Project: help create a menu showing basic cooking techniques

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
I thought this might be a fun project for everyone to jump in with ideas as things have seemed kinda slow around here of late.

This started with my upcoming niece-in-law's gift registry and I saw non-stick All Clad pans listed. All pans non-stick. I know her well, chatted her up, and long story short agreed to give this novice cook/baker some hands on instructions/tips.

So I'm/we're looking to create a:

1) list of things to show her how to do: like some knife skills, how to make a sauce, why she doesn't want all non-stick pans, etc.

2) then create menu out of the hands on things she needs to learn.

So the floor is now officially open...everyone jump in smileys/smile.gif

 
Here are some I'd do:

I would also recommend a good basic cookbook such as Doubleday that has an extensive glossary & "how to" section. I find that many novice cooks have no idea what lots of cooking terms mean.

How to deeply brown a roast or chunks of meat - that will cover both pot roast and lots of stew, soups and braises. I think novices would be afraid that they are burning things or put too much meat in the pan & stew instead of carmelizing.

How to make a really basic recipe of old fashioned soft white rolls - everyone loves them and you feel like you're showing off. They are easy and that recipe can be built on to make fancier rolls or in the case of refrigerator dough it is sweet enough to expand on making a few easy sweet rolls.

A basic roux white sauce is a good foundation for lots of things and the technique also applies to gravies and even gumbo.

How to measure different things.

How to bake a good potato-no foil.

How to cook eggs different ways.

How to make a basic red/marinara sauce. It's almost as fast as opening a jar and so much better.

Good larder basics to have on hand and ideas of quick/easy things that can be done with them.

 
Knife skills are really important. Maybe start with some vegetable cuts and then cut up a chicken

or two. Make stock from the bones and wings, prepare one quick recipe from the breast meat, another from the legs and thighs, and perhaps a pot of soup.

Teach her a potato dish or a rice dish, and go back to the cut vegetables for a side dish or two. That will leave her with a couple of menus in her repertoire and the confidence to wield a knife.

 
If she's interested in baking, showing her how to cream butter and sugar is essential, plus

how to melt chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave if you prefer), how to use an electric mixer, ie, which speeds to use for which steps, such as creaming butter and sugar, mixing in the dry ingredients, whipping cream, plus how to whip it to both soft and firm peaks, how to check to see if the baking powder and baking soda are active, how to toast/brown nuts, etc.

 
Pasta primavera...shows cutting skills, sauteeing skills, and a simple alfredo sauce

of reduced heavy cream, butter and real Parma.

Can't go wrong.

 
A flat pie crust tart (crostini) that can be made before guests arrive

(or better yet, while they watch) and that smells wonderful throughout an entire dinner.

Give your NIL that single piece of culinary confidence and you will have ensured her many happy dinner guests.

 
How to choose meat - beef cuts; How to have tender meat, different kinds of roasts; cuts of pork

roasts; the 2 types of pork ribs (baby and country stye)....why one choice of meat is good for one type recipe but not another, etc.

 
The older "Joy of Cooking" should be in the mix somewhere.

That is the book that taught me how to cook.
I used to go to it for everything until I started understanding cooking.
I would suggest yeasty recipes. I just recently learned how to bake with yeast and really wish I had known much earlier.

 
Make sure it is a menu that is simple and that she can succeed with right away

Here is an idea- these items all show basic skills. This is a low-stress dinner because the chicken roasts, the mashed potatoes and salad dressing can be made up long before dinner and the only thing to do at the last minute is to steam the asparagus and carve:

no appetizer- because most of us don't eat them unless we have company.

Roast chicken. Simple- with an onion and sprig of Rosemary in the cavity, basted with butter or olive oil.

Steamed asparagus- after peeling the stalks, tossed with lemon and butter.

Mashed potatoes-with butter, onions, sour cream. Nothing else needed in them so no gravy for this lesson.

A simple salad- with a basic oil and balsamic vinaigrette.

one-crust pie- using a pat in the pie pan crust recipe (below)- can be apple streusel, lemon, whatever but just one crust for now so there is success.

NO-ROLL PIE CRUST

Makes one 10” crust

2 cups all-purpose white flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil (canola, corn)
3 tbsp cold milk


Place the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix with fingers or a fork until blended. In a measuring cup, combine the oil and milk and beat it with a fork until creamy. Pour all at once over the flour mixture and mix until flour mixture is completely moistened. Pat the dough with your fingers, first up the sides of the pie plate, then across the bottom.

 
Time line plan and make ahead

How to make a time line so that she doesn't end up needing to cook everything at the same time and working in make ahead dishes.

 
I think an easy appy is in order like guacomole or a dip eg....smoked....

peppered mackeral mixed with mayo finely diced onion, parsley, or a white bean dip, served in a bowl surrounded by chips or crackers.....
only 'cause my DH amongst many I know would prefer an appy rather than the dessert smileys/smile.gif

 
Perhaps you could get her a cast iron pot....and let her help season it by boiling up all the....

scraps from this menu you show her. I could not live without my cast iron stew pot. (or wok and frying pan or even more my African 3 legged pot, although of course I know this is not a normal kitchen pot for most. It is the cast iron that makes a lot of dishes taste like those that gran'ma used to make)
What a fun idea MariaDNoCa smileys/smile.gif

 
This brings back memories. I got married without ever having made a meal!

For me, the key thing was finding one meal that I could cook well. And everyone that came to our apartment got that meal! (it was that old dteak in the bag smileys/smile.gif Siblings would joke, "have you goteen bagged yet?" LOL. Silly, but it gave me confidence to branch out (after all, they were bound to return and I couldn't serve the same thing! To a large degree, I'm living proof, if you can read, you can cook! And I have to say, I'm a much better cook since I arrived here. smileys/smile.gif Thanks all!

M

 
How to make mayo, and some other basic sauces like Bernaise, Hollandaise and Bechamel sauce.

 
Oh fun! A "Kitchen" Shower!...A veggie peeler and good

all purpose paring knife for appetizers. You can peel, carve, decorate, trim, and curl with just these two tools. They're rather essential for several other bits and pieces as well. Menu item: Crudites; Essential skills: knife skills. What a GREAT idea!! With a larger family, you could break this into specialized components and make it a fun family tradition...each bride-to-be getting to select her favorite dish for the main entree... You can tell I'm an only child! LOL! Wouldn't a "Pantry Shower" be fun? LOL!

We should have showers for each other...we'd appreciate them! *Ü*

 
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