The Brexit Cupboard: Recipe Edition

[PerverseConverse]

Hi everyone,

I'm really pleased that so many of us are forward planning/purchasing as a buffer in the event of No Deal and thought it would be good to share recipes we can make with our store cupboard essentials. Recipes that are based on long life or shelf stable items that can have fresh or frozen ingredients added as available.

Here's my basic pasta sauce recipe:

I tin chopped tomatoes or carton/jar passata
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 teaspoon garlic purée (or to taste)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar

You can add chilli flakes or paste to spice it up and red wine to make it richer.

For extra nutrition roast some peppers and courgettes and onions and add at the end. Simply blend together with a hand blender. It's the only way I can get my children to eat veg with pasta.

I use alone or add quorn mince (we are veggie) and too with plenty of grated cheddar. It's a cheap, quick and easy meal.

Thanks! Just seen iceland do coriander so might get some from there too. We have chilli in jars and garlic and ginger paste. I don't normally shop in waitrose but will have a look next week for herbs, they'd be great for us if I can find some.

Wraps

250g plain flour
125ml water
Salt

Mix to form a dough split into 6/8/10 pieces depending on what size you want. roll out to about the same thickness as a £1 coin.

Heat a frying pan with no oil and dry fry the wraps for 1-2 mins each side.

Must add Garlic Purée to the war Brexit Cupboard.

Does anyone have an easy bread recipe? I tried some at Christmas but it tasted too yeasty and dense. I have fast acting yeast and Allinson bread flour. I followed the recipe on the pack but it wasn't great.

www.easypeasyfoodie.com/super-simple-macaroni-cheese/

Macaroni cheese recipe. I've never made macaroni cheese before so will see how it turns out. I have a feeling ill want to add garlic and chilli and possibly tomatoes.

Oh dear lord is gorgeous! Am going to add spinach next time so there's so veg in there. Grand old age of 42 and never had or made myself homemade macaroni cheese!

Try reducing the amount of yeast and increasing the length of the rise. I normally use about a 1/4 teaspoon of yeast to 700g of flour. In my kitchen (temperature makes a big difference) it takes 3-4 hours for the first rise and 2-2.5 for the second. Also check out You Tube to see how to shape the bread - this will make a difference to the texture.

The Allison recipe definitely uses too much yeast. I agree with Unescorteds suggestion.

When I was a student I used to make nettle soup, around April, May time. Like spinach soup but wth nettles. It was really nice.

I use the Gia brand garlic puree - it's in a tube so easy to measure out, & it keeps very well. Also it's in oil, not vinegar, so it doesn't make cream sauces curdle.
I buy herbs etc from Grape Tree, they do quite big pots & have them on 3 for 2 at present.

I like to make bread a bit more interesting by adding herbs, soaked sundried tomatoes, olives, cheese etc into the dough - knead tiny ingredients like herbs in, & either knead larger ones in, or roll them in like a swiss roll so you end up with a cooked bread that is good for tearing up to go with soup, salad etc. One of my favourite combinations is rosemary, sundried tomatoes & a little cheese - goes very well with random vegetable minestrone IMHO. Doing bread like this makes it feel a bit less like an afterthought & more like a main part of the meal.

@AwdBovril you've just reminded me that Somerfield (back in the day) used to do a cranberry and rosemary loaf. It was bloody gorgeous. I like your idea of Swiss rolling the dough to make it a tear and share.

Here's the Leek and Potato soup recipe I made today. I've adjusted it significantly but it was delicious. The original looked complicated and needed milk and cream which I didn't realise when I first glanced at the recipe when buying the leeks so I missed those out.

Basically sauté the onion in the butter.

Add the leeks (I used the green part as well as the white) and sauté until soft

Pour in 1.75pints vegetable stock

Add the diced potatoes (mine were quite big pieces)

Simmer until the potatoes are falling apart.
Cool slightly then blend with a hand blender
Add salt and black pepper to taste

Here's the original recipe if you want to do it properly but my version was cheap, cheerful, quick and easy. You could use oil instead of butter. I didn't bother with the garnish bit either. Just fresh crusty bread rolls and butter.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1731/darina-allens-winter-leek-and-potato-soup?amp

Back in WW2 my nana make chocolate Crispy cake with: tin of condensed milk, stir I cocoa until it's chocolatey enough for you (I like mine dark) then crush cornflakes and stir in - keep adding them until the mixture is quite dry

Then using hot water to rinse in between form into shapes using a stainless steel egg cup

We have continued to make them as we like them and have served them at VE day, queen's jubilees (25/50) etc as a representation of social history as the same 3 brands can still be used Nestle Bournville & Kellogs

Perverse - my favourite way to do a tear & share bread is something like in this recipe. I don't use this actual recipe, BTW, I just needed a picture that's similar to the eay I do it. I usually bake mine in a large deep cake tin. Pesto is another good idea for flavouring bread.

Trying to work out meals that rely on dried goods, tins and jars and packets or windowsill grown food.

Pasta in white sauce made with either soya milk or dried milk with tinned veg and tinned butter beans.

Fish pie made with tinned salmon dried peas? Tinned peas? Packet mash.

You can make a passable start to a tabbouleh with cous cous, lemon in a bottle, olive oil and dried mint (why can I never grow mint?). You can add sultanas, seeds and stuff if you fancy.

I'm going to start a sourdough starter next week but in the mean time I've just figured out how to balance a bowl of bread dough above my radiator wedged between a chair and the windowsill.

I can't leave milk to curdle, I just can't!

Expecting my first Brexit cupboard delivery today. Been intending to start for ages, can’t believe how quickly time is flying.

Two of my favourite store cupboard meals are

tuna pesto pasta
Tin of tuna, drained. Jar of pesto (I use red). About 350g pasta. Handful of halved cherry toms if you’ve got them (or can use Tinned). Grated Cheddar cheese. Combine it all, bung it in the oven. One of my kids favourite meals.

Bean burgers. Any type of tinned beans, mushed up with oats or breadcrumbs and an egg to bind. Add whatever flavours you want. Shape and cook. (I oven cook). Add breadcrumbs to the outside if you want (dip in egg first)

Prepping my first brexit shelf now. Added coffee mate, as that’s what I drink in coffee anyway, but also longer life than milk. I’ve also bought two big packs of loo roll, rice, tinned fruit, pasta, beans, and other bits. I’m going shopping again tomorrow. Need so much more! I’m trying not to panic and overthink it though! When I think of everything we usually buy, it’s very hard to decide what to stock up on. I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m wasting food.

Whoops, thought I was on the prepping thread, sorry🙈

@PerverseConverse
If you google keto mug bread or keto microwave bread you'll find very quick and easy recipes (takes less than 15 mins). When prepping you may want to check out the keto way of eating. On the keto diet you eat far less as the food is very high in nutrients and you will feel quicker satiated. Also, you eat less as there is no need for snacks any more. So you need far less food, which makes prepping easier and more affordable.

Thanks but I don't do low carb. We are veggie but don't eat eggs (well 2 of us don't).

Oh, yes, without eggs none of these microwave breads work.
If you make normal bread you could add linseed flour or hemp seed flour (or a mix) for extra protein and fibre. I am only not sure if it is easy to get in the UK. Maybe health food stores? Best to store the flour in the fridge as it oxidizes relatively easy. You can store it for up to 6 months with no problem as long as it is cool and dark.

Suet Pancakes
6oz flour,
pinch of salt
3oz suet
6 tablespoon milk

mix to a soft dough, roll out thinly, cut into rounds and cook on a frying pan/griddle until golden brown on both sides

quick and tasty

Keto we have been told by our Government that "their should be sufficient calories* , might be a tricky time to start a fad diet.

Look what I found

Katymac I like the crispy cake recipe

My go to storecupboard dinner - Mexican bake. Basics are a pack of tortillas flour or corn is fine. Tin of chopped toms. The spices you’d normally use for fajitas either home mixed or packet and a tin of black beans for every two people.

Fry black beans briefly with fajita spices. Add tomatoes. Layer like a lasagne in a baking dish with tortillas that you have cut in half. Two to three halves per layer depending on size of dish.

Bake in oven 180 for about 20 minutes

To pimp add onion and/or peppers when you fry the beans

Add a bit of grated cheese in each layer

Spoon creme fraiche or sour cream over the top layer and top with a bit of cheese before putting in the oven