Star chef recommends the best basic ingredients for home cooks
Jonathan Zandbergen, until recently chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Merlet, wrote a wonderful cookbook, from which we have already shared a number of recipes (oh, that incredible chocolate cake!). What also made us very happy are the basic ingredients he recommends for every home cook.
Jonathan: “To be able to cook delicious food, you need top-quality products. That is where your dish starts. Top quality does not have to be expensive; what matters is that your product is incredibly fresh and produced without unhealthy additives.”
The secret of a Michelin-starred restaurant
Jonathan: “In addition to all the fresh seasonal produce, it is important to have a good basic selection at home. A delicious olive oil, good-quality salt and some bold flavor boosters. With that, I am immediately revealing the secret of a Michelin-starred restaurant: everything is seasoned to perfection. So taste your dish while cooking!”
The best basic ingredients for home cooks
Make sure you have at least these ingredients at home, and you will already be well on your way:
CRÈME FRAÎCHE
Good, full-fat crème fraîche is indispensable. I buy mine at the farm. Its tangy flavor is perfect for finding the balance in your dishes. Tacos, smoked fish, a spicy sandwich… Everything immediately becomes much more interesting with a creamy dollop of crème fraîche.
ARBEQUINA OLIVE OIL
Arbequina is a Spanish olive. Its oil has a grassy, mildly fresh character. I use this olive oil for all cold preparations. You can buy it at specialty stores. For cooking, I always use a mild olive oil that is not particularly high quality – the flavor disappears during cooking anyway. So it would be a waste to use a really delicious olive oil for that.
LEMON OR LIME
Citrus fruits are incredibly versatile and add lots of flavor! As an alternative, you can always keep a bottle of lemon juice in the fridge. That way, you will at least always have some acidity at home. But naturally, freshly squeezed juice is preferable. Tip: always zest your citrus fruits before squeezing them and store the zest in the freezer. It always comes in handy for garnishing.
MALDON SEA SALT
Salt crystals with a delicate crunch for finishing dishes. Available at most major supermarkets. Naturally, you also always need a jar of fine sea salt – I have been without it before…
WHITE PEPPER FROM THE MILL
I am a great advocate of freshly ground pepper. That is when the aroma is truly released into your dish, rather than into the pepper shaker. You can really season anything with pepper. White pepper is slightly more floral than black pepper. Above all, use a good mill; you can buy one at a cookware store.
WHITE WINE
It is always handy to have dry white wine at home. The acidity in wine is essential for the most beautiful sauces. Reducing the wine not only lowers the alcohol content, but also concentrates the flavor.
Title: Five Seasons
Author: Jonathan Zandbergen
Publisher: Carrera Culinair
Price: €31.99
Read also:
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- Recipe: cod with leek mash, beurre blanc sauce and roasted mustard
- Recipe: stuffed chicken with truffle butter, Jerusalem artichokes and celeriac purée
