There are so many websites, cookbooks and magazines out there that have recipes in them that there just isn’t a standard in their layout or instructions. We here at the Devastated Plate hope that our recipes are straightforward and have all the information you need to make wonderful dishes.
That being said, I am assuming a few things when I post a recipe. That you live in a reasonably modern apartment or house with electricity and running water. I am also assuming you have three basic modern kitchen appliances: Refrigerator with freezer compartment; Stove/oven; and a Microwave. This sounds odd, but some current cookbooks I have recently come across seem to think that everyone has the latest Sous Vide food bath or go the opposite way and have you cook over open flame for just about everything, and it wasn’t a grilling cookbook.
There are also Utensils that I am assuming you have. I list them along with the ingredients so that you can know what you need before you start. I try to give alternatives for things, such as Chinoise or Strainer or Tea Towel, when I can. Making a kitchen into a useful and fun place can take some investment, but just a little here and there can make your cooking even better.
When possible, I try to note the temperature of anything cooked within an oven at the beginning of the recipe. This should let you have time to warm the oven while you are preparing the rest of the recipe. Most recipes work best when the oven has been brought up to temperature before the item being cooked is put in. If there is a recipe that uses either warm-up temperatures or cool-down/hold-over temperatures, those should be noted with an explanation why.
Some of the recipes are very simple, some are multi-step concoctions. The form of the instructions should be about the same either way. Some of the recipes actually use other recipes as ingredients. I recommend going through the recipe once before actually trying it. Sometimes things just don’t make sense. Like cooking times.
Not all stoves and ovens heat the same. Gas will be ‘wetter’ than electric and does not have the burner heat carryover electric does. I am not in your kitchen, so all of the times listed are approximate.
Test your stove and oven to make sure of their temperatures. Older appliances wear and can show a temperature that is higher or lower than what it actually is. Calibrate using a pot of water on the stove and boil the same amount of cold water in a cold pot on each burner so you know generally how long it takes to do so. Ovens are a little trickier, but with an investment of an in-oven thermometer, you should know how accurate your ovens built-in gages are.
If you have become a member of the Devastated Plate community, feel free to comment on the recipes. We like to know if it worked, didn’t work or tried to take over your refrigerator. This is how we know that you are using the resources provided here and lets us know how to improve things.
Thank you for your time and start cooking!
Chef Rena