Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
1 What to Buy for the Kitchen 3
2 Should a Good Cook Use a Microwave Oven? 47
3 How to Use Knives 54
4 An Illustrated Guide to Quick Fruit and Vegetable Preparation 64
5 Thirteen Common Vegetables and How to Prepare Them 74
6 Potatoes Explained 92
7 Steaming Vegetables 98
8 How to Roast Vegetables 104
9 Salsas, Relishes, and Chulneys 107
10 The Secrets of Salad Dressings 113
11 How to Build a Salad 123
12 Improvising Soups 131
13 Cooking Perfect Rice 138
14 What to Do with Dried Beans 149
15 The Best Way to Cook drains 157
16 Pasta Sauces 165
17 How to Make Homemade Ravioli 172
18 An Illustrated Guide to Shellfish 177
19 How to Cook Fish 189
20 Basic Sauces for Fish and Shellfish 199
21 Booing, Butchering, and Carving 202
22 How to Sauté Boneless Chicken Breasts 209
23 The Best Ways to Roast a Chicken 212
24 How to Fry Chicken 222
25 How to Cook a Turkey 225
26 Improvising Stuffings 229
27 The Cuts of Meat 232
28 How to Roast Meat 252
29 How to Braise Meat 261
30 Making a Tender Stew 270
31 Stocks and Sauces 277
32 How to Marinate Meat, Fish, and Poultry 289
33 Grilling and Slow Barbecue 293
34 The Barbecue Rub and Sauce 308
35 How to Stir-Fry 311
36 Quick and Easy Homemadi Pizza 318
37 The Secrets of Yeast Breads 324
38 How to Make Dinner Rolls 342
39 Pancakes, Waffles, Muffins, and Biscuits 347
40 How to Cook an Egg 354
41 Perfect Piecrust 362
42 How to Thicken Fruit Pies 370
43 Custard Pies, Chiffon Pies, and Holiday Pies 374
44 The Best Chocolate Cake 382
45 Angel, Sponge, and Chiffon Cakes 386
46 Baking a Cookie 391
47 The Perfect Brownie 399
48 Mastering the Soufflé 403
49 How lo Poach Fruit 412
50 Baked Fruit Desserts 416
Index 423