Over the years we’ve become so reliant on ready meals and prepackaged foods that the way we cook has fundamentally changed. Here’s a reminder of some essential skills that are actually simple to master.

There’s no need to buy sugar-packed pasta sauces from the supermarket. It can be far cheaper and healthier to make your own. To prepare, simply fry an onion in olive oil before adding garlic and tomato puree. Once cooked, add chopped tomatoes and dried oregano and simmer for 20 minutes.

It's easy to liven up your salad with a homemade vinaigrette. Stock up with extra-virgin olive oil, shallots, Dijon mustard, salt, lemon juice and red-wine vinegar, then start by reading our guide to salad dressings.

Once you start regularly making your own whipped cream, you’ll never buy the canned version again. Add a pinch of sugar and a splash of vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste), then whisk until it reaches soft peaks.

You’ve probably seen various products for making perfect poached eggs. But, there’s no need for those silicon pods if you can master this simple technique. The most important thing is to use a deep pan with plenty of water, then wait until it reaches a gentle boil before you drop in the egg. These are the secrets to cooking perfect eggs every time.

Realising half-way through a recipe that you’re missing a key ingredient is very frustrating. But, you may not always need to make another trip to the supermarket. Yoghurt can be used as a substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream for example, lemon juice for vinegar and honey for sugar. Check out this list of common substitutes. 

Add some extra flavour to your chicken with stuffing, simply made from sausage meat and herbs. Always ensure there is a gap between the stuffing and the bird to ensure the air can circulate during cooking. Secure the opening by wrapping string around the nose and legs. If filling the neck area too, close the opening with a cocktail stick.

We all love a good curry. If you’re planning to make your own, make your spice mix from scratch – you may already have the store cupboard ingredients. A basic mix simply includes turmeric, cumin, cayenne / chill power and ground coriander.

Slicing, dicing or chopping vegetables has a big impact on the way they taste and look. And, doing this properly is not just a skill to be mastered by the professionals. Check out this article on how to hold your knife properly and which techniques to learn.

When making dough it's important you knead it thoroughly to develop the gluten. To begin, lightly sprinkle your surface with flour. Using the ball of your hand, squash the dough and stretch it away from you. Bring it together in a ball shape and then rotate by a quarter before repeating. Do this for at least 10 minutes or until you can see light coming through when it's stretched and held up to a window. For more tips, read our guide on how to knead bread. 

There’s more to roasting a chicken then just throwing it in the oven. Butcher Olly Seabright recommends removing any bindings to ensure a good air flow around the carcass. Then combine oil and salt and rub into the skin, this will enable seasoning to stick to the chicken and give it a nice golden colour.

Carving a chicken is a bit of an art and if done properly will ensure you don’t miss any tasty scraps. Always allow your bird to rest after cooking to allow the juices to sink back into the meat. Firstly, cut down the side of thigh and through the joint to remove the legs before pulling away the wings with a fork. To remove the breast, cut down on either side and down along the cartilage.

The secrets to cooking steak are simple. Always pat dry your steak as excess moisture can prevent a proper crust. Oil and then fry in a smoking-hot pan, which will sear the meat. For more advice on choosing the right cut, marinating, seasoning and cooking times read our guide to making the perfec steak every time.

Perfect scrambled eggs hard to crack? You may need to lower the temperate. Delia Smith explains: “There's only one rule, and that is not to have the heat too high; if you do the eggs will become flaky and dry. The trick is to remove the pan from the heat while there's still some liquid egg left, then this will disappear into a creamy mass as you serve the eggs.”

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Great British Bake-Off you’ll know what a disaster raw cake mix can be. So, how can you be sure it’s cooked? First of all, your bake should have a lovely golden colour. Also, look for shrinkage around the outside of the tin. You should notice a slight gap around the edges. Then, gently press down on the centre with your finger – it should feel springy. You can also test by inserting a thin skewer. If this comes out clean with no mix, it’s cooked.

Roasting is the best way to cook a whole fish – and it's not as hard as you might think. Rub with olive oil, salt and pepper and for extra flavour, slice along the side and fill with herbs and lemons. Lay on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or wrap in foil, which will protect more of the flavours.

Shallow frying is perfect for thin fillets, and keeping the skin crispy is key. Heat a little oil in the pan and leave for three minutes to ensure it's nice and hot. Meanwhile, dust the fish with flour and season with salt and pepper. Then, gently lower the fish skin side down and leave it for three minutes before turning it over for one minute on the other side.

We’re spoilt for choice these days when it comes to cooking oils. But which ones should you be using? Let’s start with olive oil. With its neutral flavour and high smoke point, this versatile fat can be used in frying and sauteing – and is perfect for infusing with garlic and herbs. Extra virgin olive oil however can have a buttery or bitter taste, which is ruined by cooking. This should be used in dressings, dips and drizzled over salad instead.

With its nutty taste, peanut oil is great for dishes that complement the flavour like a pad Thai or satay chicken. With its high smoke point, it’s also great for deep-frying but be warned, it goes rancid quickly so buy in smaller bottles. Surprisingly sesame oil has little flavour, despite its aroma, and with its medium smoke point is a good choice for frying meat and vegetables.

Solid at room temperate, coconut oil is a great vegan alternative that can be used for baking cakes and biscuits, roasting chicken and shallow frying vegetables. Avocado oil has the highest smoke point of any oil and can be used in the same way as olive oil.

With just six ingredients and no cooking, hummus is super-easy to make: you can even mix it in a food processor. You'll just need tahini, crushed garlic, salt, lemon juice and a can of chickpeas.

Forget those gravy granules. Making your own with roasted meat juices is simple. Put the roasting tray back on the hob over a high heat and stir in one teaspoon of plain flour. Mix in some roasted veggies and pulp using a fork or potato masher. Once mixed, add a litre of stock (and a glass of wine, if preferred). Bring everything to the boil and continue to scrape the bottom of the tin. Reduce and simmer. Try Jamie Oliver’s recipe and check out our guide to gravy.