"This collection of varied and delicious suggestions for dressing up basic key recipes is recommended for home cooks looking to add some flair to . . . meals." —Library JournalLearn to cook one thing exceptionally well and you open the door to a multitude of possibilities, with no need for special equipment or fussy techniques.Ned Baldwin, a home cook who taught himself to be an excellent chef, sees no reason why anyone else can''t do the same. By showcasing one ingredient per method, Baldwin introduces all the skills a cook will ever need to prepare endless pleasurable meals. Get a big, beefy hit from a hanger steak by cooking it in the oven; master salad-making with leafy greens; grill fillets of sea bass for crispy skin and moist flesh; roast an explosively juicy chicken; bake leeks to soft perfection; and more.Each dish is elaborated on in different ways to expand the technique into unlikely, inventive recipes that are jumping-off points for endless creativity."One has to cook with precision and confidence to pull off ''simple'' cooking. Ned''s common sense approach is evident on every page." —Tom Colicchio James Beard award–winning chef and Emmy-award winning producer of Top Chef"This book will make you hungry and happy." —Ruth Reichl, James Beard award–winning food writer and editor and chief of Gourmet magazine "Keep this book close—you''ll be consulting it often." —Dorie Greenspan, James Beard award–winning author of Everyday Dorie"A secret treasure, full of tweaks and twists for rendering familiar-seeming dishes into delicious food." —Bill Buford, national bestselling author of Heat "Instills confidence, and even injects a bit of fun into the food preparation." —Booklist
