sauce

I used to think that the mark of a good cook was the ability to make sauce, as sauces (other than the ones in packets) seemed hard and complex. Now I guess I still think the same, but it is a wider definition, less fussy french and extended to daubes and curries.
Meat and two veg is simple enough, but sauce ties a meal together. Consider mushrooms on toast, which is a nice and tasty dish, but sweat a few onions first and add a little cream and it is a much richer feast.