Kitchen Tool School: the Essential Microplane Rasp Grater
When it comes to kitchen equipment, in some cases you shouldn’t accept substitutes. As for a harsh chef’s knife, or with a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet . Or a Microplane rasp grater.
The rasp grater is a long, slender tool that works well for grating hard cheeses and for zesting citrus fruits and other hard foods. The Microplane versions are dishwasher safe on the top shelf and come with a plastic protective cover. If you have a regular grater at home, you may be asking yourself: Why would I spend more than $ 10 on a trendy version from a big name brand when I can use the one I got for free in my 50s. PC. kitchen set? The answer is that at some point – either when you crack the flimsy version your grater becomes dull, or when you put so much brute force into chopping something that you throw the grater into the trash due to annoyance – you I don’t care break down and buy Microplane so you can buy it now and save yourself a headache. Sure, it’s more expensive, but on Amazon the classic black version with an ergonomically shaped soft plastic handle will set you back a modest $ 11 .
The Microplane benefits from unparalleled sharpness and strength. It was actually a powerful molding tool for carpenters, and did not become indispensable in cooking until a housewife discovered that her carpenter husband’s rasp yielded the world’s fluffiest orange zest, after which it became a kitchen tool overnight. … It’s made from surgical stainless steel, manufactured using chemicals to create razor-sharp cutting surfaces that won’t tarnish over time.
With a little pressure, the rasp grater will transform even the hardest aged Parmesan into fine lace strands that will adorn any Italian pasta dish. It also makes the citrus zest easier to digest; hold the rasp still and, while holding the fruit, run it over the grater with about the same force as if you were playing the violin. The zest will accumulate in the posterior canal; To collect it all, simply tap the bowl gently with the rod. Use a rasp that works both ways to grate the ginger instead of chopping it, or instead of the garlic press you don’t need. It’s also great for chopping up large, hard spices like nutmeg, making chocolate chips, reconstituting lightly scorched cookies, or quickly spreading butter .
Microplane makes many different sizes – for example, crate graters, fine spice graters and coarse cheese grinders – but if you only have room for one grater, use a rasp because it is versatile enough for most uses. Mine (which isn’t even the standard version; it was a chocolate grater I bought at a $ 5 sale!) Grinds more spices like nutmeg and is too small for recipes that require a lot of grated cheese, but it works well for most of my cooking applications.
If you take good care of it, the rasp will last you forever. However, soak and wash it after each use , and use a toothbrush if necessary to make sure the blades have been thoroughly cleaned. Store it with a lid when not in use.