Reducing Recipes to Two Servings by Janet A. Zimmerman

[sandl]

How to turn a family recipe into the perfect size for two

So, you find a recipe that sounds good, but the yield is "four to six servings." How do you get to amounts for two servings? Divide the ingredients by four? By six? In half, and hope that the leftover portions are good reheated?

I'll let you in on a secret. Recipe writers guess when they specify the number of servings in a recipe. They have to - they don't know their readers' appetites. They often fudge by saying that a recipe serves 4 to 6 or 6 to 8. That's frustrating enough when you're cooking for six people, but it seems to make reducing a recipe to two servings nearly impossible. But with a few tips and some practice, you'll find it's not difficult at all.

Start with your preferred portion sizes

This is where knowing your portion sizes becomes crucial. If you're looking at a recipe for pasta, and you know that your preference is for two ounces, look at how much pasta the recipe calls for. Twelve ounces? Then your starting point is to divide by three for two servings. A pound? Then divide by four. Sometimes there are two or more main ingredients to a recipe - pasta and a sauce, or meat and vegetables - in which case you want to think about portion sizes for all the elements.

Keep in mind, though, that some ingredients depend not on portion size, but on pan size. If a recipe calls for three tablespoons of oil to coat a pan, and you're dividing the recipe by six, that doesn't mean you should use half a tablespoon. You need enough to coat the pan that you use. That might be a tablespoon; it might be two or three. If you're deglazing with wine or another liquid, you need enough to coat the pan and dissolve the fond. Likewise, if you're topping a gratin with breadcrumbs or cheese, the amount you need will depend on the size of your gratin dish.

Sauces are particularly difficult to make in small amounts, especially if you're not familiar with the techniques and ingredients. I often cut the sauce for a dish that serves 6-8 in half rather than try to reduce it further. I know that I'll probably have more than we need, but it's usually an easier reduction, and I can often freeze the excess or use it later in the week for another dish.

see it all here:  http://cookingfortwo.about.com/od/cookingfortwo/a/Reducing-Recipes.htm

[Trish]

Excellent Information!