Taste of Tribeca Tip #5: Prep Like a Pro

This article first appeared in the Tribeca Citizen on March 29, 2010. We appreciate being able to reprint the article.

In anticipation of Taste of Tribeca, the benefit for P.S. 234 and P.S. 150 on May 15, The Tribeca Citizen is asking the participating chefs for cooking tips. Marc Forgione shares two tips—one he recently taught someone, and one he recently learned.

"I actually just showed one of my cooks how to peel a roasted pepper—and he’s been cooking for six years. Coat the peppers with oil and bake them uncovered at 400 degrees for a half hour, until they’re blistered. Then put them directly into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. You need to really seal it—use two pieces of plastic wrap. The plastic wrap will bubble up from the steam, and it’ll rain in there—drops of water will form on the plastic and rain down. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, cut off the tops and bottoms, lay the peppers flat, remove the seeds, and scrape the peel with a knife. It’ll come right off.

And here’s another tip, about corn. I only learned it last year. Throw the unshucked corn into a pot of water that’s just about to boil (but no longer on the stove). Leave it there for five minutes. When you do shuck the corn, the cornsilk won’t stick to the kernels. And then cook the corn however you want."

*Tickets are on sale now at tasteoftribeca.org. Buy before May 1 and they’re only $35. Also, join the Taste of Tribeca Facebook group and you might win a T-shirt.