Cooking food early

I've done it with curries and chilli when I've catered for a family buffet but wouldn't dream of pre-cooking green vegetables and re-heating them; I've experienced too many spoiled meals in restaurants where this is common practice.

I try not to reheat the food I have cooked the same day. What I may do is cook two meals today, eat one and pop the remainder in the fridge for tomorrow and then pop it in the microwave but I would eat it immediately.

I’m not sure why you’d cook vegetables in advance, as they only take 5 minutes to cook from fresh in the microwave anyway?

Nope, don't do reheating other than leftovers.

That's what I thought I will cook fresh thanks for your replies .

Mashed potatoes are fine if cooked earlier in the day, chilled and then microwaved.
Chillie, curries and Ragu are better the next day because the flavours meld. Of course it goes without saying, strict hygiene must be observed for the chilling and refrigerating process.

At Christmas or other times when I’m cooking for a large number I cook vegetables early, put in serving dishes and then reheat in the microwave. I then make the gravy with the vegetable water. Then wash up the saucepans and put them away. Otherwise I cook everything just before serving.

Mary Berry par cooks veg the day before Christmas and finishes them off on the day.

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Reported.
Egg-sucking advice also available?

When my husband and I were separated but still living in the same house, he used to cook for himself this way. I think it was because he was incapable of working out when to start things to all finish together!
I have seen Mary Berry and Prue Leith cook veg ahead of time. As others have said veg are so quick to cook in real time, why bother to do them before?

Old thread but I did watch Prue Leith last Sunday demonstrating how to cook green veg in advance….

No chance here - as I don't even have a microwave. I read about the health hazards of them years ago - so many years ago we're probably talking decades by now. That was followed by me chucking mine out instantly....

To me nearly all veg, especially green veg, should be cooked at the last minute, and for the absolute minimum time. I truly loathe e.g. soggy, overcooked cauliflower and broccoli.

Obviously anything like carrot and swede mash would be a different matter.

No putting the sprouts on in August then?
Victoria Wood, very much missed.

I will reheat anything at any stage of the process. I reheated leeks in butter today, just left them in the frying pan and turned the heat on.

Why did Ido it? because I was cooking sevral dishes all at once rather than seriaally one after the other. That meant I had 15 minutes when the main course was in the oven and the veg on the ide when I could sit down with a coffee and read the papers.

I do it all the time because I have to. I cook full meal in the morning, divide in two, plate both, cover and put in the Fridge. Microwave one at tea
time, the other the next day.
The reason is that I have more energy in the morning and I still prefer home cooking to ready meals. Never had a problem with this method. And it saves fuel.

CariadAgain

No chance here - as I don't even have a microwave. I read about the health hazards of them years ago - so many years ago we're probably talking decades by now. That was followed by me chucking mine out instantly....

And here we all are, years later. Still here.

I cook all the veg in advance, wash, dry and put the saucepans away, put the veg in an earthenware square dish and reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave just before serving. It cuts down on the washing up after eating, and I don't have to eat my meal looking at dirty pots stacked up in the sink.

TheSunRisesInTheEast

I cook all the veg in advance, wash, dry and put the saucepans away, put the veg in an earthenware square dish and reheat for a couple of minutes in the microwave just before serving. It cuts down on the washing up after eating, and I don't have to eat my meal looking at dirty pots stacked up in the sink.

Why don't you just cook them in the microwave to start with?

I prefer to boil them in separate saucepans and keep an eye on them, not too hard, not too soft, then I drain with a colander and use the vegetable juices with gravy granules to make the gravy 🙂.

I cook pasta in advance and freeze it for24 hours. Reheat when I need it.Does something to the carbs so doesn’t give such a sugar spike when diabetics eat it.

Our son currently works in hospitality, free meals on shift, but has become increasingly fed up with what’s on offer. On a day off, he batch cooks something tasty and healthy, freezes and takes one into work to reheat each shift.

Not me, veg cooking is accomplished during meal cooking.

I do re-heating of leftovers, if necessary, another day.

No microwave, merely a double boiler.