Cook Like a Pro

Cook Like a Pro is Ina Garten's collection of dependable recipes, built around the idea that a good cook is mostly someone who knows a few smart habits. Instead of leaving you to work things out alone, she puts her questions, techniques and reasoning in the margin beside each recipe, so it feels as if she is standing next to you at the stove.

The tips are specific and practical. For her Cauliflower Toasts with prosciutto and Gruyère, she shows how to cut florets cleanly by turning the head upside down and working from the stem end, which keeps the mess off your counters. Her Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs are roasted in the oven rather than browned in a pan, so the stovetop stays clean. For Truffled Scrambled Eggs, the eggs go into the skillet before the butter has melted, which is the secret to an especially creamy result.

Throughout the book you will find dozens more shortcuts and small lessons: how to set up an elegant home bar, how to peel two heads of garlic quickly, and how to use a paring knife to give the Chocolate Chevron Cake its polished pattern.

The recipes are new, a step more ambitious than some of her earlier books, and still comforting and homey. Beginners and experienced cooks alike can add them to their repertoire and gain confidence in the kitchen, with plenty to serve to friends and family.