The More I Cook The More I Tend To Improvise!
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
October 3, 2011 11:50am CST
I shall give you a very good example of what I mean.
At Pioneer the other day we stocked up on some decent meat, including stewing steak. We made sure we didn't buy too much of it this time!
Anyway, today I used this meat in two steak pies. I've made them before using ready-bought shortcrust pastry. However, today (because I chose to base the pie as we prefer it that way) I didn't have enough pastry!
Oh, no!
So, there I was with two pies on the go. One was complete with the shortcrust pastry on top, the other had nothing, so I went into my fridge and took out some puff pastry that has been stored in a pyrex dish with the lid on, to stop it from going off.
I now have two pies in the oven, one with a full shortcrust top and base, the other with a shortcrust base and puff pastry top.
This is how new recipes come about, right? Trial and error!
Have you improvised like this so you're not wasting food? I also did it with a raisin cookie slice recipe that wanted me to use dark sugar, I used light instead and it's fab!
Anyway, today I used this meat in two steak pies. I've made them before using ready-bought shortcrust pastry. However, today (because I chose to base the pie as we prefer it that way) I didn't have enough pastry!
Oh, no!
So, there I was with two pies on the go. One was complete with the shortcrust pastry on top, the other had nothing, so I went into my fridge and took out some puff pastry that has been stored in a pyrex dish with the lid on, to stop it from going off.
I now have two pies in the oven, one with a full shortcrust top and base, the other with a shortcrust base and puff pastry top.
This is how new recipes come about, right? Trial and error!
Have you improvised like this so you're not wasting food? I also did it with a raisin cookie slice recipe that wanted me to use dark sugar, I used light instead and it's fab!1 person likes this
14 responses
@BarBaraPrz (51838)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4 Oct 11
I made a nice pot of something or other yesterday... I had intended to make barley soup but added lentils, then a can of "bean medley" and it thickened up closer to stew. Whatever it was, it was quite yummy. Maybe it was the green tomatoes that gave it the zing.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
I never knew there were green tomatoes, are they native to your country or can you buy them anywhere?
It's great that your improvised recipe turned out well.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51838)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
4 Oct 11
Ho hum... er...
Green tomatoes are unripe tomatoes...
Native to anywhere that grows tomatoes.
Native to anywhere that grows tomatoes.@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
7 Oct 11
I didn't know you could use green tomatoes. You must do stuff differently over there.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
4 Oct 11
Hi Janey,
did you know that you save a lot of money if you make your own pie crusts instead of buying them already made? I wouldn´t start by the richer ones (yummier and less healthy), but it´s very easy to make the normal pie crust with flour, iced water and a bit of shortening (check a recipe at the web). You put it all together in the fridge for a while and I roll it with a clean bottle (no need to buy a dough roller).
I improvise all the time because I love to eat nice food, but I have been on a budget for years. Now I have a sort of contest with myself to see how can I eat better and spend less.
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
5 Oct 11
The ready made stuff is easier anyway, but when we are short of money, we start to use our imagination. That´s how I started grinding my own meat and before grinding it I take out all I don´t want to be in my ground meat. That means awesome, lean hamburgers or meat for sauces and pies. The rest I let it boil with herbs, onion, leeks and whatever happens to be at hand. That makes wonderful nutritious soups. The boiled meat becomes very tender and I make sandwichs with it, adding shredded lettuce and mayo. No waste and I buy cheap cut of meat
, but when we are short of money, we start to use our imagination. That´s how I started grinding my own meat and before grinding it I take out all I don´t want to be in my ground meat. That means awesome, lean hamburgers or meat for sauces and pies. The rest I let it boil with herbs, onion, leeks and whatever happens to be at hand. That makes wonderful nutritious soups. The boiled meat becomes very tender and I make sandwichs with it, adding shredded lettuce and mayo. No waste and I buy cheap cut of meat@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
Hello! I have made my own shortcrust pastry but, to be honest, the ready-made stuff we buy now is actually better than mine, although (I suppose) if I kept making it, the better I would become. Puff pastry is a no-no though lol.
A few weeks ago John bought me a rolling-pin (dough roller) and it's a wooden beech version for under £2. I couldn't believe my luck and it's a good one too.
A few weeks ago John bought me a rolling-pin (dough roller) and it's a wooden beech version for under £2. I couldn't believe my luck and it's a good one too.
@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
4 Oct 11
As we get used to cooking a dish, we tend to think of putting a twist in it , so it could have a new taste. This could be done through trials. So, when i do a trial on a new twist of a recipe, i only cook an amount that could be consumed in one eating.
That way, if it didn't turn out good, we will not be thinking of so much waste. But then, if it din't turn out good, the dogs can appreciate them.
what you did was just the right thing, to improvise on some existing recipes.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
My husband is the "dog" in this household. If I can't eat something he will..gladly!
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
7 Oct 11
I know from years ago, my mother and my grandmother used to do lots of baking on the holidays, and there was always a time when they either didn't have enough or forgot something. My grandmother was a master at improvising. And everything always came out great. From what you described, they both sound very tasty.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
7 Oct 11
Well, the shortcrust one is now in the freezer for another time BUT we've already eaten the shortcrust/puff combo and it WAS tasty, you're right!
@changjiangzhibin89 (17244)
• China
4 Oct 11
What fun it is!You didn't have enough shortcrust pastry , it occured to you that you had puff pastry ,then served it as stopgap.It turned out to be more successful than was expected.I think this is just how the new recipes come out .It also goes for other things.we might as well say it is actually a problem that involves inheritance and innovation.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
I suppose the best chefs are doing this all the time..adding some things and taking others away from original recipes. However, I am a lover of keeping things simple. For example, I don't bother adding herbs to the recipe of steak pie as I don't think it's necessary. The meat speaks for itself so I only need basic seasonings, such as salt, pepper and my trusty onion granules!
Haha!
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17244)
• China
5 Oct 11
I don't like hodgepodge either.However, I usually add Chinese chestnut or radish to pork braised in brown sauce.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
3 Oct 11
I hardly ever follow a recipe all the way. I improvise all the time! I made a beef pot pie yesterday and had to start from scratch, cooking carrots, then peas and green beans and corn. I then had to make brown gravy and make the pastry - which, by the way, isn't hard to do if you just jump in and do it.
Anyway... yeah, I improvise a lot. Things like meatloaf never comes out the same way twice in a row.
@GardenGerty (169585)
• United States
3 Oct 11
I do things like that. One reason is that I absolutely hate to waste food, the other is just if something is short, or the third is I just want to try and see how something turns out. It really frees you up in your cooking as your get more experienced at it.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
3 Oct 11
We ate some of the puff pastry/shortcrust pastry pie and it was awesome, so I guess my improvising worked!
Whoopee!
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
4 Oct 11
Yep. I have done this many times too, especially, if I do not have one of the ingredients it calls for.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
It's fun experimenting too although I don't make a habit of it, such is the price of food these days.
@anklesmash (1412)
•
5 Oct 11
I tend just to use a recipe as a guide and add extra ingredients or leave ingredients out.I have never been ambitious enough to try and make a pie i have heard they are very difficult to make and that there is always a risk of a soggy bottom.I think i could make a pie with pre made pastry though.I have started cooking every wednesday i may try doing a pie next wednesday today i am doing honey and spiced pork its in the oven as i am typing this and it smells delicious.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
5 Oct 11
Honey and spiced pork..wow, can I have some?
Well, there is always a risk of soggy bottoms in pies lol. However, the shop-bought pastry is always the same whenever I roll it out and I've never had any problems in this area. It's consistent, so I'm not wasting time making my own and not being happy with it. I have made my own, though, and it was fine but it's still very satisfying rolling out something that's been made for you and is very good into the bargain.
Jus-Rol is a very good brand here..well respected, so if you can find their pastry anywhere, do yourself a favour and buy some, you won't regret it.
Well, there is always a risk of soggy bottoms in pies lol. However, the shop-bought pastry is always the same whenever I roll it out and I've never had any problems in this area. It's consistent, so I'm not wasting time making my own and not being happy with it. I have made my own, though, and it was fine but it's still very satisfying rolling out something that's been made for you and is very good into the bargain.
Jus-Rol is a very good brand here..well respected, so if you can find their pastry anywhere, do yourself a favour and buy some, you won't regret it.
@sulsisels (1685)
• United States
4 Oct 11
Hi there Janey..It's been awhile, again..I am definitely home for a few months now so I hope to spend a lot more time here..Anyway..Good Girl Janey...I'm proud of you. Improvision is key when you are a chef or a home cook. Recipes are good for reference but I always stress to "make it yours" Its fun to be creative when cooking and some of my best dishes came from a previous mistake. I love puff pastry and use it quite often. If you would like some recipes to try using fillo and or puff pastry I'd be happy to give you some. Puff Pastry gives an average dish a little class and your friends and family will think "Wow,how fancy! Let me know how your pies turned out..and keep cooking..
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
Hello! My puff/shortcrust pastry pie tasted marvellous and we're about to eat the second half of it later. Obviously, the decent meat INSIDE the pie makes it really but at least the thing didn't fall apart!
@allknowing (153529)
• India
4 Oct 11
As long as the ingredients are good and are compatible there is no reason why one should not experiment. Most recipes that we follow I am sure must have been created the same way as you have with your pies. Have you tried mixing jam straight into the pancake dough instead of putting in on pancakes later!
@allknowing (153529)
• India
4 Oct 11
I had a lazy sister who had short cuts to feed her kids.This was her recipe. They were brought up this way but today both are Engineers in the computer world.
@hardworkinggurl (37062)
• United States
4 Oct 11
I have been improvising quite a bit lately and find it not only to be quick meals but also that I can save from having to shop on the spare of the moment. I have been very creative a lot lately and find it to be not only very tasty but very proud that I feel I have come up with something new.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 Oct 11
Good for you! Many people on here inspire me to try different things, it's such a great community for that isn't it?
I've been on the Lyle site (they make Golden Syrup and Black Treacle) and there are some awesome recipes on there. Because I've got both tins of these ingredients I wanted to find something where I could use them..and I have. It's a gingerbread cake and I've been looking for one that has the above ingredients in it for quite some time.
I'll try it tomorrow..or later today as it's 1.26am!
I've been on the Lyle site (they make Golden Syrup and Black Treacle) and there are some awesome recipes on there. Because I've got both tins of these ingredients I wanted to find something where I could use them..and I have. It's a gingerbread cake and I've been looking for one that has the above ingredients in it for quite some time.
I'll try it tomorrow..or later today as it's 1.26am!
@rmendoza123 (637)
• Philippines
4 Oct 11
I don't usually cook. And when I cook it is just based on instincts, what should go first (the hardest, right?) and last (the softest). I enjoy the recipes of my sisters and my mother, they are a good cook.
