Like all cookbooks, this one is personal, which means at its heart it is a reflection of me. So it will help you to know that I’m a thoughtful but essentially lazy cook. Therefore:
- I don’t use two ingredients where one will do.
- I don’t mind spending a long time cooking a single dish as long as I don’t have to pay much attention to what’s going on (which is why I love baking bread and braising).
- I’ll rarely use an ingredient not sold at my local supermarket. (The most time-consuming part of my style of cooking is often shopping, and I don’t want it to take longer than it has to.)
- I think one great dish—one prepared thoughtfully and with love—is the basis of a great meal. When people ask me for serving suggestions, my most common answers are “bread and salad” and “rice and a steamed vegetable.” You can go beyond this, of course, but that’s your choice. (I also find that many serving suggestions are overly specific; I want to expand your possibilities, not limit them.)