The Culinary Works

Recently I watched an episode of, No Reservations, of course hosted by the always irreverent Anthony Bourdain. I am a huge Bourdain fan and this particular episode really made me think. It was dedicated to technique and he framed it by naming specific dishes he felt every person should know how to make. He then allowed other established chefs show their preparation method and of course, he cursed a little here and there. It got me thinking about what I felt were quintessential dishes and if I taught a class and had to teach, say, five dishes I felt every person should know how to make, what would I choose? Needless to say, it wasn’t easy narrowing it down.

Bourdain chose some dishes I agreed with, a good burger, beef burgundy stew, roast chicken, but then he threw me off with whole Lobster. I don’t dislike Lobster but for me, it’s just out of the realm of what most people need on a daily, weekly basis. He also chose a pasta with marinara sauce, not a bad thing to know how to do properly, but with my head swimming in ideas, I think all in all, I’d pass on that one. Here is my list:

1. Roast Chicken – Lets face it, the versatility of this dish is astonishing, dress it up, dress it down, save leftovers for lunch or use it for soup….THIS is a must learn technique.
2. Pasta with Bacon and Peas – My version of an Italian classic and an easy, inexpensive yet satisfying meal. It’s a staple in our house as is many of the classic Italian pasta’s, including Pasta Aglio e’Olio, simply pasta with olive oil and garlic. Sometimes simple is truly better.
3. Macaroni and Cheese – Homemade Mac n Chz is comfort food at it’s finest. Not only can you spice it up with different blends of cheeses, bacon, ham, pancetta etc., but in the process you are learning to make one of the five mother sauces, Bechamel, which is a technique that can be harnessed to make a variety of other dishes and sauces.
4. Frittata – Initially I was going to say Omelet, but really, I never go to the trouble to babysit an omelet. Frittata is SO EASY and using basic ingredients or even left overs you can create a fabulous meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner…even a fancy brunch for your wife…Mark…are you listening?
5. Short Ribs/Pot or Chuck Roast – I lumped these together because really, the cooking method for them can be exactly the same and the short rib recipe linked here, you can simply switch it out and use a chuck or shoulder roast. The cooking method is called Braising and it’s one of my favorites . It’s a matter of building layers of flavors and letting the meat slowly cook about half covered in liquid for a number of hours. The meat always comes out tender, juicy, full of flavor.  The cooking liquid can be reduced and using the buerre manie technique, you can create a beautiful sauce.
6. Chicken Paillard - Ok, so I know I said five, but come on, this is a good one. Bottom line with chicken paillard, once you are comfortable with the technique, there's a million things you can do with it! it's a must have in your arsenal of recipes and methods.

I think with these five dishes and the variations you could make on them, you have a pretty good repertoire. Also, and more importantly, mastering them means you are comfortable with several cooking methods and techniques, including Roasting, Braising, Saute, Sauces (Bechamel) and combination cooking (sauté and then roast for Frittata). As I have always said, the key to being a good cook is mastering the techniques and methods. A good dose of Anthony Bourdain doesn’t hurt either.