In an era of cooking shows and meal delivery kits, it is easy to forget that anyone can cook. It may take some practice, and takes some patience, but it is worth it in the end. While it can be tempting to rely on a meal-delivery kit service, that can get a little expensive. Nonetheless, it is better if you learn how to cook on your own. There are several great recipes out there, and sometimes it is just a matter of finding something that you like and learning how to do it.
Starting with Something Simple
Consider the advantages of starting with a vegan dish: It is healthy, simple, and done right can be all sorts of fun. In that regard, let us start with a cauliflower steak. Cauliflower is a good source of protein and fiber, and its taste can be easily manipulated. This means that you can do all sorts of things with it, making it easy to fix to your taste. The preparation is also pretty simple, it requires more patience than anything else, and most people have the basic ingredients in their kitchens. Just start with a decent sized cauliflower blossom, clean it well, and remove the stalk.
Before you get going, start warming a pan to a notch just below medium, and place about two tablespoons of oil on the bottom. On a cutting board, hold the cauliflower straight up and slice it into sections roughly an inch thick. Take one of the sections and place it in the oil; you will want to leave it alone until it picks up a little color, which should take about five minutes. When it has a little brown to it, flip it over and repeat. Throw about a pinch of salt and some pepper on it while it cooks, and you have a good little cauliflower steak.
The Sauces
While that should taste good, there are ways to make it taste better; this is where dipping sauces come in handy.
Consider a basic pesto sauce: Start with two cups of basil leaves and throw them in hot water for about twenty seconds followed by an ice water bath; this will allow it to stay bright green. Throw it together with a couple of garlic cloves, ¼ cup each of pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese, and a ½ cup of oil, and blend until you until it has been pureed. Throw in the refrigerator until needed.
You can also create a great little tahini sauce. Start by roasting a head of garlic; the taste will really set off the sauce. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup of tahini, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and three to four tablespoons of water. Whisk all this together and then squeeze in the garlic; continue whisking until it is creamy. Chill until needed.
If you need something a little spicier, you can always use a basic curry sauce. Start with a third of a cup of with mayonnaise or soy yogurt. Mince a clove of garlic and combine with two teaspoons of curry powder, a teaspoon of honey or coconut sugar, a pinch of salt, and two cracks of black pepper. Again, whisk until mixed well and chill. This is sure to take care of anyone who loves it spicy.
Last and definitely not least is the chimichurri sauce. In a blender, combine one cup firmly packed cilantro leaves, ¼ cup of red wine vinegar, two roughly-chopped cloves of garlic, and half a teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground cumin, and crushed red pepper. Blend until smooth. Mix in ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Keep in mind that you can top the steak itself with a variety of toppings, such as minced garlic, grated Parmesan cheese, or even raisins. You can even cover it with melted butter if you so desire; it is a very flexible recipe.
Do Not Sweat The Small Stuff
If this seems too much for you, you do not need to worry about it. Not everyone can cook, and even then, there is a surprisingly wide range of skills, everything from someone who can barely cook to those to master chefs; people cook what they want, and it shows.
A meal delivery kit can allow even an amateur chef to fix some surprisingly nice dishes, allowing you to cook some great meals. It is just a matter of deciding what you want to eat and learning how to cook it.
