Easy, healthy gourmet for the young and hungry

Ramen noodles, frozen pizza, chips: The trifecta of college cuisine dominates the menu of those short on time, money and culinary skills.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, says Max Sussman, sous chef at Eve, the Ann Arbor, Mich., restaurant that has been packed since Eve Aronoff’s recent selection as an “Iron Chef” contestant. While buying blueberries and squash blossoms at the nearby Kerrytown Farmers’ Market, Max shared advice for the young and hungry.

Max and his brother Eli learned to cook in a home that valued good food and lacked a microwave. They worked cooking jobs at summer camps and in college.

After college, Max went into high-end cuisine while Eli took his laid-back diner chops to Los Angeles to work with celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre. Sensing widespread craving for a book for budget foodies, Max says, “We put our different approaches together for good food that you can make easily.” The result: “Freshman in the Kitchen: From Clueless Cook to Creative Chef,” a spiral-bound book combining techniques and recipes.

Max’s tips for easy gourmet fare:

»  “Buy a good chef knife … and learn how to keep it sharp.” Uses: slice and chop all kinds of food; cut herbs cleanly without bruising.

»  “Get the freshest ingredients you can find, from vegetables to cheeses. That’s what we do at restaurants” to attract a loyal following.

»  Can’t afford the best of everything? Use one ingredient to make a meal shine. “You can change the overall dish completely by using a really nice olive oil.” Or heirloom tomatoes, organic local cheese, etc.

»  Turn up the heat. “A lot of cooks are afraid of high temperatures, but high heat is how flavor develops,” Max explains. “In the restaurant, we let the pan get smoking-hot, so the food caramelizes.” That’s chef-speak for browning. “Chemical reactions starting at 300 degrees is what really creates the flavor.”

»  Use olive oil or organic butter to build flavor. “You don’t want to go overboard, but when dishes lack a certain richness, they’re lacking fat.”

»  Keep these other staples on hand: olive oils (regular for heat cooking, extra-virgin for dressings, marinades and everything else), fresh lemons, fresh garlic. And dried beans are a budget gourmet classic worldwide.

»  Buy local and seasonal vegetables and fruits, which pack the most taste and nutrients. Use fresh instead of dried herbs to add flavor, aroma and visual interest.

Social benefits

Reasons to cook for yourself include better health, savings, affordable luxury, independence — and better social life, suggests Max, whose book includes recipes for impressing a significant other, thanking friends or assuring parents that you’re eating well.

Max sees the local foods movement getting stronger with the surging interest among young people who value sustainability as well as taste.

“Cooking is a ton of fun,” he says, taking the market produce back to Eve. “We want people to be excited, not intimidated, about stepping into the kitchen.”

Reach Robin Tierney at [email protected].