What you can learn from Nathan Outlaw
Michelin-starred seafood chef and BBC Saturday Kitchen regular Nathan Outlaw shares his cooking knowledge and tips
1 The most important piece of equipment in the kitchen is a really good, sharp knife. Ideally, you’ll have a set of various knives for different jobs of the best quality you can afford. You need to choose knives with a weight and balance that suits you, so handle them before buying and make sure they’re comfortable. Knives should be kept sharp – accidents happen when they aren’t!
2 To take your dishes to the next level, use these ingredients. Really good olive oil for finishing and dressing dishes (it’s worth paying a little more to get the best flavour). Cornish sea salt for finishing dishes – it really does make a difference and tastes different to ordinary table salt. Raw cider vinegar used as a seasoning to bring the flavours to life.
3 My go-to four-ingredient recipe is a plain omelette with three eggs, cooked until it has just set on the pan side. Add smoked mackerel, cooked diced beetroot and grated cheddar, then fold the omelette over so that the ingredients are inside. Finish cooking so the omelette is set and the filling is warm.
4 My favourite cheat’s ingredients are Marmite – a great addition to gravies, stews and soups – and microwave rice (I know, it’s shameful), because sticky rice is very difficult to do from scratch yourself.
5 A no-cook way to impress dinner guests is to serve raw fresh brill or bass. Slice thinly and arrange on a plate, and serve with a dressing made with orange juice, chopped chilli, a splash of vodka, chopped tarragon and olive oil. Finish with orange segments and a spoonful of Greek yogurt on the side.
6 My favourite vegetarian main is whole roasted parsnips. Wash, scrub and bake the parsnips in the oven at 150C/130C fan/gas 2 for 11 / -2 hrs 2 until soft. When cool, halve each one lengthways and scoop out the flesh. Retain the skins and mash the flesh until smooth, adding grated cheddar, chopped parsley and chives, and season. Spoon the purée into the skins. Bake for 25 mins at 180C and serve with a garlic mayo sauce loosened with veg stock and lemon juice.
7 I use a mesh tray for roasting potatoes and it gives great results every time. It also reduces the amount of oil you need.
8 To cut down on food waste, it’s not difficult to portion a chicken once you get the hang of it. Use the carcass for chicken stock which can be frozen for future use.
9 Make flavoured butters. Soften some butter and mix in lemon zest, lime zest, single or mixed herbs, chopped chilli or olives. Form the butter into a sausage shape, then cover and freeze. When you want to use the butter to go with fish or meat, cut off two or three slices.
10 Cooking fish is a hard skill to master. Each piece will be slightly different when cooked depending on thickness, how fresh it is, and even where it was caught. Fish will keep cooking in its residual heat, so make allowances for that.