I get this question all of the time and people usually do not like my response of “Nothing”. I answer that way because I like to cook everything! That is why I like teaching. It enables me to cook many different dishes throughout the week.
The next question I usually get is “What do you like to cook at home?’ I don’t necessarily have a dish that I lean toward or cook all of the time. Sometimes I draw inspiration from recipes I have enjoyed in class, saw in a magazine or by whatever might be in season and looks delicious at the farmer’s market or grocery store. Most of the time, my refrigerator is pretty bare, except for some random leftover containers. The reason I love cooking is the thrill of making something out of nothing.
This has happened a couple of times in the last few weeks. The first meal was inspired by a peach and tomato salad in one of our classes. I found some fresh peaches, grape tomatoes and haricot vert at the local farmer’s market. I grilled the peaches and some red onions, blanched the haricot vert and candied some pecan halves that my Grandmom gave me last time I was home in Alabama. These were all tossed together as a salad with some apple cider vinegar, fresh basil and olive oil. Grilled flank steak with chipotle aioli rounded out the plate. Yum!
The second meal I made with the help of my family as they visited for the Fourth of July. Even though it was over 100 degrees outside, we wanted to make a grilled vegetable salad and turkey burgers. First, we grilled corn, zucchini, red peppers and red onions for the salad. We added arugula and queso fresco, and tossed it with cilantro lime vinaigrette. My sister and I love grilled asparagus, so we threw a bunch on the grill as a side dish. For the turkey burgers, I added garlic and chipotle peppers. My dad took care of the grilling while the rest of us sliced and diced and organized the rest of the meal. Fun! Of course, we had to make homemade ice cream for dessert!
So, what’s my specialty? Making something out of nothing.