Learn to cook one thing exceptionally well and you open the door to a multitude of possibilities, suggests Ned Baldwin, a home cook who taught himself to be an excellent chef. By showcasing one ingredient per method, Baldwin introduces all the skills a cook will ever need to prepare enjoyable meals. Each dish is elaborated on in different ways to expand the techniques that you learn: get a big, beefy hit from a hanger steak by cooking it in the oven; master salad-making with leafy greens; grill fillets of sea bass for crispy skin; and roast an explosively juicy chicken. "If you follow Ned Baldwin's good recipes and sage advice … you'll learn to follow your senses and to create foods you love and foods you'll be excited to give family and friends. Keep this book close—you'll be consulting it often."—Dorie Greenspan