Cooking is a complete sensory activity. Next time you cook, consciously use each sense and think about how it makes you feel. Our guess is you’ll have a wonderful experience!
- Taste
- Tasting at every stage is the most important aspect of Freestyle cooking. Taste for both flavour and texture. Do I like these flavours? Is my sauce creamy enough? Are those potatoes cooked through? If you don’t taste, you may end up with a bland, lumpy mash and a gritty sauce!
- Hear
- Listen to your food as it cooks... The sound of onions as they fry changes from a bubbling sound to a sizzle as they brown and caramelise.
- Look
- Watch as the texture of chopped onions & garlic changes as they cook – from white & stiff to soft & opaque.
- Feel
- Handle your food! You'll be able to feel through your whisk the weight of the egg whites you are beating - are they light & fluffy or heavy & liquid? How does the sauce feel on your spoon? Is it thick & hard to stir or does it feel smooth & silky?
- Play
- Play with different textures - like a creamy pie filling with crispy, flaky pastry, or a chunky vegetable mash with a tender piece of meat. We all love the feeling of cracking through the crunchy sugar layer of a créme brulee into that silky, soft custard lying underneath!
- Smell
- Inhale all those vapours as you cook - the smell of wine cooking in a dish will change as the alcohol content burns off. It'll go from smelling acidic to sweet.
Try Jamaican Chicken: Mix Gregg’s Jamaican Seasoning, breadcrumbs and a beaten egg. Coat boneless chicken thighs in the mixture and bake until crispy.
Make a mild, fruity curry with Gregg’s Jamaican Seasoning, coconut cream, pineapple and your favourite meat – pork goes well with this dish.
Add a couple of tablespoons of Gregg’s Jamaican Seasoning to your pie fillings for a fragrant and tasty change.
Whip up a delicious Caribbean style sauce with yoghurt, Gregg’s Jamaican Seasoning, lemon juice and garlic. Serve over hot baked potatoes.
Spice up your soup! Add a pinch of Gregg’s NEW Jamaican Seasoning to pumpkin or kumara soup for an exotic twist.
Don’t forget Gregg’s Oregano in all your tomato sauces for that classic Italian flavour.
Leeks are a winter favourite. Sauté gently in butter and a hint of Gregg’s Crushed Garlic.
Make the most of the hibernation months to brush up on your cooking skills! Grab a friend and freestyle together with ingredients that you share.
Winter is great time time to get out the slow cooker. Gregg’s Smoked Paprika and Gregg’s Mixed Herbs are a must-have in your pantry to ensure great flavour for slow-cooked meals.
Make soup for dinner, then use the rest for lunches at work. Take a different Gregg’s seasoning to stir through it when warmed up – Cajun one day, Jamaican the next!
Step outside your comfort zone with your next roast – how about a pork shoulder rolled in Gregg’s Lemon Pepper & Sage and served with Gregg’s Homestyle Sage & Onion Stuffing?
Alison Robert has been a chef for over 16 years. She’s an advocate of “freestyle cooking, improvisation, and putting personality into your dishes” at Main Course, her popular Auckland-based cooking school.
