Listmania!
my kitchen essentials
Complete Illustrated Cookery CourseComplete Illustrated Cookery Course by Delia Smith
Buy new: £15.25 / Used from: £3.92
don't enter the kitchen without it! has all the basics, including how to boil an egg!
How to Eat: Pleasures and Principles of Good Food (Cookery)How to Eat: Pleasures and Principles of Good Food (Cookery) by Nigella Lawson
Buy new: £11.37 / Used from: £3.23
works well in combination with Delia (I often cross-reference them) but not as good on the basics
Apples for Jam: Recipes for LifeApples for Jam: Recipes for Life by Tessa Kiros
Buy new: £14.98 / Used from: £14.38
beautifully illustrated, with stories thrown in, this is a more 'sentimental' version of the classic cookbook. I simply loved it!
The Naked ChefThe Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver
Buy used from: £2.33
when you're feeling a little more adventurous
Tana Ramsay's Family Kitchen: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every FamilyTana Ramsay's Family Kitchen: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Family by Tana Ramsay
Buy new: £17.00 / Used from: £4.94
I love this book, but I find I don't actually use it as often as the ones above