DIY Kitchen: Make it, Don’t Buy It

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 | by Pat's Picks

The New York Times brings the DIY philosophy into the kitchen this morning.  This seems like too much work to me, but if you’re so inclined, the paper has an interesting collection of home recipes enabling you to recreate your favorite store bought goodies, from Nutella to creme fraiche to mustard, in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Inspired by a desire to cut out the tedious advice served up in most craft food books, the Times puts together an impressive list that they promise do not require “special equipment, a shed or a backyard.” Be sure to click through above to see the full list. I’m particularly intrigued by the idea of making my own maple vinegar, which the Times says rivals store-bought Balsamic.

And in a slice from the same pie, the St. Petersburg Times has 25 suggestions for sauces you can whip up in the amount of time it takes to boil pasta water. While food editor Janet Keeler concedes, it’s still easier to just open a can of sauce, she contends that the reward of these sauces outweigh the five or so extra minutes you’ll spend preparing them. Below are two I thought sounded good:

GARLIC AND LEMON WITH ARUGULA

Heat 1/2 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet. Add 1 tablespoon each minced garlic and grated lemon peel and 1/4 cup each lemon juice and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Add hot, drained pasta to skillet along with 1 cup baby arugula and handful of chopped parsley. Garnish with grated Parmesan.

Pasta: ziti

FRESH HERBS WITH BREAD CRUMBS

Melt 1 stick butter in large skillet. Add 2 cups fresh bread crumbs and toss. Transfer to a foil or parchment-lined baking pan and brown until golden in 350-degree oven. Combine with 1 cup chopped herbs such as basil, parsley, dill and oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Drain hot pasta and toss with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon pepper. Scatter herbed crumbs over the top.

Pasta: shells or elbows

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