Peppers roasting on an open fire Peppers roasting on an open fire (March 19, 2004)

Learning how to make a (mostly) no-fuss lunch

An occasional series of cooking articles from Voice reporter and beginner chef Julie O'Shea

Something quite unexpected happened recently: Browsing in Williams-Sonoma, I was inexplicably drawn to the upscale boutique's small appliance section. Picking up an interesting-looking thingamajig attached to a pair of sharp silver blades, I actually caught myself imagining what it would look like sitting on the counter in my kitchen -- and then the moment passed.

This sort of June Cleaver revelation happens from time to time. It tends to coincide with one of my random cleaning rampages, where I reason that if I have a clean apartment, I most certainly have to have a clean diet. I am usually pretty vigilant about eating healthy for a week, maybe two.

But the day of the Williams-Sonoma epiphany, there was something entirely different at play: my taxes. Ironically, it was the IRS that had me feeling particularly homey that afternoon. I had just learned I would have to fork over a couple of hundred bucks to keep the federal government cooing happily.

Not particularly pleased with the situation, I decided I really needed to start bringing a sack lunch to work on a daily basis instead of buying take-out or frozen meals. This is an annual promise of mine that is usually tossed by mid-March.

There was, however, hope for this year: I was scheduled to have a basic cooking lesson with former Voice food critic Robert Rich, whose delicate approach to fine cuisine always leaves me salivating.

In fact, I ended up in Williams-Sonoma to get myself psyched for another nosedive into the world of herbs and spices.

When we'd talked by phone a few days before the lesson, Robert asked what I like eating for lunch. I thought about the egg salad sandwiches, homemade soups and various sweet-smelling dinner leftovers I watch my co-workers cart into the office every day. While always slightly impressed with their diligence, the effort looked intricate, not to mention time-consuming, and I found it difficult to follow my colleagues' good example.

Fumbling for an answer, I lamely told Robert I enjoy turkey on wheat with Cool-Ranch Doritos. He told me to think about it some more. When I arrived for my lesson, I still hadn't come up with anything better; in fact, I'd simply amended my original suggestion to smoked turkey on wheat, minus the chips.

I don't own a gym membership and over the years fast food, shamefully, has become my saving grace as well as my biggest vice. Really, I said to Robert, all I want is cheap and healthy. Do you think we can do that? My maestro nodded: Anything is possible with the right attitude, he said.

When this rendezvous was first set up, I asked Robert if he could teach me some of his favorite recipes, thinking he must have enough stored away to open his own restaurant chain. Robert didn't really have a personal recipe book, though. Instead, he uses this random, trial-by-error method of adding spices he likes to a concoction until it tastes good.

"It's really not cooking as much as it is cutting things up and throwing them together," he said, opening the cupboards of his expansive white-tiled kitchen to display rows and rows of different types of spices, jellies and herbs.

"Good ingredients, simple recipe" -- this is the Robert Rich motto I'd be reminded of again and again throughout the day.

To accommodate my simple mindset, we went ahead with the turkey sandwich. But then Robert surprised me and announced that we'd also be making two different types of pasta salad -- Italian and Asian. I was truly pleased; not only would we be cooking foods I adored but also, it looked like the stove and oven (my arch-enemies) would go virtually untouched -- or so I thought.

After a shopping expedition to Dittmer's, the Milk Pail Market and Trader Joe's, I felt like a changed woman. Our cart was overflowing with items that had rarely graced my kitchen shelves: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, parsley, thyme and oregano.

As it turns out, the key to a successful cooking experience is all about taste testing. Robert claims he stumbled upon many of his great food creations literally by accident.

He doesn't cater to any recipe, but lets his taste buds judge when there is enough ground pepper in the pasta salad, for example. When I demanded precise measurements of the ingredients we were using, Robert shrugged: "Oh, what was that? About one teaspoon of thyme?" I jotted this down only to have Robert pipe up a few seconds later: "Better make that two teaspoons."

The secret ingredient in our Italian pasta was one fire-roasted bell pepper. We had purchased some roasted red bell peppers in a jar, and I thought we'd be using those. Needless to say I was rather surprised when Robert informed me we'd be roasting a bell pepper -- on his gas stove. Pulling out the red vegetable we'd bought fresh at the Milk Pail, Robert dropped it right onto the open flame, turning it over every 40 or so seconds until it was thoroughly charred, its juices running down the side of the stove.

"To me, this is like candy," Robert said as he cut up the pepper and threw it into the salad bowl. "It will add a definite sweet touch."

Picking up a small piece still laying on the cutting board, I popped it into my mouth. With wide eyes, I looked over at Robert in astonishment. He was right -- it was like a little slice of heaven.

"You're drooling," Robert said with a laugh. "I'm flattered."

E-mail Julie O'Shea at joshea@mv-voice.com

Recipes

Italian Pasta Salad

12 oz. bag of garlic basil pasta
2 thinly cut Italian sausages
3 tbsp. diced onions
6 oz. bag of frozen peas
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. oregano
1-2 tbsp. rosemary
2 tsp. thyme
1 fire-roasted bell pepper
2-3 tbsp. capers
1 doz. kalamata olives
7 large stuffed green olives
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped parsley
2 chopped celery stocks
2-3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp ground pepper

Boil pasta until tender. Run cooked pasta under cold water to cool, and place in large salad bowl. With pair of tongs, place red bell pepper over an open flame -- stove or barbecue grill -- and rotate every 40 seconds until evenly charred. Chop ingredients and throw into salad bowl. Mix well.

Pacific Rim Pasta Salad

1 lb. white corkscrew pasta
4 oz. edamame
1/2 bunch of green onions, finely-cut
1-2 tbsp. sesame oil
4 tbsp. chopped white onion
4 oz sliced almonds
4 oz. diced snow peas
1/4 cup cilantro
3 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 chopped celery stocks
1 chopped carrot

Boil pasta until tender. Run cooked pasta under cold water to cool, and place in large salad bowl. Chop ingredients and throw into salad bowl. Mix well.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.