Alice WalkerAs Harry Nilsson famously sang, “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.” One has to wonder if Mr. Nilsson was lamenting his lonesome nights in his kitchen, cooking just for himself.
As many university students know, cooking in itself can be difficult, but cooking for one can sometimes be a whole different ball game. However, it can also be extremely fun and rewarding. One of my favourite ways to spend time is alone in my kitchen with my music and my cast-iron pan. No, it’s not weird. It’s actually fun. You’re in total control of the meal and don’t have to worry about anyone else’s schedule, taste preferences, or dietary restrictions. Whatever you make, you will eat, and if it’s bad, you are the only person to blame. Inversely, if your meal turns out well, you can take all the credit and don’t have to worry about sharing. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you know you are the only diner for a meal.
Will you be wanting leftovers?
If you don’t mind having leftovers the next day or for the next couple of days, then you can easily cook any amount of food and freeze or refrigerate whatever you can’t finish. However, some things are better for leftovers than others. Anything saucy—like a curry, a stew, or chili—will usually hold up well for a few days. And, if you add some rice or noodles, you can easily prepare a completely new meal.
If you do refrigerate your leftovers, plan to eat them within the next 36 hours. Otherwise opt for the freezer, but make sure whatever you put the food in will hold up to the cold temperature. Some Ziploc bags are freezer proof, while others let in too much cold air, leaving your delicious meal with freezer burn.
Roast a whole chicken
It might seem counterintuitive to make a lot of food if you are only feeding yourself, but roasting a whole chicken can work well if you like leftovers. Not only will the first meal be excellent, but you will have delicious leftover chicken that you can use in pasta, sandwiches, wraps, tacos, salads, taco salads, or anything else you can think of. Roasting a chicken can seem like a daunting task, but it really isn’t. You might want to cut the chicken butterfly style before roasting it so you don’t have to worry about the inside cavity, and the chicken is more likely to cook evenly without drying out.
Be wary of recipes
While recipes in cookbooks or online are great, you need to be careful if you are just cooking for one. Most recipes specify a serving size for anywhere from two to eight servings. Once again, if you like leftovers, cook away, but if you are making something like chicken cutlets, you need to divide all the ingredients by the appropriate number to get the serving size down to one. This is especially true of any recipe involving sauces, where you will not need as much sauce as what is called for if the rest of the recipe serves four.
Inspiration
Alternatively, try using the recipes for inspiration and coming up with your own concoction that is simple and easy. Aim for simplicity to avoid screw-ups and problems. When you’re working alone in the kitchen, you don’t have anyone to help you, so avoid any dish that requires a ton of prep work. Something simple like a salted pork chop and rapini with salt, pepper, and chili flakes is a great dish that requires very little work and can be made in one pan. I also like a breaded chicken cutlet with an arugula and tomato salad for a simple, delicious dinner.
Cooking for one gets easier with practice and time. After several years of cooking, you’ll understand what is easier to make, how much food you’ll need, how much time it takes to do what, and you’ll become more comfortable in the kitchen. The more comfortable you are in the kitchen, the easier everything becomes. The easier everything becomes, the more fun cooking gets. And the more fun cooking gets, the more delicious your food will be.
