contents and Legumes 153 Pasta 8 Introduction 177 Vegetables 43 Soups 201 Potatoes, Grains, 63 Poultry 227 Eggs 93 Meat 247 Starters and Salads

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contents 8 Introduction 0 MISE EN PLACE EQUIPMENT 20 PANTRY

Poultry 65 TECHNIQUES 72 RECIPES 93 Meat 96 TECHNIQUES 0 RECIPES 23

RECIPES 77 Vegetables 79 TECHNIQUES 87 RECIPES 20 Potatoes, Grains,

RECIPES 247 Starters and Salads 249 TECHNIQUES 25 RECIPES 267

1 contents 8 Introduction 0 MISE EN PLACE EQUIPMENT 20 PANTRY INGREDIENTS 27 COOKING BASICS 43 Soups 45 TECHNIQUES 48 RECIPES 63 Poultry 65 TECHNIQUES 72 RECIPES 93 Meat 96 TECHNIQUES 0 RECIPES 23 Fish and Shellfish 25 TECHNIQUES 3 RECIPES 53 Pasta 55 TECHNIQUES 59 RECIPES 77 Vegetables 79 TECHNIQUES 87 RECIPES 20 Potatoes, Grains, and Legumes 204 TECHNIQUES 207 RECIPES 227 Eggs 229 TECHNIQUES 234 RECIPES 247 Starters and Salads 249 TECHNIQUES 25 RECIPES 267 Kitchen Desserts 269 TECHNIQUES 275 RECIPES 292 CONVERSIONS AND EQUIVALENTS 298 INDEX

Knives A set of knives may be used more often than any other equipment in your kitchen. Look for knives that will last.

Taper-ground blades, forged from a single sheet of metal, will last longer and have better balance than hollowground blades, which are made by fusing together two thinner sheets of metal.

Their blades, 6 to 4 inches long, taper from sturdy heels that can slice through small bones to thin tips that slice mushrooms smoothly. Chef s knife, slicer, paring knife, and boning knife.

Cleavers, with their large, rectangular blades, are used widely in Asia. Heavy cleavers can cut cleanly through bones, while lighter ones are used for vegetables and garnishes.

Boning knives, whose narrow, sharply pointed blades offer good maneuverability, are used for separating raw meat cleanly from bones.

Some slicers have an offset handle for a more comfortable grip, or a fluted edge to ease the blade smoothly through food. Keep the blades of your knives sharp and well honed.

Using a cutting board made of wood, plastic, or polyethylene helps preserve a knife s edge. Cutting on metal, glass, or marble surfaces, on the other hand, will dull and eventually damage the blades.

2 Knives A set of knives may be used more often than any other equipment in your kitchen. Look for knives that will last. A blade made from high-carbon stainless steel will take and keep a sharp edge, and it will not discolor or rust readily. Taper-ground blades, forged from a single sheet of metal, will last longer and have better balance than hollowground blades, which are made by fusing together two thinner sheets of metal. A basic set should include the following types. Chef s or French knives are used for a wide variety of cutting tasks, from chopping onions to mincing herbs to slicing meat. Their blades, 6 to 4 inches long, taper from sturdy heels that can slice through small bones to thin tips that slice mushrooms smoothly. Chef s knife, slicer, paring knife, and boning knife. Specialized knives Filleting knives are similar to boning knives, but with thin, flexible blades for cutting between the delicate flesh and bones of fish. Cleavers, with their large, rectangular blades, are used widely in Asia. Heavy cleavers can cut cleanly through bones, while lighter ones are used for vegetables and garnishes. Paring knives, with 2- to 4-inch blades, are designed for peeling and trimming vegetables. Boning knives, whose narrow, sharply pointed blades offer good maneuverability, are used for separating raw meat cleanly from bones. Slicers, with long blades, often serrated, are good for cutting even slices of cooked meat or bread. Some slicers have an offset handle for a more comfortable grip, or a fluted edge to ease the blade smoothly through food. Keep the blades of your knives sharp and well honed. A sharp knife not only cuts better, but also is safer to use. The more pressure you need to apply to the knife to cut food, the more damage you can do with a slip of the blade. Using a cutting board made of wood, plastic, or polyethylene helps preserve a knife s edge. Cutting on metal, glass, or marble surfaces, on the other hand, will dull and eventually damage the blades. Store knives in racks or holders, not loose in a drawer where their blades may be damaged. Knife skills Learning good knife skills makes for better finished dishes because precise, uniform cuts allow ingredients to cook at the same rate. For most cutting, grip the knife high on the handle, at the point where it meets the blade. This grip offers greater stability, control, and balance than holding the handle farther away from the blade. Grasp the handle with three fingers, resting your index finger and thumb flat against the blade on either side. When chopping bones or cutting through harder foods, grip the handle with all four fingers and rest your thumb firmly along the top of the blade, close to where it meets the handle. For smaller knives, wrap all four fingers around the handle but leave your thumb pressed against the side of the blade. 6 INTRODUCTION

3 In all cases, the hand not holding the knife your guiding hand maneuvers the food, prevents the item from slipping, and helps control the size of the cut. Hold food with your fingertips, tucking them slightly under and holding your thumb out of the way. The flat of the blade should rest against your knuckles so you don t cut your fingertips. Always try to cut food into pieces of the same shape and size. The basic cuts follow. Chopping is used for rustic dishes or for ingredients that will be puréed or strained out of a finished dish. Slice or chop the food at nearly regular intervals. The pieces need not be perfectly even in shape, but all the pieces should be roughly the same size. 2 Mincing reduces food to a relatively fine, even cut, useful for vegetables, herbs, and other flavoring ingredients such as garlic or gingerroot. Roughly chop the food first and gather it into a pile. Then, holding the knife tip against the cutting board with your free hand and using a rocking motion, mince firmly and rapidly to the desired fineness. 3 Julienne are long, rectangular cuts, such as for matchstick carrots or French fries. Cut a thin slice from one side of round vegetables to make them more stable as you cut. Slice the food lengthwise, using parallel cuts of the desired thickness. Stack these rectangular slices, aligning their edges, and make a second set of lengthwise cuts through the stack. Julienne should be very narrow, ⅛ inch. A wider cut, about ¼ inch, is called batonnet. Straw (paille) is similar to julienne, but cut even more finely. Depending on the food itself or your preference, the length can vary from to 2½ inches. 4 Dicing produces small, neat cubes. Brunoise, the finest size (⅛ inch), is often used for a delicate garnish. Fine, medium, and large dice, ranging in size from ¼ inch to ½ inch to ¾ inch, appear in a wide variety of preparations. To dice, cut the food lengthwise into slices as thick as the dice you want. Stack these slices and slice again lengthwise to make strips. Gather the strips into a neat stack or line, then cut crosswise into dice. 5 Oblique or roll cut is used with long, cylindrical vegetables such as carrots and celery, especially if they will be braised or roasted. Make a diagonal cut to remove the stem end. Holding the knife in the same position, roll the vegetable a half turn (80 degrees) and slice again to create pieces with different angles at each end. Repeat to cut up the rest of the vegetable. 6 Shredding and chiffonade are strips of leafy vegetables and herbs, chiffonade being a finer cut than shredded. Stack a few leaves and roll them tightly lengthwise. With a sharp knife, make thin crosswise cuts. Before using the shreds, loosen them with your fingertips EQUIPMENT 7

Fennel and Orange Salad 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cored 2 oranges Tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp olive oil Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf

5 Fennel and Orange Salad 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cored 2 oranges Tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsp olive oil Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Makes 6 servings Thinly slice the fennel bulbs with a sharp knife or a mandoline. Cut the skin from the oranges and cut the oranges into crosswise slices. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oils, and salt and pepper to taste to make a vinaigrette. Reserve 2 Tbsp of the parsley for garnish. Put the fennel and remaining parsley in a bowl and toss with 3 Tbsp of the vinaigrette. Season the orange slices with salt and pepper. Drizzle them with the remaining vinaigrette. Arrange the fennel and orange slices on chilled plates and garnish with the reserved parsley. When you buy fennel, look for firm bulbs with no scarring or gouges. The tops should be firm with feathery green fronds. Trim away the tops at the top of the bulb. Cut through the bulb from the top through the root end to make halves or quarters. Slice the fennel thinly across the grain. making vinaigrette p. 250 Corn and Jícama Salad 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels, plus corn milk if available (p. 92) 2 cups finely diced jícama Tbsp fresh lime juice Tbsp minced fresh cilantro 4 tsp ground cayenne pepper, or to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper Makes 6 8 servings Toss together the corn and corn milk, if available, jícama, lime juice, and cilantro in a serving bowl. Taste and season with cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 hours before serving. Jícama, a tropical tuber, is roughly the size of a grapefruit, with a dusty brown skin. Inside, its flesh is crisp and white, with a mild flavor that marries well with the sweet corn and cilantro in this refreshing summer salad. preparing corn kernels p. 86 dicing p. 7 RECIPES 99

Pizza Margherita 3 4 cup warm (05 5 F) water 2 2 tsp ( package) dry yeast tsp honey 3 cups bread flour cup semolina flour 4 tsp salt Vegetable oil for coating Cornmeal for sprinkling (optional)

7 Pizza Margherita 3 4 cup warm (05 5 F) water 2 2 tsp ( package) dry yeast tsp honey 3 cups bread flour cup semolina flour 4 tsp salt Vegetable oil for coating Cornmeal for sprinkling (optional) Topping Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil Tbsp chopped fresh basil tsp chopped fresh oregano clove garlic, minced Freshly ground pepper cup tomato purée 4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, sliced 4 4 oz part-skim mozzarella, thinly sliced 4 cup grated Parmesan Makes 4 individual pizzas or large pizza Combine the water, yeast, and honey in a large bowl. Stir in just enough of the bread flour to make a batter about the consistency of buttermilk. Cover and let proof in a warm place until the surface is puffy, about hour. Add the remaining bread flour, the semolina flour, and the salt. Knead in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on medium speed, or by hand, until the dough is smooth, springy, and elastic, 4 minutes with the mixer or 0 minutes by hand. Rub the dough lightly with oil, place in a clean bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise at warm room temperature until doubled in volume, about ½ hours. Punch down the dough, sinking your fist into it to deflate it, and divide into 4 equal pieces for individual pizzas or leave whole for a large pizza. Form the dough into smooth ball(s), cover, and let rise again until doubled in volume, minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly oil a 6-inch pizza pan or a large baking sheet with vegetable oil or scatter with cornmeal. On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch out the ball(s) of dough to an even ¼-inch thickness. If the dough has not relaxed properly, it may spring back as you stretch it; simultaneously spinning and stretching the dough will help. (This may be accomplished flat on a work surface or by spinning and tossing it into the air, then catching the disk on the back of your hands. Avoid tearing the dough or creating very thin patches.) Transfer the dough round to the prepared pan. For the topping, mix together the olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic, and pepper to taste. Spread this mixture evenly over the pizza dough. Spread evenly with the tomato purée and top with the sliced tomatoes and mozzarella. Scatter the Parmesan over the top. Bake until the dough is golden brown and the toppings are very hot, minutes for large pizza or 0 2 minutes for individual rounds. Cut into wedges and serve at once, or let cool for 5 0 minutes and serve warm. Avoid the temptation to add too many toppings; a pizza should be more bread than topping. In fact, the basic dough in this recipe may be used to prepare a delicious grilled bread as well as the base for pizza. Shape the dough as you would for individual pizzas, and then grill it over hot coals for about 2 minutes on each side, until it is blistered and browned. After the dough is turned, drizzle with olive oil and scatter it with fresh herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, or rosemary. roasting and baking p. 30 RECIPES 257

Type: Starter/Snack/Main Serves: Tastes 30 Recipe source: Taste.com.au INGREDIENTS:

Sausage Rolls Type: Starter/Snack/Main Serves: Tastes 30 Recipe source: Taste.com.au Mixing bowl Cooks Knife Wooden spoon Grater Baking tray Whisk TO SERVE: Large platter 1 1/2 sheets frozen ready-rolled