Techniques, timing, preparation and everyday cooking guides.
To make garlic confit, peel enough garlic cloves to fill a small baking dish in one layer, cover them completely with olive oil, and add salt or herbs if desired. Cover and bake at 250°F for about 2 to 2½ hours, until the cloves are very tender and lightly golden. Cool, refrigerate promptly, and never keep garlic-in-oil at room temperature.
To frost a cake, let the layers cool completely, level them if needed, and place one layer on a cake board or plate. Spread an even filling between layers, cover the cake with a thin crumb coat, then chill until firm. Add the final frosting layer and smooth the top and sides with an offset spatula.
To cook barley, combine 1 cup rinsed barley with 3 cups water or broth. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook until the grains are tender but pleasantly chewy. Pearl barley usually takes 25 to 30 minutes. Drain excess liquid, rest briefly, then season and serve.
Rinse 1 cup of dry lentils and remove any stones or shriveled pieces. Put them in a saucepan with enough water to cover them by about 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil, cover, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook until tender. Start checking whole lentils at 15 minutes; split red lentils cook faster.
A double boiler is a two-part cooking setup: a lower pot holds gently simmering water, while an upper bowl or pan holds the food. Steam from the water warms the upper vessel indirectly and more gently than direct burner heat. It is commonly used to melt chocolate or warm heat-sensitive mixtures without scorching them.
To season a carbon-steel wok, scrub off the factory coating, rinse and dry it, heat it until completely dry, then wipe on a very thin layer of high-smoke-point oil. Heat until the oil smokes lightly, let the wok cool, and repeat the oil-and-heat cycle until the surface looks darker and feels smooth.
To make vegetable stock, combine chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, and 10–12 cups of water in a large pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for about 1 hour. Strain when the liquid smells savory and tastes well rounded, then cool and store.
Rinse 1 cup of quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, drain it well, and add it to the rice cooker with 1 3/4 cups water or broth and a pinch of salt. Stir, close the lid, and start the regular white-rice or cook cycle. When it switches to warm, let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork.
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Wash and dry whole sweet peppers, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet, and roast for 25 to 40 minutes, turning them two or three times. They are ready when the skins are blistered and charred in spots. Cover or enclose them briefly to steam, then peel, seed, and slice.
For about 1 quart of vanilla ice cream, whisk 1½ cups heavy cream, 1½ cups whole milk, ⅔ cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Chill the mixture thoroughly, then churn it in a fully frozen or manufacturer-ready ice cream maker until thick and softly scoopable. Freeze it briefly for firmer scoops.