Spec me some larder essentials

[R B Customs]

Hi guys,

I'm moving into a new flat soon with my girlfriend and I'm putting together a hamper full of all of the things that we would not normally buy, but might need for recipes.

I cook quite a lot but I've kind of fallen into a routine of only having a select few things in my cupboard (mainly because I only have one small cupboard to myself in my uni kitchen I'm always put off buying extra items to keep in stock and usually just do without if a recipe calls for it, so I'm splashing out a little bit and trying to cover most bases so we're ready for any recipe. Perhaps 'larder essentials' is the wrong term, but basically I'm looking for what you think everyone should have in their cupboard, or what you find the most useful.

So far I've got:
-red wine, white wine and cider vinegar
-malt vinegar
-sea salt
-some nice olive oil
-some every day olive oil
-stock cubes
-garlic oil
-plenty of condiments
-Pasta
-Rice
-mixed dried herbs


Anyone got any more suggestions? I'm missing quite a lot I think - presume I have nothing! I was thinking smoked salt, soy sauce, corn flour, corn meal, chilli oil, a few more herbs and spices. We usually eat British, Italian, Indian and American. We tend not to eat oriental / Asian foods or fish - if it helps.

cheers,
Rick

 

[J1234]

Just get the real basics to begin with and buy whatever else as and when you need it. That way you can spend more on quality products.

 

[Dave M]

replace mixed dried herbs with a LOAD of herbs and spices. May be cheaper in a spice rack deal.


For fresh herbs like basil, parsley look at the frozen at sainsbury.

Fill your spice rack though, spend £100+ now.

 

[mangobreeder]

Balsamic,
Risotto Rice
Dried Porcini Mushrooms
Tinned Tomatoes
Tomato Puree
along with he Herbs and spiced above, some Rub,i recommended Scharz <sp?> char grill chicken rub> if i don't fancy cooking, spread is evenly over two breasts with a squirt of oil, and roast it for 25 mins.
2 catrons of UHT milk for emergencies.
Noodles
Curry powder
flour
sugar, both granulated and caster
don't just buy sea salt get some free running too
Gravy, Beef, chicken and onion.
Custard Powder

 

[Muban]

Mushroom ketchup
Soy Sauce
Ginger
Garlic
Capers
Smoked paprika
Cayenne pepper
Ground Coriander
Cumin
Thyme
Rosemary
Chilli (flakes, paste whatever you prefer but have some form of it)
Honey
Madeira
Corn flour
Plain and self raising flour
Some good quality stock (in an ice cube tray in the freezer, great for when you only need a little bit of good stock)
Grow some fresh herbs if you can (even if it's just a window box - chives, sage, basil, rosemary, thyme)

I have a whole load of other stuff in my cupboards for cooking but I use most of these fairly regularly.

 

[Disco Boy]

For the spices, start off with:
cumin
coriander
chilli powder
Those three will cover quite a few dishes.

can of kidney beans
can of chic peas
Lea and Perrins
tabasco

 

[R B Customs]

Thanks Guys,

some quite obvious ones I've missed there and know I don't have, cheers.

We're going to have a deck to grow on but it doesn't get a lot of sun. I usually try and keep fresh herbs at home (not at uni) but often they find themselves in the bin, or lost in the garden. I did notice Birdseye do little tubs of frozen/fresh herbs which is a good idea to either buy or replicate.

don't just buy sea salt get some free running too

What do you mean by this mate? I've got a box of sea salt flakes which I can spoon, pinch or pour out.

Thanks

 

[Disco Boy]

What do you mean by this mate? I've got a box of sea salt flakes which I can spoon, pinch or pour out.

Thanks

I think he means just regular table salt, there's no need to use rock salt for everything.

 

[PlacidCasual]

Replace the everyday olive oil with cold presses virgin rapeseed oil. It's British for a start has a higher burning temperature for frying is neutral enough for mayonnaise but has a good enough flavour for dressings where we're not looking for the oil to be the star. It can be bought quite economically in 5 litre cans that also look quite pretty on the shelf.

In addition buy your herbs and spices from a wholesaler the cost savings are massive which means you'll be a lot less stingy using them compared to supermarket bought spices.

 

[whitecrook]

by these things as you need them, dont go all out and buy them because you think you might want to use them at somepoint in the future maybe.

 

[shuzzbutt]

if youre lazy garlic paste, ginger paste. Teaspoon of it gives most stuff flavour lol

 

[DirtyJester]

Just as Muban said ... Chilli Flakes you just can't go wrong with these

 

[mangobreeder]

What do you mean by this mate? I've got a box of sea salt flakes which I can spoon, pinch or pour out.

Thanks

flakes are good, i have them my self, but you also need good old fashioned fine salt.

esp when following recipies

 

[J-FRO]

Don't forget the manliest thing of all - English Mustard! Powder and the actual sauce.

Get some dijon to boot as well.

 

[D1ngd0ng]

Instead of some every day olive oil buy Rapeseed (you won't look back)
Also need Groundnut for frying with

Damn I got beat

 

[Nightglow]

If you have a balcony, grow your own herbs in trough.

Sunny Side: chives, oregano, lemon thyme,creeping rosemary, mint,Coriander. Shady side: wild rocket, chervil, French parsley and red mustard are just a few you can grow.
Feed weekly & you will have herbs from March to September.

http://www.herbexpert.co.uk/GrowingHerbsCategory.html

Home made Horse Radish is fantastic, I dig my own roots from the road side verges.

 

[Compound]

Worcester sauce?

 

[R B Customs]

Don't forget the manliest thing of all - English Mustard! Powder and the actual sauce.

Get some dijon to boot as well.

not a fan of English mustard, but I have used Dijon in the past in recipes and know I have none! thanks for the reminder

Instead of some every day olive oil buy Rapeseed (you won't look back)
Also need Groundnut for frying with

Damn I got beat

I'll have to get some rapeseed oil then! I've never seen it before (maybe just have not looked to be fair) but me and my lass were just talking about it a few days ago. I insisted that she googled it on the journey back to bolton as I wasn;t sure why so much of it is grown here.

I've not used groundnut oil before, but I've heard it mentioned. What's the benefit?

If you have a balcony, grow your own herbs in trough.

Sunny Side: chives, oregano, lemon thyme,creeping rosemary, mint,Coriander. Shady side: wild rocket, chervil, French parsley and red mustard are just a few you can grow.
Feed weekly & you will have herbs from March to September.

http://www.herbexpert.co.uk/GrowingHerbsCategory.html

Home made Horse Radish is fantastic, I dig my own roots from the road side verges.

according to my working out the decked area at the back will get no sun at all, although there is a communal decked area on the roof which I'm sure I can grow some herbs on, albeit not ideal.

I'll have a better look at that site in a moment; but for now is it okay to just buy the already grown herbs from the supermarkets and re-plant them? or is that kind of not the point?

Thanks again guys!

 

[J-FRO]

not a fan of English mustard, but I have used Dijon in the past in recipes and know I have none! thanks for the reminder

but, but, but, but its the manliest?! You have to like it. Puts hairs on your chest and everything.

 

[Muban]

I'll have a better look at that site in a moment; but for now is it okay to just buy the already grown herbs from the supermarkets and re-plant them? or is that kind of not the point?

Plants from the supermarket aren't really very good, I find they tend to be forced on and are quite straggly and leggy in comparison to the plants I have grown myself at home. You don't necessarily need to grow from seed, just get some good small compact plants, once they get established they will fill out in no time. I normally get my herbs from local nurseries, though I am lucky that we have a lot of good fairly local ones.