Time to look in the pantry

By Jenny Wright-Hailey

With Christmas and New Year’s parties almost a month behind us, and the next major “food” holiday (i.e., big meal day) not till Easter, now begins the real post-holiday doldrums.

So, hunker down and take care of some much-needed chores in the kitchen. This might be a good time to look in the pantry (whether yours is a walk-in closet or a cupboard) and take stock of what’s in there. If you had an emergency and couldn’t leave the house for a few days, do you have enough water and ready-to-eat food for you and your significant others? And what about little emergencies, like unexpected guests or feeling too sick to go to the store, or just getting home really late and hungry? What could you throw together from the pantry?

Aside from individual tastes and the longstanding cereal-for-dinner solution, here are a few basics that can help create delicious last-minute fare.

In bottles and jars, make sure you have olive oil, assorted vinegars (red wine, tarragon, apple cider, white), soy sauce, curry sauce, honey, hoisin, mustard, a couple of favorite marinades and dressings, roasted red pepper strips, olives, artichoke hearts and peanut butter. Canned goods should include salmon, tuna (albacore), tomatoes, beans, chicken broth (or vegetable broth) and anchovies. Dried goods include assorted rices, pastas, flour, potatoes, dried fruits, dried mushrooms, crystallized ginger, a good selection of spices and herbs, panko or other bread crumbs, crackers, and assorted nuts such as macadamias, almonds, pine nuts, almonds and peanuts. Here are some great ways to dress up nuts:

Mix macadamia nuts with chopped crystallized ginger and chunks of fresh coconut;

Mix salted peanuts with minced dried apples, or walnuts with minced dried apricots;

Stir-fry some almonds in a little olive oil with curry powder and a touch of red pepper.

If your refrigerator contains any leftover meat, poultry, fish or veggies, you can dice them and stir-fry with soy, hoisin, curry or peanut sauce, serve over rice and sprinkle some chopped nuts on top. Or you can saute the cut-up meat in olive oil, add canned tomatoes or diced red bell pepper strips, olives, and/or artichoke hearts, season with herbs and serve over quick-cooked pasta with a sprinkling of cheese or fresh-cracked black pepper. Sliced meats or fish portions can be warmed and served with a chutney that you throw together with dried fruits, a little crystallized ginger, some red pepper flakes and apple cider vinegar. Salad greens can transform into a mini-meal with pan-toasted nuts, artichoke hearts, olives, bell pepper strips and a quick dressing of olive oil, vinegar, mustard and maybe a touch of honey.

If the refrigerator is bare, your pantry can still save the day. Here are a few simple recipes using ingredients entirely from your pantry, with little or no cooking.

Potatoes in spicy
olive oil

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons tomato puree or paste

1/2 to 1 teaspoon harissa*

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups cold water

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and salted, sliced half-inch thick

1 to 2 tablespoons dried parsley or mint

In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add garlic, tomato puree, harissa, cumin and salt; stir well. Add water and potato slices; mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are almost cooked, 10 to 15 minutes. Add parsley or mint; simmer about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a serving dish; serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

*Harissa is a Middle Eastern seasoning that can be purchased in tubes or jars. You can make your own and keep in the pantry:

Combine 11/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 1/4 cup ground cumin and 1/2 cup olive oil. Grind with a pestle until a paste forms. Add a little salt to taste and up to 2 teaspoons ground caraway seeds. Store in a covered jar.

Dried fruit compote

This adaptation from Bon Appetit magazine makes a nice breakfast, snack or dessert by itself or over ice cream; makes 6 servings.

3 cups cranberry, cran-apple or cran-raspberry juice

4 ounces dried apricots

4 ounces dried pears

4 ounces dried peaches

6 tablespoons honey

5 whole allspice berries

Combine ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Simmer until fruit is tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl using a slotted spoon. Boil poaching liquid until syrupy, about 5 minutes, then pour syrup over fruit. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Anchovies gremolata

Although anchovies do not come to mind as particularly high on everybody’s food list, here’s the trick: soak them in milk for 30 minutes to sweeten them. You’ll be surprised at the taste. Try this appetizer recipe from “Great Food Without Fuss” by Frances McCullough and Barbara Witt.

21/2 ounce can or jar of Spanish or Italian anchovy fillets

Milk

1 garlic clove, minced

Handful of parsley, minced very fine

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

Toasted bread triangles or crackers

Soak the anchovies in enough milk to cover them, for 30 minutes. Pat dry and arrange anchovies on a plate like the spokes of a wheel. In a small bowl mix the garlic and parsley with the lemon zest; fluff together to blend. Drizzle the olive oil over anchovies; scatter the garlic mixture (gremolata) over. Serve with bread or crackers and toothpicks to spear the anchovies.

Skordalia

This is a low-cost, quickie dip that makes good use of old bread and whips up in seconds in a blender. Serve with veggies like carrot and celery sticks or grape tomatoes.

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup blanched, slivered almonds

5 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 pound dried bread, dampened in water and squeezed

Salt to taste

Keep out two tablespoons of the almonds for garnish. Place the olive oil, vinegar, remaining almonds, and garlic in a blender container; blend until smooth. Break chunks of bread into blender; process until creamy. Add salt to taste and transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Top with reserved almonds.