Mary's Top Five Tips!
◆ The easiest way to prepare asparagus is to bend the stalks so that they snap – they will break just above the unwanted woody ends.
◆ Don’t waste ginger. A knob of ginger freezes really well and it can be easily grated straight from the freezer.
◆ When using beetroot, wear rubber gloves to stop it from staining your hands bright pink! And grate it onto a plate rather than a chopping board, which is a less absorbent surface and easier to wash.
◆ Filo pastry is easy to work with when it is fresh, but it dries out quickly and becomes more fragile. Keep any unused pastry under a clean damp towel to stop it becoming brittle.
◆ When beating icing sugar with butter, start the whisk on a slow setting to prevent clouds of powdery icing sugar escaping from the bowl.