What to have inna House

Ok, again, as I reread the book written so many years ago, I find myself adding and subtracting things. For the most part, though, the thought remains the same....so here we go.

So, now you've decided you're ready to enter the world of fun, easy cooking. Where do you start? You need to build a supply of staples in your kitchen-in the fridge, the freezer, and the pantry. That way, when you come home from a long day and still want to eat something homemade, you can throw something together in no time flat. It's kind of like the old show "Ready, Set, Cook!" in your own home. This is my favorite way to cook. Wherever I am working, whenever possible, I like to challenge myself to make a special or a dish using only the ingredients I have on hand. Of course, a restaurant kitchen has much more on hand then you probably ever will, but it is pretty simple to gather a collection of ingredients that can be used in a million different ways. Here are some of the things that I think are the building blocks you need. Of course, once you get the hang of it, you can increase your supply with lots of fun stuff.

In the refrigerator:

• Butter (keep it in the freezer if you don't want to use it that often)
• Dijon Mustard
• Grainy Mustard
• Hoisin Sauce
• Capers
• Olives-all different kinds
• Bottled Italian Dressing
• Ranch Dressing (oh why not, the kids like it)
• Ketchup-Heinz, only Heinz
• Lemons and limes
• White wine

As for produce, of course, you can buy this when you need it. I am one of those people that is constantly throwing away funky vegetables, so just buy whatever is fresh, in season, and not too crazy expensive whenever you need. Follow the seasons. There is no need to buy tomatoes and basil in November; think about squash, greens and things like that. I love the change in seasons. I miss summer tomatoes when they are gone, but I always look forward to hearty soups and roasted root veggies. If you are lucky enough to have a farm stand nearby, or are one of the REALLY lucky ones who can join a farm share, take advantage of that. Support your local farmers. The same goes for meat and fish. Shop in the smaller stores if you can. Get to know the guy behind the counter. He'll always give you good advice on what is fresh. As for meat, if you have a good freezer, you can shop at the wholesale stores. The meat is restaurant grade, and you can freeze a bunch of smaller packs to that as necessary. Don't go overboard, though. Nothing is more disappointing than finding freezer burnt meat and having to throw it out.
Oh yeah, and there should be beer.

In the freezer:

• Meat(we just discussed that)
• Bacon
• Some different frozen pastas (right now I have gnocchi and little raviolis)
• Vodka (do I really need to explain?)

In the pantry and the spice cabinet:

• Flour (white and whole wheat)
• Agave nectar
• Corn Starch
• Brown Sugar
• Pasta(a few different shapes and sizes, multigrain is nice)
• Rice noodles
• Corn meal (polenta in a pinch)
• Rice- again, some variety is nice: basmati, brown, black, sushi...for regular rice, though, I am a big fan of Uncle Ben. DO NOT even think of using instant rice. YUCK. Trader Joe's has some precooked brown rice in single servings you can keep in your freezer that isn't bad, too.
• Oil- any sort of vegetable oil for most cooking, or you can make your own blend of olive and vegetable oil. As for olive oil, Extra Virgin is good for dressings and finishing dishes. You don't really want to saute in it, though. Because of its higher fat content, it has a lower smoke point and will turn bitter on you. I keep some virgin oil for cooking, and sesame oil for Asian cooking.
• Vinegar- I LOVE vinegar. It's cheap. Buy a lot of varieties: red wine, champagne, rice wine, balsamic, raspberry...I even have a bottle of fig balsamic for salads. Or you can infuse your own. What fun.
• Beans- so versatile, so good for you, so yummy. You can keep dried beans (they cook up nicer and retain more nutrients, but you have to plan ahead so you can soak them overnight), or canned beans. The recipes and possibilities are endless when it comes to beans.
• Soy Sauce- Kikkoman. There you have it.
• Hot sauce- here we go again. I love hot sauce, but I'm not a collector of those burn-your-face-off habanero thingies that have no flavor, just pain. I put a touch of heat in everything I cook. for some things, good old red Tabasco is the answer. I like the vinegary zing it has. For most others, I use something called Sriracha. It's a Thai red pepper sauce in a plastic bottle, usually with a green squirty lid. It's hot, sweet and yummy in recipes or just on eggs. I also keep a jar of pepper paste in the fridge called Sambal Oelek, and Sweet Chili sauce, but that does have a good bit of sugar, so watch out.
• Chipotle peppers- it used to be that these were difficult to find, but now they seem to be everywhere. They come in cans, mixed with adobo, either whole or pureed. One can will last for months, kept in a plastic container in the fridge. They are smoked jalapenos, and the flavor and depth they add to chili, barbecue sauce, salad dressing and marinades is incomparable.
• The Spices- Garlic (I prefer granulated), cumin, cayenne, black pepper (get a good peppermill), salt (kosher and sea are my preference), a variety of dried herbs (whatever you're into, except, I loathe dried rosemary, it's like putting pine needles in your food). Montreal Steak and Montreal Chicken (really, I'm a fan), and some of the blends in grinders available at Trader Joe's. Oh, and cinnamon sticks. You can also make your own blends. I will let you in on that later, if you're good.
• I am including potatoes, onions and garlic in the dry goods section. They should never be kept in the refrigerator, just a cool, dry area.

I am devoting a separate paragraph to stocks. I am not going to tell you to make your own veal stock to try to recreate the delicious demi glace you had the last time you ate at a fancy restaurant. But you can make your own chicken stock and freeze it in ice cube trays, so you have small amounts handy. Or you can buy canned stock. Look for lower salt variety. I don't recommend bouillon cubes, they are so salty, and barely taste like chicken. Many also have MSG. Same goes for beef stock. Just get a couple of cans of beef broth. You won't be able to make those deep brown, rich, sticky sauces like you get in French restaurants, but who cares? That's why you eat out! Let them spend three days reducing sixty quarts of stock into a gallon of glace. That's what you're paying for..

Ok, enough enlightenment for one night. Go shopping this weekend.
Until tomorrow...