Layering texture

Layering Texture

Textures are often forgotten in cooking but to me they are just as key to a good plate of food as flavour, particularly in vegetarian food. Scientists have broken people down into four different types of eaters;

1. Creamy - you like creamy food like nut butters and yoghurts.
2. Crunchy - you like really crunchy apples and pears, nuts and seeds.
3. Soft - you like soft foods like boiled eggs, peach and mango.
4. Chewy - you like things like sourdough, brownies, chewy chocolate chip cookies and sweets like gummy bears.

Think about which texture feels like the one you'd normally go to. It's important to take a step back and remember what texture you'll need to apply to your dish. The texture of something is greatly influenced by how you prepare it.

The Different Textures

The combination of chewy sourdough and avocado is a perfect way to combine textures and provide chew, crunch and creaminess. Tofu is one of my favourite foods and is a great example of a chewy food, that when fried provides both chew and crunch.

The texture of dried fruit such as Medjool dates, raisins, and apricots is wonderfully chewy. They are great paired with granola, giving you a great chew. Nuts are a great example of crunchy food; they can be sprinkled on soups, stews, salads, and tarts to add texture. Flaky sea salt is another great way to add texture to a dish. Raw vegetables like carrots, fennel, and beetroot, as well as croutons, can add a nice crunch to a salad.

Creaminess gives a sense of roundness to a dish, to add a richer dimension, I recommend using Greek and coconut yoghurt, coconut milk, and nut and seed butter.

Being mindful of textures and combining them in clever ways is really what sets restaurant cooking apart from home cooking.