Author : Dominic Donaldson
They say that a bad workman blames his tools, but a good cook relies on quality cookware. Whether you are a Delia or a Jamie, having the right tools for creating a culinary masterpiece is essential. Here we offer up a few ideas for delicious dishes based on the basic cookware that can be found in most kitchens
Stockpot
The stockpot is a great kitchen all rounder. Soups and stews, curries and chili con carne can all be cooked to perfection with this versatile pot. Its strength lies in its size and the capacity for food to be cooked slowly for many hours. If you find yourself offering to cook up a feast for a few friends, then the stockpot is the cookware of choice. Simply throw in the meat and vegetables of choice and add pasta, chopped tomatoes and even a splash of fresh cream and season according to your dish.
The basic ingredients of onion, tomato and garlic are an excellent base to work on using this pot. These ingredients can be seasoned with herbs to give a hearty English stew, or with spices for an authentic Indian curry. These dishes taste better the longer they are left to cook, and the stockpot is a perfect vessel for such dishes, and saves on the washing up too.
Frying Pan
The humble frying pan is probably one of the most versatile items of cookware in a kitchen. It is an essential piece of equipment, and without one many dishes are impossible to make. Frying onions and spices as a base for a sauce, making a traditional English fried breakfast and the oh so humble omelet would all be impossible without a frying pan. There are of course a variety of types and sizes, but if purchasing a good all rounder, go for a twelve inch one with high but sloped sides If you can get one with a lid, all the better, it will extend the range of dishes it can be used to prepare for, such as poaching fish.
A firm favourite for the frying pan here is to create a Spanish tortilla, which could be described as a glorified omelet Simply fry onions and garlic in a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and basil; next add some thinly sliced potato followed by well beaten eggs Make sure you cook the dish slowly so as not to burn the base of the tortilla When the mixture appears to have nearly set, sprinkle the top liberally with parmesan cheese and pop under the grill to brown To serve, cover the pan with a plate tip the tortilla out of the pan
Sauce Pan
I once lived with only once sauce pan, but this basic piece of cookware was my best friend As long as it is larger than a milk pan and has a lid, the amount of dishes that can be whipped up are limitless From heating beans to boiling potatoes, it is difficult to get by in the kitchen without a sauce pan As the name states, the purpose of this pot is primarily to create sauces A few simple ingredients can be turned into a dish worthy of Masterchef by conjuring up a simple sauce
A great treat is searing off an ostrich steak, much the same as you would a traditional beef one and covering it with a red wine and blackberry sauce Place a small amount of oil in the sauce pan and throw in some in the fruit, warm gently then add generous amounts of red wine Heat until bubbling and the blackberries are starting to reduce then pour over the meat Delicious!
Dom Donaldson is an expert in the catering industry.
Find out more about Cookware and the range available for professional and home cooking at Massive Housewares.
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