Meals for two

I haven't posted for three weeks (I feel very guilty, and will resume) because somehow I've been feeling lassée-d about cooking. It's slightly nerve-wracking to cook for real people. Has anybody noticed this? Still, I am trying to get into it again; I have much, much, left in my myriad cookbooks that I would like to explore. That, and new things I'd like to try, off the top of my own head, for no reason in particular. But, as I say, I feel nervous about taking risks. So...

Cooking for two people is a fine balance. First, there is portion size to consider. When there is an excess of leftovers, there is always a slight discouragement when the eaters realize what a small dent they have made in the victuals. But the trimming of servings can easily be overdone, so both sides--"too much" and "not enough"--are worth watching. Then there is complexity to consider. Of course, dinner/lunch/breakfast/tea for two fits a large number of circumstances, and ambitiousness dish-wise depends on your company. When I'm not too soucieux of impressing my companion, however, I feel two people are a good guinea pig for cooking experiments.

The one I will describe here is somewhat sub-par on the “It’s a million to one chance, but it just might work,” scale, but experimental nonetheless. (Keep in mind that, especially for spur-of-the-moment innovations, a key feature of Something New is the prior possession of all relevant ingredients.) Am I the only one to feel that kebabs are somehow fun, regardless of circumstance? (Quite possibly, I do realize.)

Although brochettes (including satays, etc.) often require marinating, an interesting (and more spontaneous) way to make them is with a spice rub. Combine some powdered substances in a bowl and toss them around with pieces of meat. Thread these coated chunks onto a skewer. The best part is that you can throw anything into the mix. Dried (or fresh) herbs, chopped garlic, grated ginger, whatever ingredients strike you as flavourful and harmonious in your current mood. When the meat is grilled, it will be slightly infused with these flavours, and come out with a light crunch on the outside. (I have an indoor grill; without one, I’d try searing, but please look this up.) It won’t have quite the same juiciness as marinated meat, but will be nicely texture all the same.

Here are some guidelines. You should have some notion of how your meat goes with your spices. Anyone ever heard of cumin and chicken, really? My favourite meat to use is pork tenderloin, but whatever is in the house. Unless you’ve really got a lot of meat, don’t make more than a few tablespoons mix. And keep it (relatively) simple. 1/8 tsp. of sixteen different spices does not equal sixteen different flavours. In fact, it equals an awkward mix of tastes, plus a few distinct hits of the strongest, most distinctive spices (like cumin and chilli pepper).

Good backbones for spice rubs include cumin, ginger, and dried herbs (rosemary, say, or basil). Once you’ve picked your predominant flavour, select things you think will taste interesting with them. Good spices always to add (except in some cases, of course) in small quantities include salt and pepper (obviously), garlic, and chilli pepper flakes (when spiciness is desired, although keep in mind that enough black pepper has an interesting effect too). The combo I tried was the following: 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp chilli pepper flakes, and approx. ½ tsp salt and pepper each. It worked well, although I must be careful to be sparing with the chilli, because it overpowers easily.

In short, spice-rubbed kebabs are an excellent way to play with what’s kicking around in the spice drawer. They don’t require forethought, they’re experimental, they’re easy, they go with most things. I suggest you try it.