The other day I had dinner with my friends Wendell and Kyle. Wendell made a delicious lasagna which we jokingly named “No Big Deal Lasagna” because he claimed the recipe was super easy. I’ll ask him how to make it sometime; his recipe for the meat sauce has a few unusual twists, like capers.
During dinner, we chatted about Kyle’s kitchen. He’s a bachelor and I’m going to help him create an essential-ingredients pantry so he can whip together a meal in a matter of minutes. During our conversation, Wendell asked me what my top five ingredients are. After clarifying the question – he wanted to know what gives my cooking an edge, not the things I use most often ‒ I went blank. For the next several days, I percolated on the question and came up with my list. Here it is, Wendell!
Maldon sea salt. The chefs in the British royal kitchens use Maldon salt; apparently the Queen loved it. I swear it’s not just salt; I think of it as magic crystals that makes food bloom. Finding the right words to describe this salt is difficult. I keep some in a jar and also in a salt grinder. Two Boys in Condon always has it in stock.
Maggie’s Klare Bruhe. It’s a German-made powdered vegetable soup base I also refer to as magical. It adds a tangy taste to soups, stews and vegetables. You can eat dried beans plain when they are cooked with this, they’ll be that flavorful.
Smoked paprika. Just a little sprinkle of this versatile spice adds a lovely, complex flavor to so many foods. I put it on popcorn along with Maldon salt, butter, Marcona almonds and parmesan cheese. Sometimes I eat this for dinner when I’m too lazy to cook (the vegetables can wait until tomorrow).
Freshly ground pepper. I want to write a column about the joys of freshly ground pepper. Pepper is grown all around the world in tropical zones, and each kind has a distinct flavor such as citrusy, fruity or floral. It’s so easy to grind your own if you have a fast pepper grinder.
MSG, Accent or monosodium glutamate. Decades ago, MSG got some undeserved bad rap that simply isn’t true. It’s an awesome flavor enhancer that adds a savory touch, or the umami flavor, to almost anything you cook. A little dab will do ya’.
And I’m tossing in Wendell’s favorite – Greek oregano. This is very different from the standard oregano found in grocery stores. The flavor is intense and earthy, like oregano on steroids.
What are your top five favorite ingredients? Please write me; I would love to know. Isabel@isabelmontclaire.com