Okay, it's official: the new combo involves pastis, mushrooms, gorgonzola and crème fraîche. Oh, and San Marzano tomatoes.
Out of all the cooking shows on the Food Network, I like Michael Smith possibly the most, because he advocates "cooking without a recipe."
Now, I've had this argument with myself a few times (and on this blog) but sometimes it really is the best policy. Like I said the other day about the cook giving me the laser eye when I asked him what was in his pasta sauce and he said "Parmesan" . . . well, to him that's what was in it. Not four cups of heavy cream, two tablespoons of butter, a half a teaspoon of ground black pepper blah blah blah.
SOMETIMES -- just sometimes, these measures are useful, when, for example, you're making something completely for the first time. But does a cook in rural India, for example, use a cup measure?
At any rate, last night I made the above-mentioned. Some shiitakes, pleurots and shallots and garlic. Then some boneless, skinless chicken thighs, breaded with a little bit of flour, Cajun spice and pepper and salt, browned in truffle oil and garlic butter after being brined a while. Of course, the pastis flambéed in a dangerous manner.
Then the San Marzanos, puréed and mixed with some white wine, butter, crème fraîche and chicken broth and reduced to a nice saucy texture, then a little Emmenthal and Gorgonzola and a half a cup of Reggiano and then voilà: mix it all together and have with some fresh pasta raviolis.
Sorry, no photos today but will make it again and make sure I take some.
i think measures...well standardized recipes if you may; are important whenever you want somebody else to re-create what you have made, or whenever you are making something that you don't know how to make by heart or even how is supposed to taste like.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother never measured anything when cooking...I never measure anything whenever I'm making something I know by heart, and I can pretty much guess how 100 gr of flour look like...it's all by eye, by smell...I dunno it's hard to explain, but whenever I'm making something at school..like bread..I better fucking measure or else a monster will emerge out of the oven
Yeah, it's true. It's like playing piano, for me, at least. I don't read music so I just play it.
ReplyDeleteBut six months after I wrote a song, which sounds really good now, there is NO WAY I can recreate it. I know it's a bit different, but I also do like to record my recipes, because I always forget.
But I'm conflicted . . . sometimes I just want to "invent" some dish these days. Usually if I do and it's great I try to write down what I did immediately after but sometimes the recipe is lost forever when I don't. I just want to keep on cooking (and keep on playing) so everything is always new.
But I do try to record the recipes I REALLY need . . . if I freak out after a meal I made and realise it's one of I kind I WILL write it down.
I'd love to see your list of recipes!!!