Lamb Meatballs in Tomato

The trick is to leave the root end on while you cut — it holds the layers together so the onion does not fall apart.

1. Cut off the pointed top (not the hairy root end). Halve the onion from top to root.
2. Peel off the papery skin and the first tough layer.
3. Lay one half flat side down. Make a few cuts from top towards the root, stopping about 1 cm before it.
4. Turn the knife flat and make one or two cuts parallel to the board, again stopping short of the root.
5. Now slice across the first cuts with the claw grip. Small squares fall off. Bin the root end.

Ready when: Pieces about the size of a pea (finely chopped) or a fingernail (chopped).

Garlic is added in small pieces so it spreads through the dish. It burns in seconds, which turns it bitter, so it usually goes in after the onion, not before.

1. Pull one clove off the bulb. Trim off the hard little root end.
2. Lay the flat of your knife on the clove and press down firmly with the heel of your hand. The skin splits and slips off.
3. Slice it thinly, then rock the knife back and forth over the slices until the pieces are tiny. Or push the peeled clove through a garlic crusher.
4. In the pan it needs about 30 seconds to a minute, stirring, until it smells strong — then add the next ingredient.

Ready when: In the pan: fragrant and pale gold. Brown means it has gone too far.

Ring-pull lids have razor-sharp edges once open.

1. Pull the ring slowly and steadily towards you, keeping fingers away from the lid's edge.
2. Don't press food down with your fingers inside an open tin — use a spoon.

Browned mince tastes deeper than grey, boiled-looking mince.

1. Turn the heat up to medium-high before the mince goes in.
2. Add it and leave it for a minute or two to colour underneath, then break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
3. Keep stirring and breaking it up until there is no pink left and bits are browning. If lots of liquid appears, keep going until it cooks off.