What should everyone know how to cook

Master this technique with our video on how to make stock — perfect for using up leftover bones after a roast. An everyday staple that deserves to be prepared properly. Lots of recipes call for only egg whites or yolks, so how do you separate them out? One of the easiest methods is to crack the egg with the blunt side of a knife, open the shell into two halves, and pass the yolk several times between the halves, letting the white drop down into the bowl underneath before popping the yolk into a separate vessel.

Watch our video on how to make meringues to see this technique in action. Read our guide to storing and using up leftover whites and yolks. Mixing flour with water and a gentle pummelling activates gluten, which needs to be developed through kneading to make the dough stretchy and elastic. Prepare a flat, clean surface by sprinkling over a little flour, and take your bowl of risen dough. Using the heel of one hand, push the dough down and forwards, stretching and squashing it.

Give the dough a quarter turn and fold it in half, then repeat, kneading and turning in a rhythmic manner for as long as the recipe states. See this technique in action in our how to make bread video and improve your bread skills. Garlic is essential to many recipes, and our video guide for how to crush garlic with a knife will not only save you the hassle of buying and cleaning a garlic crusher, but will give you a smooth paste that will simply disappear into your dish with no lumps.

Fresh chillies can add a kick to your cooking. You can vary the heat depending on the type of chilli that you use, and whether you prepare it with the seeds or not. Find out how to prepare chillies — just make sure you wash your hands after! Browning meat is a simple technique of briefly pan-frying until the outside is seared to give a richer flavour and keep meat tender before cooking further. Pan-frying is one of the easiest ways to make sure that your steak is cooked to perfection. The cooking time will depend on how well-done you like your meat, how thick the cut is, and what type of steak it is.

A vinaigrette is a simple French salad dressing made from oil and vinegar in the basic ratio three parts oil to one part vinegar. Check out our video to see how to make a classic French dressing , or adapt it with lemon juice, fresh herbs, mustard or crushed garlic, as in this superfood salad with citrus dressing. We've rounded up 24 basic recipes that everyone should know how to cook, from a pot of rice to pot roast.

Master these, and you'll never find yourself stumped in the grocery store. The only not-last-minute thing about this recipe? Thawing the puff pastry. Make sure to put it in the refrigerator the night before making this dish. Finishing your cookies with a delicate, flaky salt like Maldon brings out the chocolate flavor and tempers the sweetness, creating the ultimate sweet and salty snack.

Frittatas are excellent served warm or at room temperature, which means that this meatless main is a perfect do-ahead dish.

A great Caesar salad gets its swagger from a great dressing. Squeamish about raw egg yolks and anchovies? Yolks are what give richness to the emulsion, while anchovies provide a briny blast and that whole umami thing. Burritos are tortilla wraps packed with minced beef, rice, a variety of spices and served alongside fresh guacamole, salsa and soured cream. It doesn't take much to make these classics either, with 10 minutes preparation and 25 minutes cooking time.

You can get your family and friends to assemble their own burritos too which means less time in the kitchen and more time chilling out with loved ones. Once you've mastered making a classic burrito you can try other versions like our vegetarian burritos packed with rice, kidney beans and tomato puree. You could swap the beef mince for pork, turkey or even Quorn.

You could make super spicy burritos or mildly spiced for the kids. Try our classic rocky road recipe. If you've never made rocky road before then you're missing out. Melted chocolate and lots of little treats broken up into pieces like Maltesers, marshmallows and ginger biscuits, it's a heavenly sweet treat. The only hard part of this recipe is having patience whilst it sets in the fridge.

Once you've mastered rocky road you could try making white chocolate rocky road instead or you could push the boat out even further and make a rocky road cheesecake - how good does that sound?

If you can't get enough of our classic rocky road recipe then experiment with different flavours adding other ingredients to the mix like nuts, dried fruit or other chocolate sweets.

Try our classic toad in the hole recipe. Sausages,Yorkshire pudding and onion gravy, toad in hole is the ultimate comfort food. Learn how to make the perfect Yorkshire pudding batter and how to get those sausages crisp on the outside but tender in the inside with our classic recipe. Once you've mastered a toad in the hole you can try all sorts like wrapping your sausages in bacon, seasoning your Yorkshire pudding mix with herbs or swapping those pork sausages for veggie ones instead.

Try our classic Croissant. A simple and stylish breakfast choice, our classic croissant recipe will have you never buying shop bought again. Although most often associated with the French, the croissant actually originated in Austria. Try our classic roast potato recipe. The best part of any roast dinner is a crunchy, perfectly cooked roast potato. When it comes to roast potatoes it's all about the crisp outside and the light and fluffy inside - if you can get this right, you can officially call yourself a roast potato pro.

A dash of oil heated in the oven will make your potatoes extra crisp. Once you've mastered the art of roasting potatoes you can add other veggies to the dish too like onions and garlic for more flavour.

You could try using butter instead of oil for a richer texture or you could also cook your potatoes in goose fat. Want an extra naughty treat?

Top your cooked roasties with cheese and pop back in the oven. Try our classic sticky toffee pudding recipe. This classic British pud is perfect for serving on the weekend's after a hearty meal with the family and nothing beats the homemade version.

It can be tempting to just nip out to the shops and buy a readymade one but trust us when we say, making it from scratch is so much better. A soft, moist sponge with a light, golden toffee sauce. Once you've mastered the classic you can get fancy and make apple and sticky toffee mini puds. You could even make sticky toffee brownies. Yes, really! We've even got a recipe for sticky toffee cupcakes! The possibilities are endless. Try our classic chicken and tomato pasta bake recipe.

When it comes to feeding a lot of hungry people, a pasta bake is top of the list. Topped with cheese and packed with tender meat and veggies, pasta bake is the saviour of mid week meals. It's very simple to make and is a great way of serving your pasta - especially if you're running low on ideas. Once you've mastered our delicious chicken pasta bake you can try other variations swapping the chicken for other meats like beef or fish like tuna.

Try different sauces too, like a rich cheese and tomato sauce, a cream sauce or pesto based sauce. Try our classic chilli con carne recipe. Chilli is super easy to make and is the perfect choice for feeding a lot of people, quickly.

You can add in as much spice as you like when making the sauce from scratch plus you'll know exactly what ingredients are going into it.

Once you've mastered this basic recipe for beginners you can try different variations. Why not use turkey mince instead of beef for a lower-fat option? Or you could even bake your chilli in the oven with thin slices of potato and plenty of cheese on top. We've also got a veggie chilli con carne for anyone who prefers a meat-free option. Try our classic meatball recipe. Meatballs are so simple to make especially with our step-by-step picture guide and are perfect if you fancy something different at dinner time.

The fresher the mince you use, the better the meatballs are going to taste so bare this in mind when it comes to choosing your mince. All you need is tomato sauce, fresh herbs and pasta to serve - simple, delicious and sure to become a family favourite. Once you've mastered making meatballs you can try out different recipes like our chilli con carne meatballs or our meatball pasta bake. You can swap the mince for turkey or even Quorn mince for a vegetarian option. Try our classic chicken tikka masala recipe.

When it comes to a Saturday night we can often go for the easy option, the takeaway. But once you've made a curry from scratch you'll be rather surprised how good it tastes and how easy it is to make and much healthier too in the comfort of your own home.

A chicken tikka masala is the most classic curry there is and perfect for beginners. Once you've mastered this classic you can move onto other curries like our lamb jalfrezi. You could even try making some side dishes to accompany your curry like our onion bhajis.

They'll be no need for a takeaway once you start making everything yourself. Try our classic beef stew with dumplings recipe. An absolute essential in the colder months and let's face it, we see our fair share of those , a rich beef stew with homemade dumplings will keep the whole family warm.

If you've never made a stew before, our favourite recipe, courtesy of James Martin, combines tender chunks of beef with a rich stock and homemade dumplings.

Once you've mastered this delicious stew you can try other alternatives. Swap the beef for lamb, chicken or pork. Take the beef out of the recipe and add in heaps of mushrooms and veggies to make a vegetarian option. Try our classic cream of tomato soup recipe. If you've never made your own tomato soup before and always opt for shop-bought - step away from the tinned soup.

It's time for you to make one bowl of deliciously rich and healthy bowl of soup which will never let you look at the tinned stuff in the same way again. Once you've mastered making tomato soup you can give the recipe your own twist by adding a sprinkling of chilli powder for spice or adding some chopped tomatoes for a thicker texture.

You could also try making other classic soups like leek and potato or mushroom. Try our classic Banoffee pie. Like bananas and toffee? Try our classic homemade burger recipes Skill level: Easy.

Homemade burgers are so much juicer than shop-bought and are easy to make too. If you've never made burgers before it's best to start off small and work your way up. Beef mince, onions and egg make up the basis of a good burger - not forgetting the golden burger buns and ketchup to serve.

Once you've mastered the challenge that is making a burger you can add loads of different flavours and fillings to the basic mix, like spices to give the meat an kick or chopped mushrooms to get some more veggies into your kids diet. Swap the mince for pork, turkey or Quorn for the veggie option. Try our classic Porridge. Porridge is a filling, healthy breakfast that you can whip up in no time at all. Try our classic Homemade beans on toast.

You can make these homemade baked beans on toast any night of the week. Try our classic lemon meringue pie recipe Skill level: Medium. Why not push your baking skills to the next level and make this beauty? If you've never made a lemon meringue pie before we'd recommend you make the meringues first for practise before taking on the pie as a whole.

But don't let that put you off, the meringue is the only tricky part in this recipe that's why we rated it a medium other than that, it's easy as pie.

Once you've mastered a lemon meringue you could exchange the lemon for lime or orange for a citrusy twist. You could also add food colouring to the meringue to give it an extra jazz of life. And if that's not enough you could make the pastry from scratch too. Try our classic beef stroganoff recipe.

We all love stews and casseroles, but if you don't have the time to prepare one, a beef stroganoff is a delicious meaty alternative and ready in just 30 mins. Stroganoff has a light creamy mushroom-infused sauce which brings the whole dish together nicely.

Once you've mastered a beef stroganoff you can swap the meat for others like pork, lamb or chicken. We've also got a mushroom stroganoff too for a meat-free alternative. The easy mushroom sauce would also work well with pasta. Such a simple recipe that everyone should know how to cook.

Try our classic spaghetti carbonara recipe. When it comes to spaghetti we usually always opt for Spag Bol but you can actually make more than you think with this delicious ingredient including a classic spaghetti carbonara. It's a creamy and mouth-watering dish sprinkled with Parmesan and scattered with streaky bacon.

A dash of cream, a couple of eggs and you've got a homemade sauce. Once you've mastered this Italian favourite you could add different ingredients into the mix like chicken and mushroom , or you could turn your carbonara into a mouth-watering, cheese-topped pasta bake - the kids will love it, plus you can sneak some veggies in there too. Try our classic fish pie recipe. A buttery mash potato topping and a creamy, white sauce turns your simple piece of fish into a dinner fit for royalty.

If you head towards the fish counter when you buy your fish you're more than likely going to get a better deal than buying already prepared fish pie mix so shop around before you buy. Once you've mastered a delicious fish pie you can add some veggies into the sauce like spinach, asparagus or mushrooms - it's the perfect way to sneak vegetables into your kid's diet.

You could also add cheese or breadcrumbs to the top of your mash and pop under the grill for the last 5 minutes of cooking for an extra crispy finish. Try our classic Kentucky fried chicken. Bring a taste of America to your Saturday nights with our delicious Kentucky fried chicken recipe. This is a much healthier version as they are baked rather than deep fried yet they still manage to keep all their delicious crispness.

Try our classic eggs Benedict recipe. Fried, scrambled or boiled, there are so many ways to cook your eggs and poaching your eggs using this classic recipe is one of our favourite ways.

Topped with a homemade Hollandaise sauce and served with streaky bacon and soft spinach leaves, what's not to love about eggs Benedict? This recipe is hands down the cheapest and quickest way to make chicken that's delicious — way better than anything you do to chicken breasts, trust.

Follow this basic recipe. You will use it a million times. Vegetable oil in pan, get it nice and hot, push chopped greens around in there for a while, season with salt until you like the way they taste. Works for spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, anything. You can add lemon or vinegar and some red pepper, but you don't have to. Get the recipe.

Knowing how to do this will make you a Sunday morning hero so many times in your life. You're going to be shocked by how easy it is to cook mussels — and clams work exactly the same way. Add crusty bread and you're in heaven. A very simple thing that is insanely delicious: Put heavy cream in a bowl, whip it with a whisk — you can do it, don't give up, it doesn't take THAT long; or with an electric mixer until it thickens, then add a little sugar.

Pair with strawberries for the best simple dessert of all time. Here are instructions. A big part of this will be learning how to clean and fire up a grill, when the grill is hot enough, how to control the heat, which just takes research i.

But start now with this very basic recipe for burgers. To make mashed potatoes, you cut raw potatoes into equal-size pieces you can peel the potatoes or not , cover them with an inch of cold water, bring it to a boil and cook them until they can be easily pierced with a knife, then drain. Meanwhile heat some butter and cream or milk, or half-and-half together in another pot, combine that with the cooked potatoes and lots of salt and mash it all together.

You can add more milk, butter, and salt until it tastes good if you need to. But if you want to just start with the very basics, use this recipe. This is the most common way restaurants cook vegetables; it can be done to nearly any vegetable.

Do not be scared by this. It is easy and awesome. To blanch means to put a vegetable in rapidly boiling salted water until it's just cooked, usually only one or two minutes — you will know because your mouth will know when you taste one — then immediately stick it in ice water to stop the cooking. It is an essential basic technique of cooking that you should master ASAP.

Step 3: Once the water's really boiling, put a couple handfuls of one kind of vegetable in the water for about 1—3 minutes depends on the veggie how much time you'll need.