RECIPES
For The Missing Ingredients “The whole is something besides its parts�
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s it possible to make your favorite dish without one of its key ingredients? Does chocolate cake really need flour? Is it necessary to add lettuce to salad? Does macaroni and cheese taste good without dairy? Is there such a thing as pesto without basil? The absence of these ingredients does not take away from the taste, texture, or aroma of the final product. These dishes are not defined by their key ingredients but instead by their textures, preparation processes, and your experience in consuming them. The chocolate cake is rich without the flour; the grilled vegetable salad is just as crunchy and even brighter than a salad with lettuce; the cheese-less macaroni is creamy and tasty regardless; and the pesto is still earthy without the basil. Aristotle speaks of a whole that is greater than its parts, and his words ring true in gastronomy: a dish as a whole is more significant than the ingredients which typically compromise it. Taking away one part of the dish does not diminish the final product. The following recipes all exemplify that the lack of an essential ingredient does not ruin a particular dish. It is important to think outside the box by focusing on these other factors and pairing unrelated flavors to bring the dish together as a whole. Food offers us endless possibilities; there is always a unique combination ready to please our palates.
Words by: Valeria Gutierrez and Prashanti Kodali Photos by: Ngan Tran and Brandon Portillo
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