Cooking Basics For Dummies (eBook)

Bryan Miller is a food and wine writer and a formerrestaurant critic for The New York Times. He has written andcowritten 11 books. Marie Rama grew up in the restaurantbusiness surrounded by a large family of food professionals andentrepreneurs and has worked in various areas in the industry.

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting Started with Cooking 5

Chapter 1: Cooking with Confidence 7

Chapter 2: Investing in the Essential Tools 21

Chapter 3: The Bare Necessities: Stocking Your Pantr y and Fridge 39

Part II: Know Your Techniques 61

Chapter 4: The Cutting Edge: Working with Knives 63

Chapter 5: Boiling, Poaching, and Steaming 79

Chapter 6: Simply Sautéing 93

Chapter 7: Braising and Stewing: Slow and Seductive 109

Chapter 8: Roasting Poultr y, Meats, and Veggies 123

Chapter 9: Coals and Coils: Grilling and Broiling 153

Chapter 10: Baking Basics 171

Part III: Expand Your Repertoire 191

Chapter 11: Conquering Breakfast 193

Chapter 12: Super Soups and Savory Salads 215

Chapter 13: From Sides to Mains: Great Grains and Pastas 245

Chapter 14: Making Sensational Sauces: Fear No More 267

Chapter 15: Delectable Desserts 283

Part IV: Now You're Cooking! Real Menus for Real Life 301

Chapter 16: Taking It Easy with One-Pot Meals 303

Chapter 17: Making More (and Better) for Less 317

Chapter 18: Going Global with Asian and Mediterranean Dishes 327

Chapter 19: Quick Picks: Cooking with Fewer Ingredients 349

Chapter 20: Summertime Soirees 361

Chapter 21: Feeding Holiday Hordes: Festive Winter Menus 375

Part V: The Part of Tens 395

Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Think Like a Chef 397

Chapter 23: Ten Common Cooking Myths 401

Appendix A: Glossary of 100 (Plus) Common Cooking Terms 405

Appendix B: Common Substitutions, Abbreviations, and Equivalents 413

Index 419