Culinary Hacking

Hacking isn't just a malicious way to get private data out of someone's computer.  Hacking can also be used to refer to solving a problem through inventive means by using what you have.  This easily applies to the everyday kitchen.

Say you've found a recipe you'd like to try.  You have just about everything except one or two ingredients, but either you don't want to go to get them, you don't have much money, or the store is closed...  Unless the ingredient you need is essential (you can't have an apple pie without apples), there is more often than not something you can substitute in place of what you're missing.

If you're missing a certain spice, there's always something you can substitute. It may not be exactly the same but in a pinch it will definitely work.  Some examples of this are if you don't have basil or oregano, you can use some generic Italian seasoning.  If you're missing cayenne pepper or chili powder, use some hot sauce to get the added heat factor. As a note though, if you do use hot sauce, you may get a slightly vinegary taste but this depends on the brand used.  You could also use something completely different for a different taste.  One of the great things about cooking is that you can start with something and alter it to your liking.  If you don't like it, don't use it! :)

Vegetables you can frequently substitute for one another.  Usually you can do it with meats, although this can depend on what exactly you're doing.  I wouldn't necessarily recommend using chicken in place of beef in a pot roast - I don't know if that would work the same.  Land O'Lakes has a great substitution chart that I have used on many occasions.  Their chart covers a lot of common ingredients and I've never had any trouble when using their substitutions.  If you're not feeling very creative, you could always google "(ingredient) substitution" and that will get you to your solution.

Now what if you don't have a piece of equipment.  Cooking equipment can get very expensive.  Some items are worth the money, but before you go out and get it think about how often you would use the item.  If you're not going to use it more than once or twice, try to think of what you can use instead.

When trying to come up with an equipment substitution, I like to think first of what the object actually does on the most basic level.  A spaghetti strainer doesn't just strain spaghetti; it's a way of taking the water out of the pot while keeping the spaghetti from going down the sink.  Now what else do you have that could do the same thing?  It's possible to use a ladle to take all the pasta water out of the pot, but that may take too long and your noodles could end up overcooked.  If you have a lid to the pot, you could keep that against the edge of the pot while you're dumping the water out.  It wouldn't be quite as easy as having a strainer, but it would do the job. 

The key with substitutions is to be creative and take a chance.  If you're not sure it will work, just give it a try!  The worst that can happen is your dish won't work, you'll learn that your substitution didn't come out as planned, and you'll have to order pizza.

**spice cabinet picture used under Creative Commons - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kohara/3351335340/
**The idea for the term 'Culinary Hacking' came from Jeff Potter's book Cooking for Geeks.  It is an excellent book about the science of cooking written in terms such that anyone can understand. Highly recommended!