if you stock it, you will make it
If you love to eat food from any corner of the globe, it’s helpful to think of the array of dishes in this book as drawn from the supply cabinet of four basic pantries: American, Asian, Mediterranean, and Latin. If you keep yourself well supplied with the ingredients commonly used in those cuisines, the likelihood of jumping into the kitchen to cook a favorite food you crave—rather than taking out or ordering in—is much greater. Keep a running list taped on the inside of a cabinet, adding to it as items need to be replaced.
This is especially true if you live in a location where specialty grocery items are hard to come by. Nowadays online ordering makes virtually anything available at your fingertips—as long as you plan ahead. Even the multitude of ethnic shops in New York City, where I live, counts for nothing if I haven’t stocked the pantry to cook my favorite foods when I have a hankering for them: if the cupboard is bare, I’m still a grocery trip away from my meal. Cooking and shopping are two entirely different activities, yet the former is dependent on the latter. If you have to shop every time you want to cook, the experience is a much more lengthy and exhausting one. However, most of the recipes in this book do not require anything too esoteric. And frequently one ingredient can be subbed for another. For example, fish sauce, which brings a particular savory saltiness to a dish, can often be replaced by soy sauce. It mightn’t be the perfect choice, but it will do the job.
When you’re trying to put a couple of dishes together to create a menu, peruse all your recipes first and get organized before cooking. Gang up the tasks from all the recipes to economize on time. It may seem obvious, but if you are making Sesame Chicken , Pork Fried Rice , and sautéed watercress (see page 227) for a Chinese meal, note that all three recipes require garlic and that the task of chopping it can be done once and the garlic can then be divided. Identify the needed cooking vessels and utensils, and gauge the timing so all the dishes come together at the same time.
This book offers basic recipes from many popular cuisines. Some are more like hybrids or derivative conglomerations—my recipes are personal memory-renditions of flavors from favorite dishes. If you find yourself becoming interested in authentic regional and ethnic cooking, there are scores of wonderful books that tackle these with a deep well of real scholarship.
One of my greatest pleasures on a weekend is to grab a favorite cookbook, new or classic, one a world away from my personal experiences. Just planning dinner takes me on a unique journey into ingredients, flavor combinations, and cooking techniques. I’ve spent many years with the cook-books of Claudia Roden, Madhur Jaffrey, Diana Kennedy, Jacques Pépin, Eileen Lin-Fei Lo, and Marcella Hazan, to name just a few. These books are true educational studies, no different from a history, language, or sociology text.
We have become accustomed to taking out the foods of cuisines foreign to us largely because cooking them requires new ingredients, tools, and styles of cooking. Once you fully stock your pantry, start cooking these recipes, and economize your prep work, a whole new world of possibilities awaits you in your own home.
Aromatics: Garlic, onions, and shallots. Don’t take these flavor powerhouses for granted! First off, be mindful when grabbing a garlic head from the bin: Check that the cloves are snuggled together tightly. Press on the bulb to make sure it is firm to the touch. Avoid heads with protruding green sprouts. Keep both red and yellow onions on hand. Shallots are a real recipe workhorse, combining the flavor of a sweet onion with a touch of garlic’s pungency.
Baking Powder. Replace the can every 4 to 6 months. Nothing is worse than going to the trouble of baking something that should rise and ending up with a flat pancake.
Baking Soda. Use it almost forever (really!), and when it’s too old, transfer the box to the back of the fridge, package wide open, to suck up rank odors. If you doubt its strength, drop a pinch into some vinegar. If it bubbles, it’s still active.
Beans, Canned and Dried: Black-eyed peas and navy and kidney beans. I prefer dried beans for flavor and bang for your buck. A quick soak—rinse, bring to a boil in water to cover, and let stand, covered, off the heat for 1 hour—prepares dried beans for cooking. Still, canned beans are a great convenience. Try different brands. Some are good, with the beans intact; others are a mushy, salty-tasting mess. Drain and rinse before using. Watch for organic dried (but fresher) beans at farmers’ markets or online.
Bread. I buy two whole fresh loaves at a time. One is for same-day eating; the second loaf is an extra—I slice it in half, wrap it in plastic and foil, label and date it, and freeze. When we need it, it’s defrosted and still tastes almost as good as same-day fresh. (Replenish as needed anytime you’re near a great bakery.) I also keep a package of commercial sliced whole-grain in the freezer for toast and sandwiches.
Broth: Canned or shelf-stable low-sodium chicken, beef, and vegetable. Commercial broth is highly convenient; unfortunately, I haven’t tasted a commercial variety that I really like. I go for the organic tetra-pack boxes from Pacific Natural Foods, which are a bit more healthful at least. If you have time, however, make a batch of homemade (see page 57 for a chicken broth recipe) and freeze it in 2-cup portions.
Chocolate Chips: Best-quality semisweet. These live in my freezer for my baking needs, but I have to hide them. The boys consider a bag of chocolate chips perfectly decent snacking material.
Cocoa: Unsweetened Dutch-processed; nonalkalized unsweetened powder. The better the quality, the better the end result. Different brands have unique flavors; find your favorite one. It’ll keep tightly sealed in the pantry for a good long time.
Condiments: Ketchup, mayonnaise, steak sauce, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sweet relish; mustard—Dijon, brown, and stone-ground. For ketchup and mayonnaise, I opt for the standard varieties. Worcestershire sauce is a cornerstone of my mom’s cooking, and, hence, mine. Relish is relish unless you need the neon-green variety for a Chicago Hot Dog .
Cookies for Piecrusts: Graham crackers and vanilla wafers. Cookies ground in the food processor and some melted butter make a quick crust pressed into a pie pan. (Add pudding, chill, and top with whipped cream for a quick pie.)
Cornmeal: Yellow and white. There are too many good things made with fine-ground cornmeal not to keep it in stock: corn bread, porridge, muffins (not to mention polenta—see the entry in Mediterranean Pantry, page 23). Keep it well sealed to avoid bug infestation, or store in the freezer.
Cornstarch. A great thickening alternative to flour for puddings, pies, sauces, fillings, and stews (especially when baking or cooking for a gluten-free friend). Sauces made with cornstarch are clear, not cloudy. It keeps forever.
Crackers. From an old-school square salted soda cracker to a fancy biscuit, there is a quick partner for any cheese for snacking. Or top with some slow-roasted tomatoes (see page 129) for a quick “pizza” appetizer. They can also be used in poultry stuffing.
Dried Fruit: Dark and golden raisins, cranberries, apricots, and cherries. These are great additions to muffins or granola. Also use as stuffing mix-ins or as an impromptu trail mix.
Flours: All-purpose white flour (preferably unbleached), whole wheat, Wondra superfine flour. Store flour properly for freshness and to avoid a weevil fest. If you use it often, keep it in a countertop canister for easy access. Superfine flour is a must for the lightest coating when dredging pieces of meat or fish and sautéing (see Fried Lake Fish, page 178).
Hot Sauce. If you had to have only one, Tabasco would be it. However, the center of our dining table and the side of the stove hold multiple red and green hot sauce choices. You name it, we have it. Cook with it or shake a little on top of the right foods, and revel in the beautiful bottles and wonderful flavors.
Malted Milk Powder. If you love making milk shakes at home, like I do, keep this on hand; see page 258 for a recipe.
Marshmallows. For quick-fix desserts. And nothing beats a golden toasted one slipped between graham crackers with a piece of chocolate.
Nuts and Seeds: Walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, and peanuts; sesame and poppy seeds. All nuts and seeds easily go rancid and should be stored in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Oats: Best-quality old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant). If you eat a lot of oatmeal, like my family does, keep a couple varieties on hand to switch things up. For daily eating, I spring for organic.
Oils, Vegetable Safflower and canola oils are flavorless and tolerate high heat. But I’m not a fan of canola—it smells like fish to me when it’s heated. Safflower is my go-to all-purpose oil when I’m not using olive oil.
Peanut Butter: Salted natural and organic; both smooth and crunchy. I prefer natural to supermarket brands, but make sure to identify a good brand with a decent texture. My kids warn me against buying the “sand” peanut butter. Store the jar upside down in the cupboard to prevent separation and avoid laborious stirring just to make it spreadable.
Pepper: Black and white peppercorns; cayenne pepper. Buy peppercorns in bulk for a better price. Finely grind a couple of tablespoons and keep it in a small ramekin for seasoning food before cooking. Keep a pepper grinder (or two—one for black, one for white) by the stove and another on the dining table.
Pickles: Dill spears, sweet bread-and-butter chips. I’m a pickle lover and eat them every which way. There’s nothing like a little tangy-sweet, crunchy-cool bite to set off a burger (see pages 85–86) or grilled cheese sandwich.
Pretzels. Use as a baking mix-in, or for a quick dessert with some raisins and chocolate chips. Essential for dark chocolate and peanut butter pretzel bars (see page 283).
Rice: Long-grain white, such as Carolina. Stock rice in your pantry, and use it as a platform for anything. Leftover rice with a fried egg on top is one of our go-to breakfasts.
Salt: Kosher salt. I use kosher salt (also known as coarse salt) for all cooking, sweet or savory. I also like to keep some chunky sea salt in a grinder and flaky salt as well, for topping a finished dish to add textural interest to every bite.
Spices and Dried Herbs: Chili powder, sweet and hot paprika, celery seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon, cumin, and cloves. Oxygen is the enemy of freshness here, so keep your spices well sealed and out of the light. If you don’t use them often, check for freshness and pungency before adding to a dish; a sprinkling of tasteless powder will not enhance any recipe. For dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and oregano, see page 22.
Sweeteners
Sugar: White, light and dark brown, and confectioners’. Store a bread heel in with the brown sugar to keep it soft. If you find a rock-hard chunk in the pantry when you go to use it, microwave it for 20 to 40 seconds to revive it, and crumble.
Other Sweeteners: Maple syrup, honey, molasses, and corn syrup. I like the flavor that honey or maple syrup brings to some dishes. Pick up local honey when traveling; it’s a true souvenir of place. Ditto for maple syrup if you are in Vermont, Upstate New York, or nearby Canada—and the prices will be much more reasonable too. All-natural unsulfured molasses lends its caramel–burnt sugar flavor to sauces, baked beans, and baked goods galore. Corn syrup is just a necessary evil in some recipes (like hot fudge sauce; see page 286) when you want that silky texture.
Tomatoes: Canned or shelf-stable whole plum tomatoes. Unfortunately, the term San Marzano is used as a marketing term these days, so it’s no longer an automatic guarantee of quality. Unless I can get a brand of top-quality imported San Marzano tomatoes I’m familiar with, Muir Glen organic canned plum tomatoes are my hands-down top choice. They aren’t too acidic and they have a consistent slightly sweet, real tomato flavor.
Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Beans Make sure the bottle of extract says “pure,” not “imitation.” Keep the expensive beans well wrapped in plastic and then aluminum foil in the refrigerator or freezer. Split vanilla beans before using.
Vinegars: Distilled white and apple cider. Aside from the obvious uses for vinaigrettes and other recipes, the acidity of vinegar makes it a secret cooking weapon. Splash a dash in your stew or soup at the end to brighten it up.
Yeast: Regular active dry. Always check the freshness date and once it is opened, keep the package tightly sealed. Store in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. Recipes that require yeast are dependent on its power to succeed.
Perishables
Bacon. Standard operating procedure for the Quinn kitchen is 2 pounds in the fridge crisper and a backup in the freezer. Enough said!
Dairy
Butter. Freeze extra butter too. I’ve got my everyday organic 4-sticks-in-a-pack unsalted butter. And whenever possible, I splurge on the yummy high-fat, creamery-made crunchy-salt-studded Vermont Butter and Cheese variety too (which I hide behind the box of the unsalted).
Eggs. Always large. Here’s another place where I splurge on organic, free-range, handled-with-care brands. Eggs make too many great quick breakfasts, lunches, and dinners not to buy 2 dozen on the weekly shopping trip.
Milk. Buy 2 quarts and keep one in the freezer. While organic milk is my preference, BGH-free (with no bovine growth hormone) is imperative, especially for growing children.
Good online sources for Asian foodstuffs include asianfoodgrocer.com and kalustyans.com.
clockwise from left: Pork Fried Rice; Stir-Fried Watercress with Garlic; Sesame Chicken.
Breads: Naan and pappadum. Naan is an Indian flatbread and pappadum is a thin, crisp Indian flatbread made from lentil flour. More and more, these are sold in large supermarkets. In a pinch, I substitute pita bread for naan.
Canned Items: Water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, lychees, mandarin oranges, and coconut milk. All of these make for quick exotic add-ins to stir-fries, salads, desserts, or drinks.
Chutneys and Pickles: Mango chutney, coriander chutney, carrot pickle. An Indian meal can be truly enlivened by a variety of store-bought condiments. Mango chutney will add a sweet and pungent contrast to a warm and spicy dish, while a pickle lends a tangy saltiness.
Coconut: Unsweetened, dried, shredded. I purchase this at the health food store. Once the package is open, keep it in the freezer. To toast, spread shredded coconut in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 300°F oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes.
Fish Sauce. A salty liquid made from fermented, salted fish, fish sauce is widely used in Southeast Asian cooking. Once you get over the off-putting smell—which does not translate to its taste—you’ll realize what an extraordinary flavor friend it is to complement sweet, spicy, and aromatic tastes. Think of it as playing a somewhat similar flavor note as soy sauce.
Hoisin. This sweet and zesty thick brown sauce, also known as Peking sauce, is used in Chinese cooking (it’s the one included in your order of moo-shoo pork to spread on the pancakes) and as a table condiment. It’s a great finishing sauce to perk up an Asian soup.
Kombu. This edible dried kelp makes a flavorful, satisfying vegetarian soup stock. it’s the basis for Dashi .
Mirin. Made from glutinous rice, this sweet Japanese wine is used in sauces and glazes. I like it as a two-for-one ingredient in quick marinades in place of sugar and wine.
Miso Paste. Miso is a thick, fermented soybean paste, salty and savory, with various flavors and color differences; white and yellow-brown miso are the most common. Stored in an airtight container, it keeps indefinitely in the fridge. Blended with boiling water, miso becomes a deeply savory vegetarian soup base. Or mix it with ponzu (see below) and brush over broiled fish to finish.
Noodles: Soba (buckwheat), rice vermicelli (also known as rice sticks), udon (wheat), and long Chinese egg noodles. Japanese and Chinese noodles generally take less time to cook than their Italian counterparts. Any Asian-style soup can be whipped up in seconds with a miso (see above) or dashi (see page 163) base, some noodles, and a little soy or hoisin for seasoning.
Oils: Peanut and sesame. Peanut oil is my preferred oil for stir-frying. It can be heated until very hot without smoking, and imparts a complementary flavor to Asian dishes. There are two styles of sesame oil. I use the toasted oil with a dark amber color and distinctive flavor in Asian sauces and marinades (the other kind is lighter in color and flavor). It should be kept refrigerated after opening.
Palm Sugar. Also known as jaggery, palm sugar is made from the sap of certain palm trees. It comes in various forms, and I use the solid disks. The disks must be crushed or chopped before being added to a dish. Palm sugar brings a unique caramel-flavored sweetness to a dish and is worth seeking out, but you can substitute light brown sugar if necessary. Store in an airtight container.
Panko Bread Crumbs. These are packaged coarse dry bread crumbs used in Japanese cooking for coating food before frying. They come in both white and whole wheat versions. They deliver a crazy real crunch when used as a coating for oven-frying.
Ponzu. A tart-sweet thin Japanese sauce, ponzu is made from a combination of citrus, vinegar or sake, kombu seaweed, and dried bonito fish flakes. It supplies an unusual, zesty tang to other sauces.
Rice: White and brown; long-grain, such as jasmine or basmati; short-grain; and glutinous. Rice stretches many meals and is a necessity for sopping up delicious juices from saucy foods. Just as you stock a couple of different pasta shapes, it’s a good idea to keep a variety of rices on hand.
Rice Wine Vinegar. I use plain rice wine vinegar; be careful not to accidentally pluck the seasoned variety off the shelf.
Sambal Oelek. Sambal, a spicy paste made with fresh red chilies, has a grainy, slightly chunky texture. It’s a little more acidic than sriracha (see below). It’s used in marinades or as a seasoning.
Sesame Seeds. Store in the refrigerator or freezer because they will go rancid quickly. Some sesame seeds come already toasted—check the label. To toast other varieties, place the raw seeds in a skillet over medium-high heat and shake gently for a few minutes.
Spices: Garam masala (an Indian blend of ground spices), cumin seeds and ground cumin, coriander seeds, cayenne pepper, cinnamon sticks, black poppy seeds, cloves, bay leaves, and Chinese five-spice powder. As with any spice, keep these well sealed in your cabinet. If undertaking a large Indian meal, check the spices you have on hand before you go out shopping to ensure pungency.
Soy Sauce: Dark or tamari. I don’t like “lite” soy sauce, which lacks that umami punch. Dark soy sauce and Japanese tamari are thicker and more flavorful (tamari is even richer). Find a variety you like and stick with it. Avoid some of the inferior commercial versions, which will drastically alter or even ruin the flavor of a dish.
Spirits: Sake and Chinese cooking wine. Sake is Japanese rice wine; substitute vodka in a pinch. Shaoxing is Chinese cooking wine. If you cook a lot of Chinese food, it is worth seeking out a good brand of Shaoxing from a specialty store. Dry sherry can be substituted, although the taste will not be quite the same.
Sriracha Sauce. This great hot sauce, which is smooth and spicy, is a must in our kitchen. It enhances the flavor of soups, rice, and eggs.
Tamarind. Used in Indian cooking and elsewhere, tamarind paste is made from the ground sour-sweet pulp of tamarind pods. Sold in cans, it adds a sour-earthy, slightly sweet note to savory sauces. You can also buy tamarind pulp (sold in brick form) and tamarind juice, which is actually the paste mixed with water and strained.
Thai Red Curry Paste. Great canned or jarred Thai curry paste is now widely available to use as a convenience ingredient in Thai cooking. It’s a fragrant blend of red chili, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), onion, kaffir lime, coriander, and salt. The delicious result can be integrated into numerous other dishes and sauces.
Tofu. Can be purchased in several densities: silken, soft, firm. I usually use firm tofu, which is well suited for stir-frying. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Prefried tofu, sold vacuum sealed, is used in Shrimp Pad Thai .
Wonton Skins. Wonton skins are generally made from flour, eggs, and water, but the Japanese version, known as gyoza, leaves out the eggs. Prepackaged fresh (often in the dairy case) or frozen, they’re available in many supermarkets. They come in squares or rounds about 3 inches in diameter.
Perishables
Dairy. Plain yogurt is often served on its own as a coolant for an Indian meal, and it is the basis of the many versions of raita, a salad-like side dish. Blended with fruit or spices, water, and ice, it makes the refreshing drink called lassi. I like the thick Greek-style yogurt myself. Use the variety (regular, low-fat, or nonfat) you prefer.
Produce
Citrus. Limes are used most frequently in Asian cooking, but lemons are used in some dishes.
Fresh Ginger. Buy a “hand” and keep it the fridge. (It makes a quick healthful tea too.)
Fresh Herbs. Cilantro, mint, and basil. Grow your own if you can. Purchased from the market, they will last longer if rinsed, dried, rolled up in a damp towel, and stored in a plastic bag in the crisper.
Green Thai or Bird Chilies. I always buy a heap of these fresh green chilies when I see them, and keep them in the crisper.
Good online sources for Mediterranean foodstuffs include daynasmarket.com and avantisavoia.com.
clockwise from left: Lamb Chops Bathed in Greek Herbs; Spinach Phyllo Pie; Greek Salad with Fried Leeks.
Anchovies: Brown and white, salt-packed, canned, or bottled in oil. Regular anchovy paste or fillets can be your true under-the-radar flavor weapon. A little bit sautéed with garlic in a tomato sauce gives it a deep, earthy bottom flavor that does not taste like fish. Or lay a few of the fancy white ones (available in specialty markets) over a salad—my mouth waters just thinking about it.
Capers: Salt-packed. I’m a purist on this one. Capers packed in vinegar taste like vinegar to me, no matter how many times you rinse them. Salt-packed, once rinsed, taste like capers! Their wonderful, unique floral-herbal note is fabulous, especially when combined with olives and anchovies.
Chickpeas: Canned and dried. Chickpeas are my favorite legume. I add whole chickpeas to salads, sauces, and soups. Ground, they are the basis for hummus and falafel (see page 90).
Dates. A quick, healthy, potassium-rich snack, dates also add a great sweet note to savory dishes. Once the package is open, refrigerate them to keep fresh.
Dried Herbs: Oregano, rosemary, and marjoram. When adding dried herbs to a dish, rub them between your fingers to release the oils. If the bottles have been in the cupboard for a while, smell and taste before using.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Because extra virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing, it is the purest variety of olive oil, with the most complete natural taste. I buy it in 3-liter cans—it’s more affordable when you buy it in bulk—and fill a small cruet or clean bottle for everyday use. Store the rest in a cool, dark place. If you don’t use olive oil often, buy a smaller quantity. Always taste the oil before using it—rancid olive oil will ruin a dish. I also keep a bottle of premium extra virgin olive oil in the pantry to drizzle over fresh, uncooked dishes, like vegetables and salads.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts. Keep these in the freezer so they won’t go rancid. Use in desserts and other dishes, or toast to serve with drinks. Added to a salad, they bring an interesting dimension to the fresh greens.
Olives: Gaeta (small dark Italian), Niçoise, Kalamata (black Greek), and Arbequina (Spanish). Jarred or deli-fresh, a variety of olives will take you a long way, from snacks to flavoring sauces and salads.
Pasta: Long noodles (spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, and/or capellini); macaroni (penne, rigatoni, and/or fusilli); lasagna (dried and no-boil). Look for pasta imported from Italy. Keep your pantry stocked with a variety. I buy double of a couple kinds in case I need to feed a group. For more on pasta, see page 187.
Peperoncini. These spicy green peppers sold pickled in jars add a zippy, crunchy, cool bite to salads or an antipasti platter. See also under Red Pepper Flakes, below.
Phyllo Dough. These tissue-thin sheets of dough, used in sweet and savory preparations in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking, are usually found in the freezer section of the grocery. Some markets in such ethnic communities as Dearborn, Michigan, and Queens, New York, still make fresh phyllo dough, so check them out if you can.
Polenta: Ground yellow or white cornmeal. Polenta is another one of my strategies for stretching a meal for a group. The instant variety is precooked before being dried so that it cooks in one-quarter the time of regular polenta. You can store dry polenta for up to several months in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark place.
Red Pepper Flakes. Age affects pungency, so taste red pepper flakes before using. A good yet hard-to-find substitute is dried red peperoncini; if you are traveling in southern Italy, check out the amazing red peperoncini sold in all the markets and on the roadside. You can taste the warmth of the sun!
Stuffed Grape Leaves: Best-quality canned. These are a fantastic addition to salads, such as Greek Salad with Fried Leeks (page 107), or a Middle Eastern mezze spread.
Tahini. Tahini is a thick paste made of ground sesame seeds. Thinned with water and lemon juice, it’s the base for the sauce called tahina served on Middle Eastern sandwiches. And it’s a major ingredient in hummus.
Tomatoes. See the entry in American Pantry, page 14.
Tomato Paste. Once you open a can of tomato paste, you can store the extra by dropping tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet and freezing until hard, then transferring them to a resealable freezer bag. I must admit I do like the more convenient, though overpriced, tubes of tomato paste. Sun-dried tomato paste, available in specialty stores or online, brings a concentrated, rich flavor to recipes like Sun-Dried Tomato–Parmesan Crisps .
Vinegars: Red wine, white wine, balsamic, sherry, and champagne. There are many levels of quality and flavor, so taste different varieties and don’t hesitate to splurge now and then. And if you’re traveling to the Mediterrean, it’s worth bringing back some local ones.
Wine. Use drinking-quality white or red wine for cooking. I like to purchase a mixed case (both in styles and prices), keeping the price per bottle under $15. Get to know the shops in your area: a good wine merchant can teach you a lot.
Perishables
Cheeses: Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, feta, ricotta, and mozzarella. Buy whole chunks of the hard cheeses if possible. Unless you know when or how the cheese was grated, buying pre-grated is like paying more for less flavor. Hard cheeses will keep almost indefinitely, well wrapped in the refrigerator. I keep all the wrapped wedges in the fridge in the same rectangular tub, along with a Parmesan knife to break off pieces to grate. Fresh cheeses should be eaten soon after purchase.
Citrus: Lemons and oranges. Like vinegar, a little citrus juice brightens up almost anything. The oil-rich zest brings a deeper note of the same juice flavor, a very easy way to dress up a dish.
Fresh Herbs: Mint, oregano, parsley, basil, rosemary, sage, and dill. Fresh herbs play a huge role in Mediterranean cooking. You can extend the life of more delicate fresh herbs (like parsley, dill, and mint; not the “woody” ones like rosemary, sage, and oregano). Rinse, dry, roll up in a damp towel, and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Basil with its roots intact lasts longer if stored standing up in a glass of water at room temperature; the water should just cover the roots.
Good online sources for Latin foodstuffs include latinmerchant.com and mexgrocer.com.
A Mexican feast, featuring (clockwise from top) pitchers of Agua Fresca; Fake-Out Flautas with Guacamole; tortillas; Queso Fundido; Roasted Salsa Verde; and Cheese Tamales.
Beans, Canned and Dried: Black beans, pinto beans, and red beans. Many Latin meals depend on beans, a healthful and economic way to feed a group. I keep a couple of cans of each on hand, but I always prefer dried beans (see also the entry in American Pantry, page 12).
Chilies, Dried: Ancho, guajillo, and árbol. Latin cooking, especially Mexican, uses hundreds of varieties of dried chilies, which accounts for the subtle variations in sauces and dishes. Generally, dried red chilies of the same heat and texture can be used interchangeably.
Chipotle Chilies: Canned in adobo, and chipotle chili powder. Chipotles are smoked jalapeños most often canned in adobo sauce (a mixture of paprika, oregano, and garlic sauce). Chipotles add a smoky, earthy flavor but can overwhelm a recipe if not used sparingly.
Dried Corn Husks. Dried papery corn husks from corncobs are used to wrap tamales. They last forever in the pantry, sealed in a plastic bag; just rehydrate in warm water to use.
Masa Harina. This dough flour is made by grinding the dried masa (corn paste) used for tamales. I also make homemade tortillas with this. With a tortilla press and a comal, it’s easy to make fresh tortillas.
Smoked Chorizo. A dried, spicy Spanish pork sausage, not to be confused with its fresh cousin. Smoked chorizo will keep in your fridge almost indefinitely. A small link chopped up adds a delicious spicy- porky flavor to scrambled eggs or fried potatoes. Smoked chorizo is showcased in Queso Fundido .
Tortillas: Corn and flour. Good-quality packaged corn and flour tortillas are now widely sold in supermarkets, but there is nothing like a fresh tortilla. If you live near a Mexican community, seek out a small market that sells them.
Perishables
Dairy
Cojita. This dry, firm, salty cheese is used crumbled or grated.
Mexican Crema. This is similar in flavor to sour cream but runnier; substitute sour cream if necessary.
Monterey Jack Cheese. A good melting cheese for Latin dishes.
Queso Fresco. Comes in a block and is crumbled before using. Some cooks use feta cheese as a substitute.
Produce
Chilies, Fresh
Poblano chilies. Really fresh poblano peppers have some heat but not too much; their herbaceous, earthy yet fresh flavor is extraordinary. Roasted and peeled, they can be sautéed with onions to top steaks. When buying, check to see that the skin is not shriveled; the fresher the chili, the easier the skins will slide off once charred.
Scotch bonnet and habañero chilies. So called for their resemblance to a Scottish tam, blazingly hot fresh Scotch bonnets are used widely in Caribbean cuisine. A close relation is the lantern-shaped habañero chili. Both have a high heat level, thin flesh, and almost fruity citrus-like flavor. Use them interchangeably.
Serrano and jalapeño chilies. Serranos are generally smaller and spicier than jalapeños, but I often use the two interchangeably. Jalapeños have been so overcultivated that the heat factor now varies widely among them; I always buy extra and taste before using. Some are as mild as a green bell pepper! Serranos are always spicy and powerful. When fresh chilies are called for in a recipe, pay attention to the size and buy accordingly: often one large is all you need when two regular are called for.
Limes. The ubiquitous citrus in Latin cooking.
Tomatillos. Sometimes called Mexican green tomatoes, tomatillos are a “savory” fruit covered with a papery husk. They are the main ingredient in Mexico’s green table sauces. The flavor is tangy yet slightly sweet. Remove the husks before using and wash well.