stash foods - basics

basics

these are the things you should always have in your cupboards so you will always have the makings of a meal handy, also when you look at a new recipe you will already have several of the ingredients - as soon as you run out of any put them straight back onto the shopping list

there's no need to rush out and buy them all at once but bear them in mind when you are shopping and gradually build up your stash

herbs: dried thyme, mint, bay leaves, oregano, sage, dill, rosemary, tarragon

• it's lovely to have fresh herbs but we are not all blessed with green fingers and growing space so i keep a good stock of dried herbs , mostly bought in the same place as my spices
• some herbs freeze really well: parsley, marjoram and sage  i chop and store in small plastic bags, taking what i need and keeping what's left in the freezer - i strip curry leaves from their stems and keep them whole  -   although i have been told that coriander freezes mine turns into a tasteless mush
• i don't add salt to my cooking and use as little fat as possible, to boost the flavours i use more herbs and spices than recipes call for  

spices: coriander, cumin, ginger, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon or cassia bark, cardamoms, cloves, nutmeg and a good curry paste (not sauce), there are lots to choose from and you can always add other spices to them

• where possible buy your spices whole and grind small quantities (a couple of tablespoons) to keep handy - the whole spices keep for ages in a cool place
• if you must buy ground spices they will stay fresher if you keep them in the fridge or freezer
• avoid buying the small bottles from supermarkets, they are soooo expensive - the local shops which stock international ingredients usually have packets of whole and ground spices which are good value,  you can always share them with a friend or neighbour

pasta: i always have quick cook spaghetti and at least one sort of shape in the cupboard

• i avoid shells as they tend to nest into each other forming clumps  and i find the bows are undercooked in the middle if they are aldente around the edges, so they don't make it into the shopping trolley
• i have not yet tasted a fresh pasta which persuaded me that the extra money was well spent - i'll let you know when i do!

rice: long grain e.g. basmati, thai fragrant or easy-cook - short grain e.g. paella or risotto (i find they both work for both dishes so why buy both!)

• cooked rice keeps well in the fridge or freezer but must be stored below 15C - Bacillus cereus spores which occur naturally in rice (and other foods) are activated by the high temperatures of cooking, storing rice at room temperature can allow the spores to multiply and cause food poisoning, these spores are not destroyed by subsequent heating - always cool cooked rice as soon as possible and store it in the fridge or freezer  

pulses: dried or tinned: kidney beans, red lentils, chick peas, haricot beans, borlotti/pinto beans

• i favour dried pulses because i have the time to soak and cook them, but if advanced planning is not your strong point tinned pulses are easier though usually more expensive
• dried pulses do have a shelf-life, the older they are the longer you will need to soak and cook them - so if you don't use them regularly it's probably best to rely on tinned which keep for years 
• pressure cookers are brilliant for cooking pulses fast . . . . if you don't have a mortal fear of them!

tomatoes:

• several tins or cartons of chopped tomatoes - an absolute must in all kitchens, for cooking with they have tons more flavour than almost all fresh ones and they don't need peeling
• sun-dried tomatoes - these seem expensive but they keep for ages and are really useful when good tomatoes are expensive and imported (bad for your carbon footprint) 
• a tube of tomato paste - also keeps for ages and handy for boosting the flavour of tomato dishes as well as other sauces, gravy, soups etc

tinned foods: fish - tuna, salmon, pilchards/sardines in oil or tomato sauce, spam or corned beef, baked beans, mixed beans (see also pulses above)

other: olives in tins or jars, capers, anchovy fillets in oil or salt - once opened these all keep for ages in the fridge and a little of them adds loads of flavour

......... and a supply of basic frozen veg: peas, sweetcorn, green beans - great on their own and always handy for topping up fresh seasonal veg