Sometimes I Have a Good Idea

A lot of the cooking I do is based on what I have on hand, and not on a recipe, and sometimes I have a good idea, and sometimes things don’t work out at all. I have a friend who confided in me that her belief is that anything she likes will go well with everything else she likes. When she told me this we were on the phone, so I couldn’t look at her to see if she was kidding, and I just had to say something like hmmm, really? ‘Yes’, she said, but followed up with ‘and it often doesn’t work out’. Food, like color and scents, and I’m sure several thing you can think of, but I can’t, has distinct properties that make some things blend well, like turquoise and brown, and not so well, like tuna and chocolate…

That being said, it’s great to pair flavors that enhance each other. This is something I’ve written about before, and I’ll expand a bit here, as what I’m referring to is more than just a good pairing (which I’m all for) it’s building and layering flavors to create a really tasty something new. We’re all familiar with the magic of summer tomatoes with basil, fresh mozzarella, and olive oil, but what about those same tomatoes with black olives, tarragon, garlic and sautéed clams? Can I have that over some pasta?

Articulating what makes certain combinations work is a bit challenging, but I’ll try. First you want to think about balance, almost the way you think of shades of a color, and you want to think about when you want a particular flavor to dominate, what will highlight it. For example, vanilla is often used to make chocolate taste more chocolate-y, as a kind of supporting flavor, and coffee can also be used to bring out the sweetness, by adding just a hint of bitterness. Bacon’s smokiness is a great pairing with sweet things, from the subtle sweetness of a winter squash, or roasted Brussels sprouts, to the not even a little subtle sweetness of maple syrup. I’ve said before that I like a dash of cinnamon in tomato sauce, as it adds a delicate earthiness to the brightness of the tomato.  

Last weekend I was at the Collingswood Green Fest, and met a great family who own 1732 Meats, and I got some Spanish smoked paprika bacon, which I haven’t opened yet, and some pancetta, which is in the oven right now as part of a dish that I made up, I imagined it, and made it happen. It is a good idea! If you find a recipe that sounds like it, I’m OK with that, but I didn’t see it. My good idea is Brussels sprouts and pancetta which is bacon-ish (it is cured not smoked) and carrots, roasted together, and the results are even better than I anticipated. I used a bit of maple syrup, and some olive oil, but didn’t add any other seasoning. I hope you make this,it is about as easy as cooking gets, measuring isn’t critical, and it is quite lovely! 

I’d love to hear about your culinary triumphs and tragedies, what have you invented that worked out even better than anticipated? What was your ‘tuna with chocolate sauce’? 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Ingredients

• 1lb Brussels sprouts (cleaned and sliced in food processor)
• 3 Medium carrots (peeled and sliced thin)
• 2oz pancetta (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 Large shallot (sliced thin)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325F Using thin slicing blade of food processor, slice carrots and Brussels sprouts

Step 2

Cut pancetta into 1/2" pieces

Step 3

Mix all ingredients together, separating pancetta pieces

Step 4

Line a sheet tray with foil or parchment Lay veggie mix on pan, using entire pan

Step 5

Roast 40 -50 minutes, using a spatula to turn mixture every ten minutes Continue cooking until pancetta is cooked, and vegetables are stating to brown