Start Here Review Part 1: The Culinary Chapters
By reviewing the individual chapters, this post may help readers decide where to focus their attention.
At the beginning of 2024, I set a goal to cook and bake my way through all 200+ recipes in Start Here by Sohla El-Waylly. On October 30th, 2024, I completed that goal, just in time to celebrate the one year anniversary of the book’s publication. Now I’m ready to reflect on what I’ve learned - and tasted - along the way!
The Personal Stuff
(Skip ahead if you just want to get to the book review!)
We all know the story. Woman in her thirties goes through some version of a career-identity crisis, and as a result, she sets a lofty goal to give herself purpose and a path to follow. (In the first year of my crisis, I ran a marathon. The cookbook challenge was much more enjoyable!) I’m sure this story comes as a surprise to no one that follows me on social media. My real estate-centric Instagram feed turned into pictures of homemade friendship bracelets, sourdough loaves, and vegetable garden hauls. If that doesn’t scream “THIS WOMAN IS HAVING A CRISIS!”, I don’t know what does. Real estate had consumed me for six years. Previously, if someone asked about my hobbies or interests, my answers would always relate back to work. (What do you mean people don’t flip houses with their “downtime”?!) I put my entire identity in the hands of my job, and when my job stalled out momentarily, I felt lost and panicked. At first, I didn’t feel safe sharing these feelings publicly because real estate is how I pay my bills. My goal is to provide clients with the best care and guidance possible, and I didn’t want to give anyone a reason to doubt me. Now, I hope that my clients also understand that I am human, and I have passions and an identity beyond real estate.
So what does any of that have to do with the cookbook?! If my life were a movie, I would have just quit everything and run off to attend culinary school abroad. (And who knows?! Maybe I still will someday.) However, around the same time as my Eat Pray Love instinct was kicking in, a chef that I admire happened to be releasing a cookbook she described as “culinary school in a book”. Ultimately, $45 for a cookbook sounded like a much safer bet than $45,000 for a culinary degree. Now, a year later, I think I made the right decision.
The Book Review
If I had to review this book in two words: WORTH IT. The vast quantity of recipes alone is so valuable, but the real value is in how the recipes are set up and explained. Each chapter focuses on a cooking technique that is fully broken down to a scientific level in order to help the reader understand what they are trying to achieve. For example, in the “Go to Brown Town” chapter on cooking with dry heat, Sohla explains: the specific equipment used to achieve the desired results, how and why to preheat that equipment, how to handle moisture, which fats to use and when, and how to move (or not move) the food while cooking it. The recipes within each chapter are then organized by difficulty level. The “Go to Brown Town” chapter starts with a simple blistered carrot dish and works up to a perfectly seared steak. Each recipe is thoroughly explained with a detailed description, meticulous method, and additional notes. For the Blistered Carrots with Carrot Top Salsa Verde (p. 234), Sohla shares that she never really liked carrots until she ate them blackened and charred. “Intense dry heat transforms their grassy and watery crunch into something meaty, sweet, and practically like fudge.” The recipe instructions are laid out step-by-step, all the way from how to preheat the sheet pan through how to plate the carrots appropriately.
Side note: We loved these carrots! Ryan’s exact review was, “I never want to eat carrots any other way!” They were sweet, chewy, and a little bit charred. The bed of labne added a creamy tang, and the carrot top salsa verde gave the dish freshness and vibrant color. This recipe was a great example of something so simple that surprised us with so much depth and flavor. I made it again for our Christmas Eve dinner, and it was a hit!
Obviously, the vast majority of people will not attempt to make every single recipe in this cookbook, so my review focuses on how the individual chapters have changed my life for the better. Maybe as a result, this review can help others choose the best chapters to improve their own cooking!
The Culinary Chapters
Taste
Prior to this challenge, I was a chronic under-seasoner. Any time I cooked a new recipe, Ryan would ask “How is it?” My response would always be, “I don’t know. I haven’t tried it yet.” He never understood why I wasn’t tasting my food throughout the cooking process, and that’s exactly what this chapter is all about. The majority of the recipes in the Taste chapter are salads, so there is little to no cooking with heat required. Instead, the recipes are all about assembling, mixing, and tasting, followed by evaluating, adjusting, and tasting again. Sohla describes how a certain dish or salad dressing should taste, and then she leaves it up to the reader to figure out how to achieve the desired balance of flavors. When it comes to dressing the simple House Salad (p. 18), the instructions state, “Squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle with olive oil. Toss and taste: The lemon should brighten the flavors while the oil should round everything out. If you’re unsure, add more juice and oil just to one leaf. Taste and evaluate before adding more…” Tasting and adjusting one salad leaf or one spoonful of a dish before ruining the entire meal is so simple, but it was a revelation for me.
I think I previously skipped tasting as a step because it was never actually written into the recipe, until Start Here. Admittedly, I still forget to taste test when I’m rushing to get dinner on the table, but when I do take the time to evaluate and make adjustments, it makes all the difference!
Temperature Management 101
Does anyone else just wing it when it comes to the temperature of their cooking devices? I always did. If something needed to be poached, my water would practically boil over the top of the pot. If I was cooking in cast iron, I would keep my burner low because I knew the pan itself would hold a lot of heat. This chapter changed all of that. Temperature Management 101 truly sets the reader up for success by introducing a variety of cooking methods and explaining exactly how to manage the heat for each one. The recipe that really blew my mind in this chapter was the Frizzled Desi Omelet (p. 70). Reading through the instructions my immediate thoughts were, “What do you mean you want me to cook an omelet in cast iron over medium-high heat?! Surely that will result in a messy layer of egg stubbornly stuck to the skillet.” I was wrong. The egg cooked so rapidly that the entire process took less than two minutes, and the omelet was perfectly intact! I had another a-ha moment when making the Crispy Shallots (p. 83). The ingredients couldn’t be simpler, but the technique is vital to achieving the best results. Slicing the shallots at a uniform thickness, constantly stirring them in the skillet, and then timing the removal of the shallots from the pan all make a huge impact on the final product. If you remove the shallots too late, carryover cooking will cause them to burn while they cool.
These first two chapters made such an impact on my cooking that the book could have stopped there, but this was just the beginning!
Just Add Water
Initially, I didn’t feel like I had much to learn from this chapter. I already knew how to boil water, how to make a basic pot of rice, and how to cook pasta to the exact texture that I wanted. Looking back now, I see that I still had a lot of room for improvement. The Basic Pot of Creamy Legumes (p. 123) taught me how to make the most delicious pot of beans I’ve ever tasted. The amount of flavor I was able to infuse into a simple bowl of beans was mind-blowing! The Creamiest Polenta (p. 124), Charred Lemon Risotto (p. 128), and Spaghetti with Zucchini Pecorino & Mint (p. 146) taught me how patience and attention can transform an otherwise boring grain or vegetable into something that feels like an absolute indulgence. However, the true pièce de résistance of this chapter is Zhaleh’s Classic Saffron-Stained Tahdig (p. 150). I was very intimidated by the technique required for this recipe, but Sohla’s instructions were so thorough and easy to follow that I managed to make a successful tahdig on my first try! Tahdig has become my favorite way to eat rice, and thanks to Sohla, I not only feel confident cooking it, but I also feel confident making it my own.
(There will be more on customizing recipes and the lessons learned from tahdig in a future review!)
Break It Down & Get Saucy
I can actually narrow this chapter down to a single recipe: Brothy Same-Day Slow-Roast Whole Chicken (p. 169). It’s a humble dish, but it’s also a show-stopper. The ability to make a whole chicken that I actually crave has boosted my confidence in the kitchen more than any other recipe. It’s a crowd-pleaser, and it’s foolproof! Thanks to the braising process, the chicken comes out juicy, tender, and flavorful every time. If you make this recipe, do not skip the baguette, butter, flaky salt, and house salad. The entire experience of eating this dinner made me feel like I was in France.
I can’t move on to the next chapter without mentioning a few of my other favorites. The Braised Eggplant with Parm Vibes (p. 170) taught me how to make an eggplant parmesan in essence with a fraction of the time and effort. The cooking process transforms the eggplant from spongy to creamy, and this whole dish is a warm, hearty plate of cheese-covered comfort. Being married to a meat-and-potatoes man, I never thought I could make a vegetable-based dinner that would satisfy him, but this braised eggplant dish is one of his favorites. If you had told me that I could make cauliflower into a full meal for Ryan, I definitely would have laughed in your face, but the Coconut Cauliflower Korma (p. 182) is so packed with rich flavors and textures that you’d never know it was vegan. Braising has quickly become my favorite cooking method, and I don’t think I even knew what it meant prior to this chapter!
Steam & Poach
I’m embarrassed to admit that prior to this chapter, I only used my steamer basket for frozen dumplings, and I thought poaching meant boiling until flavorless. PSA: Steamed vegetables and poached proteins don’t have to be bland! The recipes in this chapter opened my mind to cooking methods that I previously avoided. For example, I never would have opted to poach shrimp prior to making the Snappy Shrimp recipe (p. 218). In my mind, shrimp was meant to be sautéed in butter and garlic or tossed in Old Bay. Instead, poaching the shrimp in a broth full of aromatics infused them with so much flavor that cocktail sauce became a nice but somewhat unnecessary addition. I didn’t realize it was possible to make shrimp that delicious on their own. I’ve also discovered my love of steaming vegetables after making the Fluffy Kabocha (p. 200) and Loaded Sweet Potatoes (p. 204). There’s something about the act of steaming that just feels really comforting, and it cooks these dense vegetables so evenly and effortlessly - why would I bother cooking them any other way?! Steaming allows the flavor of the vegetable itself to really shine, and complementary flavors can be added through sauces and toppings. You’ll likely find me steaming all winter long, turning my kitchen into a sauna to combat the cold, dry air.
Go to Brown Town
I’ve already explained what this chapter is all about - cooking with dry heat - but in addition to the blistered carrots previously described, this chapter has some of the most delicious recipes in the book. Proper browning is one of the best ways to impart flavor and texture into your food. Even cabbage and tofu skin transform into an exciting meal in the Cabbage & Yuba recipe (p. 238). The cabbage becomes caramelized on the cut sides while the exterior leaves crisp to the point of shattering. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find yuba locally, so I used tofu! I sliced it as thinly as possible, froze it and then thawed it (to help remove moisture), and it made a great substitute. Roasting the prepared tofu slices at 450 degrees on a preheated sheet pan results in a firm, crispy texture that even Ryan–the-wannabe-carnivore enjoyed.
I have another PSA: You probably aren’t taking full advantage of your broiler. Four of my favorite recipes in this chapter are cooked primarily under the broiler! Admittedly, this can be a slightly scary technique for anyone that’s burnt something to an unrecognizable char under the broiler (RIP hamburger buns). However, broiling is so fast and easy, it made cooking proteins a breeze. Broiler-Popped Oysters (p. 241), Broiled Whole Fish (p. 242), Broiler Lamb Kofta (p. 252), and Broiler Turkey Meatballs (p. 261) are all incredibly delicious, and they take a maximum of 20 minutes in the oven. These recipes are perfect for quick summer dinners when longer cooking methods are not ideal.
Halfway There
Can you believe I’ve covered this much ground, and this is only half of the book?! By the time I finished the culinary chapters, I honestly didn’t know what to cook for dinner anymore. My internal dialogue, in the tone of a child throwing a temper tantrum, was saying “You mean I actually have to think about what I’m cooking for dinner tonight?! Like I have to pick out a recipe myself?!” It was an unexpected perk of this cooking challenge, but taking the decision fatigue out of dinner really was such a blessing. To hear about more unexpected perks, and the other half of the book, stay tuned for the rest of my review!