What do you have in your cellar/pantry these days?
In terms of cuisine, a virus pandemic can also be an opportunity, at least if it helps to increase the esteem for the conservation (both our health and food reserves) and to take a critical look at our pantry.
If you want to leave the house as little as possible, you can celebrate the taste and splendor of the salted, the pickled, the fermented, dried and canned. With a well-stocked pantry or cellar, one may eat well even under quarantine or isolation – sometimes even too well. In my opinion, the following products should not be missing from any “bunker”:
- Garlic and onions
- Carrots
- Dried sweet chilli
- Potatoes and/or sweet potatoes
- Capers (in salt)
- Olives
- Lemons, apples
- Sardines or tuna cans
- Hard cheese (Parmesan)
- Soft cheese (gets better and better at least for a few weeks)
- Sour vegetables
- Soy sauce
- Nuts
- Dried figs, raisins and/or dates
- Bean cans
- Canned mushrooms
- Sweet corn canes
- Plain flour
- Different cereals
- Tomato cans
- Sunflower and olive oil
- Apple vinegar and balsamic
- Honey
- Rice and/or brown rice
- Canned peas
- Crispbread
- Sesame seeds, white and black
- Different types of pasta
- Semolina
- Lentils
- Sauerkraut
- Yeast, baking powder, powdered sugar, baking soda
- Salt (fine and coarse)
- Sugar, brown sugar
- Compote, jam and “zacusca” š
If you want to tackle it fundamentally, you will of course use flour and thus keep even more options open, such as wholemeal flour, rye flour, buckwheat, corn flour.
In my opinion, pasta is the first carbohydrate choice for the culinary apocalyptic: it lasts forever (or at least significantly longer than viral pandemics-HOPEFULLY!), is enjoyed warm and is the perfect basis for numerous other storage products. This is followed by lentils, beans and rice. Rice in particular – admittedly – spends more than pasta, but usually needs more ingredients to taste satisfactory. Classic bread due to limited shelf life, is more for optimistic panic shoppers.
I must admit that, during this month, since the state of emergency was declared in my country as well, I have managed to stop throwing out food and perishables. I learned to use them in a smarter, more cautious way, being aware, now more than ever, that going shopping means an assumed risk from several points of view and being wasteful has never been a virtue.
And so that there is still something new here, another dessert recipe will follow that celebrates the taste of the pantry like few others – at least as long as there are eggs and butter from the fridge.
London Slice
During NO festive family visit, I came across another cookie that was unknown to me so far. I have tried it before, but never have I made it myself.
The recipe says apricot jam, but since mine is already sold out, I used peach jam. I think we can smear it with any jam because it will be just as delicious.
| For dough | For the filling | For the topping |
|---|---|---|
| 500 g plain white flour 250 g butter with 82% fat 150 g powdered sugar 4 egg yolks a pinch of salt vanilla sugar (1) peel from a lemon | 300 g apricot jam 300 g ground nut | 4 egg whites 200 g sugar vanilla sugar (1) a pinch of salt |
| Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 |
Knead the dough ingredients into a compact mass, then line a baking sheet (approx. 30 x 40 cm) with the dough. Make some small holes in it with a fork. Let cool in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, or for the night.
Grease with plenty of apricot jam. Than spread the ground walnuts over the jam and mix them gently together.
Beat the egg whites into a hard foam, add the sugar and vanilla sugar little by little, then take this hard foam and smooth over the dough smeared with the jam and walnuts.
London SlicesI baked it in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for 35 minutes. Once completely cooled, cut into slices. Very delicious, hearty cake! Good appetite
