Before you start cooking, read the recipe all the way through, including the Pro Tips and Options. You don’t want to miss anything important, like substitutions you could use if you don’t have a particular ingredient or flavor variations that you might prefer. You’ll notice that some recipe components appear as stand-alone recipes. This is one of the key teachings in this book: If you break the work of cooking into small, manageable chunks, a complex dish doesn’t seem like such a chore. It also gets you in the habit of keeping some flavor bombs in your fridge and pantry. And that makes cooking on the fly so much faster and easier!
Salt: We call for sea salt in most recipes. It’s usually medium-fine in texture, but we also use fine sea salt for baking and flaky sea salt for crusting and sprinkling here and there. Look for sea salt that’s roughly equivalent in size to Diamond Crystal kosher salt. That means every teaspoon of salt should weigh about 3 grams.
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Sugar: For granulated sugar, we like vegan organic cane sugar because it’s not filtered through charred animal bones like white sugar. The same goes for turbinado (raw), demerara, muscovado, and coconut sugars, which we use instead of plain ol’ brown sugar.
Oil: We use mild-tasting oil for most sautéing, roasting, dressings, etc. Everyday olive oil, vegetable oil, and grapeseed oil are favorites. Occasionally, we use specialty oil for flavor—mostly that means good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil, or another nut or seed oil.
Measurements: We sometimes list ½ tablespoon in our recipes. No, sets of measuring spoons don’t normally include a ½-tablespoon measure. Just fill the 1 tablespoon measure halfway. If you want to be more precise, ½ tablespoon = 1½ teaspoons.
Vegetables: We call for whole vegetables whenever possible to make shopping easier. Sometimes we call for large or small vegetables, such as onions. If the size is not specified, use a medium one.
Remember: A recipe is like a road map. It’s useful, but to get where you’re going, you still have to drive the car. That means you’re still the one doing the cooking. That’s what makes it exciting. You’re in control! You can make whatever you want! Just keep in mind that ingredients change, ovens have hot spots, and your pan may be thick or thin or conduct heat quickly or slowly. Pay attention while you’re cooking. The recipe isn’t gospel. It’s a guide. Smell the food, taste it, and take the wheel. You’re in the driver’s seat. Look at the food not at the clock. The food will tell you when it’s browned enough or ready to eat.