Читать книгу Master it: How to cook today - Rory O'Connell - Страница 12

Kit

You must have equipment that will work. A knife that is not sharp will blunt your enthusiasm. A saucepan that is so light that it would burn water will spoil your food and drive you mad. None of us would go out for a game of football and kick a burst ball around, and so it is in the kitchen – you need the proper bits of kit to make it work properly. Have a look at my suggested list.

Knives

Chopping knife

Flexible filleting knife

Vegetable or fruit knife

Carving knife and fork

Steel, for keeping your knives sharp

Chopping boards

2 heavy wooden chopping boards (use the different sides for specific tasks, i.e. raw meat, cooked foods, fruit and vegetables, and fish)

Small board, for garlic

Measuring

Scales (I find the battery-operated or electric modern scales to be the most accurate)

Measuring jugs (I use heavy Pyrex jugs)

Measuring spoons: teaspoon, dessertspoon and tablespoon

Tools

Wooden spoons, a selection with round and flat bottoms (make sure the handles are not too thin, otherwise they will just swivel in your hand when you are stirring a heavy mixture)

2 flexible heatproof rubber spatulas, 1 small and 1 large

2 fish slices, 1 metal and 1 heavy plastic

Flexible palette knife

Balloon whisk

Sharp vegetable peeler

Microplane grater and protective covering

Stainless steel box grater

Japanese mandoline and safety guard

Set of thin meat skewers

2 stainless steel sieves, 1 large and 1 medium

Large straining colander

Potato masher with a medium fine mesh, or mouli-légumes with 3 different-sized grating discs

Ladles, 1 large and 1 small

2 large stainless steel serving spoons, 1 perforated

Rolling pin

2 pastry brushes

Pots and pans

Heavy-based stainless steel saucepans: at least 1 large, medium and small, with lids (I have some glass saucepan lids that I find really useful)

Small low-sided heavy-based stainless steel saucepan, with lid – this is like a cross between a saucepan and a sauté pan

Medium low-sided heavy-based stainless steel saucepan, with lid

Large and wide low-sided heavy-based stainless steel saucepan, with lid

Casseroles: ideally 1 large, medium and small, with lids

Cast-iron grill pan

Cast-iron frying pan

Heavy-based non-stick frying pan

Bowls

Selection of stainless steel and Pyrex bowls

Selection of plastic bowls

Extra large light stainless steel or plastic bowl for mixing bread and dressing salad leaves

Tins

Heavy-quality, rustproof tins to suit the sizes as specified in your recipes

Heavy-quality baking trays or sheets of various sizes

Machines

Food processor

Food mixer

Hand-held blender

Other essentials

Pestle and mortar

Pepper mill

Baking parchment

Using a Microplane is a really good way to crush garlic to a paste