A Chef's Gift. . .
Improvisation for a chef is an undeniably important skill to have. I can't say whether it's a skill that is learned, taught or simply inherent in a chef's mentality, but there is no doubt that it is a skill of utmost importance and necessity.
When I was cooking in Central America, improvisation was crucial to a successful service. My place was at the end of a long, bumpy, dirt road and typically the LAST delivery on the list. So, on any given day, the deliveries might show up early, late, right in the middle of dinner service or not at all. Granted, I had the unique advantage of changing my menu daily, which often gave some leeway concerning ingredient usage, however there were times, like on one Tuesday while waiting for our dry goods delivery, Nils and I faced a challenge. We had shrimp and we had garbanzo beans. And not much else. The rest of our meager supplies had already been used up to create the other 9/10ths of the menu. What to do?
This mini-crisis led to the creation of one of the greatest recipes we ever came up with and which is still on the menu at the restaurant. We created a simple appetizer called Hot Garlic Shrimp with Hummus. Served with crusty French bread, the buttery goodness of the shrimp with white wine, red pepper flakes and garlic blended well with the creamy, lemony hummus. A perennial all-star. I wish there were copyright laws because I'd sue the shit out of my criminal business partners who continue to use our recipe. Oh well.
For today's Sunday recipe I intended on cooking the oft misunderstood and ill-prepared shrimp gumbo. Until I took a look at the flour. I bought a bag of flour two weeks ago, used it once, put the rest in a gallon Ziploc and haven't touched it since. Today, there are a gazillion little worms happily wiggling their way throughout the flour and a few tiny moths as well. Yes, gross.
Without flour, we cannot make roux and without roux, we cannot make gumbo. NO ROUX FOR YOU!!! Another day I suppose.
I am in a dilemma, a pickle. I really wanted to make soup today and I think I still might, but I had my mind set so dearly on gumbo that my creative vision is clouded.
I just glanced out the window at the spring garden and I see some Swiss chard and leeks leftover from the winter patch. Hmmmm. . .shrimp and chard soup? Maybe.
With a little tomato product and curry powder? Hmmmm. . .
Maybe some allspice and cumin for some depth and complexity?
Possibly. . .
