Some people hate to follow recipes; others can’t imagine cooking without very specific step-by-step directions in front of them. I used to be the latter, but now I find myself somewhere closer to those non-recipe-following cooks. I can’t stop reading food magazines & blogs or buying cookbooks, but I can’t actually remember the last time I followed a recipe exactly as prescribed. I like to use recipes as a guide, or often just for for meal inspiration.
I’m really not very precise when it comes to exact measurements (chemistry lab was not my forte). I own several sets of measure cups and spoons, but they rarely make an appearance on my counter unless I’m baking. I have a habit of changing recipes in some way – whether to make it a little healthier, to substitute for an ingredient I’m missing/done like (cilantro I’m looking at you), or simply to add an ingredient that I think will enhance the recipe. I don’t know exactly when this happened, but this wasn’t always the case. I remember the first time my mom suggested that I do something other than follow the recipe I was planning to make. I was in college, and I’d ripped a recipe for penne with zucchini, thyme, and goat cheese out of Women’s Health magazine. She suggested that I just sauté the zucchini with the oil and garlic instead of roasting in the oven like the recipe directed. I was appalled that she even suggested such a thing, and was so nervous that the recipe wouldn’t come out right if I did this (it did, and saved a lot of time and cleanup). It’s funny the things that stick with you, isn’t it?
Over time I’ve figured out what flavors complement each other, and what ingredients might be a good substitute or addition to certain dishes. I started to stray from recipes, and eventually stopped relying on recipes for a lot of my cooking. I gained confidence in the kitchen. This is not to say there weren’t ever failures. Oh, there have been some not-so-great tasting meals over the years. Or meals that just weren’t quite what I planned or expected. I usually ate it anyway and learned from my mistakes. The thing about recipe books or food magazines/blogs/websites is that no one posts the failures. Who would want to read about a recipe that didn’t actually taste good? But every cook prepares meals that don’t end up the way they planned at one time or another.
This is a very long way of saying: don’t be afraid to take some risks in the kitchen, it’s the only way you’ll become a better, more confident cook. And soups are the perfect place to start – they’re hard to mess up.
This past weekend, while snowed in by nemo, it seemed the perfect time for a hearty soup. I had planned to make a vegetarian version of this soup from Giada, but of course I found myself without the potatoes she calls for, so I added orzo instead. While I didn’t have the original version, I think I’d prefer this swap anyway. Also, the use of the Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig took this soup to a whole new level. I have never thought of using either, but let me tell you, it was worth every minute I spent fishing around for both at the end to remove before serving.
Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
Adapted from Giada’s Winter Minestrone
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 head Swiss chard, chopped
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium vegetable broth
1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind (I just used
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup dry whole-wheat orzo
Salt and pepper
