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Cooking burnoutis real.
Like folks who have had to cook most—if not all—of their meals since the beginning of the pandemic, I have tired of cooking. I cherish quiet moments in the kitchen preparing food for the people I love, but right now, not even the cutest, tiniest honeynut squash from the farmers market could make me feel enthusiastic about planning and cooking yet another meal. I’ve long given up oncooking projects, and nowadays, I look for recipes that don’t feel like a chore—which is why I’m so enamored with Michelle McKenzie’s new book,The Modern Larder.
McKenzie wants you to use what’s already on your shelf as a way to make simple meals special.The Modern Larderillustrates how outfitting your pantry well is the key to minimal-effort cooking that delivers big flavor. “I prefer to plan ahead so that the ‘labor’ doesn’t seem so laborious,” she writes. The key, she says, is taking on small tasks when you do have time—prepping compound butters, quick pickles, and other flavor-boosting garnishes, for example—so that when youdon’t,mealtimes feel like a breeze. “Having some of these homemade goods on hand,” she declares, “is like having a quiver of wizards’ wands, each enabling breezy, beautiful weeknight meals with a shake, stir, or squeeze.”
For McKenzie, a single ingredient can make a world of difference. Sometimes a meal might just need a little oomph, something you can get from a pantry staple or garnish. Some of these staples—including whipped labneh, fried pine nuts, and miso-maple walnuts—are satisfying enough to stand on their own as snacks. The miso-maple walnuts, in particular, have rescued me from falling into the deep, dark, and miserable depths of a hangry pit, time and time again.
Like many of McKenzie’s recipes, the miso-maple walnuts are exceedingly simple to make and require minimal prep. They’re something I constantly reach for when I want to graze on something that’s more satisfying and filling than a bag of chips or a bowl of popcorn—having a jar of these on my shelf means that a salty-sweet and crunchy snack is always within arm’s reach.
They’re also a fast-track to adding flavor and texture to the simple meals I make on weeknights. Dressed in nutty ghee, earthywhite miso枫糖浆的,这些核桃居st the right balance of savory and sweet with deep, warm notes of butterscotch. They complement the tart vinegars in salad dressings and add a pleasing crunch to dishes with softer textures, such as mashed sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash. You could serve them with cocktails, or even give them as gifts to loved ones this holiday season. (After all, who doesn’t love anedible gift?)
To make these nuts, all you have to do is combine the miso,ghee, maple syrup, and salt in a bowl, then toss the nuts in that mixture until they’re thoroughly coated. Toast the coated nuts in the oven for 10 minutes or so, and you’ll be met with the caramelized, glistening walnuts and their warm buttery aroma. You may be tempted, like I was, to start snacking on those walnuts immediately after removing them from the oven, at the risk of burning your mouth.
I recommend waiting for them to cool completely before you dive in. Burnout I can handle. A burnt mouth? No thank you.
