Start With a Recipe, Let Your Pantry Lead the Way

Home cooking is about simplicity and economy, and that explains why I tend to deviate from written recipes. It’s a running joke that when someone asks me for a recipe I respond, “Sure I can give it to you, but it comes with notes on all my changes.” But much like my Weeknight Vegetable Guideline, when cooking at home I believe you have to let your pantry lead the way. Otherwise you’ll find yourself making daily trips to the grocery store. And who has time for that? As much as I’d like to be an elegant French woman who picks up a daily baguette at the boulangerie, a wedge of brie at the fromagerie, and a few slices of jambon from the charcuterie, I’m not. I’m not going to obsess about a lack of parsley or carrots or quinoa just because a recipe calls for their use. Instead I’ll look at what else I have on hand and improvise. Start with a recipe, let your pantry lead the way.

This is how I came to make excellent variations of two my favorite dishes. Mushroom Toasts with Ricotta and Herbs became Mushroom Toasts with Pesto and Parmesan, and the Sweet Potato Green Chile Quesadilla became the Chipotle Potato Quesadilla. Both are on their way to becoming repeats.

MUSHROOM TOASTS WITH PESTO AND PARMESAN

Toast your preferred artisan bread in the oven (instructions here). Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms in olive oil, salt, and pepper until dark brown, shrunken, and liquid evaporates. Spread a thick layer of pesto on each toast (hopefully you have this pesto leftover), cover with mushrooms, and top with grated parmesan. Put toasts back into the oven for about 2-3 minutes, until parmesan melts slightly.

CHIPOTLE POTATO QUESADILLA

Preheat oven to 425.  Wrap one large potato in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until soft all the way through, approximately one hour. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight, or until you are ready to make the quesadilla. Cut the cooked potato in half and scoop the flesh into the bowl of a food processor. Add 1-2 chipotle peppers from a can (depending on your spice preference and how hot they are) and a pinch of salt. Process until very smooth. Meanwhile, heat a griddle on the stovetop to medium / medium-high heat and lightly oil. Spread about 3/4 cup of the potato purée on one whole-wheat tortilla. Cover with another whole-wheat tortilla. Toast on the griddle about 2-3 minutes per side.