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THE STORECUPBOARD

Most of the recipes in this book are based on a combination of fresh ingredients and ingredients that keep well in a storecuboard, such as pasta, rice and spices. A well-stocked storecupboard saves time; after the initial stocking-up it’s just a matter of replenishing it when required. You don’t have to shop every day to make quick vegetarian meals: fresh vegetables and dairy produce keep very well in the fridge; herbs in jugs of water or growing in pots in a light place; and bread, if you want some in reserve, in the freezer. These are the ingredients I find most useful to have in stock, and many of the recipes in this book rely on them.

DRY GOODS

I like to keep in several packets of pasta in different shapes and a supply of split red lentils, which cook more quickly than other pulses and don’t need soaking. Various types of rice are also indispensable: brown basmati is the only wholegrain rice that cooks in under 30 minutes, and white basmati takes even less time. Bulgur wheat, couscous, instant polenta, chick pea (gram) flour, cornflour and dried breadcrumbs are worth having for occasional use, and flour (both white and wholemeal) and baking powder are storecupboard basics. Wheatmeal and amaretti biscuits keep fairly well and make a good base for various puddings. Dried fruits are useful for both sweet and savoury dishes, as are nuts, seeds, desiccated coconut, coconut milk powder and creamed coconut. Try to keep several types of nuts and seeds in stock, such as walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pine nuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. If possible, store nuts in the fridge or freezer to prevent them from going rancid. In any case, buy them in small quantities.

CANNED AND FROZEN FOOD

Certain canned ingredients are invaluable for making fast food – green lentils, chick peas, different types of beans, canned sweetcorn (without added sugar), artichoke hearts and tomatoes in juice. Canned whole tomatoes are usually of better quality than the chopped ones and it’s easy to break them up quickly with a spoon once they’re in the saucepan. Canned chestnuts and unsweetened chestnut purée come in handy, whether it’s to make a hearty winter stew or whip up a luxurious quick pudding. I like the vacuum-packed canned whole chestnuts that are now available. It’s also possible to buy frozen peeled chestnuts. Other frozen foods I like to keep in stock are sweetcorn, petit pois and leaf spinach. Sticks of frozen double or whipping cream are useful, too, for when you need just a small quantity.

FLAVOURING INGREDIENTS

Flavouring ingredients are doubly important for fast food, because you need to add interest and intensity of taste without a lengthy cooking period. It’s worth spending a little time and money, therefore, building up a collection of spices and herbs, sweet and savoury flavourings, and good oils and vinegars. At the most basic level, you need good salt – I like flaky Maldon sea salt which you can crush in your fingers – and a grinder for black peppercorns. Other basics are light olive oil for shallow-frying and a good-quality virgin olive oil for salad dressings. For stir-frying and occasional deep-frying I use groundnut oil because it is the most stable at high temperatures; also dark sesame oil for adding flavour to stir-fries and oriental dishes. Vinegars to keep in stock are red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and light, sweet brown rice vinegar, all of which have their own individual character. Tabasco sauce and soy sauce pep up food instantly – choose soy sauce that is naturally matured and contains only soya beans and salt. Then there’s mustard, preferably smooth Dijon as well as wholegrain Meaux mustard; good bought mayonnaise such as Hellman’s; and jars of capers, black olive pâté (the type made only with black olives and olive oil is best), sun-dried tomatoes, pesto sauce and black olives (my favourites are the Greek Kalamata or the little Niçois olives – all of these are best kept in the fridge.

For sweet flavourings, I use both clear and thick honey and stem ginger preserved in syrup; I also find ginger preserve, a kind of ginger jam, useful. Rose and orange flower waters are versatile flavourings, and perhaps even better are liqueurs such as Cointreau or Amaretto, and eau de vie. My favourite is eau de vie de poire William – horribly expensive but divine in a delicate pear dessert.

The spices I find most useful are cinnamon (in sticks and ground) cloves, cardamom, cayenne, chilli powder, whole and ground coriander, whole and ground cumin, ground turmeric, paprika, dried red chillies, and whole nutmegs for grating when needed. Mustard seeds and curry powder are good for occasional use. As far as herbs are concerned, thyme, sage, rosemary and oregano seem to survive the drying process well, and bay is actually better and more concentrated in flavour when dried. Being able to buy fresh herbs easily has made a huge difference to the fast cook’s repertoire, and I find they keep well in their little pots or in jars of water – fresh mint, basil, parsley, dill, coriander, chives, chervil, tarragon and parsley (particularly flat-leaf) will liven up your cooking immensely. Lemon grass, green chillies and fresh ginger root are also widely available now, and are best kept in the fridge.

FRESH PRODUCE

Basic dairy produce such as eggs – always free range – milk, cream and yogurt should, of course, be kept in the fridge, along with soft and hard cheeses, including a block of fresh Parmesan for grating as required. Fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, salad leaves, carrots and cabbage keep well in the fridge, too. Other basic standbys are onions, garlic, potatoes, oranges and lemons, which I keep in a cool, dark cupboard, and bread, which goes into a bread crock, with a back-up supply in the freezer.

EQUIPMENT

The right equipment makes all the difference to the ease with which you can cook fast food. A little time spent removing clutter, re-thinking your needs, and streamlining and reorganizing kitchen surfaces and cupboards can save hours of your time over the weeks and months.

It’s essential to invest in efficient kitchen tools. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment: the most important thing is a really good, sharp knife, and for that you do get what you pay for. Personally I like a classic Sabatier knife with a medium-length (11cm/4¹/₂ inch) blade. A good, solid chopping board is essential, too, the bigger the better. The other small tools I find indispensable are a swivel potato peeler with a long handle that is really comfortable to hold, and a citrus zester, which is a curiously useful gadget. A garlic press is more bother than it is worth, in my opinion – you can do the job much more quickly and effectively with a knife and a board.

A food processor isn’t essential, and many of the recipes in this book can be made without one, but it does open up many more possibilities – lovely creamy soups, quick pâtés and dips, for instance. As with so many things, if you’re buying one it pays to get a larger version than you think you’ll need; go for something simple in design which doesn’t try to do too many jobs. Try to make a space for it on your work surface so that it’s always there at the ready. An electric hand whisk is also a surprisingly useful and labour-saving piece of equipment, and fairly inexpensive to buy. For years I put off buying one, and when eventually I did I couldn’t believe how useful it was and wondered why I hadn’t bought one earlier.

A microwave oven isn’t essential by any means, and apart from a microwave version of risotto none of the recipes in this book depend on one. I find a pressure cooker more useful than a microwave because I love making soups and it cooks them very quickly. Some people are wary of pressure cookers because of all their hissing, but once you know what you are doing it can be invaluable.

Finally, a large saucepan with a steamer on top is helpful if you’re cooking with limited hob space, because you can have one item cooking in the pan and a vegetable or something else steaming in the top. I have a stainless-steel steamer that I use a lot in this way.