Don't Overcomplicate It
last week—
I read an article about how to make your arguments stronger. I have always had strong opinions (and a lot of them), and I become impassioned when making a point. After reading this article, I realised I had fallen short because I was falling into the trap that psychology researcher Niro Sivanathan says we should try and avoid: I was overcomplicating things. (This is something I’ve been known to do in most aspects of my life, admittedly).
The premise of Sivanathan’s argument (meta) is that when we’re trying to make a point, “to overwhelm your opponent with sheer quantity, [and] barrage them with every scrap of evidence you could think up,” is in effect: point-less.
In other words, simplicity is stronger.
While this is something I’ll try and take into my arguments about racism, transphobia, misogyny and why Insecure is the dopest show out there (true story), I’ve realised over the years that this also applies to cooking.
I am not a measured cook. If you’ve read my newsletter before, you’ll have noticed that I struggle to offer exact measurements (preferring you to think about Connell’s chain as a way of timing your olive oil pour), and my recipes are somewhat scrappy. When I’m in the kitchen, even when I remember my mise en place, I always end up with twenty different bottles, jars, oils, pastes, seasonings and rogue ingredients that I hadn’t intended on using. Like a lot of people who are obsessed with cooking, creativity meets meticulous, scientific detail as I add chilli oil here and anchovies there in order to correct and perfect a dish.
This definitely has its place. Adding to a dish and making it your own in an essential part of developing your style. But often I become overwhelmed. When I don’t know what I want out of a dish, I panic. I start frantically adding huge pinches of sea salt, grating lemon zest like a madwoman and reaching for any spice that might ‘transform’ the half-formed dish in front of me into a delicate, delicious meal.
I grew up with a mother who never used a recipe book and constantly throws caution to the wind with measurements (but always gets it right, apart from that one time she over salted a pineapple – which we won’t let her forget, sorry Kie-Jo!). I’ve inherited this, but often I forget about the joy of simplicity. When you decide what to cook, loosely form the recipe in your head before starting and then begin prepping the vegetables well in advance – and when it actually comes to cooking, not being tempted to add your whole spice box.
It’s not in my nature to not overcomplicate things (oh hi, past relationships). But recently – especially in this heat – I’ve found that cooking with less ingredients (yet still with wild abandon), might also be a more delicious choice.
Here’s to simplicity and keeping a cool head while cooking (still trying).
Cat x
raw and roasted salad.
With the London heatwave, I’ve been less inclined to stand over hot pans of water, mainly because my body temperature seems to be about five degrees higher than most people.
But what I have returned to is the joy of raw vegetables and tangy dressings. I’ve also unearthed a love/hate relationship with fennel.
You’ll need one fennel bulb, thinly sliced with the fronds set aside; one large beetroot, cut in half (or two medium left whole), and another small beetroot, thinly sliced (ideally with a mandolin). Also a large shallot, halved and sliced lengthways. Oh and half a lemon, halved again and super thinly sliced (again, a mandolin works well here). Don’t forget the creamy mozzarella.
Pop the beets in a baking dish, add about ½ inch of water, add a little olive oil and then cover with foil. Roast in an oven at 190º for about 90 minutes, or until you can stick a knife in easily. Let them cool, then peel the skins off, cut into quarters.
In a separate dish, roast most of the fennel and shallot and lemon slices (about ¾) with a generous glug of olive oil, salt, pepper and crushed chilli flakes for about 30 minutes in a 190º oven.
Make a super simple dressing of lemon juice (the juice of the other half of the lemon), extra virgin olive oil (3-4 tablespoons), apple cider or white wine vinegar (1-2 tsp), honey (1 tbsp) and some salt and pepper.
Mix the roasted and raw ingredients in a bowl and add the dressing. Place on a large plate or serving dish, then add torn pieces of mozzarella (or burrata works well here too) on top. Grate a little lemon zest, add a twist of black pepper and maybe a few torn basil and oregano leaves to finish. .
food stories.
– Cookbook authors Priya Krishna and Yewande Komolafe discuss when recipe writing got so whitewashed for Bon Appétit
– Fanny Singer's litmus test for a good restaurant is a simple green salad – via Saveur Magazine.
– The Cut's Matthew Schneier asks the question I've been thinking about all lockdown – why did we get so obsessed with making sourdough?
a few leftovers.
– Anja Dunk's breakfasts are simplicity personified: toast, butter, anchovies.
– Literally all I want is Liam Barker's Trini dhal and Persian rice right now.
– Nothing more simple than a plate of peas (and a dollop of creme fraiche)
– Cool, so ramen and spam frittata anyone? Could be into it.
– I have discovered The Pasta Queen and I'm obsessed with her videos.
– Botanica's green bean and turmeric pickled shallots salad is my version of hot girl summer.
– Not forgetting this no recipe fig, blue cheese and walnut bowl of goodness anytime soon.
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