Cook Like a Pro

Cook Like a Pro is the essential reference book for any kitchen. Whether you’re outfitting your kitchen for the first time or need a visual guide to cutting up a chicken, this comprehensive book features more than 1,500 full-color photographs, 250 techniques, 200 tools, and 50 recipes. This book is a bible of essential kitchen tools and cooking techniques. The first section is a comprehensive guide to basic tools and equipment for the home kitchen, with special features explaining the differences among cookware materials and a primer on cutlery styles and uses. The second section contains more than 250 cooking techniques that will help you accomplish tricky cooking tasks—cutting vegetables into a variety of shapes; boning and skinning a chicken breast; preparing and shaping fresh pasta dough; and filling and frosting a layer cake. Troubleshooting tips show you what can go wrong and how to fix it without having to start again. Also included are more than 50 recipe staples, such as buttermilk pancakes, perfect poached salmon, classic roast chicken, sautéed summer vegetables, homemade chicken and beef stock, and dozens of vinaigrettes and sauces—many featuring flavorful variations. Even when using a recipe from another cookbook, Cook Like a Pro will be your guide to beating egg whites to stiff peaks, shucking oysters, carving a bone-in roast, and scores of other kitchen tasks. Table of Contents Tools Bakeware Bakeware Materials Baking Tools Cook’s Tools Cookware Cookware Materials Cutlery & Accessories Knife Construction Electrics Grilling Tools Measuring Tools & Timers Pasta & Bread Equipment Techniques Baking & Pastry Basics Breads & Batters Cakes Cookies & Bars Cooking Basics Egg Cookery Fish Fruit Grains & Legumes Grilling Basics Herbs & Spices Knife Skills Meat Pasta Pies & Tarts Poultry Sauces Shellfish Stocks Vegetables

[...]... Simmons, and Jan Weimer; Text Writer Norman Kolpas; Copyeditors Carrie Bradley, Sharon Silva and Sharron Wood; Proofreader Leslie Evans; Indexer Ken DellaPenta; Consultants Healther Belt and Brittany Williams; and Marisa Halvorson and her staff at the Williams-Sonoma store on Post Street in San Francisco ISBN-13: 978-1-61628-439-8 ISBN-10: 1-61628-439-0 Weldon Owen is a divsion of ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY... 52 ## Chocolate ganache RE CIP E When freshly made, this smooth mixture of chocolate, cream, and butter is a thick, pourable sauce that makes a delicious accompaniment to cake slices When cooled and set, ganache can be used as an icing for cakes and cookies 1 Chop the chocolate Grasp a serrated or chef’s knife in one hand and position your other hand on the midpoint of the back of the blade Cut off... Vegetable frittata 118 RE CIP E A frittata is a mixture of eggs, cheese, and other ingredients cooked slowly in a frying pan until firm It differs from an omelet, as the flavorings are blended with the beaten eggs instead of being used as a filling Also, frittatas are typically cut into wedges for serving 1 Beat the eggs In a bowl, combine the eggs and a pinch each of salt and pepper Use a whisk to beat... with Asian eggplant 332 1 Trim the eggplants Using a chef’s knife, trim the green tops off the Asian eggplants (slender aubergines) If you plan to make diagonal slices, cut the tops off at a diagonal 2 Cut the eggplants 1 2 Cut each eggplant on the diagonal or crosswise into slices, as directed in your recipe It is not necessary to salt Asian eggplant, as it is milder and less bitter than globe eggplant... melt, taking care that it does not boil Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator Use the ganache right away as a sauce for ice cream, a shiny glaze for a cake, or a filling for a tart Or, let it cool for 1–2 hours at room temperature for a thicker fudge filling To make an even thicker filling, scrape the ganache into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour,... sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into small pieces Omit the ricotta cheese and basil Proceed with the recipe Add the ricotta cheese and the basil to the pan with the zucchini and stir until well mixed Pour in the beaten eggs 3 4 6 Cut the frittata into wedges Slide the frittata out of the pan onto a cutting board Using a chef’s knife, cut the frittata into 4 wedges Garnish with torn basil leaves, if... cup granulated sugar combined with 2 tbsp light or dark molasses 1 tsp extract Yeast, active dry 1 cup plain yogurt 1½ cups chopped 1-inch piece vanilla bean, halved and scraped 2¼ tsp 1 cake (.06 oz) compressed yeast C OOK ING C H A RT S 40956WSTT_DXp358t368_07kp.indd 359 2012.06.19 16:11 415 Jackson Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94111 www.weldonowen.com COOK LIKE A PRO Conceived and produced... desired, and serve right away 6 Bacon & arugula frittata Follow the recipe to make the Vegetable Frittata In step 2, omit the oil and add 4 strips of thick-cut bacon to the preheated frying pan Fry the bacon until the edges are crisp, about 8 minutes Transfer to paper towels to drain Cut the bacon crosswise into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces In step 3, pour off all but 1 tablesoon of the bacon fat from the... bent peaks 3 Beat to stiff peaks If your recipe calls for egg whites with stiff peaks, continue to beat until the whites look glossy, 1–2 minutes longer When the whip is lifted, they should hold a firm, straight peak Take care not to overbeat TROUBLESHOOTING Overbeaten egg whites appear grainy and can separate If you beat the egg whites to this stage, you’ll need to discard them and start again with... frying pan, and over medium heat, sauté 2 cups (2 oz/60 g) arugula (rocket) until just wilted Sprinkle the bacon over the arugula and proceed with the recipe, omitting the ricotta and basil Southwestern frittata Follow the recipe to make the Vegetable Frittata In step 3, replace the zucchini with 1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch (12-mm) cubes Sauté until the potatoes are tender and browned,