on Cooking

I am a fumbling amateur in the kitchen. I can deftly boil pasta, sleepily scramble eggs, and drunkenly burn popcorn. Anything past that is an adventure.A few weeks ago I signed up for a food delivery service called Blue Apron, which provides the all ingredients and recipes to make 3 meals a week.My first few meals with Blue Apron have been, to understate it, a Fucking Miracle.Here's a rundown on several of the dishes I've prepared:Sea Bream with Tomato Jam, Green Beans and Black Rice. This was my first whirl with B.A., and I felt like a crazy Franken-chef setting out all the ingredients. My doubts evaporated at first bite. The tomato jam was sweet and I could eat it on anything.  I usually torture rice, but the right amount of butter and lemon saved this batch.Linguini with Cod, Fresh Peas, and Spring Herbs. This was delicious, and with my extensive pasta boiling experience, a breeze. The cod was kind of sticky in the pan, but it transitioned admirably to the plate. Mint and basil floated a nice aroma, complemented by red pepper flakes.Roast Beef with Horseradish Sour Cream & Heirloom Carrots. I've never cooked roast beef before in my life, and I didn't know carrots came in colors other than orange. With the accompanying mizuna salad, this plate scored lots of 'sensibly healthy' points. The carrots were stubborn in the oven but the beef roasted perfectly.Chicken Legs with Green Ball Cauliflower, Seared Grapefruit & Yogurt Sauce. This looked the prettiest of the dishes I've made, but beauty is skin deep - I ruined it. I inadvertently put enough garlic in the Yogurt sauce to murder Dracula, and the bitter grapefruit was difficult to slice. The chicken... survived. Micro Celery added flair to the mistakes.Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Chutney & Asparagus. I've never touched a rhubarb before, and even after eating, I'm still not sure what chutney is. That said, the delectably flavorful paring of the honeyed chutney with the freekeh, almond and currants made the pork and asparagus almost an afterthought.Seared Kielbasa with Mustard Potatoes & Braised Cabbage. The simplest recipe I've attempted so far, and also the tastiest. Whole Grain mustard was a novel concept to me, but is now seared into my consciousness as nourishment to serve a higher purpose. Cabbage bunched with honey, apple, and cider vinegar fit nicely with the spicy meat and tender potatoes. A cold IPA (my own genius addition) made this my new favorite meal.As a thank you to readers of my blog, I am happy to send the first person to comment on this post a free week's worth of Blue Apron service!