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Helen Rennie

Chef

Helen Rennie is a chef based in Natick, Massachusetts. She is both the owner of a cooking school and the creator of Helen’s Kitchen, a YouTube channel where she teaches cooking techniques and food science to over 560K subscribers. Helen’s classes and videos focus on many topics, including knife skills, fish, meat, poultry, sauces, vegetables, beans, grains, pies, tarts, pastry, pizza, pasta, grilling, and more. She started her cooking career with an internship in Casablanca Restaurant, and eventually earned a teaching position at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. In 2005, she founded Helen's Kitchen, her culinary education business where she teaches people to cook. Since its founding, Helen’s Kitchen has taught 1,000+ students. Helen's cooking philosophy centers on finding creative ways to prepare local ingredients. She teaches cooking classes in her house in Natick with a strong focus on culinary techniques and food science.

Education

  • BS, Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University

Professional Achievements

  • Helen's Kitchen has earned 5.0 star ratings on Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google
  • Winner, NextUp YouTube Competition 2017
  • Helen's work has been mentioned in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and LifeHacker

Favorite Piece of Advice

Don't forget salt and acidity!

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Q&A Comments (11)

How do I make sure Alfalfa sprouts are clean?
To make sure that your alfalfa sprouts are safe to eat, you’ll need to go beyond just washing them, since rinsing alone won’t eliminate harmful bacteria like salmonella or e coli if they are present. Sprouts can sometimes carry bacteria because of the warm, moist conditions they grow in, which are also ideal for bacterial growth. If you want to be extra cautious, blanching the alfalfa sprouts for a few seconds in boiling water is a good option, doing this can reduce bacteria without completely cooking them. But keep in mind that doing this might slightly change their texture.
How do I make sure that the beef is tender and juicy when cooked?
First, start off by choosing the right cut and the appropriate cooking method based on how you want your meat to turn out. If you want a medium rare steak, choose cuts like ribeye or tenderloin. For shreddable, fall-apart beef, go with tougher cuts like short ribs, brisket, or chuck and use slow-cooking techniques like braising or roasting. The key to keeping beef juicy, especially with tender cuts, is hitting the right internal temperature after resting. For medium rare, the target is 130°F, but you don’t want to cook it all the way to that temperature on the stove or grill. That’s because of the residual heat, where after you pull the beef off the heat, it will continue cooking and raise the internal temperature by several degrees. Depending on the thickness of your cut, you might want to pull it off the heat when it reaches around 120-125°F and let it rest until it reaches your target temp. Resting your meat is also essential, as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the beef, keeping it moist. Ignoring this step produces dry meat, even if you hit the correct final temperature. So, always account for rest cooking and give your beef the time it needs to rest before slicing or serving.
What are the uses of garlic scapes?
You can use garlic scapes several ways, but my most preferred option is making a garlic scape pesto. You can do this by tossing the scapes into a food processor along with some basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and parmesan, and blend it all together until smooth. This is a quick and flavorful pasta dish that's also perfect for sandwiches or even as a dip. Another method is by simmering the scapes with some heavy cream to make a silky, garlic-infused sauce. Start by chopping the scapes into 1-inch pieces and simmering them in a small pan with cream and a pinch of salt. Cooking them slowly helps soften their slightly woody texture and brings out a mellow, aromatic garlic flavor without the sharp bite. Once the scapes are tender, blend the mixture into a smooth, creamy sauce. This recipe works great as a topping for pasta or vegetables—it’s garlicky but in a subtle, sweet way that doesn’t overwhelm the dish and your palette.
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Co-authored Articles (16)

How to

Blanch Tomatoes

Blanching tomatoes is the process of boiling them briefly and then plunging them into icy water. It's a technique that makes it easier to peel the tomatoes without turning them to mush. As far as cooking goes, it's a sim...

How to

Make Biltong

Biltong is a classic South African-style jerky. It is typically a raw beef that is heavily seasoned and air-cured for several days. To make it, first marinate your meat in red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Then,...

How to Pit Green and Black Olives

Easily get rid of pesky pits in hard and soft olives There comes a time in every olive lover’s life when you need to pit olives, whether a recipe calls for seedless olives or you accidentally grabbed unpitted ones at t...

How to

Tell if You're a Super Taster

If you’re a foodie, you might be interested to know if you’re a supertaster. Super tasters experience more intense flavors when they eat because they have an increased amount of taste receptors on their tongues. You ...

How to

Make Simple Mashed Potatoes

It's hard to think of a more classic side dish than a bowl of mashed potatoes. Always served at the holidays, mashed potatoes are one of those rare festive foods that also make appearances throughout the entire year. Whe...

How to

Make Caramelized Onions

Caramelizing onions is a simple trick that great cooks use to add tons of flavor to a dish. Start by slicing onions thinly and cook them for a long time over low heat with a little butter. The onions will break down and ...

How to Train Yourself to Eat & Enjoy Spicy Food

Spicy foods are a staple of the cuisine in many parts of the world, so you may feel left out if your taste buds are attuned to blander fare -- or burned out if you pop a pepper without knowing what you’re getting yours...

How to

Make Wine Vinegar

Wine vinegar is a delicious addition to soups, marinades, and salad dressings.. 24 September 2024. However, the store-bought versions can be expensive and lack the layered flavors of homemade vinegar. Luckily, it’s eas...

How to

Chop Basil

Basil is a popular, flavorful herb that pairs well with a variety of meats and savory foods. Basil leaves are large and rarely used whole. Before using basil, chop as many leaves as you’ll need into small pieces that w...

How to

Eat Alfalfa Sprouts

Alfalfa sprouts are small stringy sprouts that are filled with nutrients. These sprouts often carry bacteria so it is important to wash them before you eat them. Add the delicious and healthy alfalfa sprouts to sandwiche...

How to

Make an Egg Sandwich

Egg sandwiches are proof that breakfast doesn’t have to be boring! Hearty, healthy, and packed with protein, an egg sandwich is a satisfying meal that provides the energy you need for the rest of your day. Make a simpl...

How to

Prepare and Store Fresh Thyme

Thyme is a woody, perennial herb that is commonly harvested and sold as fresh sprigs or as individual leaves. It is often used as a culinary or medicinal herb and can even serve as incense. This article will inform you a...

How to

Understand Cuts of Beef

Beef, according to the USDA, comes from cattle that are considered full grown and are approximately two years old. These cattle generally yield 450 lbs of meat for human consumption coming from different parts of the cat...

How to

Reheat Leftover Pasta Without It Separating or Drying Up

Reheated pasta often ends up mushy, dried out, or sitting in a pool of oil. Luckily, these problems can be avoided with simple alterations to the heating process. Learn how to save your leftovers, whether they are plain ...

How to

Make Buttermilk from Milk

Sometimes you just crave a stack of buttermilk pancakes to get your day going, but you may not have buttermilk in the fridge. Do you have to go buy a whole quart of buttermilk when you just need a cup of it? Actually, yo...

How to

Shave Brussels Sprouts

Shaved Brussels sprouts are a versatile ingredient—they can be used raw in a salad, or sautéed for a tasty side dish. To shave Brussels sprouts, you can use either a food processor, knife, or mandoline. A food process...