Easy Peas Recipes

I would love to be one of those cooks who just knows how a new recipe will turn out. Well, I suppose that we all know how a peanut butter & jelly sandwich will turn out – or a can of tomato soup – I’m talking about a new recipe with previously undiscovered flavor combinations. Or it could be a recipe with ingredients never used before. What is this superpower that cooks use to accurately predict the success of a new recipe? How do they know how to cook intuitively?
Some of this incredible ability is simply experience, fueled by trial and error. But some has to do with the secret weapon of confident cooks – tasting. I don’t mean tasting the final product but tasting during preparation. Why should we taste as we cook when there already is a recipe laid out for us?

1. New flavors and textures
   Obviously, if we’re unfamiliar with an ingredient, we’re not going to know how it tastes. The taste of one ingredient will affect the taste of the entire recipe. So, taste the ingredient, first – unless it is a raw meat or egg, or an ingredient that is meant to be cooked or otherwise prepared before eating it.
   Research the ingredient as well. Others have used it and most likely have tips on how to use it.
   The texture of the ingredient is also something to consider. Will it be a nice compliment or contrast to other ingredients in the dish? It’s nice to know ahead of time how an ingredient is going to feel as you eat it as well as how it tastes. You’ll then know if it is something you and your family will like or will need to be prepared for.
   Case in point: Personally, I am not a fan of slimy (the technical term is mucilaginous) food. If I eat okra, for example, I prefer it breaded and deep-fried so the sliminess is less noticeable.
   
2. Spiciness level can vary
   Everyone’s spice tolerance is different. Chili seasonings and chili peppers can also vary within the same type. Not all Creole seasonings have the same ingredients or ratios of ingredients. Not all jalapeños have the same “heat.” You’ll need to taste these so you are aware (just a tiny bit – and you may need a glass of milk!). You can then decide: do you need to add a little more are use a little less? Again, do some research before you make a shopping trip for chiles or seasoning in a recipe. The same goes for hot sauces, chili pastes like gochujang, and curry and masala seasoning. They are not all created equal!
   FYI: You can easily find Scoville heat scale charts on the internet that rank the heat levels of different chili peppers. You may be able to substitute a less (or more) spicy chili pepper in your recipe.
   
3. Adjustments are sometimes necessary
   Just like the spiciness issue, you may want to change other types of ingredients. You might be out of rosemary in your cupboard. Maybe you have margarine in your fridge but not butter. Can you swap coconut oil for vegetable oil? Do you really need to follow the recipe verbatim? (Note: see Following a Recipe – When is it Necessary?)
   Just like I’ve said before, do some research. Before swapping ingredients or adjusting quantities, you need to know if doing so will affect the taste or texture of the dish. In the case of baking breads and cakes, adjusting the recipe may yield different results than you expect. However, if it is simply a matter of how the dish will taste, you can usually adjust – just taste as you do so.
   I will often taste a dash of seasoning by itself (soy sauce, dried spices, wine) and ask myself if it would taste good in the recipe. If I’m in the middle of cooking and I want to know if my seasoning is on the right track, I taste and adjust.
   What if you’re mixing ingredients for a meatloaf, for example, and you want to taste it – but it isn’t cooked yet? Pinch off a tiny portion and cook it in a microwave for a minute until it’s safe to taste. You’ll get a better idea what the finished product will taste like, and you can adjust seasoning and ingredients before cooking the whole thing.
   Another note on adjustments: Remember, you can always add ingredients, but you cannot always take them out depending on what it is.
   
4. There could be faults in the recipe
   It’s true. The recipe could be off. Maybe an ingredient was omitted, or a quantity was mislabeled (I’ve done that). Check the recipe before you start. If something doesn’t look quite right, ask yourself how you might fix it. And again, research by looking up similar recipes to get an idea how to fix it if you need to.
   
5. Experiment leads to Experience
   There are going to be times that a recipe just won’t work out. It happens.
   (Note: See My First Disastrous Dinner) The more you cook, the more you’ll know and the more you’ll be able to intuit the results of a recipe like the pros. If you never try, you may never fail, but you’ll never succeed either! Taste as you go, and you’ll not only enjoy the process, but you’ll learn a lot along the way.