Some cooking mistakes can be hidden with a simple name change. Because if you present something confidently enough (and it doesn’t taste bad), your guests won’t notice. Did the toast turn out a little darker than intended? Call it Bruschetta! Didn’t the cream set? Call it Crème Anglaise!
This technique may also require a change in serving vessel or style, as in the classic trifle example. If your cake doesn’t rise enough, cut it into cubes and layer it with whipped cream and fruit in a glass bowl that will show off all its beauty.
Here’s one I’ve used more than once: If your veggie burgers get too soft, skip the buns, serve them on plates with a sauce and maybe a salad, and unapologetically call them bean cakes. This way you avoid the dreaded smoosh effect that can result from squeezing between the loaves.
All of this was on my mind as I tried a recipe from Marisa Moore’s new book, The Plant Love Kitchen. Her pinto bean cakes are so easy to make. You simply mash the cooked or canned beans with onions, spices and a good amount of cornmeal, which helps bind them and also gives the exterior a welcome crunch when frying. I used pinto beans as directed, but I’m sure just about any legume would work.
Well, that’s not a mistake. Far from it. I have no doubt that they are exactly what Moore intended because they are delicious, especially when topped with her vibrant avocado salsa. But they also reminded me that cooking (and eating) is all about expectations and meeting them – or lack thereof. In other words, if these had been sandwiched between buns and called veggie burgers, I would have been disappointed. Instead, I enjoyed every tender bite.