Hell’s Handle
The Mercer Culinary Hell’s Handle is a fish slice that is pretty much perfect! The slice itself is very thin and flexy, this allows you to get around the edge of your pan, under Fish Skin nicely without tearing the skin, the flex means you can get under things even in tight spaces!
The handle is wide and plastic (don’t leave it on the edge of pan…) but fits comfortably in your hand. This Fish Slice really makes a difference from frying Eggs to getting that perfect crispy skin on a Chicken Breast
Microplane
A microplane is basically a small grater, as my wife so eloquently put it once, its main use is for…Zesting.
It was said to me by my old Head Chef that anytime you use Citrus Juice you should always make sure you use the Zest as well. The beauty of a Microplane is that the grating ridges are so fine when you Zest any citrus you do not get any of the super bitter white Pith that is just under the skin, this gives you a much more rounded flavour than Juicing alone.
It has more uses than just for citrus though, grating Cheese onto a finished dish, Garlic into a Vinaigrette or a Curry Paste, Ginger into a Cake, the extra level of taste you will impart into your cooking will be incredible.
Hand Blender
Hand blenders are great for blending on the go, and much easier to clean afterwards! They generally come with a few different attachments too, look for one with a Beaker so you can quickly whip up a Pesto, or to make a smaller amount of sauce.
A Hand Blender really comes into its own when you’re using up your leftover veggies and seasonal foods to make a quick soup for lunch! Simply take the pan off the heat, put the blender in, give it a whirl before seasoning to taste.
It has more uses than just for citrus though, grating Cheese onto a finished dish, Garlic into a Vinaigrette or a Curry Paste, Ginger into a Cake, the extra level of taste you will impart into your cooking will be incredible.
Oven Proof Frying Pan
Oven-proof frying pans are really an essential part of any kitchen, every pan in a professional kitchen will be oven-proof!
Preheat your oven, very lightly oil your pan and get it smoking hot on the stovetop, sear meats all over and place in the oven for your desired cooking time, simple. Searing over high heat, whether for Meat, Vegetables or Fish means you Cauterise the outside, sealing all the flavour inside.
Just make sure you care for your pan properly, clean it straight after use, dry it immediately and ‘season’ it regularly with hot oil and it should last you a lifetime of very happy cooking!
Pestle and Mortar
A Pestle and Mortar, or Mortar and Pestle to be historically and grammatically accurate has many applications beyond simply grinding your own spices, which incidentally toasting then grinding your own spices is key to cooking with even more flavour.
It really brings another dimension to your cooking experience, having your kitchen smelling of the toasting spices, that incredible aroma lingering whilst you cook.
They are also extremely useful for bashing up Nuts for Dukkha, getting hands-on and making Pesto the slow and traditional way, really bringing you into the cooking experience.