Cooking with Creativity

I used to be terrified of recipes. Of not following them, I mean. I was convinced that if I got an ingredient amount even a little wrong, or cooked something a little longer than was recommended, the dish would be ruined. It became something of a burden.

Culinary school changed my attitude. Of course, the recipes we practiced with there had the ingredients listed with specific measurements and instructions, just like in every standard cookbook. We didn’t go in already seasoned experts; more often than not we had no idea what we were doing.

Sometimes, though, an ingredient would be listed not as 2 tablespoons or 1/2 cup, but as Q.S., or quantity sufficient. A fancy way of saying, “however much is needed”— or essentially, “you figure it out.”

Leaving it to the chef or cook or baker to choose how much of an ingredient to use can be a scary, and sometimes disastrous, decision. There are enough horror stories out there (and hilarious ones too)—of home cooks exploding cakes in the oven, or finding their breads flattening rather than rising, or just having a dish come out not quite right—to prove that deviating from a recipe can be a risky business, never mind having that recipe expect you to suddenly wing it like a pro.

Yet there is something amazingly freeing in deciding for yourself how much of an ingredient to use. Of course, there are tiers of creativity, and boldness. Deciding to sprinkle an extra handful of parsley on a salad or filet of fish is one thing. Knowing how much baking soda is too much…is quite another.

That’s not to say that only those fortunate enough to have had the time and money (and interest) to go to culinary school are the sole lucky few who can improvise in the kitchen with success. Culinary school did enormously improve my ability to interpret—and, if necessary, ignore—recipes’ ingredients lists and instructions, but that path is not required, nor is it necessary. All you need is a little self-confidence.

You’d like to use leeks instead of onions as a soup base? You think a recipe calls for too little cumin, or too much? You’d prefer to slow-cook a piece of meat instead of roasting it? Go with your instinct. I promise, even if it doesn’t turn out how you imagined, you’ll live to try again another day.

Recipe instructions and ingredients lists aren’t fixed law. Sometimes they don’t suit your tastes and can be adjusted. Sometimes they’re just wrong (okay, this can be a subjective opinion, but not always)—in which case they can be, as I said above, ignored. We’re making food, not filing our taxes. Improvisation is a good thing.

Obviously, cookbook writers aren’t trying to mislead or confuse us. Having to explain a recipe in print, and without the cook being able to ask clarifying questions, is difficult. There’s also only so much explanation they can give without the cookbook being as long as an encyclopedia, and about as enjoyable to read.

My point is simply that cooking can and should be a fun and creative process. It only requires some practice and a sense of adventure—with a heavy dash of humor.

I know lots of people already cook this way and are probably yawning at my earnest overtures. But for those of you who have not yet dipped your toe into the pool of culinary creativity, have a go, make a splash, dive right in.