Leftovers Food Cupboard Staples

Food Cupboard Staples

Leftovers are bloomin’ marvelous things, but even the best cook needs something to work with outside of the main leftover ingredient.  This post just looks at a few things all cupboards should (in my humble opinion) have in them to facilitate making the most of leftovers.

Risotto Rice

I honestly cannot imagine my cupboards at home without at least one bag of each of the specialist risotto rices.  Sorry folks, but however nice a dish made with long grain or basmati rice is, it is NOT a risotto.  Risotto rice has a delicious creamy texture and cooks perfectly.  Have a bag of Araborio or Canerolli rice in stock at all times!

 Stock Cubes

Obvious I know, but I am always running out of them.  Meals made from leftovers do not want to be long, drawn out affairs.  While your leftovers may have left you with some bones etc to make your own stock, if you are down the road of mid-week, after work food, you want quick and easy.  (That said, if you DO have the time, home-made stock freezes wonderfully well!).  Stock cubes come in an amazing array of flavours and you can have everything from pork, lamb, Chinese flavoured and even fish stock cubes as well as the more normal chicken and beef.  They are not the nasty tasting things they once were and I am a convert.  There are not many dishes out there that do not use them!

 Pasta

Tagliatelle, linguini, spaghetti, shells, cannelloni  - this list in endless and so is what you can do with all those varieties!

 Frozen Pastry

Always have puff, short and filo in the freezer.  1000s of recipe ideas!

Oriental and Indian Spices

A well-stocked herb and spice cupboard is the leftovers cook’s friend.  Whether you want to rub, paste, season or whatever else tickles your culinary fancy, having a good selection of spices to choose from is essential.

Eggs

You need them to coat, to wash, to richen, to be an omelet – never run out!

Wine

Now I have to confess that the concept of leftover wine in our house really is an alien one…. But if you DO happen to have a glass or two hanging about, don’t throw them away.  Excellent base for any number of sauces.

Breadcrumbs

Never throw away stale slices of bread (unless they are going green of course!).  They can be used in all manner of ways in recipes.