Experimental recipes

[tell-me-more]

All recipes must come from trial and improvement, I guess, but whereas some people seem to be very good at creating new recipes, I'm not so good. Can anyone explain or direct me to general principles that might lead to me creating good recipes by experimentation, rather than always having to follow a recipe?

[ursula62]

I rarely ever follow recipes these days, but then I've been playing with recipes for about 25 years now... The best way to get started is to read lots of cookery books and magazines for suggestions. Collect those cards in the supermarket as they often have good ideas. Keep a file of useful ideas- you can buy special recipe files in stationery shops or you could use C5 envelopes in a folder.

Start small - take a tried and tested recipe and just tweak one ingredient. If that works, next time you try the recipe be a bit braver. Eventually you get to trust your instincts and have fun.

Remember some things that don't sound like they would go together often do... e.g. sausage and plum jam sarnies!

[tell-me-more]

Thanks for the reply Ursula. That's more or less what I'm starting to do, but you've given me some reassurance that I'm on the right tracks.

[marcoddy]

Hi tell-me-more. Great question!

When I started taking more enjoyment from cooking a few years ago, i was very reluctant to stray from exact recipes and cooking times... my goal wasn't to learn as many of these recipes as i could... it was to reach a level where i just "knew" what would go together and how long i should cook it for.

I would say i am part-way to achieving this, basically, I have read lots of cookery books and watched a lot of cookery programmes... after a while, you just get to "know" what things go with which, how long to cook things for, and at what temperature. It's not so much a conscious thing, it just kind of "sinks in".

There's loads of sites with great recipes on the net, and you'll find they all vary slightly.... my advice would be to look at a few different recipes for the same dish, and get to know roughly what goes in it...

Watching different cookery programmes lets you see the actual techniques that chefs use. Example - If you want to "seal" meet, put some oil in a frying pan, get it VERY hot and put in your meat. DO NOT move it around, as this shakes fluid out of the meat causing it to boil instead of seal. Wait for a little while and turn it once, again... leave it alone. Little techniques like this make all the difference.

Seasoning is easy and very important too. Add a little bit of salt and pepper to things, you'll be suprised what a difference it makes.

Example: There are LOADS of different recipes for spag-bol, but it comes down to personal taste... but if you start with Tomatos (fresh, tinned, concentrate or a mix of all) add basil, Garlic, fried onions, mushrooms, red wine... and let it bubble gently for anhour or two, you soon start to smell italy in your kitchen...

Indian, add a teaspoon of tumeric, Ground cuin, Corriander, garlic, chilli to some onions, add yoghurt and you soon start to get that "curry" smell

 

[marcoddy]

Continued...

Thai - Green and red curry paste, onions, ginger, lemongrass, coconut milk.... thailand in your house!

The main tip is, DO NOT be scared. Cooking is easy as long as you are not scared to have a go. If sauce starts to get too thick, add a little water, stir, check again. If it's too watery, turn the heat up and it will soon start to thicken up. If it's not cooked, leave it longer, if it's over-cooked, remember for next time.

Keep trying, and get people round who will be honest, tell people that you'd prefer honest judgement because that way you can improve. Don't be disheartened if you get it wrong, we learn way more from our mistakes than we do our sucesses.

Let me know how it goes!

[tell-me-more]

Thanks Marcoddy. I'll try making my own bolognese and let you know what happens. Much appreciated.