Steak, Potatoes & Mushrooms

Letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes lets the juices settle, so they stay in the meat instead of running over the board.

1. Put the meat on a clean plate or board — never the one it sat on raw.
2. Cover it loosely with foil and leave it for 3–5 minutes (longer for big joints).
3. Then slice across the lines of the grain.

Letting a sauce bubble with the lid off lets water escape as steam, so it gets thicker and tastier.

1. Take the lid off and keep it at a lively simmer.
2. Stir every minute or two, scraping the bottom — it catches more easily as it thickens.
3. Season at the END, because the salt concentrates as the liquid goes.

Ready when: It coats the back of a spoon, and a line drawn through it with your finger stays clear.

Frying is cooking in a thin layer of hot fat. A stir fry is the fast, hot version where you keep everything moving.

1. Have everything chopped and ready BEFORE the pan goes on — there is no time once it starts.
2. Heat the oil first (see above), then add the food in a single layer. If it doesn't fit in one layer, cook it in two batches.
3. Let pieces sit for a minute to colour before you turn them; stir-fries get stirred or tossed every 20–30 seconds.
4. Hardest things go in first (carrot, pepper), soft things last (spinach, spring onion).