Elene's Shopping List. Kitchen Essentials.

One of my closest friends Elene is a complete inspiration having left the city to set up a genius company called 'Ski Squirrel' http://www.skisquirrel.com/ and sell the most beautiful and unique jewellery http://mysilpada.co.uk/helen.jackson.  Although a complete superwoman in most regards, Elene has confessed that her cooking repertoire is rather limited and so, with complete joy, I've promised to help.

Here follows a basic shopping list for every kitchen - the ingredients you should always have in order to create most mains.  Quantities depend on how big your household is.  However, the key is, as ever, to have thinking confidence and substitute the ingredients you don't have for comparable others, rather than downing tools and running to the supermarket.  If a recipe calls for cream and you've run out, try cream cheese, if it specifies fresh green chilli add a dash from your dried supply, if it asks for onions try leeks... at the end of the day most of us are cooking for ourselves, our families and friends all of who will never know what the recipe said in the first place and will be overjoyed to have a home cooked meal.

As well as checking that I have the below key ingredients in stock, on a weekly basis I add in a few seasonal items like avocados, sugar snap peas, rhubarb, leeks, beetroot, venison etc or yummy things on special offer as well as perhaps some stewing steak if I'm planning a goulash, some smoked trout if I'm going for a Trout's Temptation, or aubergine if I'm in the melanzane mood.  The point is that if you have the below in your kitchen, you'll never again be lost, you'll have options.  The world is your oyster...

Finally, a quick word on breadcrumbs - whenever you have a loaf on its last legs, or some crusts which no one will ever eat, blitz them in a blender until you have crumbs, pop in a special 'breadcrumbs tupperware box' in the freezer.  I top my box up on a regular basis and then use the crumbs straight from frozen.  So easy and economical.

From the Freezer Section (or from the fridge and then keep in the freezer)
Peas (never scrimp on frozen peas, always pay the extra for McCain baby peas or similar)
Smoked haddock
White fish fillets
Free range chicken breasts
All-butter puff pastry
Filo pastry

Fresh Fruit and Veg
Lemons and Limes
Potatoes (general all purpose potatoes), or sweet potatoes for variety
Beetroot
Lettuce (I always buy iceburg, it is cheap and delicious)
Fresh ginger
Garlic
Onions (white), or shallots for variety
Red and/or green chillies
Mushrooms

Cans
Canellini beans (a great substitute for mash potato, just heat with oil and garlic then mash)
Coconut milk (low fat is fine)
Chopped or plum tomatoes
Red kidney beans
Chickpeas
Tomato Puree

Dried Herbs and Spices - these will last you for ages and ages
Red chilli flakes
Thyme
Cumin
Garam Masala
Turmeric
Paprika
Smoked paprika
Chili powder
Curry powder
Tarragon
Bay leaves
Nutmeg
Sea salt
Black pepper
Vegetable stock powder

Other Dried Goods
Yeast
White bread flour
Soy sauce
Mirin (rice wine)
Sesame oil
Rice vinegar
Pasta
Risotto rice
Red lentils
Black lentils
Rice
Rice paper wrappers
Nuts (cashews, pine nuts or hazelnuts)
Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower or poppy seed)
Peanut butter
Worcestershire sauce

Other
Free range eggs
Milk
Cream and/or creme fraiche
Olive oil
Sunflower oil
Red wine vinegar
Runny honey
Cream cheese (Philadelphia or equivalent)
Parmesan (not pre grated)
Dijon mustard
Plain yoghurt
Feta cheese
Butter
Horseradish sauce
Mature cheddar cheese

Fresh Herbs - buy from a garden centre and pot on your windowsill
Basil (any variety)
Coriander
Mint
Rosemary
Parsley (any variety)

The list may look long and your shopping bill may be high in the first week, but once you've got a stocked kitchen your weekly bills will halve. Trust me.