A pinch of this..
Last night I tried a recipe from a cookbook I purchased for my husband last year. It’s a cookbook by PEI “Chef at Home” Michael Smith. The reason I bought this cookbook for Reuven is because he doesn’t use recipes and really, neither does Michael Smith.
Smith’s recipes include portions like “A few of this” “A little of that” “A dash of….” “A pinch of…” “Add what you like…” His recipes are merely a guideline to keep you on track as you experiment with your own tastes. It’s the way Reuven and I like to cook.
Other than baking, I don’t think it’s necessary to have precise measurements. When it comes to adding a certain amount of carrots, salt, or most importantly wine to a large pot of stew, it’s all about preference and taste. Who really needs to know its ¼ or a ½ TB of salt. If you like it salty, hell throw in 2 tablespoons. If you hate carrots, replace them with other root veggies. If you don’t like to cook with wine, well, my condolences.
In all seriousness, Michael Smith’s Biscuit Crusted Beef Stew (a la Brenda) was stress-free to make and delicious. If you are just jumping into cooking and aren’t ready to go it totally alone, Smith’s recipes keep you on track while giving you the little lead way you need to become your own kitchen master.
