4 Tools to Keep Your Knife Blades Sharp
Professional Sharpener If you are uncomfortable using a whetstone and are reluctant to use a knife sharpener, a professional is your next best choice. If you do sharpen your knives at home, you should still take them to a professional once or twice a year to have them inspected and sharpened. After your knives are sharp, it’s important to store them correctly, either into a knife block or a sleeve. When washing your knives, never put them through a dishwasher — always clean and completely dry by hand before storing them. By using these methods and appropriately storing your knives, they are guaranteed to stay sharper and last longer.
Nothing is worse than cutting with a dull blade. It makes cutting bread, fruit, and meat not only difficult but also dangerous. Dull blades need force to cut, and while the blade is dull, it can still hurt you if the knife slips. By using these sharpening tools, you can improve your kitchen experience in no time! Honing Steel Although this tool is also known as a sharpening steel, it doesn’t actually sharpen knives; it realigns them. After using a knife for quite some time, the blade will naturally begin to bend. The honing steel ensures the blade is straightened out before it’s sharpened. Knife Sharpener One of the easiest and most inexpensive tools to sharpen your knives is a knife sharpener. However, this is not always the
most reliable, as the tool may do more harm than good to the blade. If you use a knife sharpener, it’s best to use it on inexpensive knives, not pricey ones. Whetstone Sharpen your expensive knives with a whetstone. This tool should be completely saturated in water before use. Submerge the whetstone for 5–10 minutes or until there are no more bubbles coming from the stone. To sharpen your knife, place it at a 20-degree angle and drag the blade down the coarse side of the stone in an even sweeping motion. Do this several times on each side of the blade before
flipping the whetstone to the side with the fine grain and doing it again. This method gives you more control of the blade and a sharper edge.
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SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Ingredients • 8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, lightly salted • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour • 1 onion, finely sliced • 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced • 2 carrots, thickly sliced • 1 leek, thickly sliced Directions 1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and fry salted chicken on high until brown. 2. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker. Add flour and stir. 3. In the frying pan on high heat, fry the onion, celery, carrots, leeks, and potatoes until lightly browned. Add garlic
• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks • 2 garlic cloves, sliced • 14 oz chicken stock • 1 sprig rosemary • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped and fry for 30 seconds. 4. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker and add the stock, rosemary, and lemon zest. 5. Cook on high for 2.5–3 hours or until chicken is tender. 6. Check seasoning and add lemon juice to taste. Top with parsley before serving.
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