I knew I was in deep shit when I got out of Crate and Barrel with a new set of measuring cups. The rain had intensified into a downpour, my grocery bags were breaking, and my feet were soaked. So I put away the umbrella and soldiered through Back Bay, 30 pounds of food hanging from my arms. By the time I got around to picking up the dry cleaning, my fingers had gone numb.

The rain compounded a circuitous shopping trip. Trader Joe’s did not stock white wine, arborio rice, or split peas – the latter two were main ingredients. Shaws, to add to my frustration, refused to take my ID because I was under 25 and out of state. So I found my cheap white wine elsewhere, only to be chased down in the rain when I forgot to take my purchase.

I soppily ran my last errand. A petite Asian girl in peg-legged jeans looked over as I came into the dry cleaner’s, then retreated back into her work. Blunt bangs framed her pale moon of a face, which was chattering away into her headset. I cleared my throat.

“I’m here to pick up dry cleaning,” I said.

She nodded, then went back to babbling. Another minute as I tried to get my bearings. At least it was dry inside. “I’m here to pick up the dry cleaning,” I repeated, a bit louder.

This finally registered.

So when I dragged my body up the stairs and began cooking, I was calmed. Chopping was easy; I was dry; I only had to fret over tossing in another carrot.

Strawberries awaiting slaughter - I especially like the rainy view outside the window.

My menu, thrown together from recipes from my friend Daniel, Ina Garten, Epicurious.com, and an idea of my own, included the following: split pea soup; lemon risotto; shrimp tossed with tomato, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil; and macerated strawberries with sour cream and sugar.

Chopping shallots for the risotto didn’t involve trudging through puddles in leaky boots. (And there was a YouTube video to instruct me on proper onion cutting technique!) Macerating strawberries two ways was kindergarten homework. Split pea soup was cutting things up and throwing them into a pot. Sure, I had to skim off the foam, but I’d take a bit of stove-sitting over having my ID rejected any day. The shrimp took literally 10 minutes to make, although my dining partner has to be credited for most of that dish.

A super simple and tasty shrimp recipe

Softening the potatoes, carrots, and onions for the split pea soup

A watched pot never boils

The most labor intensive dish was the risotto. I was determined to do it correctly after specifically buying the correct arborio rice, which cost 3x more than regular ol’ rice. It was soothing to add in the heated stock a little bit at a time, coaxing the rice to attain its full, creamy glory.

Once I tossed in the Parmesan, lemon juice, zest, and chopped parsley, I was filled with pride – and relief.

lemon risotto!

So, it was a bit ambitious to do four dishes when I had never really cooked real food solo before. But everything turned out fine, more or less. (Ok – the split pea soup got bizarrely stiff. But I’m going to add more stock, plus some ham today.)
Once we threw in white wine and candlelight, I felt like I’d proven to myself that I can cook a bit as well as eat a ton. It’s only getting better from here, right?

Lemon Risotto
Recipe from Bon Appetit on Epicurious.com

Ingredients

• 6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Bring broth to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover to keep warm. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups hot broth; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is creamy and tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Season risotto with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Parker’s Split Pea Soup

Recipe from Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
• 1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small)
• 1 pound dried split green peas
• 8 cups chicken stock or water

My attempt at split pea soup

In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Easiest Shrimp Ever

Recipe concept by my friend Daniel that I ghostwrote

• 1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined
• Two Roma tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Juice of one lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Dice tomatoes and parsley. Boil shrimp for exactly two minutes, then remove. Toss with lemon juice and olive oil, approximately 3:2 ratio, then add tomatoes parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lingbo’s Deconstructed Strawberry Cheesecake
This is one of those things that you feel like you discovered, but later are like, wait, I totally didn’t. But try it anyway if you have the ingredients lying around. It’s pretty amazing.

• Ripe, whole strawberries, washed
• Sour cream
• White sugar and/or brown sugar

Pick up strawberry. Dip in sour cream, then sugar. Eat. Smile.

Lingbo’s Macerated Strawberries
I tried this with a leftover bottle of red wine, and I see some recipes that call for balsamic. Me, I happened to really like it with straight up sugar – soaked in white sugar with honey and lemon zest, then left to sit overnight. It’s a nice improvement on not in season strawberries, or those with a wicked sweet tooth.

• 1 pint strawberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/8 cup honey
• Juice and zest from half a lemon

Wash, chop off the tops, and halve the strawberries. Place in a deep bowl, then fill with water until it just covers the strawberries. Pour in sugar, adding more if necessary, then add honey, lemon juice, and zest. Let sit in fridge overnight, and give the bowl a stir occasionally to circulate sugar that’s settled to the bottom. (Or take an extra step and make your own simple syrup. But we won’t get that fancy right now.) Eat straight from the bowl, or with granola, or sprinkle even more sugar on top. Would be nicely presented with a sprig of mint/some black pepper/more lemon zest.

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5. Help, my dinner has tiny claws and tiny brains.