Cooking for one (person) ideas?
So I'm moving out of NYC after 7 years (tear) to Paris (ok, maybe no tear, but still) for a few years and for the first time, I'm going to be living completely by myself (no parents, no roommates, no living with the bf) and will be cooking for one.
I've always had issues judging how much one portion is when I cook and end up with a ton of food. I'm going to be working a lot (12h+ including most weekends). I eat pretty much everything. I'd also prefer not to make a large batch of something and eat it for days (i.e., chili / curry, both of which I love), but rather make something and reinvent the leftovers (roast chicken into chicken salad the next day, for example). Any advice / suggestions / recipes serious eaters?
Merci :)
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10 Comments:
When I was living on my own, I discovered that the freezer is the awesomest friend you will have in the kitchen. I would make a big meal or pot of stre and freeze portions for quick lunches or dinners. I would freeze loaves of sliced bread or english muffins and just defrost what I needed for the week.
gingercookiewithlime at 7:52PM on 10/21/09
korokov! are you carrie bradshaw? (sex and the city) sounds like a great opportunity.... i'm sure in paris there will be no shortage of delicious
options .... i'd be picking up a baguette with some great cheeses or pate on my way home from work..... and savory tarts of some sort. i always like doing a great salad/soup for dinner or a really good grilled cheese ... with soup. or like you said a roasted chicken can be turned into so many things....
good luck, that's a big move.... i hope you make lots of friends and find lots of memories, just like the ones you found in nyc!
pooch at 8:40PM on 10/21/09
I cook for one most of the time, I eat what I want whenever I want, and I don't have to compromise for anyone. Enjoy you're situation and make the most of it.
dmcavanagh at 6:01AM on 10/22/09
Don't worry about making too much. Plan to turn leftovers into soups or quesadillas/sandwiches or stirfries.
I'm assuming you'll be able to buy fresh when you want to, with what will be great markets near you. But have 2 or 3 emergency meals in the freezer or fridge or pantry for those days you're too exhausted to fix something when you get home.
Keep slices of bacon in the freezer wrapped in pairs, and you'll be able to fix bacon and eggs with some sort of bread for a quick meal.
When you're not planning on pleasing other people with your cooking you'll quickly learn how much to make for yourself.
lemonfair at 6:30AM on 10/22/09
I was just in Paris a few weeks ago. I loved it! Definitely keep eggs in the fridge. A great dinner is a simple omlette with a salad of fresh greens and a baguette. Europeans tend to go to the market daily for fresh produce. Salads make great dinners, just add yummy ingredients like hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken or fish, fresh beans/cheese, roasted peppers, artichokes... Buy what you think you'll eat. Since you will probably be shopping at a butcher (not many superstores in Paris) you can order a single portion fresh cut ie 6oz filet or at the fish monger 10 shrimp. I personally love leftovers for lunch or repeat meals. Enjoy!
KtMc24 at 11:10AM on 10/22/09
I learned to cook when I stayed at college the summer after my junior year. It was the first time I had to rely on my own ingenuity to eat every day. No cafeteria, no Mom, just me. I had roommates but we were all on different schedules. I was working and taking classes but had a lot of down time so I bought myself a cookbook, Cookery for 1 or 2 by Barbara Swain. I can by no means recommend this book as it's a bit dated, but it has nothing but 5 star reviews on Amazon. For a single guy who wanted to learn to cook for himself, Swain's book is a sentimental favorite of mine that I can't bring myself to part with. It was my first exposure to steak Diane, eggs benedict, potatoes Anna (which I might make this weekend now that I'm remembering it!), bearnaise sauce (I'll never forget trying to make this sauce without it breaking), etc. I learned a variety of dishes and didn't fall into the trap of making something huge (lasagne, chili, etc.) and eating it for a week.
More contemporary, Judith Jones has a recent book, The Pleasures of Cooking for One, that was featured in O and the Washington Post. Jones simply believes that even you're dining alone, you should make the most of the moment. I've no doubt the French already know this! I haven't seen this book yet myself, but given Jones' pedigree, I'm sure it's worth checking out.
Otabenga at 12:38PM on 10/22/09
Paris is a great place to cook for one! There are farmer's markets year round and most days, so you should be able to buy small quantities of fresher ingredients as you go, as opposed to being stuck with a large package of something that's not fresh, as often is the case here.
yayfood at 3:21PM on 10/22/09
Cooking for one can be a pain! I gained and gained in college my first year in my own kitchen -- not really understanding how to portion well.
Sounds like in France you'll be able to do daily market trips -- which is really the best way to eat for one and to do it with fresh produce. The best tip I can offer is don't keep a lot in your house! Buy what you need. Eat it. Buy more when its gone.
Also invest a little time in prep -- if you make chicken stock, don't just freeze it in giant portions, freeze it in small individual portions for a small soup, etc.
I used to make two or three chicken breasts, baked in a little water or broth, and use them throughout the week: top off a salad, sliced for a sandwich, stewed with tomatoes and tossed with pasta, stir fried, etc.
Good luck!
ec_washington at 5:12PM on 10/22/09
If you haven't already, be sure to read "Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant." It is a collection of short essays all about cooking and dining alone--and includes recipes for one! =)
gourmetmackie at 10:19PM on 10/22/09
The cool thing about Paris is that it's not designed for the typically American way of going grocery shopping once every week or two, but then, neither is NYC. Schlepping more than three or four grocery bags is an ordeal.
Will you have an oven, or just a cooktop?
betteirene at 2:25AM on 10/24/09