9 bizarre things chefs keep in the freezer

Chefs are (sometimes) just like ordinary people and cook at home with simple ingredients, including ingredients from the freezer. They’re happy to share handy freezer tips about what it’s wise to always have on hand, and ever since then you can always find wine in an ice cube tray in our freezers. But there are also chefs who keep some very unusual things in the freezer…

Ant eggs, for example, anyone? And that’s not the only unusual thing these chefs from all over the world stuff into their freezers. We found this list equal parts amusing, inspiring, and a little eww, and who knows, maybe it’ll inspire you to take your freezing game to the next level!

A knife

Mamia Jojua from Moscow thinks it’s perfectly normal, but suspects that anyone who doesn’t work in a kitchen might find it surprising: he always keeps a good knife in the freezer. For cutting certain things, he considers it important to be able to use a cold knife.

Bones

You might find the sight of chef James Cochran’s London freezer a little macabre. ‘You see a whole pile of bones; I see stock! It’s important not to waste anything when working with meat. Always save the bones to make a flavourful stock for a future meal, and if you don’t have time to do that right away, you can easily freeze them.’

Placenta

Tim Siadatan, co-founder of the renowned London restaurants Trullo and Padella (amazing pasta!), says that as new parents they kept the placenta after their daughter was born. ‘The antibodies were very good for breastfeeding.’ What we don’t know is how, or whether, this placenta was then consumed…

Muối kiến

In other words, ant salt. Yep, whole ants roasted with chilli, salt and lemongrass. And this particular species of ant has a rich, sour flavour, says Thai Dang, chef and restaurant owner in Chicago.

Escamoles

Let’s stay with the ant theme for a moment with escamoles, or ant eggs. They’re one of Mexican-born chef Carlos Gaytán’s favourite ingredients. ‘In Mexico, they’re widely used in fine dining because they’re a true delicacy that takes a lot of effort to prepare. I like to fry them in butter and serve them with tortilla and avocado.’

Bourbon

Not particularly strange, but you don’t come across it in freezers nearly as often as, say, vodka… ‘I simply love ice-cold bourbon,’ says Erick Williams from Chicago. Great idea!

Emu fillets

We haven’t come across ostrich steak on a menu in a long time, but Nornie Bero from Melbourne has emu fillets ready in the freezer, waiting for an ‘epic cookup’. What does she serve with them? Abalone! Considered an overrated delicacy by some, but everything about Bero’s restaurant Mabu Mabu radiates cheerful conviviality. Let’s just hope the catch there is sustainably sourced.

Cough lozenges

Um, what? Yes, according to New York chef Emily Yuen, you really have to try this! She says they provide even more relief and soothing comfort for a sore throat when they’re ice-cold. Right, I’m going to put them next to the bourbon now.

Chicken skin

We could make a freezer joke here, but it really is true: Chanty Yen from Montreal keeps chicken skin in there. If you use a whole chicken, use everything. So, just as with James Cochran’s bones for stock, save the skin too. Yen turns it into chicken skin dumplings or crackers. Fun!

Read also:

• 9 cooking terms you need to know
• I have a chef crush and I’m not ashamed
• These beans are incredibly delicious and you should always have them in the freezer

Source: Timeout