Lamb chops, couscous with raisins and the singular pleasures of cooking for one

Cooking for one can be a chore for some. For me, it’s a chance to indulge in old favorites and experiment a little: Pan-grilled Lamb Chops for the former, Moroccan-style Couscous with Raisins and Onions for the latter. Recipes below.

chopscouscous

Shortly after I’d moved to Chicago the first time, I bought a half ham. Trying to figure out what to do with it, I consulted Joy of Cooking, where I was greeted by these cheery words: “Someone defined eternity as a ham and two people.” Standing there alone in the galley kitchen of my tiny studio apartment, I did the math—my half ham and I were in for a long haul.

ferrari-adler-eggplantgo-to-the-recipeMarion was out of town this past weekend. I knew I would be cooking for one, and that got me thinking about that half ham and the rewards and problems of cooking for just one person. It also got me heading to the library. I’d recently read a couple of reviews of food legend Judith Jones’s new book, The Pleasures of Cooking for One, and hoped to grab a copy. Apparently I wasn’t alone in that hope. I know I should have headed for the bookstore to support the ailing publishing industry, but our bookshelves are already crammed to the breaking point. So I got on the waiting list for Ms. Jones’s book, but managed to nab a copy of Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone, a fascinating and often funny collection of essays by an interesting mix of food writers and foodies, edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler.

In her introduction, Ferrari-Adler points out that while information abounds on the how-to aspect of cooking for one, there is very little out there addressing the “why.” This book does that beautifully—and with a healthy dose of eccentricities. Laurie Colwin, whose essay gives the book its name, put it like this: “Dinner alone is one of life’s pleasures. Certainly cooking for oneself reveals man at his weirdest. People lie when you ask them what they eat when they are alone. A salad, they tell you. But when you persist, they confess to peanut butter and bacon sandwiches deep fried and eaten with hot sauce, or spaghetti with butter and grape jam.”

Colwin’s own solo cooking experience is more charming than weird. She tells of living in a tiny apartment in Greenwich Village [7×20 feet] with a two-burner hot plate and not even a kitchen sink—she washed her dishes in the bathtub. She loved her cramped apartment—and she happily cooked eggplant for herself there every chance she got.

But plenty of the essays live up to the book’s confessional subtitle. Jeremy Jackson [author of The Cornbread Book: A Love Story with Recipes] admits to turning down a dinner invitation because he’d already selected the can of black beans that would be part of his solitary black beans and cornbread dinner that evening. And even though she’s an accomplished cook, left to her own devices, writer Ann Patchett is happiest eating Saltines with slices of white cheese and a dollop of salsa, then smoothly transitioning to “Saltines spread with butter and jam for dessert.”

The periods of solitary cooking described in the book range from ongoing to semesters in grad school to the occasional weekend alone, like mine, which are viewed almost universally as guilty pleasures.

gail-albert-halaban

As a nation, America ranks high in people living alone. And while New York City may the epicenter—according to New York magazine, an amazing 50.6 percent of the households in Manhattan are single-individual households—you’ll find people living alone pretty much everywhere. In fact, about 26 percent of all Americans live in one-person households.

Since 26 percent of all Americans aren’t dying of starvation [and since restaurants are constantly dying], one has to assume at least some of them cook. This despite the protestations of so many single friends that they can’t be bothered to cook for just one person. Here’s why I enjoy cooking for just one person and a few ways to keep it interesting.

First the why. For starters, you only have to please one person. No worrying about someone else’s taste buds, dietary restrictions or “ewwww!” factors. And the only “you know what I’m in the mood for” you have to consider is your own. Ditto for dining/hunger schedules. You can eat exactly the same thing 15 times in a row if you want to, either obsessing over perfecting it or just because you really, really like it. You can get wildly, fearlessly experimental—if the dish fails miserably, no one but you need know that you threw it out and ordered a pizza.

I am blessed with the perfect culinary partner in crime. If anything, Marion is a far more adventurous eater than I am. And when things take longer than I think they will in the kitchen [aka pretty much any time I’m in the kitchen], she is unfailingly patient. Still, there is just something freeing, relaxing and almost meditative about occasionally being in the kitchen cooking for myself alone, knowing that no one else is depending on my food choices, cooking skills or even efficiency at the moment.

Now the how. Okay, this isn’t so much how-to advice as it is probably reminding you of stuff you already know. But here goes.

Keep it simple. Cooking for one can be fun. Cleaning every pot and utensil you own afterward, not so much. So save elaborate for guests. And choose dishes that are quick to fix or that spend much of their cooking time unattended—this time of year, stews, soups and roasts are ideal. They have the added bonus of filling your home with delightful smells, prolonging the cooking experience with no additional effort and making you feel cozy and smug about your self-sufficiency.

Keep it imaginative. You know all those fascinating recipes you find online, in cookbooks, in magazines? The ones that take you tantalizingly out of your comfort zone because of unfamiliar techniques or new-to-you ingredients or cuisines? Try some. There’s nothing like occasionally challenging yourself to make the kitchen more interesting.

Keep it on hand. A well-stocked pantry [grains, rice, canned or dried beans, tomatoes, pastas, oils…] plus basics like onions, potatoes, garlic, butter, cheeses, eggs and such can make it easy to throw something together with very little else. For pantry inspiration, visit The Perfect Pantry and check out Lydia’s Pantry Inventory List.

Cook for more than one. Despite the fact that 26 percent of us live alone, many grocery stores sell meat, produce and dairy in packages better suited for feeding small armies. So cook with leftovers in mind. Again, soups, stews and roasts are perfect. Or break “family valupaks” down into individual-sized portions and freeze them. When a single friend of ours buys bacon for a recipe, she divvies the rest up into two- to four-slice batches and freezes them. Then it doesn’t go bad, and when the bacon mood strikes, she doesn’t have to buy a fresh package.

Home alone: My solitary culinary adventures

judith-jones-oneSo what led me to lamb chops and couscous this past weekend? Interestingly [and indirectly], it was The Pleasures of Cooking for One, the Judith Jones book I failed to get at the library. A brief review I read at Tasting Table caught my attention with this line: “Some of the recipes school cooks on how to extend one dish into a ‘second round’: Leftovers from Moroccan-style lamb shanks are reincarnated in couscous with lamb, onions and raisins.”

I love lamb shanks. Some day, I’ll tackle them here. But last weekend, I was following my “keep it simple” approach. And since my home alone go-tos tend toward steak, lamb chops or pork chops [in no particular order], lamb chops it was. At first, I toyed with something Mediterranean/Moroccan/Middle Eastern, but then decided not to go all matchy. Regarding the couscous dish, I just liked the way the flavors sounded in the single-sentence description above. I have no idea what Ms. Jones’s version is like—and won’t until the library comes across with the book—but my version was just fine, thank you. Simple, flavorful and a little fiery.

Couscous with Raisins and Onions
Serves 2 [think leftovers]
Adapted from a recipe at Cooks.com

For my version of this dish, I use Israeli couscous. I like the size and texture of it. You can also use regular couscous; see Kitchen Notes for the required adjustments.

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
2/3 cup onion, chopped
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cups raisins [I used golden raisins—plain are fine]
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add oil and swirl pan to combine. Add onion. Cook, stir occasionally, until wilted but not brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add couscous and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the boiling water, raisins, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Pan-grilled Lamb Chops
Serves 1

1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 loin lamb chops, about 8 ounces total [see Kitchen Notes]
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste [be generous]
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary needles, roughly chopped
canola oil

Spread chopped garlic on lamb chops, pressing it gently into them. Set aside for about 15 to 20 minutes, unrefrigerated. Scrape garlic from chops. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Heat a grilling pan over high heat for 2 minutes or so, getting it really hot. Brush a little canola oil in the pan, then cook the ribs until desired doneness, 3 minutes or so per side for medium-rare. Serve.

Kitchen Notes

A lamb chop by any other name. I used loin chops—note the 1-inch thickness and the thick, flattened bones. You can also use rib chops, but they tend to be thinner. Adjust cooking time accordingly. If you come across lamb shoulder chops, a flavorful, inexpensive cut, here’s how to cook them.

If you’re using regular couscous, soak raisins in a small bowl of lukewarm water for about 20 minutes, then drain them. Brown the onions, then add boiling water, raisins, lemon juice and cumin and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the couscous. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork, adjust seasonings and serve.

And finally, thanks to photographer Gail Albert Halaban for graciously letting me use an image from her Out My Window exhibition. You can see more of her work at the link above.

22 thoughts on “Lamb chops, couscous with raisins and the singular pleasures of cooking for one

  1. Great article, Terry. Love the recipe and the Halaban pic. Yum on both. But as one who dines alone often and shamelessly enjoys the freedom, I’d be lying if I didn’t also admit I’m still thinking about the joy of plain Saltines with slices of white cheese and a dollop of salsa. If available, I’d also prepare a few slices of avocado and thin sweet onion and alternate bites. But that’s just me.

  2. What a lovely post! I’ve been wanting to check out Ms. Jones’ new book but the New York library system hasn’t got it yet…Chicago is clearly more on top of things. I can’t believe that half of the New York City households are made up of one person…I supposed that could explain the extreme popularity of takeout in this city. Can’t wait to give the chops a try…tonight perhaps.

  3. Terry, this is such a terrific post, and that photo of Chelsea is captivating. I’m excited to get my hands on both of those books now. I also really enjoyed Deborah Madison’s What We Eat When We Eat Alone”. Lots of quirks and confessionals in that one, too, and beautiful illustrations by her husband.

  4. Ronnie Ann—And when I cooked for one on a regular basis, I certainly had some feral, quirky meals in my repertoire. They weren’t all out of laziness either; some were purely because I liked them.

    Jessica—We love lamb, in just about any form you can imagine. And so much of it cooks up so easily, just like these chops.

    Thanks, Laura! Another reason for the popularity of takeout in New York has to be the minuscule kitchens in most apartments.

    Carolyn—Thanks! Definitely check out her other photos too. You can click on the photo in this post or the link at the very end in the Kitchen Notes. Also, thanks for the tip on the book—I’m heading to the library website to order it now.

  5. Your lamb chops look soo good. As an expert cook for one – & using a two burner hotplate – I really enjoyed your article. When on the road or living in small furnished studios, I specialized in Derelict Quisine. Hormel chili with beef Raman. Mushroom cream soup with elbow noodles – plus many, many more. Good frozen meal opportunities are also available -especially the many Mexican style products.

  6. I have the pleasure — yes, pleasure — of cooking for one during the week while my husband works in the city, and cooking for two, or for company, on the weekends. A well-stocked pantry always helps (but of course I’m an evangelist for that!), and it’s fun to embrace the challenge of cooking just enough, and not too much, without giving in to the temptation to have a bowl of cereal and be done with it.

  7. Cooking for one can be interesting, and I love that you made a meal, not just a bowl of cereal (as Lydia mentioned) or a sandwich or crackers and cheese, as many of us do. This lamb sounds lovely.

  8. Fascinating subject…reminds me of an English prof/poet from college who wrote a fine poetic defense for when he walked into a restaurant and the host would say, “Just one?”

    A great advantage of eating alone is if you want the top of the line, hand fed lollipop lamb chops @ $16/lb—no problem, ‘half a pound, please.’

    Lastly, the photo. What a photo. It looks a flat, straight on shot, except for the sliver of angle on the left. Which goes on to accomplish the marvels of depth with in depth. First the depth of the room interiors, then the depth of peaking at the next street. Marvelous.

  9. Feral meals — I love that phrase. Barely tame, hardly civilized, eaten in tandem with doing something else. Triscuits with extra sharp cheddar followed by a handful of almonds. Rye bread topped with mayo, salt, and onion slices.

  10. Derelict Quisine, Helmut? Perfect! You know, there is/was a cool tiny restaurant in New York that does/did all its cooking on hot plates. The name unfortunately escapes me at the moment. So magic can happen even on hot plates.

    Thanks for stopping by, Lydia. And thanks for your ongoing pantry inspiration.

    Thanks, Alta! Since cooking for one is just a very occasional thing for me, I always do try to make a real meal. That said, sometimes, a bowl of cereal can be exactly what you want. And if no one’s looking…

    Carol—I read somewhere that dining alone in a restaurant tends to be a harder thing for women to do. One thing I like to do when dining out alone is sit at the bar, if possible. The bartender totally takes care of you and provides just a little bit of conversation. There’s also a coolness factor—suddenly you’re not a lone diner, but an insider of sorts. Sometimes Marion and I enjoy eating at the bar of some restaurants together. It’s a whole different vibe. One of these days, I think I’ll do a post on the topic.

    Thanks, altadenahiker! BTW, regarding Thanksgiving, Marion says if you can take it, we can too.

  11. wow. that looks great. I’ve never had lamb chops before. I think its hard to cook for one, or even two for that matter. your blog inspires me to do more!!

  12. After seeing the photo used in Friday’s Martha Stewart Show newsletter, I have to comment on your photo, Terry. As soon as I opened the email, I was stunned at the photograph they used for lamb and couscous. Your photo above is much sharper, more interesting, better composed, and just plain more appetizing. I never would have thought to use beautiful to describe couscous before. They’ve been doing it how many years at M.S.? Not long enough, apparently. Great dish. Great shot.

  13. A very nice dinner. I’m a huge proponent of cooking for myself as if I was cooking for company. I never could understand people who profess to love food but don’t think they alone are worth the effort. Very interesting references and statistics here, cleverly crafted to one post. I’m off to tweet it.

  14. Natalie—Thanks! Do try lamb—it’s delicious. Regarding cooking for one or two, my max comfort zone is actually four or maybe five. Beyond that, I feel like I start running out of room in the pans and on the stove top.

    Thanks, Ellen!

    Awww, thanks, Dani! Everybody—Dani actually emailed me the MS photo in question and, as totally immodest as this sounds, she’s right. This is less about how wonderful my photo is and more about is that really the best Martha’s considerable staff could do?

    Joan Nova—Thank you so much! You’re exactly right. Cooking well for ourselves is a simple, pleasurable way to indulge ourselves. And as Carol points out in her comment above, when you’re only buying for one, even slightly pricey ingredients seem more reasonable.

  15. Okay, Terry, emphasis on the poor job M.S.’s staff did, but your photo is really great, and that is beautiful couscous!

  16. Well, I’ve been cooking for one for ages and ages it seems. On the weekends, I make it an adventure, trying all kinds of exotica. During the week, I usually have the leftovers for lunch, which is my preferred “large” meal. Dinner is often a glass of wine and some popcorn. Or maybe, if I’m feeling really fancy, some crackers (NOT saltines!) and cheese. I work ’till 7pm, and by the time I get home, I’m not in the mood to start cooking.

    But as for “why” I love to cook – even if it’s only for myself – I can only quote someone (was it Sophie Tucker??) who said that living well is the best revenge.

  17. Good stuff, as always. It occurs to me that I’ve almost never really cooked for one. I’ve always recipes yielded more servings. But then, I’ve always enjoyed leftovers. 😉 And a lot of the recipes I most enjoy — stews, soups, etc. — freeze well, so there’s that. Anyway, lovely — thanks.

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