Keeping core ingredients in your refrigerator and freezer can significantly enable your everyday cooking. These chilled extensions of your room temperature pantry will give you choices, flexibility and variety. The goal is to keep frequently useful ingredients, not a duplication of a grocer's freezer case.
Some things may be used infrequently, but still be important, like my small bottle of refrigerated ketchup that I keep only for a favorite meatloaf recipe. As you make your chilled and frozen pantry your own, you're likely to add items that you know you'll use often. For example, whenever I make tomato sauce, I make extra and freeze the leftovers in meal-sized containers.
- Dijon mustard
- Eggs
- Mayonnaise (regular or light)
- Ketchup
- Olives (black in oil and green in brine)
- Cornichons
- Capers (in brine and in salt)
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (keep carefully wrapped in plastic wrap and foil)
- Another versatile cheese such as goat cheese or feta
- Bacon or pancetta
- Carrots
- Celery
- Lemons
- LImes
- Parsley (flat-leaf)
- Thyme, cilantro, other fresh herbs
- Milk, half-and-half, or light cream
- Anchovy paste (in a tube)
- Tomato paste (in a tube)
- Dry white wine (for cooking and a glass for the cook)
Tip: While it's true that Parmesan is always best grated just before you use it, if you need a large amount it can be inconvenient to grate it by hand at the last minute. So if you need a cup or more, or use Parmesan often, grind a piece in a food processor; store the grated cheese in a plastic container and it will keep good flavor for at least a week.
- Pine nuts (kept here because I use these costly nuts in small amounts and they can spoil)
- Butter (unsalted)
- Panko (Japanese bread crumbs; I store leftovers in the freezer after I've opened the package)
- Peas
- Pearl onions
- Artichoke hearts
- Puff pastry dough (Pepperidge Farms or Dufour)
- Bread crumbs (homemade)
- Chicken and/or vegetable stocks (either made by you and frozen or else small amounts of leftover boxed stock)
- Vanilla ice cream
Tip: If you use boxed stock and have some left over, just pour it into a small plastic container and freeze it. Or else pour it into an ice cube tray and when fully frozen, transfer the cubes to a large plastic freezer bag so to have the convenience of small portions.
Tip: Make your own bread crumbs from leftover bread. Instead of throwing out that stale half-loaf, pulverize it in the food processor and freeze the crumbs in a plastic container. It will save you from ever again using those vile cardboard canisters of bread dust.
Tip: Melt vanilla ice cream for an instant Sauce Anglaise to dress up a bakery-bought brownie or apple tart.
Recipes
Advice & Ideas
