Tips of the Trade

More cooking tips from Food Network personalities as compiled in a recent issue of Food Network Magazine.

• Treat recipes as a guideline, not the Bible.  Replace ingredients you don't care for with similar ingredients you like.  If you like thyme and not tarragon (that's me!), use thyme.
• If you're using raw onions in a salad or salsa, rinse the diced onions under cold running water, then blot dry.  You'll get rid of the sulfurous gas that can mess up the recipe.
• If you slice garlic instead of mincing it, it's less likely to burn when you saute it.
• Keep a bottle of REALLY good olive oil on hand.  It's a great "finisher" on pizza, mozzarella, pasta, fish, meat and vegetables.
• Save a leftover Parmesan rind and use it as an additional layer of flavor when cooking soup.  Throw it in and then fish it out before serving.