Kith

Housekeeping

Just a few notes on the general rules I've stuck to in my recipes. You will no doubt find a host of exceptions, but these are what I set out to live by.

SEASONING

When I say salt, I mean fine sea salt. When I finish a dish with sea salt, I mean good quality sea salt flakes such as Blackthorn or Isle of Skye. For black pepper, always use peppercorns in a grinder, fresh. White pepper, fine and ready ground, is best for white and cheese sauces, where you don't want colour compromised.

BUTTER

British and unsalted, unless salted is stated. Salt burns, so can affect the taste and leave a hint of scorching on the palate. Also, butter manufacturers rarely list the amount or type of salt used, so the cook has no control over the seasoning of the final dish. In baking, particularly, too much salt can toughen the final texture of a sponge or batter, so best to keep control of the volume of salt in any recipe.

EGGS

Medium, unless otherwise stated, and only ever free-range. And, where you can, from somewhere local so you can get the freshest eggs possible. Over 1 million UK households keep hens these days. Make friends with those folks and get access to fresh eggs and good people. Duck eggs are larger - about the equivalent of 2 medium hens' eggs - and have a richer flavour, so make fabulous pasta and hollandaise.

SPICES

Up to you. Usually, most of those I've listed are there for a reason, but if you've a particular aversion to one, switch it out or replace it with something you do like. Ditch anything more than about 8 months old if it's in ground form. Whole spice like coriander seed or cinnamon can last for years. I'm sure I have a small jar of whole nutmegs that came from two houses ago.

If you use a lot of spices, Asian supermarkets offer absolutely the best value, with much larger 500g bags for about the same price as the small glass jar you'll find in a traditional supermarket.

There are a few pointers that can help if you're trying to recreate something you've tasted but aren't sure what the exact spices are. I've created a little list that might help nudge things in the right direction, but as with all things, be flexible, add what you like and don't pay too much attention to 'the rules'.

Middle Eastern dishes tend to use aromatic spices like cumin, saffron, sumac, za'atar, dukkha, cloves, allspice and cinnamon, as well as herbs like mint, parsley and oregano.

South Asian and Indian dishes focus on cumin, coriander (both dried and fresh), chillies, turmeric, cardamom, garam masala, mustard seeds and nigella seeds. Dried whole chillies leave an underlying heat while fresh give a much zingier, brighter spicy hit.

Spanish and Mediterranean foods use paprika (sweet, smoked and picante), fresh parsley, bay and oregano, as well as basil.

British dishes at the traditional end of the spectrum focus on nutmeg, mace and good old black pepper, with herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme for darker proteins, and dill for fish. Tarragon works brilliantly with chicken and fish dishes too.

HERBS

The general rule of thumb is: soft and fresh at the end of a recipe, and woody or dried at the start. I don't keep a huge number of dried herbs, as I most often use fresh.

Be aware that a dried and fresh version of the same herb will taste completely different, and there are times when dried is preferable. In a dressing for spicy onion relish, for example, I'd choose dried mint over fresh, and soups and stocks are nothing without bay leaves. A pizza sauce or tomato ragu will be lent an air of Mediterranean authenticity with a good whack of dried oregano and marjoram.

If you buy fresh herbs from the supermarket in pots, split them out when you get home. There are generally three or four plants in there to help them look nice and full on the shelves. They are all competing for nutrients in that little space, so split them and you'll have healthy fresh herbs for weeks to come.

STERILISING

Sterilisation is a step that must not be missed when making pickles, potted meats or anything you are storing in a jar, as harmful - even deadly - bacteria can build up in containers not properly treated.

Wash your jars, lids and seals in hot, soapy water, rinse and leave to dry on kitchen paper.

In a large pan, place an upturned plate on the base and put your jars on top without lids or seals. Fill the pan with cold water so that the jars are covered and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and leave until ready to fill. Start sterilising your containers as close to the time you intend to fill them as possible, so that they remain warm and sterile.

Place your lids and rubber seals into another pan and fill again with cold water until covered. Allow to come to a simmer and keep at a simmer (around 85°C) for 10 minutes. Do not boil, as this will affect the life of your rubber seals. Turn off the heat, cover and leave until ready to fill. Just as with your jars, don't leave for too long before using.

Before filling, remove the jars, lids and seals carefully with tongs and leave to air dry on kitchen paper. Fill and seal as soon as they are dry.

KIT LIST

The following items will make your life altogether easier. Some are essential, some are nice to have, some are downright luxurious. I shall leave it to you to decide which is which.

You should note that I haven't listed anything that I don't actually use. That's why you won't find a madeleine tin or an oyster knife, two things which when chatting to a friend about this section they were amazed I didn't possess!

Knives

I have a very expensive set of 14 knives I requested as a post-MasterChef birthday gift. I use two of them.

Find a good 7-inch chef's knife, keep it sharp and never put it in the dishwasher. A smaller paring knife can be useful too.

Blenders

I have a bullet blender with two different-sized cups, which can deal with pretty much any job, and a stick blender for everything else. The stick blender was a panic purchase while I was filming MasterChef and practising in my hotel room, and it cost under a tenner. I use it more than the very fancy branded one I had at home, which is nothing like as powerful.

Cheesecloth/muslin

I know this seems ludicrous, but whilst proofing this book I found I had mentioned these 15 times! Great for straining sauces and stocks and making oils. Honestly worth the couple of quid.

Deep-fat fryer

Deeply unfashionable now, but I wouldn't be without mine. A much safer way to deep fry. With a temperature control, so you never have to guess how brown that cube of bread really is.

Air fryers can work in place of them, but I find that the final results are often drier in texture and you do run the risk of burning. Air fryers cook best at 10-20°C lower than the temperature a standard recipe calls for.

Electric hand whisk

This is so useful and very easy to clean. Whipping cream or egg whites by hand is far too much like hard work.

Food processor

Full disclosure: I have a very expensive, Wi-Fi-enabled, all-singing, all-dancing one. But I managed perfectly well with a standard version until I got this as a gift. One which has chopping, grating and shredding blades is incredibly useful.

Mandolin

I am a cook, not a trained chef. And my knife skills reflect that. Although I can handle a knife pretty well, my extra thinly sliced work is not as consistent as it should be. A mandolin is now a really affordable bit of kit and with it, you'll take minutes to prep a whole bag of potatoes for dauphinoise. Buy one with a hand guard. And use it.

Non-stick frying pans

I use stainless steel pans in the main, but a good non-stick is essential for pancakes, omelettes and a host of other uses. Buy the best quality you can afford, one small and one large. With rounded sides so you can sauté like a pro and metal handles so they can go from hob to oven.

Pans

Stainless steel are my go-to. I've had my current set for at least 20 years. They don't degrade like non-stick ones and are easy to clean. Go for a set with insulated handles. You'll need a range of sizes but don't do without a large stockpot, two medium pans and a small milk pan, all with lids. A non-stick griddle pan is also useful.

Pastry cutters

Useful for biscuits, scones and for using as moulds. I use metal, straight-sided ones, which can go in a pan and be used to make crumpets and fry eggs in perfect circles.

Pestle and mortar

The best tool for making pesto sauces and salsas and for crushing nuts and whole spices.

Tins and trays

I have a very well-seasoned roasting tin from a student flat that I am almost certain I stole; a deep-sided tin that can double up as a bainmarie; a baking sheet for shortbread and biscuits; a square tin for brownies, tablet and fudge; and a bun tin. I also have one round springform tin that I use for cakes and pies. Anything else is a bonus.

Slotted spoons

Metal ones for stainless steel and for working in hot oil, and plastic if you're using them on non-stick.

Spatula

A heatproof spatula is...