To extend your winter pantry beyond the shelves of dried and canned goods, stock your freezer with the flavorful homemade broths and sauces that are elemental to winter cooking; make double or triple batches of these staples to last you through the season.
Stocking the Pantry
Make sure you have the basics:
Dried and canned beans: cannellini, chickpeas, black, pinto
French green and brown lentils
Arborio and basmati rice
Assorted pasta shapes
Couscous
Quick-cooking polenta
Kasha
Dried porcini mushrooms
Dried chiles
Sun-dried tomatoes
Capers
Olives
Olive paste
Marinated artichokes
Canned tomatoes: whole, diced, crushed, pureed
Anchovies
Imported oil-packed tuna
Homemade Staples
Store these items in airtight containers in the freezer for up to three months:
Don't Throw Out...
Keep these flavor boosters in the freezer, and add them to a pot of simmering soup or beans; discard before serving:
- The rinds of hard cheeses like Parmesan and Pecorino Romano
- Scraps of smoked meats: prosciutto, bacon, and smoked turkey
- Fresh herbs that have begun to wilt
Cannellini beans are white kidney beans; I would also add canned dark red kidney beans for even more nutrition and variety. I use both types to make incredible soups and stews with lamb and beef.
Don't forget lots of oatmeal and raisins.