Key meals

[craigthecoupe]

I suppose this could be considered the basics, or go to meals, but whilst batching off last nights ragu, i was thinking, I make a nice ragu, a good roast, a few curries which together makes a nice feast, I can cook a perfectly pleasant piece of salmon and sides.... How many dishes do you need to be a decent home cook? I guess veggie/fish/meat, European/Asian/Indian, and a good selection of sides accordingly would give you the tool sand skills to turn your hand to a lot of meals? obviously, it depends on what you like to eat, and flavours you enjoy, but what 5-10 meals must you know how to cook?

[craigjm]

I dont think there is a key 5-10 dishes that you need to know how to cook. It all depends on what you like to eat and to some extent if you have a family etc.

If i was starting out I would want to know how to cook -

basic indian curry. This can then be adapted over time and allows you to branch into nepalese, Pakistani cuisine etc and even Jamaican
basic stir fry from scratch ingredients, again that basic style can be adapted over time to cover thai food, japanese, korean etc
full english breakfast
Traditional roast
Any kind of tranditional stew / casserole that can then be adapted into many stews from around the world

Beyond that I would want to know
how to cook on a braai / barbeque
Couple of sauces to go with pan fried meat
How to make various potato sides - roast, mash, chips, jacket and boiled / poached properly
A good gravy recipe that can then be adapted to many things

What you really need is an understanding of what cuts of meat are used for what and same with fish and and also an understanding of how to use herbs and spices to create flavour

Friend of mines son has gone to uni this year and this was pretty much what we went through in his 3 months or so leading up to going

[craigthecoupe]

Yes I suppose thats what I mean really. I've been watching and enjoying a lot of the fallow videos on youtube lately, and there are some nice tips and tricks to pick up from them. I've tried to get into recipes from people like Ottolenghi, but I find them inaccessible, and also, getting ingredients is hard, I suppose thats just a culinary "identity" thing though.
I try and cook food from around the world, I guess really, on the one hand I have enjoyed getting certain meals down, whilst also becoming a bit bored and feeling a bit one dimensional.

[craigjm]

Yeah i like their videos. There are a few creators on tiktok that are worth following to pick up some ideas of what to cook. Some of them i watch (and they may also be on youtube etc) are -

Jon Watts
Wayne Chang
Thom Bateman
Paul Foster
Chin Taylor
Chris Collins
Max Mariola
Genio known as Geniuseats
Andy cooks
Dimsinlin
Luca Corleone
Food with George
Uncle Zee
Chefs Door

and many more.. They cover a wide range of food styles

My go to online resource is - The Spruce Eats

[shirt]

Is this a Craig’s only thread or can anyone join in?

I don’t think it’s measured by dishes, more technique.

I like the fallow guys on YT as they cover different techniques applied to the same dish and the effects thereof, every way to cook an egg, sauce bases, blooming spices. etc.

Once you master technique and how to enhance flavours it’s just a case of experimenting.

[Mobile Chicane]

shirt said:

Is this a Craig s only thread or can anyone join in?

I don t think it s measured by dishes, more technique.

I like the fallow guys on YT as they cover different techniques applied to the same dish and the effects thereof, every way to cook an egg, sauce bases, blooming spices. etc.

Once you master technique and how to enhance flavours it s just a case of experimenting.

I'd agree with this. Start from the bottom up (ingredients) rather than top down (recipes).

[The Mad Monk]

craigthecoupe said:

it depends on what you like to eat, and flavours you enjoy, but what 5-10 meals must you know how to cook?

Hmm. I can cook shop bought shepherd's pie, cottage pie, lasagne and I can do beans on toast. But that's only four items.

Can I qualify if I can do four items, please?

[otolith]

I don't think learning recipes by rote is particularly useful. It's not going to help you look at what's in the fridge and cupboards and come up with a meal.

Better to understand how to treat different ingredients and what goes with what, and use a bit of imagination.

[craigjm]

shirt said:

Is this a Craig s only thread or can anyone join in?