Six Basic Cooking Techniques: Culinary Essentials for the Home Cook

Welcome to New York City’s most popular cooking class -- now in a book! This vividly photographed manual is a peek inside culinary instructor Jennifer Clair’s best-selling cooking class, where just six cooking techniques lay the groundwork for a solid culinary foundation. You’ll learn the proper way to handle a chef’s knife, cook meat to perfection, create impressive pan sauces, and prepare restaurant-worthy vegetable dishes. Plus, you’ll discover which ingredients truly make a difference in a home kitchen (kosher salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to start). Each technique chapter includes a collection of flavorful recipes, so you can practice your newfound skills while cooking delicious meals. And throughout the book, myth-busting Students Ask and Chefs Say columns feature pearls of indispensable kitchen wisdom (why you should never mince basil, mint, or sage; why blanching vegetables is better than steaming; what are the three key flavors that make all food taste better; and more). Confidence is what makes a great cook, and this practical culinary guide is filled with the teachings you need to gain control of your kitchen.