I'm not sure if I like cooking or the idea of cooking. I'm going to say I fall somewhere in between.
I have an obsession with food. I spend hours watching food-related shows (barefoot contessa, giada at home, and my new favorite, the little paris kitchen), reading food blogs (first we feast, bon appetit, foodjimoto, etc.) and bookmarking future places to eat (anchovies & olives, state bird provisions, neptune oyster, etc.). plain and simple, I love food and eating.
but like I said, I don't know how I feel about cooking. I'm such a contradiction. the times when I cook an extensive meal, I get burned out quickly. I end up not enjoying the meal and feel that the time wasted could have been spent elsewhere. so I've learned to leave the cooking to everyone else (aka chefs and friends/family) unless it's simple and easy. and what's simpler than split pea soup and some easy shrimp dish!
Parker's Split Pea Soup
Barefoot Contessa
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced red potatoes (skin on)
1 lb dried split green peas
8 cups chicken stock
In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Simplest and Best Shrimp Dish
Mark Bittman
several tbsp olive oil
3 cloves slivered garlic
almost a lb of shrimp, peeled & deveined
salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground paprika
Warm the olive oil in a large, broad ovenproof skillet or heatproof baking pan over low heat. There should be enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan; don’t skimp. Add the garlic and cook until it turns golden, a few minutes.
Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp, some salt and pepper, the cumin, and the paprika. Stir to blend and continue to cook, shaking the pan once or twice and turning the shrimp once or twice, until they are pink all over and the mixture is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish and serve immediately.
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