The Art Of Culinary Discovery

The kitchen is my sacred space. I haven’t been to church in a month of Sundays, and if you ask me to reciteall Ten Commandments, in their correct order, off the top of my head, you’ll probably hear crickets after “Thou shall not kill”. I can however, tell you what the five mother sauces are, without blinking. I am seriously considering bringing profiteroles with me to the pearly gates on judgment day, just in case….  

There is definitely a peace that passes the understanding of many, when a cook is in their natural habitat. My kitchen serves as my temple, my mad scientist’s lab and my art studio. Depending on the day and what creativity it inspires, my kitchen may feel more like one, than the others. It’s always interesting to wake up and find out the verdict.

It is my joy to learn new recipes and try them out on anxious palates. Sharing the recipe and the experience is part of what makes the art of cooking so beautiful. The process of trial and error is more than worth it, once you’ve gotten it right. It is my passion to create recipes of my own. Sometimes I share my recipes. Other times, I come up with such a gem, that I keep it for my vault; the files from which I hope to write a cookbook some day. While I enjoy making these dishes for others, they become part of my signature, and I feel compelled to protect them. To understand the ways of artists is to love them.

My most recent creation came about in an attempt to try a different chicken dish. Peri Peri (or Piri Piri) Chicken is a recipe that stems from African and Portuguese roots. When I looked up the recipe, I did so with the intent to make it for a Sunday dinner with family. Reading the recipe alone shows off its robust and spicy flavors. Peri peri chicken is not for the faint of heart. The base of this dish is the bird’s eye (also referred to as African devil) chili. Keeping in mind that I wasn’t just cooking for myself, as I looked the recipe over, I began scaling back the amount of chilies and spices to make a milder version of the dish. I started reducing here and replacing there. Soon a new recipe was taking shape right beneath my fingertips. Intuitively, I felt my way through flavor combinations that strayed from the beaten path.

The delicious end result was a happy accident I call Pineapple Basil Chicken. Still semi spicy, it was mild enough to avoid any gastrointestinal disasters visited upon unsuspecting diners. So, how did I arrive at something so far from my original destination? One thing is key; I cook with no fear. I trust my palate. There are few steadfast rules when it comes to cooking. Unlike baking, which is more exact, cooking gives you a far broader canvas. Enjoy the sweeps of the brush. Go with it and for it. Detours make for wonderful exploratory adventures. Sometimes it’s more fun when you leave the map at home. Revel in the journey.

I will find my way back to Peri Peri Chicken on some other occasion, but that is a voyage for another day.

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Curry Chicken Salad

There is no end to how many ways chicken can be prepared. Yet it seems to be one of those familiar foods we fall back on when we don’t know what else to make, and can’t think of a creative way to make it. Look no further. Your creative drought is about to be over. Curry chicken salad is a Caribbean twist on a traditional chicken dish. If you appreciate the flair of island flavors, this will soon be a new favorite.

Level: Easy                             Prep: 20 mins

Serves: Approximately 10       Mix: 5-10 mins

Curry Chicken Salad

5 cooked chicken breasts, cubed

1 bunch of fresh scallions, chopped

½ bushel of cilantro, chopped

2 Granny Smith apples, medium diced

1 ½ cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts (almonds make a nice alternative)

½ tsp ground ginger

4 tbsp curry powder (mild)

1 cup mayonnaise/salad dressing

¼ cup mango chutney

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. You can serve as is, or on a bed of fresh greens like spinach, endive or a mesclun salad. This salad also makes wonderful wraps and sandwiches. I’d recommend a rustic artisan bread that is hearty enough to contain and compliment the robust flavors and textures offered in this dish.

Have Your Cake And Eat It Too!

Who says you can’t have a cupcake before dinner? Better yet, why not have cupcakes for dinner? That’s right, I said it. WHAT? I’m an adult. I voluntarily eat my spinach. Don’t look at me in that tone of eye. You know you want to do it too. Go ahead. Nobody’s looking.

I’ve been in a culinary/writing slump since the holidays. My muse abandoned me and went skiing in the Swiss Alps or something like that. So, what to do? I turned to fellow foodies for inspiration. Through the foodie grapevine, I heard about meatloaf cupcakes, with mashed potato frosting. Perfect--just weird enough to grab my interest! I wanted to go with something different, but familiar enough that others would be inspired to try it. Sunday dinner is a good time to try something new. You have a few people around the dinner table to give you feedback.

Since meatloaf and mashed potatoes are the kinds of food that people tend to have a personal recipe for, just go with your favorite recipe for each, should you like to try this.Sunday rolled around and I was finally excited about cooking something again. I made my meatloaf mixture and filled a muffin tray with it (¼ cup to each mold).You can use muffin liners, but I didn’t, and they came out fine. I didn’t want to risk a soggy mess since I use lots of veggies in my meatloaf and it renders a good amount of natural juices.

After the mashed potatoes were made, I put some into a pastry bag with a decorative tip.I piped rosettes onto each cupcake and plated them. My sister walked by as I was piping the potatoes and asked, “When are you gonna bake something sugar free so I can have some?” I proudly told her, “These are sugar free”. I mean I am concerned with her health after all. She suddenly looked suspicious. I can’t imagine why. Well as long as I had her attention, I decided to tell everyone what we’d be having for dinner. “I made meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potato frosting!”  *Crickets….*

You could hear a pigeon break wind in Brooklyn.

My family looked at me like I’ve been forgetting to wash the fruit before I eat it. Did I mention that my family isn’t chock full of adventurous eaters? They thought the cupcakes looked great until they realized what they were. Sheeesh. Think outside the box, people. As you can see, I’m the free thinker in the family.

Because I anticipated this reaction, I’d also made a standard meatloaf that looked familiar and safe to everyone. They descended on that like jackals on road kill. It’s always good to know that your cooking isn’t the issue. I am not deterred. Just because my family is boring doesn’t mean that yours won’t love this. I boxed up a few of the cupcakes and gave them to my official taste tester, my good friend Evelyn. She loved them. She is brutally honest, so I can trust a review from her. I think this idea is especially great for kids. It’s a fun presentation and also a good way to get them involved in the cooking process.

Somewhere inside of me, my inner child was kicking and screaming, “You’re not the boss of me!” when I decided to make meatloaf cupcakes. What is your inner voice saying to you?