Easier than you think
"If you can read you can cook." Yotam Ottolenghi
We're into the last category in this book - 'e' for 'easier than you think', and, tellingly, not simply 'easy'.
Which is not to say that the recipes in the book are not easy. Most of them are really. What he means to show us I think is that anyone can cook anything - even things that sound and look complicated. And I totally agree with his statement about reading and cooking. For years I was telling anyone who said they couldn't cook that it was simply a case of having the right cookbooks - and these days you only need the internet where, not only can you find the recipes but you can also see videos of people making them. So you don't even need to be able to read these days. Well I suppose you need to read to surf the net.
"Recipes that fall into this category are the ones which look or sound a bit 'restauranty' but are actually super easy." Yotam Ottolenghi
I have a few personal examples of things that I didn't make for years because I thought they were just too hard. Mayonnaise, pesto, risotto, fresh pasta ... these are all really simple things to make, though I still haven't managed to master meringues or sponge cakes. And I keep meaning to try soufflées because I find the idea of them a bit overwhelming.
And there are so many celebrity chefs and bloggers out there preaching the easiness of cooking that you would have to wonder a little bit why people don't try. I mean take these two bits of advice I found from a rather endearing article from a blog called The Stranger.
"Did you know you can put a runny fried egg on top of anything—chili, oatmeal, half an avocado—and it's delicious? Understanding this is one of the key components of adulthood. You just need a hot pan, some butter or oil, and an egg. Cook the egg on just one side (no flipping required!) until the white is totally set. It's okay if the edges burn a bit and get lacy and crunchy (I actually like eggs this way), just make sure the yolk stays soft. A fried egg transforms leftovers into a stunning meal. When you break into the egg with your fork, its soft yolk spills out and forms a luxurious golden sauce. At my house, we call it "God's Sauce," and we're not even sure if we believe in God." Angela Garbes - The Stranger
"And when it comes time to cook dinner from scratch, do you realize that when you put a pot of water on the stove to boil, you're already cooking? While the water comes to a boil, root around your fridge and cabinets. When it starts to bubble and make noise, throw in some salt and then dump whatever pasta you have in there. While the noodles cook, grate some cheese and set it aside (Parmesan is really good for this, but cheddar or pretty much any other hard-ish cheese will do).
If you've found any green vegetables during your kitchen explorations—broccoli, zucchini, kale, or frozen peas or green beans—chop those up and throw them into the pot with the pasta for the last minute or two of cooking. (Most pasta takes about nine minutes total.) Then drain everything, put it in a bowl, sprinkle on the cheese, add some salt and pepper and maybe a drizzle of olive oil, and call it dinner.
The main thing is this: Start by doing, and leave the thinking and worrying about what you're making for later. What matters is that you start. Everything else will follow. Trust me—but more importantly, trust yourself." Angela Garbes - The Stranger
What would we do without pasta though?
But back to Yotam Ottolenghi and his definition of 'easier than you think'
"Don't be intimidated by recipe names that have French or Italian words in them. 'Confit', carpaccio', 'clafoutis'; these all sound like you should only try the recipe if you've been to cookery school, but it's all just a ruse!"
Interestingly he has only one recipe which is exclusively in this category - and that has one of those words - 'friands', and most of the others that I found - combined with one other category were either in the sweet or fish category. Here are a few.
"Friands are light, moist almond cakes popular in Australia, New Zealand and France." Really? Anyway I confess they sound a bit daunting to me because they're a tiny bit meringue like and, as I have already said, I cannot master meringues. It does look yummy though, so I might give it a try. You can use any fruit.
Another one of those daunting words. I have made several clafoutis and I will concur that they are not difficult, because really it's just fruit with a batter on top. I'm not actually a big fan of this type of dessert, or of figs either, so I'm not really sure why I'm putting this one in!
This one looks very tempting though, although not that easy I reckon. It's paired with 'make in advance' and really I reckon that's its main point. Not that simple. But very yummy.
Another one of those words, and this one really is pretty simple and pretty spectacular. I might be trying this one sometime soon.
So although I don't think Ottolenghi fully exploits the possibilities of 'easier than you think' in his book I do firmly believe that cooking special food really is easier than most people think. But how you get someone to try, to dive in and give it a go I really don't know. In all my reading around this little series of articles I did find several people saying that you've just got to make a start, and the more you do the more confident you will get and the better at it until it becomes a joy. I always remember trying to peel potatoes as a child and my mother telling me that 'practice makes perfect' and that she couldn't peel potatoes once upon a time. So I persevered. Corny I know, but true.
"We need to be reminded that, after a hard day, a perfect made moist, fluffy omelette - which is so easy to make - is not only more satisfying but quicker than the average ready-meal." Delia Smith
