Kitchen Creativity

You don"t need to go to the grocery store every time you cook a meal or even throw together a gathering.Rely on your kitchen and ingenuity.The result is an easy cook that will free you up.

This is Alison Roman's advice in her first New York Times Food article of the New Year.Her inspiration came from an invitation from a friend with an active toddler.Ms. Roman and a friend , knowing, that this fellow cook, was strapped for time.How could she shop and create dishes with her busy schedule.They offered to  do both for her.No,the friend demurred.There was shock and awe as they saw what awaited them.She had smoked fish from Barney Green grass,a well known breakfast eatery and shop.She also whipped up jammy  eggs, vegetables tossed with scallions and a bowl of greens dressed with lemon.There was even the requisite yogurt dip and crackers.

The take away from this is that the host had set out several tiny bowls that didn't require cooking.This no nonsense approach gave the friends time to graze and catch up.Their host didn't have to run to the stove every ten minutes to check up on dishes.She didn"t have to fret about having enough or worry about  the taste.It's all about flipping the ratio of time spent working to time spent with friends and family. What would this entail? Always have ingredients that can be turned into a meal at a moment's notice.Use whatever veggies are in the crisper.These can be sliced and easily pickled,Jarred and tinned foods should also be used.Purchase something special like a roast chicken or ribs.Grains should always be at hand too.Buttered rice with just a sprinkling of salt and pepper is a nice side and can be mixed with both raw and cooked before..Also have bread handy.It can be toasted and used as a base.

Easy cooking relies not only on the cook but also on the ingredients at hand.Have a kitchen filled with the basics.Then get creative for a tasty meal or get together with family and friends..