Simple tips, ideas and accents to give even the simplest dishes a bit of flare.
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Herbal Infusion
It always pays to keep some fresh herbs around - either in the refrigerator or growing in your own window box. Just before you serve your pasta and sauce, sprinkle chopped fresh basil, parsley, oregano - whatever you've got handy - on top for a burst of flavor. Then sprinkle some around the edge of the plate for a burst of color. Delizioso!
Lovely Anchovy
Most people find whole anchovies a bit fishy, but a single anchovy or two can be a secret weapon to boost flavor in Italian sauces and dressings. The trick is to mash them with a fork until they practically dissolve in whatever you're making - rather than make things fishy, you'll find it richer and more savory. Try it in your next bolognese, white wine sauce or dijon mustard vinaigrette. (Remember to put a bit less salt in your dish, since anchovies are always salted.)
Dress for Success
Bottle dressing is for the timid. Better to enjoy the radiant flavor of a simple oil and vinegar - just like they do in the finest restaurants. You don't have to make it in advance - just drizzle two or three parts extra virgin olive oil over your salad to one part vinegar (Red wine? Balsamic? Sherry? You decide based on what's in your salad.) Add salt and pepper generously to taste and toss. And be sure to dress just before serving, as the vinegar will immediately begin to break down the cellulose in your greens and turn them mushy.
A Perfect Caper
Flower buds from the caper bush provide a savory-tart addition with a hint of smokiness to a variety of sauces, dressings, cheeses and meats. And since they're sold pickled, it's always easy to have some on hand. Throw some in with your next fresh tomato or olive tapenade, mix with melted butter for fish or chicken or put some in with your next white wine vinaigrette.
Get Saucy
Add a little kick to your favorite pasta-and-sauce combo by adding a splash of wine as you heat up your sauce. Red wine (try a zesty syrah or a bold cabernet) gives marinara a subtle complexity while white wine or Sherry gives new life to alfredo. Whatever you choose, make it something tasty, not an excuse to use that white zinfandel someone left behind - the rule of thumb for chefs is "if you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it."
Fabulous Fabric
Cloth napkins are a fun, classy and eco-friendly way to make any table setting a little more sophisticated. They don't have to match perfectly as long as something holds the bunch together - a dominant color scheme, a pattern style (like flowers or checkers), or a motif of some kind. And in case it needs saying, don't tuck one in your collar, if you're that messy, wear black.