kg of prawns, massage though prawns 3 mins, transfer to colander and massage under cold running water 5 mins, drain
Pineapple
Will not ripen once picked
Store in plastic bag with leaves exposed in fridge 3 days
Plums
Will ripen once picked
Pork
Store as beef
Most cuts use within 3 days
Minced meat use within 24 hours
Meat thermometer temp 'C: 63 rare / 71 medium / 77 well-done F
Pumpkin
Once cut use within 2 days
To cook heat chunks in 2cm water in covered saucepan
Rhubarb
Store stalks in cling film in fridge 1 week
Salad greens
To store a whole lettuce rinse quickly, remove core, place in sealed plastic container 3 days
Do not store next to apples, pears, bananas, melons
To prepare wash gently, pat dry, place in paper lined ventilated plastic bag 1 hour
Sausages
Store in fridge 2 days
Scallops
Buy scallops that are pale gold not white (soaked in water)
Spinach
Store unwashed bunch in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 3 days
Store unwashed leaves in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2 days
To prepare fold large leaves in half and tear away from stem
Wash 3 times
Squid
Use fresh within 36 hours
Sweet pepper
Store in fridge 1 week
Tomatoes
Store at room temperature
Will ripen in a day or so in the sun
Only remove skin and seeds if you are cooking the tomato
Witlof
Store in brown paper bag in fridge 2 days
Yoghurt
To stabilise stir 1 lt yoghurt with 1 egg white and 1 tsp salt over moderate heat, bring to boil, simmer covered 10 mins, stirring in one direction only until rich and creamy
Melons
Honeydews will ripen at room temp for 2-3 days
Other melons will not
Mint
Store unwashed in ventilated plastic bag in fridge
Mushrooms
Store in paper bag in fridge
Mussels
Store covered with damp cloth in fridge 2 days
Lemons
Store in single layer
Noodles
Egg : rinse dried noodles, boil 4 mins in salted water, drain, rinse in cold water, drain
Somen/udon/soba : add noodles gradually to boiling unslated water and stir slowly, add 1 c cold water and bring back to boil, repeat twice more, cook til tender, drain, rinse under cold running water, drain
Rice vermicelli : soak in warm water 15 mins, drain, put into boiling unslated water 15 mins, rinse under cold water, drain
Cellophane : soak in warm water 15 mins, cook in unsalted water for 15 mins, rinse under cold water, drain
Okra
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 4 days
Oranges
Juice warmed fruit
Oven temperatures 'C
v hot 230
hot 200
moderate 180
slow 150
v slow 120
Papaya
Will ripen once picked
Parsley
Stand with roots in cold water and plastic bag over leaves in fridge 1 day
Pick leaves and store in paper lined ventilated plastic bag in fridge
Parsnip
Store in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 1 week
Do not store in cling film
Peaches & nectarines
Store in single layer
Will not ripen once picked
Pears
Pears need oxygen circulating around them or they will rot
Should be picked hard but fully mature then stored at a cool temperature to ripen slowly
Ripe pears soften near the stem
Once ripe store in paper bag or ventilated plastic bag in fridge 3 days
Can hasten ripening as for avocado
Peas
Eat fresh as soon as possible as sweetcorn
Prawns
To ‘velvet’ mix ½ c cornflour 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda for 1 kg of prawns, massage though prawns 3 mins, transfer to colander and massage under cold running water 5 mins, drain
Pineapple
Will not ripen once picked
Store in plastic bag with leaves exposed in fridge 3 days
Plums
Will ripen once picked
Pork
Store as beef
Most cuts use within 3 days
Minced meat use within 24 hours
Meat thermometer temp 'C: 63 rare / 71 medium / 77 well-done F
Pumpkin
Once cut use within 2 days
To cook heat chunks in 2cm water in covered saucepan
Rhubarb
Store stalks in cling film in fridge 1 week
Salad greens
To store a whole lettuce rinse quickly, remove core, place in sealed plastic container 3 days
Do not store next to apples, pears, bananas, melons
To prepare wash gently, pat dry, place in paper lined ventilated plastic bag 1 hour
Sausages
Store in fridge 2 days
Scallops
Buy scallops that are pale gold not white (soaked in water)
Spinach
Store unwashed bunch in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 3 days
Store unwashed leaves in ventilated plastic bag in fridge 2 days
To prepare fold large leaves in half and tear away from stem
Wash 3 times
Squid
Use fresh within 36 hours
Sweet pepper
Store in fridge 1 week
Tomatoes
Store at room temperature
Will ripen in a day or so in the sun
Only remove skin and seeds if you are cooking the tomato
Witlof
Store in brown paper bag in fridge 2 days
Yoghurt
To stabilise stir 1 lt yoghurt with 1 egg white and 1 tsp salt over moderate heat, bring to boil, simmer covered 10 mins, stirring in one direction only until rich and creamy
