Now that technique has been learned, the next part of Tom
Colicchio’s book, “Think Like A Chef” is called “Studies.”
The idea that Colicchio tries to get across in this chapter
is that a very small idea can ultimately create a much larger, complex
idea. The example he uses is
tomatoes. First he could roast
them. Then he could toss them with some
pasta and fresh herbs. On the other
hand, if he chops them, then he could use them as ravioli filling.
If he purees the tomatoes, he could eventually build vinaigrette
and use it for a dressing on salad and seared tuna. Or he could use the tomatoes to cover sea
bass, wrap it in caul fat and roast it. And so on, and so on, and so on.
Colicchio also points out that he usually starts this
process with vegetables. They are the
initial building block he uses to create a dish, rather than a protein.
The most important paragraph in the chapter starts with this
sentence: “To truly understand how a chef thinks, it’s important to grasp this
concept: I am always thinking outward, from one idea to many.” In other words, he doesn’t start off by
thinking about a finished dish such as filet mignon with grilled
asparagus. He thinks instead, “I’ve got
really nice asparagus, that might go well with the filet mignon I have.”
There are three studies in this chapter, each one starting
with a basic ingredient. The first is
roasted tomatoes.
My plan: I finally have a week or two to re-start my
cooking. If all goes well, I should be
able to roast tomatoes on Saturday, and then make Colicchio’s Roasted Tomato,
Zucchini, and Eggplant Lasagna on Sunday. I am
excited about that dish in particular, because I need to change it a bit in
order to make it gluten free.
