RE Item Detection: The skill is Sense Quality. It is not a default skill for most races and classes.
RE Cursed Items: There are three ways of curing a cursed item:
1) Scroll of uncurse->Sometimes works, best to use a blessed version for greater chance of success and the ability to uncurse multiple versions. Protip: Get a whole stack of scrolls of uncurse, then bless them. I believe there is also a stronger version of the scroll of uncurse as well.
2) Bless the item->If you mix holy water with the cursed item, it will change from cursed to blessed. This is also how you get that large stack of blessed scrolls of uncurse, as recommended above.
3) Scroll of inferior material->Least likely to work, and ultimately the worst possible option. Anyways, if you use a scroll of inferior material on the item, there is something like a one-in-six chance of the item being changed to the "raw" material classification. Once your cursed item is made of the "raw" material, you can eat it. Bad because you are eating cursed food, and will suffer the negative effects thereof. But at least you're not wearing the bloody thing!