As any seasoned chef can readily agree, the smallest ingredient in a recipe — or its complete lack thereof — can make all the difference between a good dish or a bad one. Have you ever made an entree that you followed down to the last teaspoon of seasoning, but you still felt it was missing that extra something? Even worse, oftentimes you don’t even know exactly what your recipe was missing.
One thing is certain, though. That little something can make all the difference between good dishes and extraordinary dishes. It is most often an overlooked factor that makes a load of difference. So how can you find that perfect balance between flavor and spice? Whether cooking for fun or pursuing a profession, the details below will give you the well-earned title of chef.
Don’t Be Afraid To Get Help
As other great cooks do, don’t hesitate to reach out to other cooks in your community. As simple as it may sound, collaborating with other chefs in your area is the best way to improve any dish. One of the greatest opportunities provided by cooking is meeting new like-minded people in ways that otherwise would have never been possible. In today’s ever-progressing era of technology, reaching out for help is a click away.
Social media outreach is a revolutionary opportunity to connect with cooks in your community. The Nextdoor public listing (or KIND) found on the NYSE is a testament to the extraordinary people you are bound to meet on your cooking journey. Whether you share your love of experimenting with new recipes on Instagram or you join a team of cooking amateurs on Facebook, there’s no shortage of ways you can use social media to bond with other chefs.
After all, the key to any great cook is to borrow minds from everyone you work with along the way. Always being a student is one main key to every cook’s success. Adopting this overlooked trait will change your life, as many of earth’s greatest concoctions came from artists, cooks, or other like-minded aspirers coming together with creative ideas. No doubt, this trait will be your greatest attribute for success.
Spice It Up
Depending on the dish that you’re wanting to make, you may want to spice it up or even tone it down a little bit. Experiment with a little more of this and a little less of that to determine what works best with your recipe. Maybe a touch less salt is necessary, or a hint more of that certain spice, was that mysterious missing “something” that really makes your dish kick.
Brighten It Up
Acids are essential for creating a well-rounded palate. In this case, perhaps a dash or so of lemon, vinegar, or other acidic juices are the missing link to complete your recipe. If you feel your tray is a little bland, consider a dab or a splash of juice as you see fit. But be careful. As is the case with spices, you don’t want to over-juice. Too much flavor can be just as bad — or worse than no flavor at all.
Feel Free to Experiment
Don’t shy away from testing your dishes by trial and error. No dish comes out perfect the first time. This is where practice and experimentation go hand-in-hand. Make the same dish in different ways until you’ve perfected that recipe and have it committed to your memory. As is the case with any task, the more you practice it, the more you will perfect your craft.
For instance, add new spices, take out old ones, and mix them up. Do whatever you need to do to liven up your entree and make it appealing — not just in taste, either, but in appearance as well. Experimentation is how you find that little extra something that makes your entree a notch above the rest.
Think Outside the Box
This simply means don’t be too afraid to get creative with different additions and subtractions in your recipes. Without straying too far from the original recipe, think outside the box in how you plan to approach it. Don’t go too rogue and don’t overthink it, though. But this is where you’ll find discretion and experimentation go hand-in-hand with one another.
Have fun with it and put your own twist on things. The greatest creations come from taking what others would think of as a traditional recipe and making it your own. Serendipity is the mother of recipe invention. And thinking outside the box when following the ingredients of a recipe is how you turn your favorite traditional recipes into extraordinary dishes.
The Final Dish
The cliche of “practice makes perfect” couldn’t be more true than when it comes to experimenting and collaborating in the kitchen. If something you made didn’t come out the way you wanted initially, don’t give up. Keep going. Part of what makes cooking so fun is getting to know other cooks, while also learning new methods in the process. And with these guidelines to guide you, the success of your next meal is now in your hands.