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Am I the only person who gets tired of eating the same things all the time? We all of course have our favorite meals and return to them again and again, but I've found that the smallest variations on common themes can yield incredible results (and rave reviews).
Here are a few standards that lend themselves to minor, but wonderful, tweaks:
- rice: Try using carrot juice in your cooking water, and add a glop of Dijon mustard and a few bay leaves to the pot -- fragrant, savory, beautifully colored orange rice with a hint of sweetness will be your reward.
- burgers: Sprinkle on a combination of freshly ground star anise, fennel seed, coriander, green peppercorns, and salt on each side of your burger, and enjoy with ketchup, mustard, and your chutney of choice. You won't go back!
- poached eggs: Instead of regular salt and pepper on them, try them with maccha salt. The combination of the yolks and the green tea is simply sublime.
- baked potatoes: Instead of slathering them with plain butter, try an infused variation. One of my favorites is fennel butter. Grind two tablespoons of fennel seeds in a spice grinder, add it to a stick of room-temperature unsalted butter, and mix it with a whisk. You can also make herb butters (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, tarragon), and even a boozy butter with Grand Marnier.
- fish: Make a beautiful crust for the fish by pulverizing pink lentils, cream of wheat, rice flakes, or couscous, then frying the fish in a combination of olive oil and butter.
- salads and fried rice: Add pickled ginger to wake up the taste buds and add sparkle.
That's breakaway food in a nutshell: Take something ordinary and everyday, make some minor yet EASY change, and enjoy your favorite dishes with a new, zesty appreciation.
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