Milk Street: Cook What You Have: Make a Meal Out of Almost Anything (A Cookbook)

CANNED CHIPOTLES IN ADOBO

Chipotle chilies are smoked jalapeño chilies that have been rehydrated and packed in a garlicky, vinegary tomato sauce (which also can be used to flavor dishes). Chop chipotles to add to bean dishes, salsa, marinades, dips, sandwiches and quesadillas. Once opened, they should be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated.

FISH SAUCE

Deep, funky and pungent, fish sauce packs an umami punch. Used throughout Southeast Asia (and Italy, too, since Roman times, though they call it garum), it can star in quick dipping sauces and stir-fries, or fade into the background in stews. Brands vary in flavor; we prefer the crisp, complex flavor of Red Boat brand.

FRESH GINGER ROOT

Ginger adds bright, zippy flavor and is essential to many Asian and Indian dishes. It’s best fresh; we typically peel and grate it to a coarse paste, but when we want ginger to have more presence in a dish, we might thinly slice it or cut it into matchsticks. Cooking mellows the spiciness of fresh ginger. Store ginger in a zip-close bag in the refrigerator; it will keep for a few weeks. For longer storage, keep it in the freezer.

GOCHUJANG (KOREAN RED CHILI PASTE)

Savory, spicy and subtly sweet, gochujang is an elemental building block in Korean cooking. It’s made from fermented rice, chili powder, a sweetener and sometimes flavorings, like garlic. Thick and sticky, it can be blended into sauces or marinades, stirred into soups, and blended with rice vinegar, sugar (or honey), sesame oil and grated garlic for an all-purpose dipping sauce. It’s prepared in varying heat levels; we suggest starting with mild.

HARISSA PASTE

This North African fiery pepper-based spread is flavored with caraway, cumin, coriander and garlic. Flavors—and heat levels—vary by brand; start with a little and build up as desired. Stir into tomato sauces to flavor pasta and couscous (or cook eggs for shakshuka), blend with butter to melt over grilled meat or vegetables, or squirt into yogurt and flavor with cilantro for a dipping sauce.

HOISIN SAUCE

Hoisin is a thick, sticky sauce made from fermented soybean paste, wheat flour, garlic and sometimes other seasonings, like five-spice powder or sesame. Salty-sweet, earthy and deep, it can be used straight as a dipping sauce, blended into marinades and sauces, or brushed onto grilled or roasted meats instead of barbecue sauce. Brands vary in consistency and flavor; we like Tan Tan Vietnamese hoisin sauce.

JARRED ROASTED PEPPERS

Sweet tasting and supple textured, roasted peppers are welcome additions to everything from soups, stews and pasta sauces to omelets or frittatas, quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches. We favor widely available Spanish piquillo peppers, which are medium-sized and sweet, or long and slender Greek Florina peppers.

KIMCHI

Kimchi is a Korean relish of vegetables fermented with chilies, garlic, ginger, scallions and typically something fishy for depth. The most common varieties include Napa cabbage or a mix of cabbage, carrot and daikon, and it can be found in the refrigerator case of most supermarkets. It can be served raw as a salad or condiment alongside grilled meats, folded into fried rice, noodles, soups and stews, or pureed to a thick paste to serve as a dipping sauce or smear inside a grilled cheese sandwich or quesadilla.

MIRIN

Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine that is essential to Japanese sauces, glazes and soups. It comes in two styles: aji-mirin, with added sweetener, and honmirin, without added sweetener. The latter typically is better quality and we recommend it, though it can be harder to find in supermarkets because of its alcohol content.

MISO

Miso is a fermented paste typically prepared from soybeans, steamed rice or barley, salt and koji culture. There are dozens of varieties and regional specialities; we usually recommend mellow white, or shiro, miso or bold, bittersweet red miso. Most taste sweet, intensely savory and earthy. Beyond classic use in soups, stews and braises, we also blend miso with an equal amount of butter and a splash of lemon juice to melt over sauteed vegetables, blanched greens and roasted sweet potatoes. We also mix a spoonful into caramel sauce, chocolate pudding or peanut butter cookies.

OIL-PACKED SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Flavor-packed sun-dried tomatoes are available dried or rehydrated and packed in flavored oil. We prefer the convenience, flavor and texture of the latter. Beyond their sweet, tart and tangy flavor, sun-dried tomatoes have an appealing chewiness that punctuates pilafs and pastas, or bean, tuna or egg salads. If the oil the tomatoes are packed in isn’t overly flavored with dried herbs, it can be used for cooking and to flavor vinaigrettes.

OLIVES

Salty, sweet, firm and chewy, olives add contrasting flavor and texture. Green olives are immature and, depending on variety, can taste fruity, nutty, grassy and a little sweet. Black olives are harvested when ripe and have a more aggressive flavor. Salt-cured olives have a chewier, drier texture. Add them toward the end of cooking to prevent them from turning the dish bitter. We finely chop them to add to lemony dressings for salads, chicken and fish, or puree with herbs, olive oil and garlic to smear on pizzas or flatbreads and mix into omelets with goat cheese. Brine-cured olives should be refrigerated in their brine and will store for up to a month.

OYSTER SAUCE

Caramel colored, sweet and subtly fishy, oyster sauce is a common seasoning in Chinese and regional Thai cooking because of its sweet, briny, umami-rich flavor. It can be used on its own to season stir-fries or fried rice, or be blended into more complex sauces. Flavors vary wildly in oyster sauces and we recommend spending a little more to get a bottle that actually tastes of oysters. Our favorite brand, Megachef, is made in Thailand from smoked oysters, brown sugar and salt, not oyster extracts.

PANKO BREADCRUMBS

A staple of Japanese cooking and now common in most supermarkets, panko breadcrumbs are flaky, crisp breadcrumbs prepared from crustless white bread. It’s lightly sweet, wheaty flavor makes panko ideal for breaded coatings. It also can be softened into panades for moistening meatballs. Panko can be sauteed in olive oil or butter—if you like, add chilies, grated garlic or herbs—to toss as a crunchy topping for vegetables or pasta dishes.

PARMESAN OR PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE

Parmesan cheese is an aged, umami-rich cow’s milk cheese produced in the Parma region of Italy. Pecorino Romano is a sharp, pungent sheep’s milk cheese originally made in the regions around Rome. We use both to top pasta, enrich sauces and season meatballs. There’s no substitute, so buy quality, imported cheese. Both keep well if wrapped in kitchen parchment, then an air-tight container or zip-close bag.

PICKLED JALAPEÑOS

Pickled jalapeños add spicy, piquant pops of flavor. We chop them to stir into beans and grains, and blend them into dressings for salads or roasted vegetables. Don’t forget the brine: a splash can balance rich braises, accent soups and stews, or loosen up refried beans.

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Deeply sweet and sour, pomegranate molasses is boiled-down and concentrated pomegranate juice. It’s used throughout Levantine cooking to add tang to sauces and dressings and to glaze grilled meats. A drizzle can cut through rich braised meats, starchy grains or legumes. We prefer unsweetened brands of pomegranate molasses (no added sugar).

SESAME SEEDS

Sesame seeds provide a pop of earthy nuttiness and bittersweet crunch. Toasting intensifies and sweetens their flavor. We toss them with fried noodles and fried rice, stir-fried vegetables or chicken, and sprinkle them over flatbreads. Store in the freezer in an air-tight container to maintain freshness.

TAHINI

Tahini is a creamy, bittersweet paste made from ground sesame seeds. We use it to enrich sauces and dips, as a coating on roasted vegetables, or as a finishing drizzle that adds rich flavor. Also try it stirred it into your morning yogurt topped with fruit and granola. We like Soom brand tahini. Always be sure to stir before use to re-emulsify the oil and solids.

TOASTED SESAME OIL

Rich and earthy, toasted sesame oil isn’t for cooking; it’s a finishing oil, so consider it a condiment. Try it drizzled over roasted chicken or fish and noodles and stir-fried vegetables. We also like to blend it into dressings and sauces. Combined with lemon or lime juice, it’s all the sauce some dishes need. Buy good quality and store in the refrigerator once open.

TOMATO PASTE

Thick, concentrated tomato paste provides a fruity, sweet and rich flavor to boost soups, stews and sauces. We often brown tomato paste when building sauces, caramelizing its natural sugars to deepen its flavor.

UNSEASONED RICE VINEGAR

Rice vinegar is a mild-tasting vinegar used liberally in Japanese cooking for dressings, pickles and adding bright balance to rich dishes. It pairs well with lighter vegetables, greens and proteins, such as chicken and fish. Be sure to purchase unseasoned rice vinegar for the crispest, most neutral flavor (seasoned rice vinegar contains both sweetener and salt).