The Sauce
By: Connor Mabon – Asst. Opinions Editor
Sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for.
Granted, this contradicts our expectations for instant satisfaction, but patience is the key element to cooking and offers a metaphorical lesson worth learning. Centering our attention around the activity we’re involved in generates appreciation for the small things, which are considered by many to be the most important in living to our full
potential.
Each detail in the kitchen must be attended to for everything to come together – putting order to an apparent chaos. Slicing down shallots, mincing garlic cloves, browning the ground beef and roasting the sweet red bell peppers fills the room with scents of home, bringing out the hungry scavenger in roommates.
The culmination of ingredients blended together, mixing sweet and salty flavors held in unison by an edible cup of sorts. Frankly, I’ve never tried this food preparation before, so naturally, I encountered a few mishaps. What differentiates a cook from someone who’s “forcing it” is his or her reaction to mistakes.
Keeping your cool during challenging moments is a challenge. Minor obstacles in the grand scheme of things – like when peppers are not the right tenderness or the taste is slightly off because of a lack of salt – will pass like days on a school calendar.
It shouldn’t require much effort to read a recipe, find the ingredients, roll your sleeves up and get to work. If you’re hesitant about not knowing basic kitchen practices, look up the how-to videos on the Internet.
A pivotal point to make is whether or not you find enjoyment in creative outlets like cooking. If you loathe the preparatory process, can’t stand waiting or despise cleaning up after yourself, cooking may not be for you – and that’s all right. I’m not here to force cooking upon people, but rather share what could potentially be beneficial to an individual’s personal fulfillment.
Eating well is living well. Cooking is an enhancement that makes you appreciate eating much more. Try it. You’ll see what I’m talking about.
Recipe:
½ lb. ground beef
3 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 red bell peppers
½ cup uncooked, medium grain
rice
2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce (optional)
3 Tsp. garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Slice off top of peppers and set aside. Remove seeds and white membrane inside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Finely chop the shallots and add to pan at medium heat with olive oil. After five minutes, add minced garlic and ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, garlic salt and chili garlic sauce. Brown the beef, add uncooked rice and remove from heat. Fill pepper three-fourths full, place tops on. Oil a baking sheet, place peppers on and cover with foil. Cook for one hour. Let cool and serve.