Daring Cooks is supposed to be all about learning. And I have to say, I did learn something important with this month’s challenge: I am lazy.
The dish proposed by Olga (Olga’s Recipes) was José Andres‘ Rice with Mushrooms, Cuttlefish, and Artichokes, accompanied by allioli (kind of like a garlic mayonnaise). And a very lovely and wonderfully tasty dish it was, its shortcomings fully accounted for by my own indolence:
- I did not perform an exhaustive search for cuttlefish. After calling three fish markets and finding none of them to have it, I went to Whole Foods and bought frozen squid. It was not bad but I would still like to know what cuttlefish tastes like.
- I used canned artichokes, even though this is very much artichoke country. Canned artichokes do not compare with fresh at all. Shame on me.
- I made the Modern Allioli (blender, less garlic, with egg) rather than the Traditional (mortar and pestle, more garlic, no egg) even though this is very much garlic country and I actually do own a mortar and pestle and I do worry about raw egg. It was good, though, and I suppose if the egg were going to make me sick, it would have by now.
- I had to cut down on the water because I knew the rice wouldn’t all fit in the pan with all the water. However, I was too lazy to then recalculate the rice amount, so I just threw it all in. Consequently, this did not end up being what you would call a moist and creamy rice dish.
Still pretty and, I’m sure, yummy!
At least you made it. I didn’t even get a chance.}:/
Lol! I’m right there with you! Too hot to go to all that trouble. You know what, though? It looks pretty darn delicious! Kudos!
Another lazy cook here. Here is what passes for principles at my house:
I do not bake things that require more than two bowls, or that require me to clean the beaters on my hand mixer during the assembly process, or that involve the making of frosting.
I do not cook things that involve more than three pieces of cookware – so a recipe than requires a casserole, a mixing bowl, and a skillet is at the outer limits.
But within those restrictions I can make some pretty tasty food!
We’re all lazy cooks! Although my own personal kind of culinary laziness is to make it once the hard way, and forever after be looking for shortcuts. However, Susan, you did right by avoiding the use of cuttlefish, a simply amazing member of nature’s shrinking family – and endangered at that. It doesn’t deserve to be sought as a food for man. Sort of like using true dolphin, baby whales, or penguins for food! We’re proud of you for not doing so.
I am a lazy cook, too. Sometimes I spend a lot of time figuring out how I can do the same with less effort. And I put everything in the dish washer. Even if it is written in the manual that you better wash it by hand.
Ah, this is what I like to hear! Although, I think I’m probably laziest of all. (I try to manipulate my husband into doing virtually all the cooking.) But I’m absolutely reeling that you used canned artichokes rather than fresh. This spring, we discovered the wonders of steaming 4 or 5 baby artichokes, eating the outer leaves’ flesh dipped into blue-cheese dressing or vinaigrette (and on one occasion Hollandaise sauce) and then cutting the hearts into quarters to use on pizza or in pasta the next day. The only problem we had was stopping ourselves from eating the hearts right there…
I actually find that it is easier to deal with fresh artichokes than canned! The fresh hearts are firmer and we know what kind of oil has been used.
This rice dish does sound good though. I’ll take a look at the fish market for squid (my guess is that cuttlefish will be too expensive for our tastes) AND we’ll probably get frozen squid – better because of living inland.
(I didn’t know that aioli didn’t include an egg!)
I am lazy too, in fact my frozen squid is still in the freezer…
Looks good though!
Still looks delicous! I was lazy/fussy and used chicken in mine!
Ah, but lazy or not you did the recipe! With more water it might have been softer rice.
Well you are very honest and to be honest i’m lazy somewhat too. It still looks great to me and I bet it was tasty too boot. Love all the other honest comments also. Do try fresh artichokes at least once they are worth it. Cheers from audax in australia
I just giggled when I read that – I love how precise you are with baking, and then you go and throw things together willy nilly while cooking 🙂 Totally my style as well, it drives my boyfriend nuts!
it is all about learning, right?!
I guess I am the opposite – we made the recipe using all the fresh ingredients (except cuttlefish, asI can’t eat seafood). but when I bake, even though I DO weigh my ingredients, i still really tend to go for ‘close enough’…
Hah! You’re not lazy 🙂 Sometimes between all these challenges you have to cut corners a little 😀 Nice job though!
Still looks delicious to me.