A Pantry Upgrade

A Pantry Upgrade

There are a handful of items that you should have in your pantry at all times that can upgrade a meal from average to upscale. I’ll start with 5 of the best:

Oil Cured Olives

Found in the Italian section of almost all grocery stores oil cured olives add zip to anything and everything from salads to pasta sauces. They need to be pitted most of the time, but it’s a fairly simple process – just squeeze the pit out and chop.

Capers

Capers come in a wide variety of sizes these days so experiment and see which ones work best for you. They have a delicious salty, briny flavor and are great in sauces and pasta dishes.

Wok Oil (Flavored with ginger and garlic)

This stuff is amazing! And it can be used for so much more than stir-fries. Toss  broccoli flowerets and red pepper strips with wok oil and roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Use wok oil instead of olive oil in a salad dressing. Sautee mushrooms in wok oil and serve with won ton crisps.

Grainy Mustard

Grainy mustard had a less powerful taste than Dijon mustard and can be used as a substitute for any mustard. Mixed with mayo and a little milk it serves as a hollandaise like sauce or heated with apricot preserves it can be a tasty glaze for pork chops or roast.

Artichoke Hearts

Artichoke hearts (marinated or not) are a delicious addition to almost any dish and have an almost universal appeal. A jar of marinated artichoke hearts, thin sliced lemon and a few tablespoons of capers and you have a great sauce for chicken or pasta.