Slow Recovery Toward Food Greatness

Phew, my cooking skills have not abandoned me. Dinner tonight turned out reasonably well considering the dearth of supplies in my fridge.


So yes, we embark on yet another "What Can Pei Cook With What's in Her Fridge?" adventure.

• olive oil
• 1 large carrot, diced (or three tiny ones like I had)
• 2 leeks, white parts only, sliced
• about a handful of onion leftover from something else, chopped
• 1 can tuna, drained
• cooked egg noodles (or whateve ryou like)
• salt
• pepper

Sautee all the vegetables together until cooked through and brown around the edges. Add the tuna and stir until heated through. Add cooked pasta, a sprinkle of salt, and tons of pepper. Voila! Exactly the kind of quick, comforting food I need to coax me out of my cooking slump.

Lesson? Always keep dried pasta and a few canned goods in the cabinet. They almost always taste good mixed together.

And that beauty to the right? My new Global chef's knife, friend to the pros. This is one of the most beautiful things in my kitchen, rivaled only by my stand mixer and Le Creuset dutch oven. Slowly but surely, I'm building a kitchen collection that will be the envy of all home cooks (tenting fingers and laughing maniacally). For a review of top of the line chef's knives, click here.

How do I like it? I love it. Paper thin slices of carrots are now no big deal whatsoever, and chopping an onion is less painful because fewer onion cells are destroyed by cutting (meaning less crying). Global is Japanese made of harder steel than typical German knives, so it should also keep its edge better during cooking. Meat, frozen or fresh, is also easy to cut into pieces with the Global. Overall, a great investment in that it saves time and cut prettier food.

Finally, a shoutout to reader Aaron for his comment to the last post, because it sure gave me a sorely needed laugh. It's nice to know I'm not alone. I'll remember to be careful with the French press tomorrow.