Cowboy Tricks: Quick Sneaky Cooking
We've all done it, even the best of us and if it hasn't happened yet I can guarantee that it will. You've screwed up and dropped the entire dish on the floor and worst of all you've only got ten minutes left until service.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Well don't panic, turn on the bob marley and breathe easy; here's a list of quick and sneaky cooking tricks that'll save the day.

( Cooking like this will never win you any awards but it'll pull your backside out of the fire. )

Mise-en-Place
Equipment:
Regardless of where you or what kind of establishment you're cooking in, domestic or professional, you need to be prepared, especially before and during service. This means having as many options open to you should you have an accident.
Remember that immersion and microwave cooking are amoungst some of the fastest cooking techniques available to a chef so ensure:
That you always have a pot of water on a constant boil (or at worst in a domestic kitchen a pre-boiled kettle of water)
If you have a fat fryer ensure it is on and heated before service
If you don't have a microwave set your oven to its highest setting
And to help speed browning reactions turn the grill to high

Size reduction:
Remember that the smaller and thinner an ingredient is the quicker the cooking time. So if you're in the proverbial brown stuff:
Slice chicken breasts and large cuts of meat in half
Beat steaks with a tenderiser or rolling pin to make them thinner
Chop all potatoes, tubers and root vegetables into smaller pieces

Quick cooking techniques
Method: 'The flash and blast'
Suitable for poultry breasts and legs, steaks or cuts of meat and fish. (For this example we will use a chicken breast)
Put a frying pan over a high heat, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil
Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper which encourages browning reactions
Pan-fry the breast for 1 minute to brown the skin
Transfer the chicken breast to a plate or plastic container
Seal with cling film
Microwave 3-5 minutes (depending on microwave wattage)
To test if the breast is cooked insert a knife into the thickest portion of flesh. The juices should run clear, the flesh and bones should be white. If the flesh is still pink or the juices are red, microwave for longer

Method: 'The shudder'
Suitable for potatoes, tubers and root vegetables
Toss the vegetables into boiling water (or steamer if available)
Leave until soft and cooked through
Drain, toss with oil, salt and pepper and place in a roasting tray
Place under a grill to 'brown off'
To speed the grilling time raise the roasting tray by placing any heat proof object beneath the tray. (The closer the tray is to the heating element the faster the cooking time)
When the vegetables have browned off, serve

Method: 'The par-fry'
Suitable for roast potatoes, poultry, cuts of meat and rugged cuts of fish (for this example we'll use roast potatoes)
Deep fry the potatoes for 4 -5 minutes until crisp and well coloured
Finish in microwave
Alternatively boil the potatoes for 4 -5 minutes
Drain and pat dry with kitchen towel / paper
Finish by deep frying

Method: 'The cowboy pan fry'
Suitable for boneless cuts of meat and poultry (for this example we'll use a pork steak)
Slice the pork in half so that you end up with two thin steaks
Heat a frying pan and a tablespoon of olive oil
Pan fry the steaks as normal (be aware that they will cook much faster)
Criss-cross the steaks on the plate
Garnish and serve

Sneaky Browning Techniques
Method: 'The torch'
Suitable for poultry with the skin left on
Season the poultry with oil, salt and pepper
Use a gas torch on a medium flame to 'brown off' the skin

Method: Deep frying
Suitable for onions and leek required for soups and sauces. Best done with fresh, clean oil which leaves less odours
Deep fry the onions until brown, but not crispy.
Use as required

Method: Stock and seasoning
To encourage and speed up browning of meats, poultry and fish. Requires stock cubes or granules (will not work with homemade stock!)
Break and crumble the stock into powder
Rub the stock into the skin or flesh
Season with salt and pepper
Cook as normal