A while ago, a friend of mine asked me to write a post about the staples I keep in my store cupboard. The stuff which means that, when I look at a recipe, I don’t start off with a list of 20 things I don’t have. The stuff that lasts for weeks, months and even years. The stuff that’s an investment: once you’ve got it, your kitchen is set up for life. Or at least until you move house.
So here – finally – is that post. Jeroen, no more excuses: I expect more than just barbecue from you from now on!
Spices in a sealed container: cumin seeds, coriander seeds, (smoked) paprika, cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, bay leaves, ground ginger, cinnamon (sticks and ground), fennel seeds, turmeric, saffron threads, dried chillies, nutmeg (whole), garam masala, salt, pepper, stock cubes
Herbs in the freezer: rosemary, thyme, sage, kaffir lime leaves (Ideally, if you have a balcony or window box, it’s a good idea to grow a selection of herbs that you can use fresh, especially the leafy ones like mint, coriander, basil and parsley. But since I have neither of those things and I tend to kill plants, I just keep the hardy ones in the freezer instead.)
Fresh from the fridge: chillies, lemons, limes, garlic, onions, ginger, preserved lemons, eggs, butter, mayonnaise, parmesan
Oils and vinegars: olive oil (I usually have two types: regular for cooking, and special extra virgin for salads and bread), some kind of flavourless basic oil like sunflower or vegetable, walnut oil, truffle oil (just because), balsamic vinegar, red/white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, rice vinegar
Bottles, jars and bags of flavour: sweet chilli sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Tabasco, Worcester sauce, honey, mustard, pesto, ketchup (yes, really)
Tins for emergencies: chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, chickpeas, butter beans, coconut milk, tuna, anchovies
Bakery staples: plain flour, caster sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, yeast, corn flour, vanilla essence, gelatine, split peas (for blind baking pastry)
Carbs carbs carbs: pasta (I usually keep one long variety – like linguine – and one short, such as penne or conchiglie), basmati rice, risotto rice, cous cous, polenta, Chinese noodles, rice noodles
Of course there are always more ingredients you can – and probably will – end up buying. I have some random bits and bobs like fenugreek seeds, sumac and fregula that I’ve acquired over the years and rarely use. But the list above should be a good start…