The Washington Post Food staff answers questions about all things edible.
Q: While making a batch of soup— tomatoes, beans, celery, onion, garlic, broth, oregano, etc. — I was rinsing the cannellini beans and I wondered whether I could use the liquid the same way you use aquafaba from chickpeas? Or for some other use?
A: The liquid from all canned beans shares the basic quality that makes aquafaba so cool — as an egg-white substitute, particularly. But the chickpea version seems to be the mildest-tasting (which is helpful for desserts, of course) and the most stable for those purposes. But you can certainly use the cannellini liquid to add body to the soup. I'd only do that, though, if the can lining is BPA-free and there's little-to-no added sodium. Try a little bit and see what you think.
Q: I invested in a good wooden cutting board. As I'm chopping, say, onions, the board slips a little with each cut. I'm worried the next slice will be my finger. Any suggestions?
A: Wet a thin cotton kitchen towel, wring it out and lay it under your board— that helps keep it from slipping. (You can also use a paper towel for this, but I like to avoid the waste.) Bonus: You can use the moist towel to wipe up your countertop after cooking.
And after you are done, it might be good to turn over the board so the bottom can dry thoroughly.
Q: We received an electric countertop pressure cooker during the holidays and I used it for the first time to make a pork chile verde. I have been under the impression that food such as stews were better using a natural pressure release— which basically means waiting for the pressure to drop. However, after 30 minutes of cooking at pressure, another 30 minutes went by and the pot still had pressure. (I gave up and did a manual release at that point.)
Is there a rule of thumb for when to use natural release vs. manual release? Does natural release always mean waiting however long it takes, or is there a point at which it doesn't make a difference if you finish it off with a manual release?
A: A natural release is especially good for large cuts of meat. Quick release is good for delicate foods you don't want to overcook, such as chicken breasts and for foods that foam (oats, beans) or are primarily liquid (soups, stews) that can bubble up during a rapid pressure change. America's Test Kitchen limits natural release to 15 minutes and then does a quick release to eliminate the remaining pressure. So I think you were on the right track.
