A long time ago there used to be a celebrity column every month at the back of Bon Appetit magazine where someone was asked what ingredients they always had in their fridge. I started to think about it and my list was a bit long, but since then, I’ve pared it down to some of the items I truly cannot do without, and the list is surprisingly tight.
After much thought, the following are the few items I can’t live without in my pantry and fridge. With all the grocery store shortages of late, I worry that there may be supply issues with some of these items, but fortunately for now, I am fully stocked!
Maldon Salt – This life changing super flaky sea salt has been harvested in Essex, England since 1882 and is a favorite of chefs and people the world over. The flakes have unique pyramid shapes – they are more like crystals and the flavor is slightly briny rather than too salty, even though some of the flakes are quite large. I use it in everything, but the salt is especially wonderful on soft boiled eggs or a grilled steak. If you would like to read more about the history of this wonderful salt, this is a great article on it in Bon Appetit magazine: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/history-of-maldon-salt. I was so jealous of the author who got to travel to the area where the salt is harvested. If I didn’t think John would think I was nuts, I would go too! In a heartbeat.
Dijon Mustard – A vital ingredient in countless dressings and many salads, Dijon mustard pairs perfectly with eggs and potatoes. It goes in deviled eggs, potato salad, salad dressing and simple cheese dishes. I just used it recently as an example in a delicious tuna melt, I made (my mother is still appalled by this ‘Americani’ concoction that I adore) with gruyere cheese. It’s also wonderful with roasted fish or braised chicken dishes. Apparently, there are no rules as to where Dijon mustard is made, although it clearly comes from Dijon in France. Do I use Grey Poupon like everyone else? Of course! That’s not to say that I haven’t tried some of the famous Dijon made in France with unusual flavors like black currant or tarragon. I find the real French variety to be much stronger in flavor. The main thing to look for in the mustard is less ingredients. Just water, mustard seeds and vinegar. That is all you need for a high-quality product. It goes great with a ham sandwich made on a baguette with a little arugula and a slice of Swiss cheese. Try it and see what I mean!
Lemons – It may be hard to believe but one of the unsung heroes of cooking is the humble lemon. Adding a simple squeeze of lemon to a sauce or dressing or lemon zest changes virtually the entire flavor profile of anything you are making. Acidity is as important a flavor enhancer as salt, and it goes in virtually everything I make. Lemon juice not only enhances flavors, but it makes some things appear to be lighter, cutting the greasiness or heaviness of foods. It is an important ingredient in a roast chicken, multiple vegetable dishes and many desserts. There simply is no substitute for a fresh lemon. I think I was in a grocery store once and they were out, and my son wondered if we should grab the fake lemon variety. I could literally feel my grandmother turning over in her grave! Fresh lemon or nothing for me!
San Marzano Tomatoes – For anyone who has never heard of San Marzano tomatoes, these are the tomatoes of which dreams are made. They are longer, thinner, and meatier than regular tomatoes and have just the right amount of acid. Honestly, if you make your own spaghetti sauce as we frequently do, there is simply no substitute. But there is a bit of controversy and for those of you who watched Stanley Tucci’s show on CNN, I sure you know what I’m talking about. Plainly stated, there has been a lot of fakery when it comes to the San Marzano tomato. Some of the tomatoes are grown outside of the San Marzano region in Italy (which is between my grandmother’s hometown Salerno and Naples), where they are from and are grown here in the states. How do you know if they are the real deal? You simply need to look for the seal of approval or in this case the designation DOP on the can. Personally, I have tried many of the brands and my all-time favorite is Cento’s Certified San Marzano organic brand. They have a slightly sweet flavor and have the best consistency that I have found for making homemade sauce on the market. They are also affordable at $3.20 for a 28 ounce can.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I honestly use so much EVOO that I think I am going to turn into an olive. It’s probably the single most important item I have in my pantry. For anyone who enjoys Mediterranean cooking it is essential. It is used to give food moisture and flavor, but it also has some important health benefits including making skin and hair healthier. Why? Because it contains Vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant that can protect the body against eye and skin problems. My first real love of EVOO was probably on a trip my parents took with my sister and I to Crete in the late 1970s. I have never forgotten the thousands of olive trees and the true taste of olive oil in virtually all the foods. It’s no secret that the people of Crete live longer than just about anywhere in the world, and it is easy to see why. I have a bottle of olive oil from a trip we took just a few years ago to Umbria, Italy, where you can find some of the world’s best. I have no idea if it will go bad, but I’m dead set on preserving it like a fine wine. It’s that wonderful. I use it every single day in pretty much everything. I don’t go for fancy brands, although I insist that they are Italian made, that’s the food snob in me. Drizzle on a lovely caprese salad or a pan bagnat sandwich. Make a balsamic dressing to die for. And use in a simple cake if you can believe it.
Calabrian peppers – My mom likes to tell a story about one of her uncles who sometimes would play cards and often ate hot peppers as a snack. Apparently, this fascinated her, and she begged to be able to try them. The uncle, a native of the Calabria region of Italy, a place known for serving the spiciest food in all of Italy, encouraged her and gave her some of the peppers to try. Naturally, they were quite fiery, but she was not deterred. So began a love affair with spicy peppers that continues to this day. I can remember my young mom growing her own hot peppers in our garden and hanging them in our garage to dry. Once she made a dish of spicy shrimp pasta and decided to use the peppers. To this day, I remember the tears coming out of our eyes literally as we ate the meal and fire breathing from our lips. Our complaints did nothing to sway her. Now, I enjoy bringing the same heat to meals for my kids and at times there are similar reactions, but it doesn’t stop me. I honestly could use my coveted Calabrian peppers in anything, and they would perk up the dish. They are perfect on pizza or in pasta, but even better in tuna salad or scrambled eggs. Sometimes I add them to cannellini beans that I serve along side grilled steak. Think of them as a hotter, more flavorful crushed red pepper. You cannot go wrong.
Capers – These tiny, delicious, pickled, salty little berries go in just about everything from Puttanesca pasta and Ottolenghi’s Bridget Jones salmon to bagels with cream cheese and chicken piccata. Officially, capers are the immature, unripened, green flower buds of the caper bush. They grow in warm climates like my grandparents native Sicily or a dry environment such as Morocco. I use them in everything from tuna salad or in roasted vegetables. They add a salty, briny flavor that is hard to match. When we do make your own pizza parties at our house, this is one of my absolute favorite ingredients along with a kalamata olive and anchovies.
That’s basically my tight little list. I was just at the grocery store this evening with John and recounted a conversation I had with my son Ryan who sometimes frightens me with his somewhat simple tastes. Don’t worry – he still eats just about everything, but he likes pedestrian foods a bit more than I would like. But just the other day when I asked him if he wanted a bagel for breakfast before school, I could see him searching in the fridge and it turned out he was looking for lox and capers. Maybe I didn’t do too bad after all with that one! I’m still not happy when he scrapes off some of the sauces I slave over, but to me that meant there is a sliver of hope!
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