Ep 4. Stress-Free Cooking/Making It Easy

In episode 4 of season 1 of Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course entitled "Stress-Free Cooking/Making It Easy", Chef Ramsay tackles the issue that many home cooks face: how to make cooking easy and less stressful.

He begins by breaking down the anatomy of a great salad and how to make simple yet flavorful dressings, such as his delicious lemon and honey dressing. Ramsay emphasizes the importance of properly seasoning the salad, to bring out its natural flavors.

Next, he shows viewers how to make a hearty chicken and chorizo bake that's perfect for busy weeknights. Rather than trying to do everything at once, Ramsay encourages home cooks to prep ahead of time by marinating the chicken and chopping the vegetables the night before. This way, all they need to do is assemble the ingredients and let the oven do the rest of the work.

Moving on to seafood, Chef Ramsay whips up a flavorful baked sea trout and salsify dish. He stresses the importance of buying fresh fish and how to properly prepare and season it before baking it to perfection. The salsify, a root vegetable, is seasoned with garlic and thyme, and roasted until tender. The end result is a beautiful and impressive dish that's deceptively easy to make.

Finally, Chef Ramsay reveals one of his secrets to making quick and easy desserts – using store-bought pastry. He shows viewers how to make a delicious cherry clafoutis, which is a classic French dessert that's essentially a baked custard with fruit. Using pre-made pastry cuts down on time and effort, making it a quick and easy dessert that's perfect for entertaining.

Throughout the episode, Chef Ramsay stresses the importance of prepping ahead of time and keeping things simple by using quality ingredients and relying on basic cooking techniques. His tips and techniques will help even the most novice home cook make stress-free, delicious meals that are sure to impress.