The Techniques
The guide read sideways. Every dish here is filed by cuisine and by course, but a cook does not level up a cuisine at a time; they level up a skill at a time. These are the skills, each with every recipe in the guide that demonstrates it.
112 skills · 1737 of 1844 dishes carry at least one
The foundations
The moves the whole guide is built on. Each one carries its Lexicon definition, the why underneath the what.
Sweating aromatics: soft, never browned
Sweat vs. Sauté vs. Sear
Salted water & the float test
Poach, Simmer, Boil
The bare simmer: holding liquid below the boil
Poach, Simmer, Boil
Knife cuts: dice, julienne, bias
Knife Cuts: The Classical Ladder
Straining & passing through a sieve
Sieves: Chinois, Tamis & Food Mill
Searing: the hard crust
Searing & Pan Technique
The wobble & the skewer: testing a bake
Doneness by Touch, Sight & Sound
Steaming: basket, leaf and lid
Steaming & En Papillote
Mashing & puréeing
Blenders: Immersion, High-Speed & Food Processor
Deep frying
Deep & Shallow Frying
Reducing a sauce
Reduction, Nappe & Mounting
Brining & curing
Brining: Wet, Dry & Cures
Sautéing & the shallow fry
Sweat vs. Sauté vs. Sear
The coat before the fry: dredge, crumb, batter
Deep & Shallow Frying
Proofing: the rise before the oven
Proofing, Oven Spring & the Crumb
Draining fried food: a rack, never paper
Fryer Setups & Oil Management
Grilling over live coals
Grilling vs. Barbecue vs. Smoking
Blanching & shocking
Blanch & Shock
Skimming: foam, fat and a clear broth
Stocks: Blanc, Brun, Broth & Demi
Resting dough: the pause that does the work
Gluten & Hydration
Dry-pan toasting: spices, seeds and nuts
Toasting: Nuts, Seeds, Grains & Coconut
Marinating: acid, salt and time
Velveting & Marinades
Keeping the cooking liquid
Stocks: Blanc, Brun, Broth & Demi
Tempering a custard
Tempering (Eggs & Chocolate)
Kneading dough
Gluten & Hydration
Resting meat & slicing against the grain
Resting, Carryover & the Thermometer
Roasting in a hot oven
Roasting, Baking & Carryover
Fermentation
Fermentation & Pickling
Sugar stages & caramel
Caramel Stages & Sugar Work
Deglazing & pan sauces
Deglaze & Fond
Rubbing fat into flour
Blind Baking & Pie Doctrine
Griddle & plancha work
Comal, Plancha & Griddles
Salting to draw the water out
Brining: Wet, Dry & Cures
Building an emulsion
Emulsions
Whipping a meringue
Meringues: French, Swiss, Italian
Braising
Braising & Stewing
Folding: keeping the air in
Creaming, Foaming & Cake Structure
Making a roux
Roux, Slurry & Liaison
Charring over open flame
Smoke, Char & the Burnt Edge
Dashi
Umami & The Glutamate Pantry
Pie crust & blind baking
Blind Baking & Pie Doctrine
The overnight rest: letting a dish marry
The Second Day: Reheating as Technique
Creaming butter & sugar
Creaming, Foaming & Cake Structure
Scoring
Proofing, Oven Spring & the Crumb
Wok technique
Wok Hei & Stir-Fry Discipline
Tortillas on the comal
Comal, Plancha & Griddles
Pounding a curry paste
Mortar & Pestle: Molcajete, Suribachi, Granite
Tadka: blooming spices in fat
Toasting, Blooming & the Tadka Doctrine
The broiler: heat from above
Salamander, Broiler & Top-Down Fire
Low & slow smoking
Grilling vs. Barbecue vs. Smoking
Fresh pasta
Gluten & Hydration
Injera
Fermentation & Pickling
Sourdough starter
Fermentation in Bread: Yeast, Levain, Preferments
Caramelizing onions
The Allium Spectrum
Lamination
Lamination
Letter-folding dough
Lamination
Béchamel: the mother sauce
Roux, Slurry & Liaison
Arepas
Comal, Plancha & Griddles
Asado fire
Grilling vs. Barbecue vs. Smoking
Beurre blanc
Reduction, Nappe & Mounting
Butchery basics
Butchery Verbs: Frenching, Butterflying, Tying
Hand-pulled noodles
Gluten & Hydration
The brûlée torch
The Kitchen Torch
Velveting
Velveting & Marinades
Churning ice cream
Frozen Dessert Machines: Churners & Pacojet
Curing gravlax
Brining: Wet, Dry & Cures
Filleting fish
Boning, Fillet & the Butchery Blades
Hollandaise
Emulsions
Poaching eggs
Poach, Simmer, Boil
The molcajete
Mortar & Pestle: Molcajete, Suribachi, Granite
The tagine
Clay & Earthenware: Tagine, Donabe, Cazuela
Trussing
Butchery Verbs: Frenching, Butterflying, Tying
Falafel
Deep & Shallow Frying
Jerk
Grilling vs. Barbecue vs. Smoking
Ramen broth
Stocks: Blanc, Brun, Broth & Demi
The seafood boil
Poach, Simmer, Boil
Churros
Deep & Shallow Frying
Tempering chocolate
Tempering (Eggs & Chocolate)
The soufflé
Creaming, Foaming & Cake Structure
The particulars
One shaping, one vessel, one kitchen's answer to one problem. Narrower, and often the reason a dish is worth cooking at all.
Frying the paste until the oil splits
Shaping by hand
Rendering fat: and cooking in what runs out
Soaking dried goods back to life
Chilling to firm: the fridge as binder
Egg wash & the baker’s shine
Icing & frosting
The water bath
Working with masa
Shucking shellfish
Pleating dumplings
Confit
Handling phyllo
Brown butter
Crêpes
Tandoor breads
Flambé
Pierogi
Risotto method
Sushi rice & rolling
Biryani & dum
Ceviche
Choux pastry
Empanada folding
Mole
Boiling bagels
Congee
Jollof & party smoke
Khachapuri shaping
Paella & socarrat
Rolling dolmas
The pretzel bath
Gnocchi