The Art of Plating, by Ashley Johnson
Ashley Johnson is a talented cook and creative that we have had the pleasure of getting to know over the past couple months. After following her on Instagram for some time, we asked if she would share a few secrets on how she creates the beautiful plates of food often seen on her Instagram stories. We spent an afternoon getting a front row seat to the amazing work she does. It was an honor to be in the kitchen capturing the photos of her process, smelling (and tasting) all of the delicious food while Ella Fitzgerald softly played in the background.
We are so excited for her to share her genius with you all. She also shares a recipe for her Parmesan Toast with Butter Beans so you can practice your own plating and enjoy a delicious end result…
“I spent my childhood glued to Ina Garten on Food Network as a kid. Just me, my notebook, and my hopes that my mom would let me into the kitchen.
Today, cooking is a source of imaginative play for me, and plating is where I experience pure creative flow. Flipping through cookbooks, being mesmerized by beautifully arranged plates is my pastime. And over time, plating up my food beautifully has become a nourishing love letter to myself. A heart-filled reminder that even dinner for one can be a sensational and exciting gift. So, I’d like to share what I believe are three core principles to remember when serving up your own love letters.
Start with great tools and sharpen your techniques.
Even when following a recipe, the way you prepare your ingredients for cooking impacts the overall success of your dish both visually and in the mouth. Always start with sharp knives. They make the job quick, safe and precise. Chop, cut, mince or grate your ingredients evenly, consistently and with care. Remember that food tends to cook best when your ingredients are room temp. Understand the difference between cooking in aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel—or whatever your chosen metal is. We are all working with different tools at home. Master your particular tools by knowing how they handle heat, and how that heat in your chosen vessel, will cook your food.
2. Take your time.
Great sears love high heat, but not every ingredient needs to be cooked high and fast. We can always ramp up heat, but starting fast can cause an uneven cook, unnecessary burns, and create anxiety as you’re tending to other elements of your dish. Remember that every stove varies from home to home. Unless a recipe calls for it, start with a medium heat on your stove top, and a neutral temperature like 350 in your oven. Take your time preparing each separate element of your dish before assembly. Some things do enjoy a bit of rest before cutting and serving.
3. Build. Balance. Play.
Composition can be daunting, but the plating invites you to let your intuition do the work. Try smearing or spreading techniques on a random plate. Try spooning in the broth at the end versus all at once. Try placing veggies under the protein versus beside it. Play with different herbs, and parts of raw ingredients as garnishes and move them around as you work. Hold a spoon of potlikker, oil or sauce above the plate and let the drops do their own thing. Pull a few extra veggies from the pot and place them carefully so you can see the sliver of onion, the kernel of corn, the caramelization on the sausage, for example. This is a dance of intuitive play and careful composition. Balance out the ingredients visually so that we get to see your prep, thoughtfulness, and balance all in one. Finish with pepper and salt around the plate and on top of the dish and remember that practice truly makes progress, and no one artist is the same.
Parmesan Toast with Butter Beans
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium shallot
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs
1 cup of chicken broth
1 can butter beans
2 slices bread French batard (or sourdough) bread
1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan
1 parmesan rind
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tin of anchovies
2 eggs (optional)
3 teaspoons Herbs de Provence (or other dried herbs)
Process
Rinse a can of beans in a colander. Careful not to smush them.
Cut three anchovies into teenie pieces.
Melt butter on low, and add shallots. Cook until translucent.
Add beans, herbs de provence, red pepper flakes, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, anchovies and chicken broth. Stir together.
Add salt and pepper to taste, no seriously, taste it.
Add Parmesan rind and simmer on low, stirring occasionally so that the rind doesn’t stick.
Spread butter across bread, and coat the bread with parmesan. Broil until golden and cheese is melted.
Spoon beans and broth over the toast. Top with remaining parmesan, salt and pepper, and fried egg if you wanna.
To see more of Ashley’s work, follow her on instagram, @hiaj and check out her website: https://www.hiaj.co/
Photography by Abby Keeler