food A Foodie Resolution: Be Your Dream Chef
Some Pantry Tips and Two Recipes for the New Year By Morgan Banno
The New Year’s all about fresh starts and new beginnings – a clean slate every first of the year where we convince ourselves to eat better, exercise, and be spontaneous. January’s when we denounce unhealthy foods and embrace our leafy greens with vim and vigor, only to find ourselves face down in candy and chocolate-covered strawberries come February. With nearly two years of
‘pandemic cooking’ behind us, it’s about time we enjoy a deliciously well-made meal, even if it isn’t the healthiest. If COVID taught us anything, it’s that we must adapt in the kitchen. From frugal prepping practices (like saving vegetable peels and meat carcasses for stock) to shopping locally and seasonally for the least-inflated prices, now is the time to kick up your kitchen game.
Despite the savagely spreading Omicron strain, there’s never been a better moment to take full advantage of your own kitchen. This year’s resolution? Be the home cook you’ve always dreamed of! While you re-evaluate your foodie priorities, consider my 2022 Chef’s Pantry Tips to set the stage for your amateur chef experience and soon-to-be master home cook:
Chef Morgan’s Pantry Tips
MORGAN BANNO
Set your mise en place (AKA: get your act together). Pre-measure ingredients, chop veggies and chiffonade garnishes into separate bowls to speed up the cooking process. It may feel like extra work up front, but you won’t regret it. Layer flavors. Infuse oils with fresh herbs or peppers for depth. Sear meats on high heat for hard caramelization before braising, and allow your aromatics time to cook over the heat so they release their full, volatile flavors. Befriend your freezer! Stock up on gallon bags and freeze veggie scraps, herb stems, and animal bones. You can use them later to make a flavorful, homemade stock or sauce. Save the fat. You can render excess fat, particularly bacon fat, save it to add optimal flavor and depth to your next dish. Remember, when cooking: Fat is a friend. Finish with fresh herbs. Earthy and herbaceous, finishing dishes with freshly chopped parsley, basil, cilantro, or tarragon elevates any home-cooked dish so it tastes like it was prepared in a professional kitchen. Bonus tip: Invest in a good chef’s knife! Even for the most basic home cook, a quality knife makes all the difference in preparation, presentation, and safety! Sharpen and hone regularly. Pandemic cooking doesn’t mean flavorless cooking. Experiment with flavors of elevated comfort foods, like my roasted butternut squash risotto. This simple, straightforward recipe is creamy, comforting and full of warm flavors for those chilly January days.
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theGabber.com | January 13, 2022 - January 19, 2022
