Vegetarians CAN cook meat!
Even if meat does not make up part of your diet, it doesn’t mean that you have to limit your repertoire in the kitchen. Taste is a huge part of any culinary experience, but it is still possible to cook meat as a vegetarian, if you only know what to do.
Study up on the characteristics of different meats, and possibly consider a knife skills course at your local culinary school. Different types of meat (chicken, fish, beef, pork, and game), all have their own nuances when it comes to cooking. For example, fish and beef are sometimes served undercooked, but chicken should never be served undercooked due to the possibility of salmonella poisoning. Some cuts of meat require tenderizing, and some respond better to certain cooking methods than others. Butchering can be tricky! It’s worth it to invest in a knife skills course, so you can cut your meat the way you need to.
Get to know your butcher, they will be your guide in the world of meat. When it comes to cooking meat as a vegetarian, you cannot rely enough on your butcher. Explain to them what you are thinking of doing and they can trim, cut, or prepare your meat for you so that you are ready to go as soon as you get into the kitchen. They can filet fish, de-vein shrimp, and skin and butcher your chicken, all so you don’t have to. They can also tell you a lot about the quality of the meat and the best way to prepare it. Some of the best recipe direction can come from your butcher. They spend their careers to help people get the best cut of meat, and they have some great ideas when it comes to cooking it.
Rely on all your other senses, since you can’t count on taste alone. Food should please more than just the taste buds, so when it comes to cooking meat, you can rely on smell, sight, sounds, and touch. Meat or not, the food should smell appetizing to you when it is ready to eat. Texture is a great indicator when it comes to meat: the texture often tells you how far along the cooking process it is. Listen for bubbling and sizzling as you cook. The way something looks is by far your best guide. Most meat will change in color as it cooks, and fish and seafood begins to lose translucency. And don’t forget to buy a meat thermometer; it will become your new best friend.
Spices can be tricky when working with meat. Since you aren’t able to taste the meats to pick up inherent flavors for the best combinations, you’ll have to gage this in other ways. Consider using recommendations from friends, and study recipes from other chefs so you can better understand what parings work well. Some meats are more forgiving than others, as chicken or scallops can pair well with most spices and herbs, but some less common game meats do not. Salt is always something to watch too. Some meats already have a disposition to saltiness, so you may want to get the opinion of your butcher, or have a taster in the kitchen to help you out. When starting out, try to focus on one or two spices, or consider using a spice blend recommended for the type of meat you are working it.
You already know more than you think, so don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. Years of vegetarian cooking have honed you to pay attention to flavors and textures, and you are already an expert when it comes to pairing or testing lesser known ingredients. Don’t lose your gusto in the kitchen just because you’re experimenting with a new protein. Take the advice of others, but continue to add your own style to the meal. Before you know it, you’ll be back to cooking like a pro!
Here is a fool proof recipe for chefs new to working with meat. It was the first recipe passed down to me when I started on this adventure. It’s sure to impress even the most discerning of guests!
Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken
6 to 12 pieces bone-in, skin on chicken (6 – 8 drumsticks are the easiest to maneuver for newbies)
Kosher Salt
Black pepper (freshly ground is best)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided into 3 tbs. and 1 tbs.
1/3 of a cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 to 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
large, oven-proof skillet
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dry chicken by patting with a paper towel and season it with salt and pepper.
2) Over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in skillet. Once hot, add chicken pieces skin side down and cook until deep brown. This should take about 7 minutes. Turn over, and cook on the other side for an additional 2 minutes. Note, if the chicken “sticks” as you try to turn it over, give it another minute or two on the first side. It should not stick aggressively once browned.
3) Make a sauce in a small bowl by combining lemon juice, remaining olive oil, vinegar, garlic, rosemary, and ½ a teaspoon of salt.
4) Once the chicken is done on the other side, arrange it skin-side up on the skillet. Mix the sauce, and then pour it over the chicken. Don’t remove the fat in the pan that accumulated during the browning of the chicken unless there is an excessive amount (over 2 tablespoons).
5) Move the skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Anywhere from fifteen to twenty-five minutes depending on the cut of meat.
6) Remove from oven and place pieces of chicken onto a serving platter. Add the parsley to the sauce in the skillet and mix. Pour the remaining sauce out over the chicken. Serve warm.
I was at Ralphs this weekend and came across some beautiful Haas avocados. When living on the East Coast, my girlfriends and I would regularly go to Mexican restaurants for their fresh guacamole, made table-side. After one too many high restaurant bills, I decided it was time I learned how to make that guacamole at home so I can enjoy it any time, for half the price! I introduced my husband to my fresh guacamole when we were in grad school, and he really loves it, so I bought two avocados to surprise him with this refreshing treat. 
