First off is canned goods.
- whole tomatoes
- anchovies in oil
- broth (boxed, low salt)
- white beans
- olives (bottled Kalamata)
- tuna (preferably Italian in olive oil)
- capers
- tomato paste (in a tube if you don’t use it much)
Whole tomatoes in a can are better than unripe tomatoes that have been shipped long distances. I use San Marzano tomatoes from Italy or Hunt’s from right here. The key is to use beefsteak tomatoes for eating and for burgers, and use plum tomatoes for sauces as there’s more “meat” on the tomato instead of juiciness.
One can buy salted anchovies at specialty stores but if you seldom use them, get the best quality canned anchovies possible and they’ll last a long time unopened.
Broth can be tricky. I normally do not buy vegetable broth because I haven’t found a brand I like. Organic chicken broth is in my frig, in a 1 qt. container because the dog has about 4 Tbsp per day and I steal for cooking. You can also buy the glace that you take out a Tbsp and add water for sauces. This is especially helpful if you’re living in a NYC apartment and have little frig space. Go for lower salt so you can control the taste you want to serve your family and guests.
White beans are a wonder in the kitchen because you can make a salad in no time. Or take boxed chicken broth and add veggies and a drained can of beans and you have a very quick soup.
Kalamatas made me love olives for the first time in my life. I buy a large container at the “olive bar” then drain them, put them back into the container and add rosemary, thyme, garlic and red pepper flakes and top it off with good olive oil. Let marinate a few days. Serve the olives, save the olive oil and use it.
Tuna is always a good can to have around. Salade Nicoise is a safe bet.
Tomato paste is a great ingredient. I hate to buy the 6 oz cans only to try to save it and it molds in the frig. So if you’re not cooking for an army, buy good tomato paste in a tube and keep it in the frig.
Keep cooking! Recipes to follow.
Cooking with Dee 