Cooking without a recipe is less about talent than about knowing a handful of techniques and templates. Once you understand why recipes work, you can improvise with what you have.
Learn a few core techniques
- Sautéing and stir-frying: high heat, small pieces, keep things moving.
- Roasting: high oven heat (400 to 450°F) for vegetables and meats, until browned.
- Braising and stewing: brown, add liquid, cook low and slow.
- Simmering: soups, grains and sauces.
- Boiling and blanching: pasta, green vegetables.
Most dishes are combinations of these.
Use templates instead of recipes
- Stir-fry: aromatics (garlic, ginger) + protein + vegetables + sauce (soy, something sweet, something sour) + rice or noodles.
- Soup: aromatics + vegetables or beans + stock + seasoning + a finish (herbs, lemon). See how to make homemade soup.
- Grain bowl: grain + protein + raw and cooked vegetables + crunchy topping + sauce.
- Frittata: about 6 eggs + a splash of milk + 2 cups of cooked vegetables + cheese, baked.
- Pasta: pasta + a fat (olive oil, butter) + a flavor (garlic, chili) + a vegetable or protein + cheese + pasta water.
- Salad: greens + something crunchy + something sweet + something salty + dressing.
Remember a few ratios
- Vinaigrette: 3 parts oil to 1 part acid.
- Rice: roughly 1 part white rice to 1-1/2 to 2 parts water, depending on the rice.
- Roux: equal parts fat and flour by weight.
- Pasta dough: about 100 g flour per egg.
Balance flavor
Most dishes taste better when they balance:
- Salt: enhances everything; add a little at several stages.
- Fat: carries flavor and gives richness.
- Acid: lemon, vinegar, tomatoes, wine brighten and lift heavy food.
- Heat: chili, pepper, mustard add excitement.
- Sweetness and umami: honey or caramelized onions; soy sauce, Parmesan, mushrooms, tomato paste.
When a dish tastes flat, it usually needs salt or acid.
Taste as you go
Taste at each stage and adjust. Season lightly at the start and correct at the end, since sauces reduce and concentrate.
Start from what you have
Open the fridge, find the ingredient that needs using first, and build around it. A well-stocked pantry makes this much easier, see the best ways to use pantry staples.
Accept small failures
Improvised meals are not always perfect. Note what worked, and you will build your own repertoire quickly.
