Storecupboard Essentials

Churchmouse

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

This is my absolute minimum. If I haven't got any of these, I get "twitchy". :-)

CUPBOARD

142g tin of tomato puree
400g tin of plum tomatoes (1)

I note you always post this about plum tomatoes but ..........

1) I can't remember the last time I used plum tomatoes whole

2) Can't be ars*d to go to the cupboard, but I checked out Napolina tinned tomatoes ( my preferred brand) and the chopped tomatoes contained 5% more tomatoes per tin than the whole plum ones So if you are wanting them chopped you get more tomato ( as opposed to juice) in the chopped ones. Perhaps the ideal would be 1 can of whole to several cans of chopped? :cool: Just a thought ( think the ratio was 70% tomato in the whole, 75% tomato in the chopped)

CompBunny

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

Fair point. I don't bake (yet) but I always seem to be running out of the stuff.

I do also have Worcestershire sauce and cornflour.

I'm currently working on a recipe for Five Spice Powder, from the five traditional whole ingredients and done in small batches, so it's always fresh. Fascinating stuff, especially the Sichuan pepper. Watch this space.

Mmmmm I love five spice in dishes. Before I was vegetarian, I'd get duck breasts in the reduced section (duck day was always thursday in my local tesco) and cook in a sauce of honey, soy sauce and five spice, mixed with a little balsamic vinegar if i fancy it.

A really cheap sauce which can be served with so many chinese dishes, or even on its own with noodles if supplies are running low!

Good luck with blending your own

Stephen_Leak

Whole tinned tomatoes? A Full English breakfast (or any of the other regional variations), or just on toast. It just makes the point that, with a bit of thought, one tin can do the job of two, which is good if you can only afford one.

It's not the blend of five spice powder that's the problem. I have finally found a well-balanced combination, which not only uses just the five traditional ingredients but also whole ones and is also based on one stick of cinnamon bark. The problem is finding the five traditional whole ingredients in reasonable quantities at a reasonable price. However, from their website, a visit to my local Chinese supermarket might just solve this.

Penelope_Penguin

carlamarie wrote: »

what are your essentials?
especially in terms of herbs/dried foods.

It depends on whether you bake as well as cook, and what things you like to cook Stephen's list is good, and there are more here (I'll merge this thread later to keep ideas together).

Churchmouse wrote: »

I note you always post this about plum tomatoes but ..........

1) I can't remember the last time I used plum tomatoes whole

Cook some back bacon in a frying pan. Once done, and a tin of plum tomatoes, warm gently and degalze the pan. Serve on a slice of granary toast One of my favourite lunches.

I use lemon juice to aid the set in jam, and like to have a bottle in for whn only pancakes will do and we have no fresh lemon.

bramble1

I can't wait to check this thread when i get in, just asked the exact same question in my thread!!

rachbc

in terms of herbs - I use herbs de provence and oregano dried, everything else I grow in pots and use fresh.

I get panicky if there are no tinned plum toms (I find the juice in chopped much more watery and think whole are richer but that could be me), pasta or rice in but my store cupboard has sooo much in too!

angeltreats

If you're counting veg as store cupboard ingredients, always always have a bag of onions and a few cloves of garlic. I also keep a little jar of minced garlic, because now and then I run out of fresh.

In terms of spices, these are the ones I find the most useful:

Ground coriander
Cumin
Turmeric
Cinnamon
Mixed spice
Hot chilli powder
Garam masala

If you don't have a local Asian supermarket, Asda do a lot of spices in packets in the World Food aisle which are a massive saving on the little glass pots.

Also keep some golden syrup, it's useful for lots of things!

flipperOSN

Some great lists here! I also always have carrots. Frozen chopped up celery and bacon can be useful to chuck in stews/soups or even things like hm savoury rice.

Trow

I never run out of 'fresh' garlic - I buy a few bulbs, and separate them into cloves. Bung them in a freezer bag and stick in the freezer. They peel and chop fairly easily from frozen, and you have plenty of notice when you are running short to get some more.

I'm another that prefers chopped tomatos - you definitely get more toms and less juice in your tin of chopped than in a tin of whole.

Also in my store cupboard are dried beans (chickpeas and red kidney beans) and red lentils, and baking stuff such as plain, sr, strong bread flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, oats etc.

carlamarie_2

thanks everyone there is some good suggestions here. ive noted down a few things that i will pick up this week.

i NEVER have tinned tomatoes in but it sounds like i should. as there are so many tomato based meals out there that i will just buy in a ready made jar of sauce. i do however have fresh tomatos in at all times because my ds is a tomato monster!

i do bake mainly buns, cakes, flapjacks and other sweets things like that for the kids and dh, but this part ofmy cupboard is usually well stocked.

i have just made some scotch eggs for dh as he's one of these who are never full so he can munch on them tonight/tomorrow.
ive got to pop out to shop in a hour but when i come back im going to make a quiche (for dh's tea and hopefully some left for tomorrow as im out) and sausage and egg pie (mine and the kids) which i will do with HM chunky chips and salad.
so day 1 of making my own food is going well so far.