“Think of this book as cooking skills for dummies ratcheted up to a higher level…. Well organized and explained.” –Booklist “This book will turn a good cook into a great cook.” –Vancouver Sun This step-by-step guide to essential cooking techniques explains and illustrates every important cooking method that, once mastered, will give a cook the confidence to make all dishes, no matter the challenge. The ten chapters describe essential tools and equipment, and explain tried-and-tested procedures to prepare a wide range of items perfectly and consistently. The book includes: Essential Equipment: Knives, utensils, pots and pans, ovenware, bakeware, gadgets and machines Sauces: Gravy, vinaigrette, mayonnaise, hollandaise, pastry cream, caramel, chocolate, and more Vegetables: Slicing, julienne, charring peppers, peeling tomatoes and more Fruits and Nuts: Peeling, skinning, pitting, poaching fruit and more Meat: Cuts of beef, lamb and pork; boning, roasting and more Poultry: Trussing, stuffing, spatchcocking, boning, jointing and more Fish: Boning, filleting, poaching, broiling, and more Seafood: Deveining shrimp, cracking crab, preparing squid, and more Eggs: Testing eggs for freshness, poaching, baking, souffle and more Pastry and Baking: Puff pastry, buttercream, pavlova and more Pasta, Grain, Legume, Bread: Ravioli, risotto, polenta, croutons and more Broths: Brown, vegetable, and fish broths; skimming and freezing Spices: Toasting and grinding spices, using a vanilla bean 200 Skills Every Cook Must Have is the one secret ingredient that turns any cook into a great one.
