Vegetarian
Celia's secrets: adding flavour to your vegetarian cooking
Once you've pulled together your basic components for a dish, a well-stocked store cupboard can provide you with that extra je ne s'ai quoi.
Vegetarian chef, teacher and cookery school writer Celia Brooks Brown gives us her store cupboard staples and other ingredients you should always have to hand in your kitchen.
Assorted antipasti
Sun-dried or semi-dried tomatoes in oil, artichoke hearts in oil - all have big flavour and can add texture and zest to cooked sauces and casseroles.
Assorted olives, capers in vinegar or salt, caperberries
Add to roasted vegetables, tomato sauce, or purée with garlic, herbs and olive oil for tapenade; use to enhance humous and salads.
Chillies, dried and smoked, such as chipotle
Can be soaked in hot water then chopped into bean dishes and creamy sauces to add a distinctive smoky hot edge.
Chillies, fresh
Can be stored in the freezer for easy access; run under a hot tap then chop into cooking.
Creamed block coconut
Chop and dissolve in a little hot water to add body and richness to soup, lentils, bean dishes; puree with soy sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar and spices for a Thai-style BBQ marinade for vegetables and tofu.
Dark soy sauce
Creates a complex flavour beyond just salty and adds deep colour; essential in tofu marinades.
Fruits, dried: sultanas, raisins, apricots, prunes, cranberries, figs
Try in savoury dishes with lentils or in a spinach and walnut salad.
Lemons and limes
Zest and juice can be used with lentils, mashed potato, in pasta, squeezed over char-grilled aubergines and mushrooms.
Madeira wine
Loves the company of mushrooms or beans, so slosh it in.
Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
Add a slug to stir-fries with soy sauce; simmer with dark soy sauce and a little sugar for homemade Teriyaki, a great marinade for tofu.
Miso (fermented soybean paste)
Thin with hot water, then add to noodle soups, off the boil for an instant, flavourful stock; mix with crushed garlic, ginger and a little sugar for a high-impact tofu marinade; also nice spread on toast!
Paprika, smoked (pimenton)
Adds a smoky "chorizo" flavour to tomato sauce, chick peas, lentils and cooked vegetables. It also gives an attractive bright red colour, great for garnish: try sprinkling over humous.
Pickled sliced jalapenos
Chop into salsa and use the vinegar as a hot and sour accent
Porcini and shiitake mushrooms, dried - leave to swell in hot water then use as fresh mushrooms, then use the soaking water as a flavourful stock.
Raz-el-Hanout
A gorgeous Moroccan spice blend that brings lentil dishes to life.
Sesame oil
Used as a splash of flavour rather than a cooking oil - drizzle over noodles, brothy soups, fried mushrooms, steamed vegetables and stir-fries.
Truffle oil
Adds luxury and richness to every mushroom dish such as risotto and mushroom soup; brush over bruschetta and rub crusts with garlic for wow-factor; stir into mashed potato.
Vegetable stock powder
Adds emergency flavour to soups, sauce and gravy
Vermouth - use instead of white wine in cooking for a delicate flavour with no acidity.
Vinegars: top quality red and white wine, aged balsamic, rice - add a splash to roasted or fried tomatoes or tomato sauce; add a touch to egg mayo; add a dash of rice vinegar to stir-fries or cooked rice.
Whole spices: coriander seeds, cumin seeds or fennel seeds
Work beautifully as little explosions of taste, especially when lightly toasted first: add to roasting vegetables.
Yeast extract
Gives good flavour to gravy and tomato sauce.
Sun-dried or semi-dried tomatoes in oil, artichoke hearts in oil - all have big flavour and can add texture and zest to cooked sauces and casseroles.
Assorted olives, capers in vinegar or salt, caperberries
Add to roasted vegetables, tomato sauce, or purée with garlic, herbs and olive oil for tapenade; use to enhance humous and salads.
Chillies, dried and smoked, such as chipotle
Can be soaked in hot water then chopped into bean dishes and creamy sauces to add a distinctive smoky hot edge.
Chillies, fresh
Can be stored in the freezer for easy access; run under a hot tap then chop into cooking.
Creamed block coconut
Chop and dissolve in a little hot water to add body and richness to soup, lentils, bean dishes; puree with soy sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar and spices for a Thai-style BBQ marinade for vegetables and tofu.
Dark soy sauce
Creates a complex flavour beyond just salty and adds deep colour; essential in tofu marinades.
Fruits, dried: sultanas, raisins, apricots, prunes, cranberries, figs
Try in savoury dishes with lentils or in a spinach and walnut salad.
Lemons and limes
Zest and juice can be used with lentils, mashed potato, in pasta, squeezed over char-grilled aubergines and mushrooms.
Madeira wine
Loves the company of mushrooms or beans, so slosh it in.
Mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
Add a slug to stir-fries with soy sauce; simmer with dark soy sauce and a little sugar for homemade Teriyaki, a great marinade for tofu.
Miso (fermented soybean paste)
Thin with hot water, then add to noodle soups, off the boil for an instant, flavourful stock; mix with crushed garlic, ginger and a little sugar for a high-impact tofu marinade; also nice spread on toast!
Paprika, smoked (pimenton)
Adds a smoky "chorizo" flavour to tomato sauce, chick peas, lentils and cooked vegetables. It also gives an attractive bright red colour, great for garnish: try sprinkling over humous.
Pickled sliced jalapenos
Chop into salsa and use the vinegar as a hot and sour accent
Porcini and shiitake mushrooms, dried - leave to swell in hot water then use as fresh mushrooms, then use the soaking water as a flavourful stock.
Raz-el-Hanout
A gorgeous Moroccan spice blend that brings lentil dishes to life.
Sesame oil
Used as a splash of flavour rather than a cooking oil - drizzle over noodles, brothy soups, fried mushrooms, steamed vegetables and stir-fries.
Truffle oil
Adds luxury and richness to every mushroom dish such as risotto and mushroom soup; brush over bruschetta and rub crusts with garlic for wow-factor; stir into mashed potato.
Vegetable stock powder
Adds emergency flavour to soups, sauce and gravy
Vermouth - use instead of white wine in cooking for a delicate flavour with no acidity.
Vinegars: top quality red and white wine, aged balsamic, rice - add a splash to roasted or fried tomatoes or tomato sauce; add a touch to egg mayo; add a dash of rice vinegar to stir-fries or cooked rice.
Whole spices: coriander seeds, cumin seeds or fennel seeds
Work beautifully as little explosions of taste, especially when lightly toasted first: add to roasting vegetables.
Yeast extract
Gives good flavour to gravy and tomato sauce.
