Mediterranean Kitchen Staples
July 10th 2008 16:32
When I lived in Europe, I got into the habit of shopping nearly every day because food is fresher that way. I also learned how to shop seasonally - something I didn't pay attention to when living in the United States because you can pretty much find anything, at any time of the year.
So, there isn't much by way of staple items that I keep on hand. But there are a few ingredients that are must haves because the allow me to create impromptu meals on a whim. A veggie omelet, for example, is greatly enhanced with a few capers. Pasta dishes taste even better with anchovies (yes, they dissolve into the olive oil and give the sauce more depth), and it's nice to be able to make a plate of pasta whenever I want.
Here's the complete list.
Capers. Use them in pasta dishes, omelets, even salads!
Sardines. These salty fishes have a bad reputation - one that isn't justified. When I use them, you can't even see them. When creating pasta dishes, I sometimes add a sardine or two to the garlic and oil and letting it dissolve in before adding the other ingredients.
Tomato Paste. This is another secret. You can mix tomato paste in with pasta dishes, soups, make salad dressings and marinades, and enhance vegetable dishes. Sun dried tomato paste is a fun variation on the standard paste that I sometimes use.
Canned kidney beans. This is my favorite legume to use in minestrone soup. What if I have some produce in the fridge I want to use up? I'll want to make the soup rather quickly!
Olive oil. This goes without saying. I use it as a garnish as well as the main oil that I cook with.
Assortment of pasta shapes. I keep a small collection of pasta types on hand, mostly whole wheat if I can find it. Orzo, spaghetti, and rotini are my three favorites.
So, there isn't much by way of staple items that I keep on hand. But there are a few ingredients that are must haves because the allow me to create impromptu meals on a whim. A veggie omelet, for example, is greatly enhanced with a few capers. Pasta dishes taste even better with anchovies (yes, they dissolve into the olive oil and give the sauce more depth), and it's nice to be able to make a plate of pasta whenever I want.
Here's the complete list.
Capers. Use them in pasta dishes, omelets, even salads!
Sardines. These salty fishes have a bad reputation - one that isn't justified. When I use them, you can't even see them. When creating pasta dishes, I sometimes add a sardine or two to the garlic and oil and letting it dissolve in before adding the other ingredients.
Tomato Paste. This is another secret. You can mix tomato paste in with pasta dishes, soups, make salad dressings and marinades, and enhance vegetable dishes. Sun dried tomato paste is a fun variation on the standard paste that I sometimes use.
Canned kidney beans. This is my favorite legume to use in minestrone soup. What if I have some produce in the fridge I want to use up? I'll want to make the soup rather quickly!
Olive oil. This goes without saying. I use it as a garnish as well as the main oil that I cook with.
Assortment of pasta shapes. I keep a small collection of pasta types on hand, mostly whole wheat if I can find it. Orzo, spaghetti, and rotini are my three favorites.
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