Basic to Advanced Cooking Equipment - Pots and Pans

“Theoretically a good cook should be able to perform under any circumstances, but cooking is much easier, pleasanter, and more efficient if you have the right tools” Julia Child

Proper equipment will last for years and ironically it isn’t nearly as expensive as one would think. The trick is to gradually build your collection based on the dishes that you regularly prepare. As tempting as it may seem don’t go crazy and buy everything you see in the kitchen shop. The equipment will barely be used and just clutter up your cupboard and collect dust. Guilty! :)

Many people have asked me where I buy my equipment from and how I know what brand or range to purchase. My personal opinion is, as a serious cook you should not really worry about the brand, style or matching ranges. By all means go ahead and buy matching orange ‘Le Creuset’ cookware or go blast your money on ‘Jamie Oliver’ kitchen equipment. If cooking is what you are serious about and not the glamorous idea thereof then expensive and ‘stylish’ brands shouldn’t matter to you. There is nothing wrong with expensive and signature cookware and they really do live up to their name. I just personally think one of the best places to shop for reasonably priced kitchenware that won’t burn a hole in your wallet is in a restaurant, hotel or catering-supply shops. The kitchenware is sturdy, professional, and made for hard use.

STOVES

Stovetops and ovens are traditionally the cooking appliances that we use the most. Whether you have a gas or electric stove the type of stove that you own will affect how your food is cooked.

• Electric heat:Electric stoves are still high in demand because they are relatively cheap, clean and easy to use. The biggest drawback to electric ranges is their slow response time. Reducing or increasing heat can take a minute or two.  However, many professional chefs prefer electric ovens because they’re very accurate and consistent.

• Gas: Personally I prefer gas cooktops because of the more precise heat control. You have full control over your heat and can quickly turn the gas flame up or down and the response time is not minutes but seconds. This gives you more control than with an electric stove.

It doesn’t matter how ‘high tech’ your oven is, today’s gas and electric ovens generally hold and maintain oven temperature within a variance of about 5 degrees. It is very important that one should regularly keep their oven in check with a portable thermometer; thermostats have a way of becoming unreliable, which can be disastrous if you are cooking a soufflé or a cake, and will put your timing way off roasting.

BASIC KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

You will need some very basic equipment to start cooking – essential items for working in the kitchen. Here is a short list of cooking equipment and tools that no home cook should be without! 

• Saucepans: Saucepans in a range of sizes are essential. One with a handle can also be set in the oven. Saucepans are used for simmering or boiling cooking things such as vegetables and soups.  Ironically, the saucepan is not the ideal vessel to use for making sauces. 

• Chef’s skillet: A chef’s skillet, poêle, has sloping sides and is used for browning and tossing small pieces of food like mushrooms or chicken livers.

• Sauté pan: A sauté pan, sautoir, has straight sides and is used for sautéing small steaks, liver, or veal scallops, or foods like chicken that are browned then covered to finish their cooking in the sauté pan. 

• Stockpot: For making stocks or large quantities of soup, pasta, and vegetables. 

Commonly used pots and pans 

You use some pots and pans more than others. The most common types of pots and pans create a solid foundation for your kitchen equipment. The pots and pans in this list are the most versatile, and you’ll become very familiar with them. 

• Cast-iron skillet: A cast-iron skillet has many versatile uses. What makes this piece of equipment so popular is the fact that it can get really hot, retain allot of its heat and have the best even heat distribution. This makes the pan the greatest piece of equipment for frying steaks.

• Roasting pans: No kitchen should be without a roasting pan. This ‘pan’ is used for roasting meat in the oven, either with or without vegetables or other ingredients.

• Baking dishes: Round and oval baking dishes can be used for roasting chicken, duck or meats, or can double as gratin dishes. Baking dishes are very versatile and perfect for making casseroles, or baking brownies or cakes.

• Dutch oven: This enameled cast-iron stew pot, called a Dutch oven, is ideal for slow-cooking meals

                       SPECIALITY POTS AND PANS 

One would use speciality pots and pans for cooking specific types of food for specific types of dishes. This list offers some excellent pots and pans that are designed for special cooking jobs. 

• Omelette Pan: An omelette pan or skillet has curved sides and can make the perfect omelettes. The omelette pan is also perfect for sautéing potatoes and other vegetables.

• Sauteuse evasée: A slope-sided sauce pan optimised for reduction of sauces and could also be used for sautéing in the larger sizes. 

• Pancake griddle: This, flat non-stick griddle makes great pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, bacon and the like. 

• Wok: A wok or stir-fry pan can be used for a large number of cooking methods such as boiling, braising, deep frying, pan frying, roasting, searing, smoking, steaming, stewing and stir frying. 

• Gratin pan: A gratin pan could be used for fish, calzones, pot pies & baked pasta in addition to vegetables/potato dishes. They are also good for reheating food in the oven. The gratin seems to fill a niche, it is versatile and looks good on the table. 

• Bamboo steamer: A bamboo steamer or Mushiki, can be stacked on top of each other so that the steam can cook many different servings simultaneously. 

• Rondeau: A straight-sided, wide and heavy-bottomed pot used for not only their volume but for their incredible versatility. A rondeau could be used for simmering, poaching, shallow-frying, pan-roasting, oven-braising and more. 

• Double boiler: Also known as a bain-marie, is a stove top apparatus used to cook delecate sauces such as beurre blanc, to melt chocolate without burning or seizing, or cook any other liquid or porrage that would normally burn if not stirred constantly. It consists of an upper vessel containing the substance to be cooked that is situated above a lower pot of water. When brought to a boil, the steam produced in the lower pot transfers heat to the upper pot. 

• Pasta pot: A large pot fitted with a lid perfect and perfect for cooking pasta. 

You can prepare great foods in your pressure cooker without a lot of fuss. Use these tips for preparation and get the most from your pressure cooker to make fast, convenient and delicious meals.

• Place the food to be cooked inside the pressure cooker with a small amount of water or sauté all of your meats and vegetables first and cover with liquid. Close the lid properly and place on the stove or any heat source. As the cooker gets heated, the pressure also rises. The high temperature causes the food to cook really quickly. Once pressure is reached, you must immediatly lower the heat to a setting that will just maintain pressure. Begin timing the recipe at this point. 

• Always keep an eye on your pressure cooker and never leave it unattended.  

• There are three ways of releasing pressure after your cooking is done. The first method is called the natural release method which allows longer cooking foods like roasts to continue cooking while the pressure gradually reduces on its own. This could take anywhere from 10-20 minutes. The next method is the fastest way of reducing pressure, this is the cold water release, which means taking the cooker to the sink and running a stream of cold water over the lid untill the pressure drops. Do not run the water directly over the vent or pressure regulator. The third method is the quick release method, which is a feature found on some first-generation cookers and all second-generation cookers. Just slowly open and close the valve to release the pressure. This will take a little bit longer than cold water release. 

• You can easily tell when all the pressure has been removed from inside the cooker. On a jiggle top, if you move the pressure regulator there will be no sound of escaping steam. Once all of the pressure has been removed from eh pressure cooker is it safe to open the lid.