I like to minimise the number of spices I have on my shelf as much as I can. The reasons? well mainly it’s so they don’t get too old before they’re used. And when I made the shelf I kept it small to enforce the rule.
The time was that I’d slavishly follow recipes, and buy herbs and spices especially for one dish, but no longer. Gone are the days when, reaching the end of the supermarket aisles I would still be missing one ingredient and would have to trapes back round replacing things and wondering what the hell I was going to cook now?
It’s also worth saying I don’t keep dried herbs on my shelf. I grow pretty much all the herbs I use and tend to freeze the tender ones as a paste or make flavoured oils to take me though the winter. The spices are ones I use often and I’ve found can substitute for others in recipes if I need too.
So, whats on the shelf…
Black pepper corns: In a grinder – used in just about everything and with a taste a world away from pre-ground pepper. I buy 500g bags and keep them in air-tight bags inside an air-tight box to keep them as fresh as possible.
Beef stock cubes: For when I don’t have the bones or the time to make fresh.
Bisto gravy granules: Because they are easy and work well for gravy in pies, but not used in anything else…
Boullion: An excellent veg stock powder that adds good flavour to other stocks without adding too much salt. I’ll often fortify my stocks with a teaspoon of boullion, or use it to add a bit more depth to a spice mix.
Cardamon pods: I buy these in bulk too, 250g bags. I use the seeds, but they keep better as pods. In rice, cous cous, curries and even in some cake recipes – love the aniseed flavour. I’ll use them interchangeably with Fennel seeds (which I collect from the garden in season). And of course anything that needs an aniseed edge gets them in as a substitute for star anise for example.
Chinese 5 Spice: Most of my Chinese style recipes have this in – it’s easy and smells like my earliest memories of Chinese food. Not sophisticated but a great staple flavouring.
Cinnamon: Who doesn’t like the smell? in muffins, cous cous, danish, some curries, syrups – awesome spice. Don’t use much but couldn’t be without it.
Cloves (ground): A strong pungent flavour – not for the faint hearted… As part of a rub on a roast ham, in some curries or pickles – packs a real punch. Typically added in tiny quantities but really makes its presence felt.
Cumin: A mainstay of my cooking. From Africa through to the far East. Cumin is at the heart of many, many spice mixes. Just try a roast chicken rubbed with cumin and olive oil and try not to drool as the smell fills the kitchen – go on I dare you! Again I buy in 500g bags and it lasts maybe 3 months…
Curry powder: A simple mix for basic curries. You can mix your own (and I sometimes do) but sometimes speed and ease is more important…
Fennel seeds: From the garden. I harvest some in the autumn, but the birds love them too. Most often used through naan-style breads (or similar) to add an aroma that, to me, turns bread into joy. I’ll only use a teaspoon through a bread, and this is the one ‘herb’ I dry to prolong the shelf life. But in reality 80% plus of the seeds are eaten by the birds and I only keep about 1 spice jars worth for us to use over the winter. Because as soon as it’s spring I’ll use the fresh fronds instead.