COOKING IS A WAY OF LIFE FOR PROFESSIONAL CHEFS. Whether in a restaurant kitchen, a culinary school, or catering for parties and events, working chefs are surrounded by food every day, all day. Many will tell you that after making food all day at work, they still enjoy coming home to rustle up supper. Busy, local chef Todd Brown says, "I enjoy cooking at night because it's therapeutic. It's a good way to decompress and get creative."
With all this cooking, there are bound to be specific pantry staples these food wizards deem essential to have on hand. So I asked five local chefs what go-to items they always keep in stock and how they use them. These food ideas might help us all have an easier time whipping up delicious dishes like the chefs do.
"Pasta!" says Janet Capua, master of Italian cuisine and co-owner and Executive Chef of Z's Cafe. "Obviously! Pasta is a perfect start to a satisfying, tasty meal. I have about 25 pounds on hand for emergencies," she says with a giggle. Capua loves to cook at home, especially when her children and grandkids are coming over. And they say she can whip up a hearty, delicious meal like magic.
Chef Capua also keeps a jar or two of marinated artichoke hearts on hand. These can be added to salads, thrown into spaghetti sauce, or chopped and made into dips and spreads. Her sweet favorite is good quality chocolate wafers to melt for dipping strawberries. And who doesn't want to be prepared to dip strawberries at a moment's notice, right?
Julia Dunaway, owner of Chef Julia Personal Chef Services and Cooking Classes, also keeps chocolate wafers close by. Her favorite brand is Callebaut chocolate callets from Central Market. She is always sure to use this particular chocolate in her very special brownies and says it makes all the difference. "And for my chocolate cravings!"
"I keep rice vinegar for my sesame ginger salad dressing," she continues. Rice vinegar can be substituted for any vinegar in a salad dressing. It gives a delicate, fresh taste. This is a great hint for all of us, as Chef Julia is from a Japanese heritage, and one of her specialties is Asian food.
Todd Brown, owner and chef at the new Lettuce Cook - Gourmet-on-the-Go, has about 10 must-haves. His top choices would be white balsamic vinegar, Himalayan pink salt, balsamic glaze and honey.
"We reach for white balsamic vinegar, because it's a quick fix for sautéing mushrooms, asparagus, or any vegetable. It's also great on most meats. If you don't have time to marinate foods, it's a delicious solution to a quick seasoning."
Chef Todd continues, "I prefer Himalayan pink salt for its purity and health benefits. The salt is kept in a pristine environment and is protected from everyday pollution. It has less sodium than everyday salt we are used to seeing, and it's loaded with minerals."
Balsamic glaze is great drizzled on almost any food, sweet or savory, such as Parmesan cheese for an appetizer, roasted meats or ice cream. Give an extra kick to tomatoes and mozzarella in a Caprese salad, or lightly touch fresh strawberries for a smart dessert. It's also the ideal finish for perfectly cooked salmon and other fish.
Another ubiquitous item in Chef Todd's pantry is honey. "We like to toss fresh berries and melon in honey and chopped mint. Honey is also great in sweet marinades for meats."
"Onions!" says Brad Waier, Senior Chef Instructor at The Culinary School of Fort Worth. "They are a flavor builder for all kinds of food you are cooking. I always have a five-pound bag on hand." He adds that onions keep at room temperature for a comparatively long time and are an inexpensive way to add lots of flavor to dishes.
He also lists canned Italian plum tomatoes as a great item to keep on hand. "When fresh tomatoes are out of season or you have a tight budget, they are a great choice. They are versatile for marinara and other sauces, soups and entrée items."
Another staple Chef Waier keeps on hand is frozen homemade stock. "You can't beat handmade stock," he says. "Keep it in small manageable amounts and pull it out when making soup or sauces. Vegetable stock is my favorite. It's quick to make and it can be used with vegetarian dishes. For extra flavor in your cooking, use stock in place of water that is called for in a savory recipe. If making homemade stock isn't in your time budget, canned, low-sodium broth is a good option."
"Good pantry basics are the foundation for creating great meals," says Charissa Christopher, owner and chef at Feastivities. The first item that pops into her mind is lemons. "Lemons are a necessity in my kitchen at home as well as the Feastivities kitchen. You can add this unique tart and slightly sour taste to sweet treats, or use it as the perfect contrast to savory dishes. Add it to cooked pasta with just a pinch of Parmesan cheese or as the foundation of the most delectable lemon bars or cookies. I also love a lemon pepper cracker."
"Speaking of Parmesan cheese, I could go on for days about how much I love it. The creamy texture and slight saltiness is the perfect accompaniment to a sweet tomato sauce. A melt-in-your-mouth Parmesan cheesecake with crisp crackers is a new take on the classic hors d"oeuvres of chips and dip." And at home, Chef Charissa enjoys a sprinkle of Parmesan on popcorn while watching a great movie.
The Feastivities chef adds, "Last, but most definitely not least on my list is butter. A kitchen should never be without butter. Enough said."
