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…what if?
By Betsy Richter | 10:22 pmI know that I’m a confident cook – I’ve mastered the basics, have developed some solid ‘go-to’ recipes (my bolognese, closely based on Marcella Hazan’s, is divine), and can reliably put a decent meal on the table with what looks like a bare pantry to others.
I’m fearless when it comes to substitutions, forgiving if a dish doesn’t come out quite as was intended, and measurements? I go by instinct – adding a dash more of this or a dab less of that. This trait horrifies my perfectionist friends (baker extraordinare Terry once felt obliged to correct my Thanksgiving Muffins recipe last fall because it wasn’t exactly as it originally appeared in the book it was based on) while it delights others, who like trying to figure out what’s different and/or what’s better.
What can I say? I can’t help but wonder “what if…?” when I’m scheming about what to make.
So while the weather calls for yet another iteration of an italian meat sauce, well – I feel the need to get creative. The variation currently simmering on my stove right now, for example, contains various cubed cuts of beef and pork, a few bones, a ham hock (all meats scavenged from the freezer, mind you – that last steak from the value pack; the pork chop we didn’t feel like making, etc) and the last few pieces of bacon from today’s package – it’ll all cook down into a tender, meaty blend (over at least four hours) that’ll be different from the standard ground meat mix I use.
Sweet peppers on sale right now? Let’s add four large red, yellow and orange peppers, which get briefly sauteed in olive oil – along with onions, celery and shredded carrots – and added to the pot.
Don’t feel like basil, but have fresh sage and rosemary on hand? Seasonings get adjusted and oomphed up to match, the milk gets omitted, and everything gets rough-chopped this time to vary the texture. Add a hefty splash or two of sweet red wine, fresh pepper & salt, and a few other seasonings – and I’d say it’s the perfect meal to accompany a first-time-ever viewing of The Godfather, wouldn’t you?
(The bones will come out and some sliced sweet italian sausage will go in an hour or so before serving…)
And we’re currently having a love affair with apples around here – PK (short for 'Pirate King') loves dutch apple pie, while both kids aren’t huge fans of pie in any form. Does everyone like oatmeal? Check. Well then – what if I invent a layered streusel bar with an oatmeal cookie base, topped with thinly sliced apples drizzled with sweetened condensed milk, and finished with a walnut-streusel topping?
It’s barely out of the oven – and already I’m dreaming up a variation that calls for real maple syrup drizzled over the apples instead of the condensed milk, for starters. And maybe those apples should have been peeled first…or a mix instead of straight Granny Smith?
Don’t get me wrong – there are plenty of days when the hardest decision I make in the kitchen is whether or not to make the spiral or original noodle version of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese for the kids.
But every now and then, the cookbooks come out …I start taking inventory in the pantry …and I can’t help wondering: what if?
Topics: Chef Whims | 6 Comments »
September 25th, 2005 at 7:04 am
I love having a day when I can drag out the cookbooks and get inspired! And I also end up rearranging recipes to suit my stock on hand, or my whims. And it comes out good! Nice to meet another cook who isn’t afraid to defy convention!
September 25th, 2005 at 8:55 am
“What if” you weren’t so clever? What then, huh?
I concur with your choice of peppers. Always leave out the green ones. ALWAYS.
September 26th, 2005 at 1:14 am
It was one incredible culinary delight. (I should have asked for a Tupperware to-go package…) I have learned that when Betsy asks what I want for dinner, the best answer is “Suprise me?”
September 26th, 2005 at 9:06 am
Tell Zoe I am sorry I aged her before her time. At least I didn’t say she was 31 when she’s only 29….
September 30th, 2005 at 9:31 am
We love apples here and I’m thinking your bars sound wonderful. Maybe caramel drizzled with a pecan-struesal topping? I need to go grocery shopping. You’ve kickstarted my baking urge.
November 18th, 2006 at 8:24 pm
[...] She insisted that we needed to adapt our pumpkin-corn-chocolate chip muffin recipe instead of the orange cranberry versions we’ve made in the past. Since she has her mother’s cooking improv bug, she’s the one who started a mad scientist routine: subbing in applesauce for the pumpkin, adding dried fruits and making sure to include her special Secret Ingredient.) [...]