What to Keep in Your Cave, Part II: Staples

Yesterday, I wrote about finding yourself in a situation where you needed something and didn’t have it. We’ve all been there: You’ve got the coconut flour sifted with the salt, baking powder, and cinnamon; the eggs cracked, the butter melted, the almond milk added; you reach for the vanilla extract, and… gone. No vanilla extract. Well, there go the pancakes. =/

Today’s list is focused on the staple foods you should have in your kitchen on an ongoing basis; in other words, you should try to never be out of them. Though by no means exhaustive, what you’ll find below are some of the most common and/or most crucial recipe ingredients and meal “bases” that will not only keep you from running into a brick wall in the middle of cooking, but also ensure that you can make an entire meal without a recipe… if you’re feeling adventurous. =)

Like yesterday, I want to give you a list of my indispensables. Without these, my cave would be a sad place indeed.

1)      Bacon: Was there any doubt that this would be my #1? I mean, seriously, is there anyone who DOESN’T like bacon? It has sooooo many uses: plain; crumbled into any number of dishes; weaved and baked to make pizza “crust”, taco shells, or sandwich “bread”; wrap anything in it and grill, bake, or pan fry; it can be sweet or savory, thick & chewy or thin & crispy; bacon soup, bacon stew, bacon burger, bacon salad… Ok, I’ll drop the Bubba monologue. But you get the idea, yes? The best part is that you can freeze it for at least a month (unopened), so grab it in bulk and stash it in your freezer when it goes on sale. Just don’t forget you’ve got it; bacon fat can go rancid, even in the freezer. Put it in a freezer bag and mark the date it was frozen and you should be safe.

2)      Butter: Again, any doubts? Butter is probably the most versatile fat there is. You can use it in baking, sautéing (at lower temps), frying (I fry my eggs in it when I’m out of bacon fat. Which isn’t often. Lol), roasting meats and veggies (especially chicken & sweet potatoes!), and of course, for spreading all over warm coconut pancakes or a soft Primal muffin. I try to buy imported Kerrygold Irish Butter, which is made of milk from grass-fed cows (that’s all they’ve got across the pond), and comes in ½ pound loaves of both salted and unsalted. I bulk up when Whole Foods has them on sale, because… you guessed it- it can be frozen! For up to 6 months, in fact; just keep it in its original wrapping and put it in a freezer bag. Mark it with the date, and you’re set! **Note: If you don’t do dairy, ghee (clarified butter, which is just the butter fat with the milk solids removed) is a great alternative. It has a rich, almost nutty flavor, and though I’m not a fan of eating it straight, it cooks wonderfully. It’s especially good for roasting and sautéing since it doesn’t burn at higher temps the way butter does.

3)      Eggs: I’ve had a love-hate-LOVE relationship with eggs. I removed them from my diet for a short time- twice- to see if maybe I had developed an intolerance to them. Boy, am I glad that wasn’t my problem! Eggs are another one of those versatile foods that can go from plain Jane to holy cow in a few minutes flat. My favorite way to eat eggs is fried in bacon fat and sprinkled with sea salt & fresh cracked pepper, but I also like chopped hard-boiled (especially in Hot Bacon Spinach Salad, coming soon!) and a good omelet from time to time. I really feel bad for people who are allergic to eggs. Truly. You all have my deepest sympathies… I buy only pastured eggs, which means the hens that laid them feasted on bugs and grasses, not soy/corn/grain/god-knows-what-else supplemental feed. The yolks on pastured eggs should be thick and deep orange, bordering on red for the freshest, most local, true-to-life pastured eggs. Bake with ‘em, make meat dishes, put ‘em in salads, make mayonnaise with the yolks, whip the whites for meringues… the list goes on & on. Always have plenty on hand, especially for when you’re in a pinch and need to get breakfast on the table- fast.

4)      Garlic: There’s no such thing as too much garlic. My apron tells me so. =) Garlic is cheap, keeps for looong periods if stored properly, and forms the base of flavor for nearly everything that isn’t sweet- and even some stuff that is! (Any of you LA readers ever been to the Stinking Rose and tried their Garlic Ice Cream? Holy amazing…) Since it’s used in soups, stews, roasts, sautés, braises, sauces, dressings, rubs (in dried form), marinades, and anything else you can imagine, you’ll want this bulbous flavor savior around all the time.

5)      Onions: Much like garlic, onions form the base of all kinds of dishes. It’s one of three ingredients in both classic mire poix and the Holy Trinity of Cajun/Creole cooking, a key ingredient in dishes from all over the world, and goes with just about everything… except bananas. Gross. >P There are several different kinds, but I use plain ol’ yellow onions for almost all of my cooking. Every once in a while I’ll sneak a red one or a mild white one in, but the yellow ones give the most bang for their buck: they have the highest sulfur content of all the cooking onions. That sulfur is what’s responsible for the majorly watery eyes when you cut them, but it’s also what makes whatever food the onion was cooked with so flavorful. I can’t think of too many dishes I make that don’t include onions. These also keep for a long time if stored properly, but try to use them as soon as possible. That sulfur content diminishes with age and makes the onions less flavorful.

6)      Stock/ broth: I make a lot of soup-type dishes (pumpkin soup, jambalaya, tikka masala, chili, etc.) that require stock or broth to really be the dishes that they are. Broth & stock are used as bases for soups & sauces, as poaching or boiling liquid for meats & veggies, and as a liquid medium for braising & slow cooking. Though I most often defer to boxed broth simply for the convenience- I am a BUSY cavegirl- I do know how to make my own broth & stock. In fact, I’ve got a quart each of homemade chicken stock and bone broth in my freezer right now. I’ll tell you all about the difference between broth & stock, and how to make several varieties of each, in tomorrow’s post, so y’all come back now, ya hear! =)

7)      Spices & seasonings: I won’t list everything I’ve got in my spice cabinet here, but these are my top 10: cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, nutmeg, coriander, dried oregano, vanilla extract, ground ginger, and allspice. There’s a much more extensive list below; I use these most often because I enjoy warm, pungent flavors that remind me of Fall, my favorite season. I do have more than this, but these ones stay on the bottom shelf of my spice rack since I go to them more than the others.

8)      Coconut oil & olive oil: Both get about equal use in my cooking, though- admittedly- olive oil is much more versatile as it can be used both hot & cold. There’s a lot of debate about heating olive oil in the Primal/Paleo community- something about oxidation- and it’s not that I don’t care, it’s that I just don’t care. If that makes any sense… Coconut oil is great for cooking at high temps, so roasting, sautéing, and frying with it make for crispy, delicious results without any burnt flavors. Sadly, it doesn’t do well on anything that starts cold, like trying to baste a chicken or broil salmon, because it’s solid at room temperature and below. Olive oil is best for low-temp sautés and as a base for salad dressing, but if you’re not too overly concerned about oxidizing your fats on a nutritional level, it can be used for roasting, grilling, and broiling. Be careful with the temperatures anyway; olive oil gets bitter when it burns.

I’d love to hear what your go-to ingredients are! Be sure to leave a comment below, or hit me up at grokchick {@} gmail {dot} com =)

SO… if you’ve stuck with me this far, I hope you’ll keep going. This is a fantastic list of staples that I’ve pulled together using as many resources as I could: cookbooks, websites, Primal/Paleo meal plans, cooking shows & magazines… Yeah, I did my research. This isn’t the end-all, be-all of what to keep around your cave, so feel free to add or omit anything you don’t use. I’ve even got a few things here that I don’t eat (like olives), but figured I should include them for those who do, just so y’all don’t forget about ‘em. And now, without further delay, THE LIST!!!

Pantry

Spices:

-          Bay leaf

-          Black peppercorns

-          Cardamom (whole or ground)

-          Cayenne pepper

-          Chili powder

-          Chinese 5-spice

-          Cinnamon

-          Clove (whole or ground)

-          Coriander (whole or ground)

-          Cumin

-          Curry powder

-          Garlic powder

-          Garam masala

-          Ground ginger

-          Nutmeg

-          Dried oregano

-          Paprika

-          Red chili flakes/ crushed red pepper

-          Ground sage

-          Sea salt

-          Turmeric

-          Vanilla extract

Bonus spices:

-          Chipotle seasoning

-          Celery salt

-          Fennel seeds

-          Dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, dill, etc.)

-          Lemongrass

-          Onion powder

-          Saffron (this is VERY expensive, so save it for special occasions and use sparingly!)

Canned/bottled/boxed: try to buy your canned items in BPA-free cans. It doesn't always say so right on the can, so here and here are lists of companies and products that use BPA-free packaging.

-          Avocado oil

-          Coconut oil

-          Olive oil

-          Canned coconut milk (full-fat)* you can also make your own!

-          Tamari or coconut aminos (used as a substitute for those with soy allergies)*

-          Maple syrup (pref Grade B)*

-          Canned tomatoes: paste, sauce, crushed, diced, seasoned (Italian, with jalapenos & cilantro, etc.)*

-          Unsweetened applesauce*

-          Palm kernel oil

-          Toasted sesame oil*

-          Fish sauce*

-          Anchovy paste and/or fillets*

-          Artichoke hearts*

-          Olives*

-          Vinegars: apple cider (raw, unpasteurized; I use Bragg’s), red &/or white wine, rice wine, balsamic, flavored as a bonus

-          Raw honey

-          Hot sauce

-          Nut butters: almond, cashew, macadamia

-          Canned or pouch tuna*

-          Capers*

-          Sun dried tomatoes*

-          Canned or jarred clams*

-          Clam juice*

-          Sardines*

-          Canned wild salmon*

-          Canned/ boxed pumpkin puree*

-          Canned/boxed broth and/or stock*

-           Worcestershire sauce

*= goes into the fridge after opening

Nuts & seeds: Keep these in the pantry only if you’ll be eating them within a week. Otherwise, keep them in the freezer, as nut oils tend to go rancid quickly.

-          Almonds

-          Cashews

-          Pecans

-          Macadamias

-          Pistachios

-          Walnuts

-          Hazelnuts

-          Pumpkin seeds

-          Sunflower seeds

Dried fruits: homemade is best, but it requires a bit of work. If you’ve got the time and the gumption, though, go for it! Here's a great source =)

-          Dates

-          Apricots

-          Apples

-          Berries

-          Cranberries

-          Figs

-          Raisins

-          Mango

Other pantry items:

-          Dark chocolate

-          Unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut: You can use these as-is or make your own coconut butter and coconut milk

-          Coconut flour: Can be kept in bulk in the fridge; just be sure to take it out long enough to warm to room temperature before using (if you checked out the 'make your own coconut milk' link above, you can also make your own coconut flour!) 

-          Herbal teas

-          Baking powder

-          Baking soda

-          Cocoa/cacao/ carob powder

-          Beef jerky

-          Garlic

-          Onions

-          Sweet potatoes (use within a week)

 

Fridge

-          Eggs

-          Bacon

-          Butter/ghee

-           Dijon mustard

-           Mayonnaise (or make your own; it's right after the ketchup)

-          Salad greens

-          Whole, fresh fruits and veggies: Preferably seasonal; organic when possible, but if cost is an issue, here’s a list of the Dirty Dozen (the most heavily pesticide- and herbicide-laden produce as well as the most common GMOs) and the Clean 15 (produce that’s almost always GMO-free and has little to no pesticide or herbicide residues): http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/the-dirty-dozen-and-clean-15-of-produce/616/

-          Carrots

-          Celery

-          Fresh ginger: This can be stored in the pantry until it’s used, but should go into an airtight container in the fridge once it’s been cut.

-          Fresh herbs: Learn how to store fresh herbs here.

-          Almond milk: The commercial stuff is usually laced with additives & preservatives. Though I’ve never tried it myself, you can make your own almond milk, if you’re feeling saucy =)

-           If you do dairy, you can also keep whole-fat cheeses, full-fat sour cream, full-fat plain yogurt and Greek yogurt (check the label for added sugars and preservatives), and heavy cream, all made from raw milk (if possible) from pastured cows.  

 

Freezer

-          More bacon!

-          More butter!

-          Homemade stocks & broths

-          Frozen veggies: These are great for having around in a pinch, and most studies have shown that frozen produce is often as nutritious as fresh, if not more so in some cases. Just take care not to overcook them. Nothing’s worse than the flavor of mushy frozen broccoli… As with fresh, go organic when possible and/or necessary (check that Dirty Dozen list again).

-          Frozen fruits: Great for soooo many things! Smoothies, pancake toppings, adding to ice cream. Make sure there’s no added sugars, and-here it comes again- organic whenever possible. Some suggestions: strawberries by themselves, a berry blend, bananas (peel, slice, put in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze), cherries, peaches, mangoes, and pineapple.

-          Ice: A no-brainer, but you’ll use it for more than just cooking. Two trays at all times.

-          Staple meats: These are the ones that freeze well if prepped properly (more on that later this month), are versatile and easy to cook, and take no more thought than simply pulling it out of the freezer. I’m not a huge fan of frozen meats, but sometimes you gotta bite the bullet and just throw that steak in there. I don’t recommend buying anything but seafood pre-frozen, since the quality could be questionable, and therefore the taste, and it’s just as easy to buy it fresh, prep it right, and freeze it yourself. Some suggestions for what meats to keep in your freezer: fish fillets (salmon, mahi mahi, tilapia, halibut, and cod; can be bought frozen, but pay attention to quality dates), shrimp (preferably uncooked), chicken breasts (keep well for about 3-6 months, then quality diminishes), ground beef (keeps for about 3-4 months)

-          Pre-portioned, homemade dishes: These can be either prepped and ready to be cooked at any time (a major time & money saver for people with little of either, or for big families), or cooked in advance, then thawed & reheated whenever you’re ready to eat them (this is the method I use, though I’m slowly learning to incorporate more of thelatter). Unless you know for a fact that what you’ve made will keep longer, I don’t suggest letting anything remain frozen for more than a month (with a few exceptions like broth & stock, which can keep for 3 months), or thawed more than 2 days. Don’t worry your pretty little heads; I’ll be covering this and a LOT of other food safety topics in Saturday’s post, so be sure to come back & check it out!

That seems to be everything! Or at least I think so… Did I miss something? What do you keep in your kitchen? Let me know in the comments or email me at grokchick {@} gmail {dot} com. Thanks for hangin out today, everyone. Grok on!!!

~Megan