Do you know how to cook without following a recipe? Chef, nutritionist and teacher Susan Crowther wants to teach you how with “The No Recipe Cookbook.”
"Most cookbooks just teach you how to follow a recipe. What I had hoped to do is empower people to just learn the basics of cooking."
“Most cookbooks just teach you how to follow a recipe,” Crowther says. “What I had hoped to do is empower people to just learn the basics of cooking.”
Crowther says it’s important for new cooks to understand basic ingredients, basic procedures, and even basic philosophies of cooking. She also runs down a list of versatile ingredients that should always be kept on hand. Staples like beans, nuts and seeds make this list, along with a few surprising flavorings.
“Things like tamari, which is the healthier version of soy sauce, Crowther says. “And miso, which is a cousin to tamari.”
Miso, Crowther says, was the inspiration for the book.
“The No Recipe Cookbooks” is meatless, and there is also a focus on minimizing waste in the kitchen.
Crowther says beginners often rely too heavily on recipes. Understanding ratios and procedures can help new cooks to be flexible when substituting ingredients and can take the intimidation out of cooking.
“What I had hoped people would get out of the book was to trust their own guts, and listen to their voices in the kitchen,” Crowther says.
