The Go-To Dish

What is the definition of a go-to dish? For me, the go-to dish is meant to delight anyone who will be involved: the cook, the family. That is a hard balance to strike. Those that eat it don’t consider the labor of a meal, but the cook must always consider the labor. No one wants to be in the kitchen slaving over a mediocre meal every week. No one wants to spend time on something they don’t-- or won’t-- enjoy.

So how does a cook determine a go-to dish for the home? Does it have to be quick? Does it have to be low-labor? I think not. The go to dish must strike the balance between flavor and time. Some things are worth a more intense labor, and others take little effort and little time without skimping on flavor.

Pasta dishes take up the majority of the go-to meals in my household. I can put the sauce together as fast as the pasta boils, and being able to produce a hearty dish in minimal time makes these meals a good way to go any day of the week. Still, the same thing over and over again can get boring.

Tacos come into play from time to time, when I remember to grab a half and half pack of hard shells and soft shells. As effortless as cooking tacos according to the recipe on the back of the box is, there’s also the question of what goes into the seasoning. Do you give up control for expediency’s sake?

I have found this is often a drawback in the list of meals I cook as go-to dishes in my household. So, another challenge I have decided to form for myself is this: Take back control.

Make the sauce yourself, where it makes sense to do so. Know what goes into your food. In the short time since I’ve started this journey, I’ve already found an appreciation for the food I make that comes not from a box or a seasoning packet but from my own work. Sure, it may cost a little more to buy the milk and cheese to make that alfredo sauce for pasta night, but can’t you use those things for other meals?

What are some ways you can challenge your go-to meals? In 2018, let’s make the things we love to eat belong to us, not to pre-mixed packages. It may change the idea of a go-to dish in my line up, but I know it will make the meal more valuable to me.

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