Restaurant Recipes Copycat Tips

Every restaurant recipes copycat needs a few tricks up their sleeve. Important considerations are presentation and choosing the best vegetables for your dish. Naturally, the majority of these tips apply whether you are recreating your favorite restaurant dish or cooking that special family favorite.
Presentation is just as important as taste. Here are some tips on presenting your dishes so that they impress.

• A small amount of effort to recreate the 'atmosphere' of the restaurant is all that is required. For example, if you are cooking a KFC dish and can use some KFC packaging then it will enhance the experience. Ask for packaging at your local restaurant chain.
• Food always looks more appetizing when served on white plates.
• Ensure the rim of each plate is clean after placing the dish on it. Always use a fresh damp clean cloth for cleaning the rim.
• Arrange the food on the plate in a simple and neat fashion.
• Many people have their best cutlery stored away and rarely use it. Bring out your best cutlery for maximum effect.
• Select foods so that you have a variety of colors on the plate. Three colors is enough and six is too many.
• A garnish on top of the main food adds a professional look to the dish. For example, a small portion of basil on top of a pasta dish.
• If your dish includes a sauce then pour a moderate amount on each plate and provide a small jug of the sauce.

Purchasing fresh vegetables is important for both presentation and taste. Choosing quality vegetables is easy when you know what to look for.

• Select bright green asparagus with closed, firm tips. Look for a rich green color that covers most of the spear. Avoid tips that are open and spread out or decayed.
• Look for beets that are firm, with a deep rich red color. The root should be slender.
• Choose broccoli with firm stalks that are not tough. The buds should be tightly closed and the leaves crisp and green.
• Select cabbage's with firm, fresh and crispy leaves. The heads should be compact and firm.
• Purchase carrots that look firm and plump. There should be no rootlets extending from the body of the carrot. The smaller bright orange carrots are the tastiest.
• Look for mushrooms that are clean and firm. Avoid mushrooms that are moldy or soft.
• Select onions that feel relatively heavy for their size. The onion skin should be dry and 'papery' and show no signs of spotting. Avoid onions that are soft or sprouting. Young onions are the sweetest.

I hope you find these tips useful. Please let me know if you have some additional suggestions.

Korina is an enthusiastic home chef that enjoys cooking famous restaurant dishes for her friends and family. You can get some of her favorite recipes at Recipes Copycat. Enjoy!