NOTE: If you watched the week 3 webinar – all the information in this video has already been covered.
I’ve heard it said that there are 2 types of cooks: those that like to follow recipes to the letter, and those that consider a recipe to be nothing more than a gentle suggestion. Which camp do you fall into?
These days I’m definitely as recipe is just for inspiration type of cook. But it wasn’t always the case.
After I got divorced I was living in a 1 bedroom apartment in Sydney and working for Kellogg in their product development department. Those were fun days for me. Exploring my favourite city in the world and reconnecting with old friends, to say I was out most nights is an understatement. But one of the real benefits of this time living on my own and cooking just for me was that I developed this game that I called ‘what’s in the fridge’.
I’d been cooking with more confidence during my time in the Barossa and my farmers market experimentation days, but to be honest I was still pretty reliant on recipes. I wouldn’t ever follow them word-for-word, but it was rare for me to just cook something from my own imagination. But in my tiny kitchen in Paddington, with just myself to feed, I finally started to cook from the heart.
The weirdest thing I found was that if I popped into the shop to grab something for dinner on the way home, I’d often wander the aisles for ages paralysed by indecision. Whereas on the nights I decided to just wing it from what I had on hand, I’d mostly end up with something delicious and unexpected. Mostly.
While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with following a recipe. There can be a few problems with a recipe-centric approach to cooking on a daily basis:
1. You need to be super organised and plan ahead
2. You often need to go shopping before you have everything you need (takes time)
3. You tend to have more waste because a recipe might only call for 1/2 bunch basil and you don’t know what to do with the rest
4. It can get a bit boring
But thankfully, the art of adaptation is a skill I believe that anyone can learn. It’s something that with a little practice, and a willingness to risk the odd failure, all cooks can master. And the good news is that you can take baby steps.
So I’ve broken this weeks material into two sections. Part one covers tips and techniques for mastering the art of adaptation from recipes. And for more advanced students, part two details the best way to become a winner in the ‘what’s in the fridge’ game. Which is really where we learn to cook more by instinct, just making it up as we go. Fun.
part 1. mastering the art of adaptation
learn to cut back the number of ingredients
This is one of the easiest places to start adapting. Making a tomato sauce (marinara sauce) for pasta? Try skipping the onion or the garlic, it’s amazing that 99% of the time you won’t miss it.
think about the role of the particular ingredient
Before you can know what you can adapt, it’s a great idea to figure out what the different components are contributing. Then you’ll know what to look for in a substitute. For example, chicken breast would be contributing protein and a mild flavour with a tender texture so something like pork fillet or tofu would generally be good substitutes.
Or pinenuts in a salad will be contributing crunch and a nutty flavour. Almonds or another nut would tick both boxes or you could go for a little chopped red onion for the crunch and a different contrasting flavour.
adapt for your own equipment
This can be difficult to master, but just like thinking of the role of the ingredients helps select a substitute, identifying the reason for using a particular piece of equipment can steer you in the right direction and save you a trip to buy more kitchen clutter.
For example with the shaved fennel salad, you need a sharp knife and a steady hand to get the fennel sliced as finely as possible. If you aren’t confident, maybe using a mandoline would be a better idea. Or even the slicer attachment on your food processor?
make google & stonesoup search your friend
Got something that needs eating up but no idea what to do with it? The easiest solution is to google it, or try the stonesoup search function (located in the sidebar). A whole world of inspiration.
play around with presentation
This can be a super simple method to make a difference. Does the recipe have everything piled on the one plate and drizzled with the sauce? Why not try making a smear of sauce on the plate and topping with th
add inherently adaptable recipes to your repertoire
Some recipes are more adaptable than others. This weeks baked chickpea frittata is a real winner. Over the last few weeks I’ve taken the base baked frittata method and differnt versions using asparagus, chorizo, bacon & potato, tomato & basil, pork sausage potato & truffle oil. And they’ve been served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Love it.
Also a big fan of the super simple broccoli. It’s wonderful as is but I’ve made it more of a substantial meal by tossing in a can of tuna with chilli oil. I’ve served it with a poached egg on top. It’s been given a bit of a pork-fest makeover serving it with some fine slices of wonderful proscuitto. And I’ve tossed it in with hot pasta, a little more butter and some parmesan – so good.
Part 2. Playing the what’s in the fridge game.
the rules
1. You can’t duck out to the shops to pick up an ingredient. It all has to be things you already have in the house and garden. Although if you have a friendly neighbour and are on ‘ingredient lending terms’ I see no problems with that approach.
2. There is no need to eat a failure. If it doesn’t work out, be nice to yourself, order in some Thai food, or have a bowl of cereal or cheese on toast.
begin with the end in mind
For me this is the most important step in inventing a new dish. I always take the time to survey the ingredients on hand and then imagine what I’m going to cook. Until I have a picture in my mind, I don’t start cooking. Sure the picture can change, but it’s really important to know where you’re heading before you start.
learn the classic flavour combinations
I recently saw a demonstration by the pastry chef from cutting edge New Youk restaurant, wd~50. And one of the things that surprised me the most was his comments that he tends to avoid ‘out-there’ flavour combinations. His logic was that you didn’t need to reinvent the wheel and that there’s a reason that the classics are classic. Wise words.
Here are a few of my favourite combos to get you thinking:
tomato & basil
bread & cheese
beans & dill
lamb & mint
peanut butter & jelly (or honey!)
lime & chilli & coriander
fennel & fish
zucchini & mint
chicken & tarragon
salmon & dill
fish & lemon
apple & cinnamon
strawberries & balsamic vinegar
chocolate & mint
chocolate & orange
I also found an interesting flavour combination pdf. I’m afraid it’s a bit meat-centric but still worth a look for some inspiration.
remember to keep it simple
Apart from burning things, I find my biggest kitchen failures occur when I get carried away and add to many elements to a dish. And end up with a muddled mess.
Which is why I’ve chosen to only cook recipes with 5 ingredients or less. My way is a little extreme and I know it’s not for everyone. But please always take the time to ask yourself, ‘would this be better if I simplified it somehow?’
weekly recipes
shaved fennel salad with ricotta & warm peas
super simple broccoli
pasta with crushed peas & ricotta
cauliflower with smoked chicken
soybeans with tuna & cherry tomatoes
chickpea & rosemary frittata
butter chicken curry
poached apricots with vanilla icecream
homework
1. Just one day this week play the what’s in the fridge game and make yourself lunch or dinner from the ingredients you have on hand
OR
Take the baby step option of choosing one of the recipes from this weeks list and making it with at least one substitution of your own.
2. Share your creations on flickr. Really excited to see what you guys come up with this week!
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links & further reading
back to Solve Your Dinner Dilemma Overview page
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