The Art of Adaptation

[quote type=”center”]How to cook with what you have using adaptable ‘template’ recipes.[/quote]

[tabs slidertype=”left tabs” auto=”no”] [tabcontainer] [tabtext] Video [/tabtext] [tabtext] 8 Tips for Using Templates [/tabtext] [tabtext] The What’s in the Fridge Game [/tabtext] [tabtext] 5 Easy Tricks [/tabtext] [tabtext] Homework [/tabtext][/tabcontainer] [tabcontent]
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8 tips for mastering the art of cooking with adaptable ‘template’ recipes.

1. Trust your instincts

The one thing I wish I realized earlier in my cooking career is that even if you don’t have much experience as a cook, all those years of eating three or so meals a day mean that we all have an amazing natural catalog of food knowledge in our heads.

So please don’t underestimate your natural food instincts. After all, you’ve been eating for a long time. If you think something is going to be delicious, trust yourself, it probably will be.

I can honestly say, there aren’t many times that I think of trying something and it ends up not working. 90% of the time it ends up even better than I could imagine.

2. Pay attention to the classic flavour combinations.

There’s a whole wealth of food knowledge out there. So there’s no need to go reinventing the ‘flavour’ wheel each time you step into the kitchen. Some examples include bacon and eggs, tomato and basil, goats cheese and beetroot, fish and lemon, chocolate and hazelnuts, honey and almond, apple and cinnamon… You get the idea.

Whenever you’re eating and come across a good flavour combo, make a mental note.

3. Start with less.

Remember in cooking it’s always easy to add more than it is to take away. By focusing on starting with less ingredients or less courses you give yourself a chance to get it right and then build on your success.

4. Read the whole recipe before you start, including the variations.

In the kitchen it’s super important to know where you’re heading and how you’re going to get there. With template recipes this is even more important because you’re in charge. You’re not blindly following the recipe. So take control and make some decisions.

5. Develop a ‘vision’ or picture of the end dish in your mind before you start cooking.

You need to know where you’re going to get there with the least amount of hassle and fuss. So after you read the template recipe it’s important to decide which variation or path you want to follow.

6. Be prepared to taste and season.

I’m convinced that the ability to taste and season – to add whatever needs adding – is THE most important skill. It’s the key difference between a great cook and an OK or mediocre cook. So every time you step into the kitchen be prepared to have a little taste and ask yourself… ‘Could this taste better? What does it need or what is it lacking?’

7. Take mistakes as a ‘learning experience’.

Cooking is a natural process and no one can or should expect to get it right every time.

I recently went to a talk by Rene Redzepi, chef at Noma in Copenhagen currently the best restaurant in the world. One of the biggest messages he tells his chefs if that ‘failure IS an option’. So if the best chef in the world expects things to go wrong from time to time then surely we home cooks should expect the same.

8. Have faith in ‘Clancy’s Law of Cooking’.

You’ve probably heard of the great Irish philosopher Murphy and his favourite law, ‘if anything can possibly go wrong, it will go wrong’. When I was little, my Dad used to tell us that ‘Clancy’s Law’ was that ‘Murphy was an optimist’.

Fortunately, I seem to have inherited more of my Mum’s outlook on life and philosophy. So I’ve invented ‘Clancy’s Law of Cooking’. It runs along these lines…

[quote type=”center”] If you think something is going to taste delicious, it probably will.[/quote]
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The secret to playing the what’s-in-the-fridge game and why this ‘game’ can help you master the art of adaptation.

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.

One of the things that really helped me move from being a ‘follow-the-recipe’ cook to being more ‘free-style’ in the kitchen is a game I like to play. I call it the ‘what’s-in-the-fridge game’ and you’ve probably guess what it involves. Yes, it’s all about just cooking with what you have in the house.

The rules of the game

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.

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 make something else to eat.

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 York 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

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. Since I started cooking with 5 ingredients, this isn’t such a big problem for me but it’s where I see beginners making mistakes. So keep reminding yourself that ‘less is more’.

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5 easy tricks for adapting to changes in your schedule.

They say there are only two certainties in life. Death and taxes. But I would argue in the modern world we should include a third. Change.

Whether you’re someone who thrives on change or a self professed ‘change phobic’ we need to face the fact that there will be changes to our schedule. This means we can set ourselves up for success so that when plans change we are able to adapt with the minimum of effort and stress.

Here are 5 tips for adapting to schedule change…

1. Anticipate the change.

Take it as a given that there will be change. Then try and gague how much volatility you need to accommodate on a regular basis. Over time you’ll notice patterns that will help you plan for the most common disruptions.

For example, in our house there are two things that commonly happen at the last minute. The most common is my Irishman having to travel at the last minute and he away for one or two nights.

The next most common occurrence is having last minute guests for dinner.

2. Build a backup plan for the most common changes.

Once you know the most common occurrences, you can think about backup plans that will allow you to adapt. This doesn’t need to be specific. Just a general idea of what you’ll do.

Back to my examples. Given my Irishman often needs to travel, I make sure at least one or two of my protein types each week have a long shelf life. So if he does go away, we can leave them for the next week. A couple of steaks in the freezer, some cryovacced meat in the fridge, dried lentils or unopened packages of halloumi or tofu. I do the same with veg. Some are short shelf life like bags of baby spinach and salad leaves. The others are long shelf life like carrots, cabbage and celery so if we don’t need them they will last until the following week.

In the case of unexpected visitors, I usually get at least 24 hours notice so I know there will be enough time for someone to drop by the supermarket or go to the butcher to get whatever we need. So it usually works out fine.

3. Don’t choose all perishable or short shelf life foods.

By including some produce which will last for longer than a week like cabbage, cauliflower, zucchini, cucumber, carrots, celery, broccoli etc it maximizes your flexibility because it doesn’t matter if you leave them for the next week. Same goes for protein. Look out for cryovacced meat, tofu, halloumi, or frozen protein sources. Canned and dry legumes and lentils also add a comfortable margin of safety.

4. When unexpected changes do happen, perform a little ‘home food preservation’.

When your plans change, have a quick look in the fridge to see if there is anything that is going to go bad before you’ll have a chance to eat it. It only takes a few minutes but can make a massive difference to your waste levels.

Think about whether you can freeze the ingredient for later. Or whether partially cooking, or doing a little ‘mise en place’ will help prolong its life.

5. Have some fun with it.

Sometimes the best cooking discoveries happen when you’re under pressure 🙂

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Homework

1. Set aside one meal in the next week to play the ‘what’s in the fridge’ game.

2. When it’s time to cook, have a good look in your pantry, fridge and freezer.

3. Browse through the template recipes in this module. Choose one and take it from there!

4. Report back and let me know what you came up with. Share your successes (or otherwise!) in the comments on the Homework Page.
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Warm Dinner Salad	Quick Stir Fry	Grilled Kebabs + Sauce + Salad	5-Minute Sauces
Pan-Fried Protein + Sauce	Ketchup ‘Baked’ Legumes	Mild & Creamy Curry	Big Ass Salad
Smooth Veggie Soup	Chunky Veg Soup