MIXING MACHINES
BLENDER: A Hell’s Kitchen essential, not just for soups and smoothies but for achieving silky-smooth purees, making aioli, and emulsifying dressing. A high-speed blender can get through most anything, but the recipes in this book can be accomplished with just about any blender you probably already have in your kitchen. The recipes in the book can be made with a regular blender.
IMMERSION BLENDER: Also called a stick blender or a wand blender, this device purees right in the pot, avoiding the splashy step of transferring to the blender and cleaning up afterward. It does much of what a regular blender can do, but for soups and sauces that require the smoothest of textures, a regular blender is required.
FOOD PROCESSOR: For chopping, grinding, shredding, dicing, and mixing dough, the food processor is the tool of choice. Most food processors come with dedicated disks for slicing and shredding and a plastic dough blade. A rule of thumb: use a blender for foods that are more liquid than solid and a food processor for foods that are more solid than liquid.
MIXER: If pastry making or bread baking is your passion, a stand mixer is a worthwhile investment. If your requirements are minimal, a hand mixer will work for most purposes.
CHEF’S TIP: Never mash potatoes in a food processor or they will turn to glue; use a food mill, hand masher, ricer, or electric mixer to do the job.
TOOLS TO STIR, FLIP, WHISK, AND GRAB
LADLE: For serving soup and transferring stock to containers.
SPOONS: Go for wood or dishwasher-safe bamboo for cooking and a large stainless steel spoon for serving; a slotted spoon is handy for dishing out foods from liquid.
SPATULA (OR TURNER): Look for one made of thin metal with a tapered edge that can easily slip under your food for delicate items like cookies and pancakes; a slotted turner with an upturned edge is ideal for fish. Use a plastic or wooden spatula with a nonstick pan to protect it from scratching.
SILICONE SPATULA: Choose one that’s sturdy yet not stiff for your stirring, folding, and scraping needs; silicone is durable and heatproof, so unlike plastic there are no worries of melting and it won’t scratch a nonstick surface.
TONGS: Kitchen tongs are an extension of the hand, used for everything from turning meat to scooping out pasta from the pot and removing foods from the fryer. Choose stainless steel tongs with a lock—or they will be unwieldy—and silicone-tipped tongs for use with nonstick cookware.
WHISK: Start with a sauce whisk, used for blending and emulsifying sauces. Add a balloon whisk if meringues, soufflés, and whipped cream are in your repertoire (its large, round shape facilitates beating air into the ingredients). A flat whisk is used in gravy and sauce making; its flat, tapered shape allows it to fit into the corners of a shallow skillet or roasting pan. A vinaigrette whisk tackles small jobs like making dressing or scrambled eggs for one or two.
MEASURING DEVICES
MEASURING SPOONS: Do some research and choose a brand recommended for its accuracy, as not all measuring spoons are created equal. Stainless steel is preferred over plastic. Remove the ring they came in and create a dedicated holder on the counter or compartment in a drawer so you don’t need to wash them all after using just one.
MEASURING CUPS: Metal for dry ingredients; glass or heavy-duty plastic for liquid ingredients. Choose flat-bottomed metal cups with some heft. A sturdy steel 1-cup measuring cup can double as a butter-warmer. As with measuring spoons, do your research for the most accurate brand and remove the ring they came in and store them nestled in a convenient spot. Better yet, arrange them on a dedicated magnetic knife strip in size order so you can easily find and grab them.
SCALE: Professional kitchens favor weight over volume for greatest precision, and home cooks in this country are increasingly being won over to weighing their ingredients. Choose a digital scale with a large display, both imperial and metric measurements, and a tare function, which allows you to subtract the weight of the container and show only the weight of the food being measured. If the scale comes with a bowl, make sure it’s removable.
CHEF’S TIP: Buy two sets of measuring spoons and cups to bypass the need for washing between ingredients.
TOOLS FOR STRAINING
FINE-MESH STRAINER: Strains sauces, captures seeds from berries, drains blanched vegetables, and sifts flour. Both a large one and a small are recommended.
CHINOIS: A conical sieve with a very fine mesh, used to strain soups, sauces, custards, and purees to a state of ultra-smoothness and to get the clearest of stocks. A nice addition to your straining repertoire, but costly and not essential. (Another tool called the China cap is similar in shape to a chinois but made entirely of metal with holes punched in the sides; it gives a less fine strain than a chinois.)
COLANDER: A large-holed strainer for pasta and other draining needs.
SPIDER: A wide, shallow wire-mesh basket with a long handle used for skimming foam from stock and removing large pieces of food from liquid.
ASSORTED TOOLS TO COMPLETE YOUR KITCHEN
TIMER: Make sure it’s nice and loud with a display that’s easy to read, and preferably with more than one setting so you can manage multiple dishes.
SILICONE LINERS: Nonstick cookie sheet liners; reusable and extremely durable. Also great for rolling out dough.
WIRE RACK: Also called a cooling rack or baking rack; essential for allowing air to circulate freely around the item that’s cooling to avoid soggy baked goods. Choose at least a couple in varying sizes.
CHEESE GRATER: A handheld paddle grater or a box grater with four or six sides for various levels of grating, from fine to ultra-coarse to julienne slicer; a pullout bottom for catching ingredients is a plus.
VEGETABLE PEELER: A swivel or straight peeler are a must; you might add a julienne peeler or a serrated peeler for waxy and slippery fruits and vegetables.
MICROPLANE RASP GRATER: A wandlike tool for zesting citrus and grating Parmesan, garlic, and ginger.
PASTRY BRUSH: Also known as a basting brush, used for basting, oiling, and buttering. Pastry brushes are traditionally made with natural bristles. Silicone bristles are a modern, dishwashable choice but are less effective at holding onto the fat.
CITRUS PRESS: A handheld press for lemons and limes. Make sure to choose one big enough to fit either.
FUNNEL: For cleanly transferring olive oil into a pourer and any liquid to a container.
SPICE GRINDER: Choose a dedicated electric grinder. Do not grind spices in the same machine you use for coffee. Tip: grind a little rice in the machine between ingredients to take out the odor.
MORTAR AND PESTLE: For grinding small quantities of spices.
ICE CREAM MAKER: Choose from a removable canister model (the canister must be frozen before each use) or a pricier self-refrigerating model for continuous batches of ice cream.
ROLLING PIN: Choices go beyond wood to metal and silicone, tapered and straight, with handles or without.
METAL SKEWERS: Can’t make kebabs without them.
STEAMER BASKET: To fit into a saucepan. Collapsible and expandable are attributes to look for. Typically made of metal, though some are made of silicone.
INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER: Essential when accuracy is needed, as in testing for the doneness of meat, gauging the stage of candy making, and heating oil for frying.
CRÈME BRÛLÉE TORCH: For creating the final caramelized sugar layer, bypassing the need to turn on the broiler.
GARLIC PRESS: A tidy alternative to finely mincing garlic.
SALAD SPINNER: Spinning off excess water keeps leaves from going limp and enables dressing to stick.
CAN OPENER: No need to go electric on this one. A simple hand-operated can opener is all you need to do the job.
CORKSCREW: Either a wing corkscrew with a lever or a sommelier knife, similar in appearance to a pocketknife, is all you’ll ever need.
MELON BALLER: For forming beautiful balls of melon or any firm fruit or vegetable to add interest to salads or as a garnish.
PEPPERMILL: The flavor of ground pepper fades fast, so don’t be caught without one of these.
DEVELOP FIRST-RATE KNIFE SKILLS
Whether you aspire to become a master chef or simply a solid home cook, learning basic knife skills and practicing them often is a must. Proper knife skills can speed up your work tenfold, transforming prep from a grind to a gratifying experience and contributing to a successful mise-en-place. Purchasing a high-quality chef’s knife that fits perfectly into both your budget and the size and shape of your hand is step one. A well-made chef’s knife is the backbone of every professional chef and will step up the progress of a novice.
CHOOSING A CHEF’S KNIFE: MAKE IT HIGH CARBON
Nowadays the majority of knives are made from high-carbon steel alloy, a blend of iron, carbon, chromium, and other metals that are rust resistant, easy to sharpen, and hold an edge. Almost every kitchen has at least one. (In the past, carbon steel was the best option; this steel holds an edge but rusts easily. Stainless steel came onto the scene next; it’s resistant to rust but harder to sharpen.) A good high-carbon knife will last you a lifetime. Other materials include titanium, the hardest metal around (and one of the costliest); ceramic, which is very hard, keeps an edge, and is rust-resistant; and plastic, which does little more than slice lettuce.
REVIEWING THE FULL ARSENAL OF KNIVES
While the chef’s knife is indispensible, the full brigade of knives will be found in any good commercial kitchen. Purchase those that meet your needs and add to your collection as you build up your kitchen skills and continue to learn. The two most useful knives for beginners are the paring knife for small jobs and the serrated knife for slicing.
UTILITY KNIFE: A mini, lighter version of a chef’s knife, generally 5 to 7 inches, used for light kitchen work.
PARING KNIFE: As its name suggests, this knife is used for paring and trimming vegetables and fruits and ranges from 2 to 4 inches.
BONING KNIFE: About 6 inches long and narrower than a chef’s knife so it can work around the bone to remove the meat.
FILLETING KNIFE: Dedicated knife for filleting fish. Similar in appearance to a boning knife but with a more flexible blade for separating the flesh of the fish from the skin.
CLEAVER: Rectangular-bladed hefty knife used to cut through the bone from chunks of meat or whole animals.
SERRATED KNIFE: This saw-toothed knife cuts through foods that are hard on the outside, soft on the inside. A small serrated knife cuts through tomatoes, while a large serrated knife, aka bread knife, slices bread.
ELECTRIC KNIFE SHARPENER OR SHARPENING STONE: If you’re going to spend some serious time in the kitchen, you’ll need to sharpen your knife often. An electric knife sharpener will get your knife sharp fast but runs the risk of grinding away too much of the blade. A sharpening stone, or whetstone, that you slide the blade back and forth over, gives you the most control. Look up an online video to learn the technique of knife sharpening. It’s best understood by seeing it in action.
SHARPENING STEEL: Used to lightly sharpen a knife between full-fledged sharpenings; the knife is drawn at an angle against the rod to sharpen it. Most chefs use their steel daily, and you should too.
MANDOLINE: A cutting utensil that turns out perfectly uniform slices; it makes quick work of dishes that require paper-thin slices such as Dauphinoise Potatoes (here). A food holder secures the food and keeps fingers from getting nicked. Wear a dedicated cut-resistant glove for extra protection.
KITCHEN SHEARS: Very strong, detachable scissors with a plastic- or rubber-coated handle designed specifically for kitchen work. Their many purposes range from cutting into chicken and fish bones to snipping chives and opening bags of rice and frozen vegetables. Look for shears that can be sharpened.
HOW TO HANDLE A KNIFE: GOING BEYOND THE HANDLE GRIP
Now that you’re set with your knife, learning how to handle it with skill will enable you to use it most effectively. Beginners are most familiar with the handle grip, where the hand rests solely on the handle with fingers tucked behind the bolster. But when you’re ready to fine-tune your knife skills, it’s time to upgrade to the blade grip, where the thumb and forefinger rest in front of the bolster directly on the blade, with the remaining three fingers loosely wrapped around the handle. Most of the grip comes from the thumb and forefinger. If you find yourself clutching the handle, relax those other three fingers a bit. This grip adds control and balance as you cut your way through your mise-en-place ingredients. Changing grip can take some getting used to, but in time it will become natural.
CHEF’S TIP: Signing up for a knife skills class is one of the best investments you can make in furthering your culinary education.
Your non-knife hand plays an equally important role in the navigation of your knife. It’s your guiding hand, the hand that holds the food securely on the cutting board. For ease of work and safety, use what chefs call the claw grip, tucking your fingers in and gripping the food with your fingernails, with the side of the blade against the first knuckle of the guiding hand. Employ the claw grip with every food that gets set on the chopping block.
Read on for a rundown of the various shapes and sizes we cut our food into, and then it’s all about practice, practice, practice. Spend some time with each cut until it becomes natural. You might chop through a five-pound bag of potatoes and turn them to mash, work your way through a bushel of apples and make applesauce, slice through a giant bag of onions for onion soup, or tackle multiple heads of cabbage for coleslaw for your next family picnic. Repetition will be your best learning tool. A better ability to read through a recipe, food that cooks uniformly, and impressive-looking dishes are the rewards for mastering your knife cuts.
CUBE CUTS
CHOPPING is to cut a food into squares about ½ inch in diameter; the squares need not be perfectly uniform in shape and size. Food may be coarsely chopped or chopped medium or fine, a cut often called for when prepping herbs. Chopping allows a food to flavor the dish but still retain its shape and bite.
DICING is to cut food into even squares, a more precise cut than chopping; it’s important when even cooking is required. When chefs are barking orders to their crews, they will call out the specific type of dice so no further explanation is required.
LARGE DICE: ¾ inch square
MEDIUM DICE (MACÉDOINE): ½ inch square
SMALL DICE: ¼ inch square
BRUNOISE: ⅛ inch square
FINE BRUNOISE: 
inch square
MINCING is the smallest cut, smaller than dice or chop and a couple of steps above puree—basically as small as you can get the food. It’s often indicated for shallots and garlic.
STICK CUTS
BATONNET: Translates to “little stick”; ¼ inch × ¼ inch × 2 to 2½ inches long (the starting point for small dice)
JULIENNE: ⅛ inch × ⅛ inch × 2 to 2½ inches long (the starting point for bruniose)
FINE JULIENNE: inch × inch × 2 to 2½ inches long (the starting point for fine brunoise)
OTHER CUTS
DIAGONAL: Cut on an angle in varying sizes
OBLIQUE OR ROLL CUT: Cut at an oblique angle, either by rolling the pieces or angling the knife
PAYSANNE: ½ inch × ½ inch by ⅛ inch; a flat, square shape
LOZENGE: ½ inch × ½ inch × ⅛ inch diamond shape
FERMIÈRE: Cut lengthwise and sliced between ⅛ and ½ inch
RONDELLE: Rounds cut between ⅛ and ½ inch
TOURNÉ: An oblong cut that’s 2 inches long with 7 faces