Kevin's Watch

I'm not talking the REAL basics here - pasta, rice, bread etc.

What do you keep in the kitchen to spice up the unplanned meal, the one where you haven't planned ahead and gone out to buy specific ingredients?

Two of my faithful are....

Paprika Chorizo sausage (from LIDL) - lovely spicy sausage type thing. If you haven't planned and bought some chicken or meat for your meal then this is perfect. Keeps for ages and you just have to chop it up and goes with any tomato-y or cream-y sauce with pasta or rice. sometimes a bit salty for some tastes (not mine!)

Fresh coriander(US - cilantro). the fresh stuff doesn't keep, but buy a big bunch fresh, wash, divide into portions, and freeze for when you need it. Tastes just as good used frozen as fresh.

fresh garlic and onions.
mushrooms.
canned tomatoes when fresh run out.

Stonemaybe wrote:Paprika Chorizo sausage (from LIDL) - lovely spicy sausage type thing. If you haven't planned and bought some chicken or meat for your meal then this is perfect. Keeps for ages and you just have to chop it up and goes with any tomato-y or cream-y sauce with pasta or rice. sometimes a bit salty for some tastes (not mine!)

I'll bear that in mind when I get to uni in September, since I'll be living basically next door to LIDL.

My Individual Mozzerella Caprese appetizer is quick to put together and always enjoyed. So fresh mozzerella, fresh basil, grape tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar ae kept readily at hand.

Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, mango or plum chutney, Sambal Olek, balsamic vinegar, lemons, fresh thyme and sage (makes it through the winter this year thanks to global warming ). Oh yes, and a wedge of Parmesan.

Garlic Bread! Goes with anyhing

Stonemaybe wrote:Fresh coriander(US - cilantro).

It grows like a weed in the garden. Unfortunately it's not a perennial. But one plant planted in march should grow faster than you can use it and leave some for freezing in the autumn.

Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, Mrs. Dash salt free table blend, onions, and mushrooms are additives of choice when I have to whip something up on the fly.

hmmm... fresh tomatoes, onions, ginger, pepper, a chili plant, a basil plant, oregano plants... i forgot the rest...

I keep canned chilis, enchilada sauce and refried beans on hand. In a pinch for dinner I can make up "enchilada pie" with almost any meat I have on hand.

i always keep at least one can of Maesri curry paste and a couple of cans of coconut milk. so easy to whip up a yummy curry with even older veggies, fresh, frozen or canned. also matzo mix; and garbanzoes & tahini for hummus.

bloodguard bob wrote:i always keep at least one can of Maesri curry paste and a couple of cans of coconut milk. so easy to whip up a yummy curry with even older veggies, fresh, frozen or canned. also matzo mix; and garbanzoes & tahini for hummus.

Matzah ball mix, or matzah meal, bgb? I keep matzah meal on hand year round as a quick substitute for bread crumbs. Or even to make matzah balls with...

Not haute cuisine, but keeps us from making a FastFood run:
Turquesadillas
1 can Hormel turkey chili w/ beans
Shredded Mexican-blend Cheese
Manny's Low Carb Wraps
Hot Salsa (for dipping)
Combine chili & cheese, spread on wraps, fold, and grill on a hot, lightly buttered griddle. These are super quick, rather tasty, and prevents us from blowing our money and nutritional mojo at Taco Bell.

dw

Wow, that sounds like something that would ease the munchies quickly and tastefully, DW. Thanks!

Menolly wrote:

bloodguard bob wrote:i always keep at least one can of Maesri curry paste and a couple of cans of coconut milk. so easy to whip up a yummy curry with even older veggies, fresh, frozen or canned. also matzo mix; and garbanzoes & tahini for hummus.

Matzah ball mix, or matzah meal, bgb? I keep matzah meal on hand year round as a quick substitute for bread crumbs. Or even to make matzah balls with...

matzah ball soup mix in the box. i often look at the box and wish i'd gone through my fresh stuff quicker so i can have me some matzah ball soup.
just finished eating a big batch of hummus.

bloodguard bob wrote:

Menolly wrote:

bloodguard bob wrote:i always keep at least one can of Maesri curry paste and a couple of cans of coconut milk. so easy to whip up a yummy curry with even older veggies, fresh, frozen or canned. also matzo mix; and garbanzoes & tahini for hummus.

Matzah ball mix, or matzah meal, bgb? I keep matzah meal on hand year round as a quick substitute for bread crumbs. Or even to make matzah balls with...

matzah ball soup mix in the box. i often look at the box and wish i'd gone through my fresh stuff quicker so i can have me some matzah ball soup.
just finished eating a big batch of hummus.

Do you use any other part of the soup mix besides the matzah meal packet? I find matzah meal is much less expensive, and keeps better in the resealable round cannisters it's sold in. I can't imagine you resort to the powdered bouillon packet for the chicken soup. Chicken base is a much better way to go for the soup, if you don't make Jewish Penicillin from scratch like I do...

you know what? that's a good point bacause i typicallly make my own base for everything else. i've always used the packet that comes in the box, usually because i'm desperate or lazy. one of my staples is veg and/or chix broth; i believe i will get some straight up matzah meal to go along side.
also, are ther different schools of thought on how big a matzah ball should be? they've been served to me wlnut sized and tennisball sized. i like the look of one big matzah in the center of the bowl. spooning off a piece and dipping it in the stock.

bloodguard bob wrote:you know what? that's a good point bacause i typicallly make my own base for everything else. i've always used the packet that comes in the box, usually because i'm desperate or lazy. one of my staples is veg and/or chix broth; i believe i will get some straight up matzah meal to go along side.

Before I convince you to switch to matzah meal too much, let us verify that we are talking about the same thing. When I think matzah ball soup mix, I think of a box that comes with an envelope of matzah meal, and an envelope of bouillon. You still need to add egg, water (or seltzer, which is what I use), and fat to the matzah to make the batter before shaping and simmering the matzah balls.

I have heard there are versions of matzah ball soup mix out there where all you add is water to make the batter, although I have never seen such. If that is what you are used to, then plain matzah meal will not work for you,

bloodguard bob wrote:also, are ther different schools of thought on how big a matzah ball should be? they've been served to me wlnut sized and tennisball sized. i like the look of one big matzah in the center of the bowl. spooning off a piece and dipping it in the stock.

:::snort:::

On every Jewish cooking forum I frequent, the same debate rages. Namely, “floater or sinker?” In other words, do you want a matzah ball that is dense, heavy, and sits on the bottom of the soup bowl, or do you want a matzah ball that is light, fluffy, cloud like, melt-in-your-mouth goodness that floats gently on the top of the stock in the bowl? (not too biased there, am I?)

If you want floaters, then you can expect them to expand a lot when simmering, especially if you use seltzer and separate the egg so the white gets whipped like I do. In this case, for the large size matzah ball you are looking for, a standard sized melon baller to shape the batter will work fine. For sinkers, you compact the batter into the ball shape and size you want, and it barely expands when simmered. It all depends on what you consider a matzah ball.

ok, 1. i use the mix in the box that contains a bullion pkt. & i mix my matzah balls with egg, water and fat(i also whip my whites).
2.never heard of a sinker before, sounds icky. my matzah have always floated to the point where i gotta flip em so they cook evenly and yes they're delicate and fluffy, well, wet and fluffy.
now, depending on whats in the stock determines size. if it's just stock and matzah balls i like 'em tennisball size, one matzah in a small bowl with stock filled to half way up the matzah; so simple, so pretty. they are soft enough to scoop some with you're spoon, dip it into the stock and eat.
now if there are chicken and vegitables, as with Jewish Penicillin, i like 'em the size of walnuts while the chicken and veg are cut bite size.

ooooh! maybe i'll make some this weekend

I prefer my staples made out of metal. The matzah flour ones just disintegrate when you try to force them through the stack of paper....