I’ve written about some bold cooking experiments here on OWF, but the other night I struck into new territory, even for me. As I thought about the cooking times and techniques for my fresh cranberry beans, diced ham, diced butternut squash and chopped escarole, I realized that I could toss them into one pot and cook them all together.
Crazy, I know. I’m sure that you assume, as I do, that even simple dishes require two pots. And the more the better, right?
But bear with me, because it worked. Simmered for about half an hour in just enough water to cover the ingredients, the fresh beans had a creamy texture and a beany taste; the firm squash had softened into tender, nutty cubes; the salty ham had rendered a bit of fat into the liquid, retaining a meaty texture; the fluffy escarole had wilted into gentle streamers of greenery.
I think I’ve created a new genre of cooking — certainly I’ve never encountered such a practice before — but I’m struggling to name it. Given that I used just one pot, I’m thinking of calling it “one stop” cooking. Catchy, eh? Go forth and spread the word about this revolutionary new idea.
