Oil and water

  Call me wildly impetuous if you wish but I don't care, I'm just going to talk about cooking. I was noticing the difference between stewing and frying and extrapolating the... (Don't start using big long words and trying to look clever. -Ed.). Let me share my thoughts.

  Stewing involves simmering things in something watery. This means the temperature isn't going to go above a hundred. Though this is enough to burn your hand, it's not that hot. Using oil, however, raises the temperature quite considerably because oil gets a lot hotter. But there's more than just difference in heat.

  Water evaporates but oil doesn't. So if you're making a stew, unless it's in a pressure cooker then the liquid is going to boil away and eventually whatever you're stewing will dry up and burn. Though oil isn't wet like water and it doesn't dry out, it does bring a type of moisture to food but it is more like a richness.

  This might be a bit of a subtle distinction but think of the difference between a béchamel and a velouté. The béchamel is just that little bit richer but it's the fat content that does it. I've just done the literary equivalent of catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and noticing someone who just bought a season ticket for a ride up their own arse.

  I will return to this theme but in a more accessible may as there are useful gems of wisdom to be had here. Catch you tomorrow.

Kirk out

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