Thursday 14 February 2013

Random Recipe Generator


When I became single again, five-plus years ago, I quickly worked out that one of the problems was going to be feeding myself.  I’d always enjoyed cooking, but I also have a lazy streak, so the temptation towards ready meals had to be recognised and countered.  I have a reliable repertoire of about eight proper dishes, which I’m happy to prepare when I feel like it; and sometimes I like just making something up.  I also recognised that quick and easy options, and even readies on occasion, would have their place, I wasn’t fiky about it, but I didn’t want to drift away from proper cooking.  So I invented this.

 

The idea was that I’d pick a main ingredient and then, by some procedure which never quite got developed, decide how and in what cuisine I was going to cook it.  For example, lamb shanks braised a l’italienne (except that that happens to be one of my standbys, but you get the idea.)

Of course, it never happened, and I’ve ended up with the eight, plus a smattering of easies and sluts.  But now that I find myself tip-toeing towards being slightly less single, I sometimes feel the need to create something that will amaze someone.  What I need is an app which will do what I never managed, at the click of an icon.  Spanish salmon risotto, anyone?  Or stir-fried middle eastern pork chops?  (Erm, maybe not…)

It needs a bit of work, I know. 

10 comments:

  1. Here's one Tim;
    http://jamesoff.net/site/fun/random-recipe-generator/

    I put in two ingredients - Vanilla and Fudge - but the result was a little overblown.

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  2. The Epicurious app does just that!

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  3. "...now that I find myself tip-toeing towards being slightly less single...."

    Is there something we should know?

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  4. You don't do apps do you, or have you got some new kit?

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  5. AQ, I was too polite to ask...

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  6. Rog - I like it! Particularly the instruction to slice the orange juice. Doesn't quite meet my needs though.
    Z - thank you, darling; but these are real recipes, whereas what I need are impressive freshly-minted ones.
    AQ - not tellin'. (Yet.)
    Richard - you know me better than that. I have only the haziest idea of what an app is, never mind constructing one.

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  7. I wish I'd read this before making dinner tonight. Spanish salmon risotto sounds wonderful. And here's the recipe!

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  8. Slightly less single despite the easies and sluts???

    Goes to sit in corner with Z and AQ....

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  9. Mig - you too have missed the point (though that quasi-paella does look delish). I'm after random surprises. My copy of the Futurist Cookbook, which I blogged about somewhere, is still on order from Amazingon, and the delivery date seems to get further away by the day.
    Macy - erm, that wasn't intentional, honest, but made me lol so I have to share it with, erm ...

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  10. Oh, and we decided that the best paradigm was a fruit machine. Three elements (ingredient, cuisine, technique): pull the handle and see what comes up... (Fruit machines were once used in upper-arm physiotherapy regimes, apparently. Just passing that on.)

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