Finished 09/02/2024
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Recommended by Nat Eliason for everyday cooking, with some great tips.
I started taking notes, then lost track a bit. About 60% of the book is recipes, very interesting but not a light read. There is also a Netflix series worth watching.
Notes
Overall, it taught me:
- Salt. Generously. Salt gives that twist of pleasure that transforms dishes
- Fat. Ideally with quality oil or butter. Olive oil works great for me
- Acid. A drop of lemon, a vinaigrette, acidity gives dishes great balance
- Heat. Pay attention to different cooking methods; each food has its own
Some points are basic, apart from that insight on salt, which was the standout at the start. See Nat’s notes for a few gems, like how frozen fruit is often great, and I might revisit some menus if needed.
🧂 Salt
- Salt is essential for giving flavor and personality to a dish. Use it generously
- Keep two salts, one regular for pasta and cooking, and one high quality like Maldon or fleur de sel for texture at the end
- Add salt to taste until new flavors unlock and you get that “zing” the dish was missing
- Salt meat one or two days before cooking so osmosis can do its work. You can also salt and then freeze. Next time I’ll try salting while thawing the meat
- A calendar for when to salt (basically right before cooking)
- Salt by instinct. Roughly 2 percent by volume or 1 percent by weight, but taste will guide you to the right amount, which you can then use as a reference
- If you underseason, the damage is done; you need to get more salt inside the food (e.g., in the layers of a lasagna)
- If you overseason, add unsalted components to balance, like more rice or oil. Or repurpose it into another ingredient, like ragù
Fat
- Food cannot be more delicious than the fat it is cooked in. Use quality fats
- Different cuisines use different fats. Olive oil works well for me. If you cook regional dishes, use the corresponding fat; for Asian or South American dishes you might switch oils
- Fat map
- Fat draws out the best aromas in meat
- When you cook something in a pan, a thin layer of fat helps prevent sticking and, more importantly, helps brown the surface evenly since the pan will have imperfections. Be careful not to burn it, and add the fat when the pan is hot (you can test with a drop of water; if it sizzles, it’s ready)