Vol Au Vent Fillings

Convenience Foods: Dried and Tinned Foods | The Self Sufficiency ...

Convenience foods are exactly what their name suggests, and no sensible cook would be without them — to a certain degree. Whilst they are generally not included in the self-sufficient kitchen cupboard, there are some times when they come in useful and it is for that reason that they are included here.  Used wisely, and with discretion, they can make life in the kitchen much, much easier — and they can add zest and interest to everyday meals.

Convenience foods are essential to cooks who either have little time to spend in the kitchen or who dislike spending hours preparing and cooking meals.

Your choice of convenience foods is obviously a very personal one, dictated by the tastes and habits of you as the cook — and your family, friends and guests. However, there are certain basic foodstuffs in the store cupboard which are essential if the kitchen is to run smoothly, and meals —whether they be grand affairs or simple snacks — are to be made without too much fuss and too many expeditions to the shops. A well-stocked cupboard is a must for successful, impromptu entertaining, and family meals in moments.

Obviously, for the happy owners of freezers, life is much simpler: whole meals, either cooked or uncooked, can be frozen away for some future date, and many basic fresh items may be put in the freezer and stored for weeks or months. However, a well-stocked store cupboard is still useful.

For the best flavour in all dishes fresh herbs should be used, but at certain times of year these are not readily available, and the dried variety is useful to have on hand. However, remember that dried herbs and spices should be renewed every two to three months. Parsley and chives can be grown indoors throughout the year; the dried equivalents are not really worth using. In general, use half as much dried herbs as the fresh ones stated in any recipe.

Stock cubes should be used with caution. Wherever possible, use homemade stocks, as these will add far more flavour to a dish. Stock cubes are fine if you are in a hurry, but they do tend to be salty and make dishes taste alike. Powdered bouillon has a far better flavour than a stock cube.

Stuffing mixes are like stock cubes, fine if time is limited, but obviously the homemade variety is preferable. Stuffing mixes can be made far more palatable if fresh ingredients are added: chop an onion, fry in butter and add to sage and onion stuffing mix with 1 x 15 ml./1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage and plenty of black pepper. Or add freshly chopped parsley and thyme with the finely grated rind and juice of 1 medium lemon to a packet of parsley and thyme stuffing. Season well with freshly ground black pepper.

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