The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (6 page)

boning knife
The narrow blade of a 5-to 6-inch boning knife can reach between meat and bones, allowing you to easily trim off fat, tendons, and cartilage. A stiff blade is good for boning cuts of beef; a flexible one is better for poultry.

chef’s knife
The broad, substantial blade with a curved bottom is specially designed to be rocked back and forth. Although often considered an all-purpose knife, it is ideally suited for chopping and slicing firm vegetables and mincing (or cutting into fine julienne) delicate herbs without bruising. Use the flat side of the blade to smash garlic cloves (for easy peeling), to crush herbs, or to crack peppercorns and other whole spices. Chef’s knives are available with either an 8-or 10-inch blade; choose the one you are comfortable working with.

kitchen shears
Use shears when a knife won’t do, such as for snipping herbs, trimming vegetables, and cutting through the twine of a trussed bird.

paring knife
With a 3-inch or shorter blade, this knife is flexible enough to handle small jobs, such as trimming, coring, and peeling.

serrated knife
Also called a bread knife, a serrated knife has a scalloped blade (or serrated edge) that can cut through foods that are hard and crisp on the outside and tender inside (such as bread). Using a sawing motion allows you to cut soft fruits and vegetables, such as peaches and tomatoes, as well as cakes and delicate pastries, which might otherwise be crushed or torn by the pressure of a slicing knife. This is also the knife to use for chopping bar chocolate. Be sure to buy a knife with at least an 8-inch blade, or longer if you like larger loaves of bread.

slicing knife
Marked by its long, flexible blade, a slicing knife is perfectly designed for carving roasts, evenly slicing meat and poultry, and filleting fish.

MANDOLINE
This tool makes it possible to quickly and easily slice vegetables and potatoes paper thin; it can also be adjusted to create julienne or waffle-patterned pieces. If you do a lot of slicing, you may want to invest in a high-quality stainless-steel French model. Otherwise, look for the plastic Japanese mandoline (such as the Benriner), which is significantly smaller and less expensive, making it convenient for the home kitchen.

MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS
These are basics that each kitchen needs: a glass measuring cup for liquids (or a few in different sizes); a nesting set of cups for dry measures; and a nesting set of spoons. Stainless steel is a good choice for nesting cups and spoons, as it is long lasting and easy to clean.

MEAT MALLET (OR MEAT POUNDER)
The waffled side is used for tenderizing beef; the flat side, for pounding and flattening cuts of meat and poultry, such as when making medallions or paillards.

MELON BALLER
This simple tool can do more than scoop a melon into uniform balls. Use it to seed a halved cucumber or core a halved apple or pear; when making hors d’oeuvres, use it to hollow out cherry tomatoes or form soft cheese into little orbs.

MIXING BOWLS
A set of wide stainless-steel nesting bowls will be able to handle almost any task in the kitchen. Those with a generous width are helpful for prepping, folding, and whipping. Get at least five different sizes so you can do more than one job at a time.

PIZZA PEEL
This shovel-like flat wooden board with tapered edges and a long handle is used to slip pizza in and out of a hot oven and onto a pizza stone. When the peel is lightly dusted with semolina or cornmeal, the pizza may be formed directly on it.

PIZZA STONE
Essentially a heavy round or square slab of stone, this simple piece of equipment can dramatically improve the quality of home-baked breads and pizza crusts. When bread is placed directly on the stone, heat is distributed evenly, from the bottom; this is essential for heating the dough quickly and encouraging a light, airy loaf. The porous texture helps absorb excess moisture, creating very crisp crusts. To use the stone, set it on the lowest shelf, then preheat the oven with the stone in place. Pizza stones vary in size, so be sure to measure the width and depth of your oven rack before purchasing one.

PIZZA WHEEL
Besides being the perfect tool for slicing through pizza and flatbreads, a pizza wheel can be used to cut pie or pastry dough into strips or other shapes and to trim the edges of rolled-out pie or cookie dough. It is also great for cutting homemade pasta dough to make ravioli.

SIEVES
Sieves are available in fine, medium, and coarse mesh, as well as in several sizes, so you may want to buy an assortment. Use a fine-meshed sieve for sifting dry ingredients and dusting cakes and other sweets with cocoa or confectioners’ sugar; use others for straining soups or sauces.

SPATULAS
Silicone spatulas are great for folding cake batters or transferring them from bowl to baking pan. They are heatproof up to 800°F., won’t pick up or impart flavors from other foods, and are safe to use on nonstick pots and pans. A set of three (1-, 2-, and 3-inch) silicone spatulas is ideal. Metal spatulas are useful for other purposes: Choose at least one thin, flexible spatula for flipping pancakes or patties and removing cookies from baking sheets; a long, wide spatula is ideal for lifting fish out of a pan or for transferring a cake to and from a turntable or stand. Offset spatulas, which have angled handles for easy maneuvering, are good for icing cakes and spreading batters in pans.

STEAMERS
Collapsible metal baskets are fine for steaming a batch of vegetables. The larger, 10-inch baskets will allow vegetables enough room to cook evenly, without becoming soggy.

Because they can be stacked, Chinese bamboo steamers are terrific for steaming different types of food at one time. Before using, soak a new bamboo steamer for at least 20 minutes in cool water to rid it of its bamboo odor. To prevent the food from sticking to the bamboo during cooking, line the basket with lettuce leaves or a ceramic plate.

THERMOMETERS

candy
This is an indispensable tool for making candy, syrup, jams, and jellies. Choose a model that is easy to read, with an adjustable clip on the back for use with pans of different depths. Since it measures temperatures up to 400°F, a candy thermometer can generally be used for deep frying (when the oil needs to be maintained at 350°F), but we recommend buying a separate one for each purpose.

meat
A meat thermometer allows you to determine whether a roast is ready to come out of the oven, without having to cut into the meat and lose precious juices. There are several models: some are inserted into the meat before it goes into the oven; others, called instant-read or rapid-response thermometers, are inserted near the end of cooking time (resulting in fewer juices being lost).

TONGS
Kitchen tongs enable you to grasp foods that might otherwise slip off a spatula or spoon. They are ideal for turning meat and chicken when browning or roasting, lifting vegetables out of boiling water, and for cooking on the grill.

VEGETABLE PEELER
A U-shaped (or harp-shaped) peeler has a wide blade that can tackle even thick-skinned produce, such as butternut squash and fresh ginger. Besides peeling fruit (even citrus) and vegetables, use it to shave cheese, cut zucchini and cucumbers into ribbons, and make chocolate curls.

WHISKS
These multitasking tools handle myriad tasks, including beating egg whites, making roux, and stirring together dry ingredients when preparing batters and dough. The most versatile whisk measures from 3 to 3½ inches across at the widest point and is more elongated than a balloon whisk. A small whisk (8 inches long and about 1½ inches at its widest point) is handy for mixing glazes, marinades, and vinaigrettes; a flat whisk (12 inches long) reaches into the corners of pans to keep custards and puddings from scorching during cooking.

WOODEN SPOONS
Though they come in many sizes and shapes, you really need just two wooden spoons. They should have long handles for stirring all the way to the bottom of deep pots. Reserve one for savory, the other for sweet. You might also want to buy two flat wooden spoons for scraping across the bottom of pans when cooking custards and thick sauces; those with angled edges will reach into the corners.

BAKING EQUIPMENT

BAKING SHEETS
There are two basic types of baking sheets: rimmed baking sheets (also called jelly-roll pans or sheet pans) and baking sheets that are either flat or have a raised lip (also called cookie sheets). For both types, look for ones made of heavy-duty aluminum; they won’t warp and buckle over time and will ensure even cooking. Large ones can be more efficient than smaller sheets, but make sure they are at least two inches smaller than the inside of your oven to allow proper air circulation. There’s no need to buy sheets with nonstick coating; line them with parchment paper or a baking mat such as Silpat instead. Use rimmed baking sheets for items such as nuts, which can easily roll off when sliding the pan in and out of the oven, or for food that releases juices. Flat baking sheets allow cookies to brown more evenly. If you like cookies that are crisp, avoid insulated sheets.

BENCH SCRAPER
If you are a frequent baker, you will reach for this tool again and again. When rolling out pie dough, run the flat edge under the edges of the dough prevent sticking. When kneading bread dough, use it to loosen the bits of dough from the surface. Use the scraper to neatly divide mounds of dough in half, such as when making pâte brisée, or into uniform triangles, as when making scones.

BOWL SCRAPER
With its rounded edge, this inexpensive plastic tool is designed to scrape dough and batter from mixing bowls when transferring them to a work surface or baking pan.

BUNDT PAN
The edges of this ring-shaped pan make distinguished pound cakes and coffee cakes. Choose one made of professional-grade aluminum.

CAKE PANS
It’s a good idea to have a variety of shapes and sizes on hand. A standard 9-inch (2-inch deep) round cake pan is compatible with most recipes for layer cakes (buy two); there are also “professional” cake pans that are 3 inches deep. An 8-or 9-inch square pan will handle brownies and other bar cookies, as well as some cakes. A 13 × 9-inch pan is a must for sheet cakes (and can also accommodate lasagna and other savory dishes).

MUFFIN TINS
If you enjoy baking muffins and cupcakes, you’ll want to have a combination of sizes: two or three standard 12-cup pans, two jumbo pans, and two mini muffin pans.

NONSTICK BAKING MATS
Made of rubberized silicone, these mats (Silpat is a common brand) are great for baking items such as cookies or meringues that might stick to an unlined cookie sheet. They are well worth the initial cost, since, unlike parchment paper, they are extremely long lasting, and can be used over and over. Silicone mats can withstand extremely high oven temperatures and are easy to clean. Don’t put the mats in the dishwasher; wipe them with a sponge and dry them flat so they retain their shape.

OFFSET SPATULA
The handle of this spatula is set at an angle so your hand is raised away from the work surface, making for more even spreading of frostings and batters, and easier flipping of crêpes and blini. An offset spatula with a 4-inch blade is a good multipurpose size; smaller ones are better for more delicate jobs, such as decorating cupcakes and cookies.

PARCHMENT PAPER
Naturally nonstick, parchment is ideal for lining baking sheets and pans. The baked goods will be easy to remove and the pans easy to clean. Roll a small piece of parchment into a cone, snip the pointed tip, and you have a disposable piping bag for royal icing and melted chocolate.

PASTRY BAG
Pastry bags range in size from 8 to 24 inches long. Smaller ones are perfect for decorating cakes and cookies, larger ones for piping dough and batters, as when making puffs or gougeres. The 16-inch bag is a good multipurpose length. Look for reusable vinyl-coated cotton bags, which shouldn’t absorb odors and are easy to clean.