Cooking With or Without Water?

      

Photo by Brooklyn D Photography

            How many recipes have you seen that list water as an ingredient? A pasta sauce recipe, for example, may say to add a cup of water. How much flavour does water have? Nothing. I am always preaching to be innovative while cooking and add ingredients other than water such as wine, broth, beer, juice, etc because they have more flavour. Although most can, some recipes cannot adapt to this type of modification. It will usually depend on the amount of seasonings/flavour already in the dish.

            The first thing to examine is the amount of water the recipe suggests. If the amount is of minuscule proportion, then typically replacing the water shouldn’t be a concern. The choice of distinctive liquid would accent the existing flavours without risk of overpowering of the dish.

            If the recipe states a large quantity of water, then one must examine what the other ingredients are and how much flavour they will impart on their own. This is not as complicated as it may sound. The most effective way to determine if a recipe can accept any variation is to make it the way it is written first and then listen to your taste buds. Could it use more flavour? If so, what would compliment it and how pungent/mellow can the liquid be? Maybe just replacing a portion of the water would be the solution or leaving the recipe in its original state is just fine. Make notes in your cookbooks for future reference.

            Rice cooked in chicken stock, for example, has more flavour than if it was cooked in only water. I know that may seem quite obvious, so let me give you some ideas with the following liquids:

            Red Wine or Dark Beer are great additions to red meat and tomato dishes, such as pasta sauce, gravies, chili, stir-fry’s, soups, stews, etc. A general ‘rule of thumb’ is the stronger the flavours in a certain dish, then the more robust wine/beer it can handle as an ingredient.

            White Wine is better suited to cream sauces, poultry gravies, lighter soups, and seafood.

            Broth, Stock, or Vegetable Juices can be paired up with certain dishes, based on the flavours you want to impart, albeit chicken, beef or vegetable. Broth/stock is an option for almost any savoury dish.

            Fruit Juices can also be used in savoury dishes (savoury is the opposite of sweet). A delicious example would be an orange ginger stir-fry made from orange juice.            These are only suggestions as there are countless options and combinations to try. Keep tasting and taking notes. Your cookbooks may turn our looking like high-school textbooks, but for the sake of better eating – it is worth it.

            Until next time... Happy Cooking!