We're talking about kitchen essentials all month. Last week we talked about recipes to know by heart, but this week we're going even more basic: Essential building blocks of weeknight meals. These are the staples (and skills) you use to build a meal — the roasted vegetables for a sandwich, the strips of chicken breast to top a salad, the fluffy couscous you eat with chickpea stew. Crumbled bacon, hard-boiled eggs, steamed vegetables.
Do you know the best way to cook a pot of beans? Brown rice? Lentils? Do you know how to poach an egg in the microwave, or the best way to cook moist, tender chicken breasts? Read on for these and more — we've illustrated 15 essential basic skills for making quick, tasty, nourishing dinners.
LEGUMES, GRAINS & RICE
• 1 How To Cook Beans: A Fast, Foolproof, No-Soak Method
• 2 How To Cook Dried Lentils
• 3 How to Cook Quinoa
• 4 How to Cook Couscous
• 5 How To Cook Brown Rice
• 6 How To Make a Quick Bowl of Polenta in the Microwave
VEGETABLES
• 7 How to Bake a Potato in the Oven
• 8 How To Quick-Roast Vegetables Under the Broiler
• 9 How To Steam Vegetables
EGGS & MEAT
• 10 How to Cook Moist and Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time - Also see How To Roast a Chicken.
• 11 How To Cut Up a Chicken: The Video
• 12 How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven
• 13 How to Hard-Boil an Egg
• 14 How To Poach an Egg in the Microwave - Also see How To Poach an Egg: The Video
• 15 How To Fry an Egg: The Video
....and a BONUS: How To Crack an Egg With One Hand: The Video - This is hardly an essential of the weeknight kitchen, but we just think it's fun!
What are your essential skills for weeknight meals? What do you think is important to know how to do for a quick meal in the middle of the week?
(Images: See linked recipes for full image credits)
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Does the oven roasted veggie technique work for tomatoes as well? I've been making a roasted tomato salsa using Muir Glen (roasted) canned tomatoes but I would love to try roasting them myself.
Love that The Kitchn doesn't make its readers feel stupid. The range of skill levels featured in your posts is very accessible, and posts like these are especially relevant to your young-ish readers who might be just starting out in their kitchens. I've been cooking only for a few years, and realized just the other night that, though I can roast a chicken more succulent and layered with flavors than my mom ever could, I mutilate it when it comes time to carve. So thanks for the tutorial!
As a sesoned cook I continue to learn even with the most basic things like adding a piece of Kombu to the soaking beans and while cooking them. Pretty basic to Japanese cooking.
Kombu enhances the flavor makes them more digestible.
That's a great idea @B77.. I have a bunch of Kombu at home but I've only ever used it for Japanese soups.. Think that will be delicious with beans!!
this is a great post - though i did enjoy a good laugh at how to bake a potato, based on growing up at a time when it was the oven or nothing (no microwaves then!). that said, it's very well written and made my mouth water for one . you fols at the kitchen are amazing. thanks for creating a site i visit multiple times per day and enjoy each and every time. <3
This is so great. I just posted my "essential pantry" on my blog. I will pass this on to my readers. It makes a great companion. So glad I found this.
What that?
@ Rhoswen: to make roasted salsa, I use fresh tomatos or tomatillos using a comal--(IDK if the right english word is skillet?? ) i roast them until they are charred black then put them in a plastic bag to sweat out. (a grocery bag does the trick) remove skin and continue with your salsa making steps.... =)