Let's all try to steer clear of any "Kitchen Nightmares" this Christmas!  That is just not the time to mess around, of all days!  I know I wrote about tips yesterday, but I figure that we can use all the help we can get for this special day! This will be Part II of cooking tips for Christmas!  And this time, I will share with you Gordon Ramsay's secrets to making some of the best dishes around!

Here we go.....

Tip I: Timing-  Again, like Tom Aikens, Ramsay says time your food right!  "Less stress is better results", and I couldn't agree more!   He mentions that having the meat ready up to a half an hour before serving and having vegetables cooked, soaked in cold water and then refreshing them in a pan with olive oil.  I would never have thought of this, but it make sense.  He says, right before serving time, you want to make "the final stages of cooking into an assembly line where it is easier to control than starting everything from scratch". 

Tip II:  Seasoning.  He says to use salt and pepper while cooking, instead of waiting until after the dish is done and then seasoning up.  If  seasoning is added at the beginning, it gives the food more time to soak in the flavor.  Also, he says, don't be afraid to use other seasonings like lime, lemon, herbs, cloves, vanilla or cinnamon.  Get creative!

Tip III: Cooking Fish- The inside should not be bright white, but instead a more translucent color.  This will give it a much better taste.

Tip IV: Allow the meat to rest.  The cooking does not stop when it is removed from heat, in fact, Ramsay says that 15% more of the cooking is done during the resting period.  This will help keep the good juices in the steak.  Ramsay says, "For a rare fillet steak, for example, give it (cooking time of) two and a half minutes on each side and let it rest in its own juices for three.  Then, just before serving, roll it in its own juices again before flashing it through a hot oven."

Hopefully this tips will get your started on an absolutely delicious Christmas meal and great cooked food!  For more on these tips and other great Gordon Ramsay articles, click here.