Secret Ingredients of Cooking to the Next Level

JD

September 27, 2019

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cooking-tips

Good old basics are great, but sometimes you need a little something special to jazz up a dish. The ingredients in this list might seem a little unorthodox as pantry staples, but folks in the test kitchen swear by their ability to improve pretty much any food you add them to.

Harissa

A dollop of this bright, spicy North African paste can enliven vegetables, eggs, lamb, and soups. The backbone of harissa—chiles—can vary greatly, as can the heat level, so we prefer to make our own (see this
page).

Tahini

This paste made from ground sesame seeds is most common in Middle
Eastern dishes, but its nutty, buttery profile is a welcome addition in
salads and grain dishes and on all types of meat and fish. We also love
whole sesame seeds as a garnish.

Dukkah

This Egyptian condiment is a blend of nuts, seeds, and spices that adds
texture and depth of flavor to dips, salads, and side dishes. (To make your
own, see this page.) Sprinkle it over something as simple as olive oil for
dipping bread or yogurt for a leveled-up snack.

Chinese Black Vinegar

This type of vinegar is aged to develop its complex flavor, which
contributes earthy notes with hints of warm spice to any dish it’s added
to. We like it in dipping sauces or simple, high-impact salads like our
Smashed Cucumber Salad.

Miso

Commonly found in Asian cuisines (most notably Japanese), this
incredibly versatile ingredient is a fermented paste of soybeans and rice,
barley, or rye. It is salty and ranges in strength and color. Lighter misos
are typically used in more delicate dishes like soups and salads while
darker misos are best in heavier recipes.

Gochujang

Gochujang is a Korean chile bean paste that has a smooth consistency
and a rich, spicy flavor. In addition to being made into a sauce for
bibimbap (see Korean Chile Sauce), it can be added to salads, stews,
soups, and marinades.

Fish Sauce

This salty liquid is made from fermented fish and is used as an
ingredient and a condiment in Southeast Asian cuisines. In small
amounts, it adds a well-rounded, salty flavor to sauces, soups, and
marinades.

Pomegranate Molasses

Made by reducing pomegranate juice down to a syrup, pomegranate
molasses has a unique, sweet-sour flavor. Use it to add complex
tanginess to grain salads, glazed meats, and more.

Smoked Paprika

A Spanish favorite, smoked paprika is produced by drying peppers (either
sweet or hot) over smoldering oak embers. Since smoked paprika has a
deep, musky flavor all its own, it is best used to season grilled meats or
to add a smoky aroma to boldly flavored dishes (even if they’ve never
been near an open flame).

Dried Porcini Mushrooms

We often turn to dried porcini to add potent savory flavor to dishes.
Because the mushrooms are dried, their flavor is concentrated and they
are conveniently shelf-stable. You can grind the porcini into a fine
powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and then sprinkle this
savory magic dust on pretty much anything you can think of to give it a
meaty boost.

Canned Tomatoes

Since canned tomatoes are processed at the height of freshness, they
deliver more flavor than off-season fresh tomatoes. We rely on them in a
variety of contexts. Canned whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, crushed
tomatoes, pureed tomatoes, and tomato paste all have their place; see
this page for more information.

Frozen Vegetables

Many kinds of frozen vegetables make solid stand-ins for fresh. Frozen
peas can even be sweeter than fresh ones, since they are frozen at the
very peak of ripeness. For more information, see “When Frozen
Vegetables Are the Best Choice”.

Oil

Vegetable oil (we prefer canola) is a workhorse because of its neutral
taste. Extra-virgin olive oil is great for cooking, as a condiment, or in a
vinaigrette. Peanut oil works well for frying. Many other cooking and
finishing oils are available, depending on your tastes and needs.

Vinegar

The types you should keep in your cupboard depend on what you like to
use. We recommend having at least three: white wine vinegar, red wine
vinegar, and balsamic vinegar.

Broth

In the test kitchen we rarely go a day without using chicken broth, and
not just in soup. We also recommend keeping vegetable broth and beef
broth on hand. Homemade is great (see our recipes starting on this
page), but store-bought works perfectly well in most applications.

Beans

When beans are the star of a dish, we prefer the superior flavor and
texture of dried beans, but nine times out of ten, we rely on the
convenience of canned beans. Our staples are black beans, cannellini
beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, and chickpeas.

Hot Sauce

Even cooks who don’t crave spicy foods should keep a bottle of hot sauce
on hand to give recipes a little kick. Find a brand that you enjoy. We like
one with a little sugar in it to balance the heat with sweetness (see this
page for more information).

Ketchup

We prefer ketchups made with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup;
they have a cleaner, purer sweetness and fewer off-flavors.
Mayonnaise
A good supermarket mayonnaise can rival homemade and certainly
keeps for much longer. The best-tasting brands have the fewest
ingredients.

Mustard

Mild yellow mustard is the most popular in American cupboards, but we
use Dijon more frequently in recipes. You may also want spicy brown,
whole-grain, or honey mustard.

Soy Sauce

This dark, salty fermented liquid is a common ingredient and condiment
in Asian cuisines that enhances umami flavor and contributes
complexity.

Tuna

For a basic everyday canned tuna, look for wild albacore packed in water.
If you like a fancier option (that actually tastes like fish), try fillets packed
in olive oil.
Anchovies
Even if you’re not the type to eat these tiny fish right out of the tin, we
recommend keeping some on hand. We use anchovies in a surprising
number of recipes to build a strong umami (but not superfishy) base.

Panko Bread Crumbs

We prefer homemade bread crumbs, but for a convenient store-bought
option, Japanese-style panko bread crumbs have superior crunch.

Pasta

There are many different shapes and sizes of dried pasta. We
recommend stocking a few favorites for quick, no-fuss dinners. Dried
Asian noodles also make a great pantry standby.

Rice and Grains

White rice is a classic staple but we also love nutty whole-grain brown
rice. We also suggest you stock at least one other grain. We’re partial to
quinoa because it’s quick-cooking, but there’s a world of options.

Nuts

Keep a couple of your favorite nuts on hand for baking, granola, topping
salads, and snacking. Store them in the freezer to prevent rancidity.

Peanut Butter

Not just for sandwiches, peanut butter is useful in baking and in sauces.
Texture matters most here, so we prefer creamy traditional peanut
butter to grittier “natural” versions.

Flour

There are many types of flour, and each has its place and uses. As its
name suggests, all-purpose flour is the most versatile. We also call for
whole-wheat flour, bread flour, and cake flour in certain recipes.

Cornmeal

For a basic baking cornmeal, look for fine-ground whole-grain yellow
cornmeal. We recommend stone ground over commercially processed.

Baking Soda

This leavener is used to provide lift to baked goods that also contain an
acidic ingredient (such as sour cream, buttermilk, or brown sugar).

Baking Powder

Baking powder provides leavening for baked goods that have no natural
acidity in the batter (or to add extra lift alongside baking soda).

Yeast

We prefer instant (aka rapid-rise) yeast, which is the easiest to use; it can
be added directly to the dry ingredients.

Sugar

White granulated sugar, brown sugar (light and dark can pretty much be
used interchangeably), and confectioners’ sugar are the most common
sugars for baking and beyond.

Maple Syrup

Opt for 100 percent maple syrup rather than one blended with corn syrup
(see this page for more information).

Honey

Try different honeys to see what you like. Strongly flavored varieties such
as buckwheat honey are too assertive for cooking—save them for your
tea.

Chocolate

Chocolate chips are probably the most convenient form, but we also like
bars. We stock a dark chocolate with 60 percent cacao in addition to
unsweetened baker’s chocolate.

Cocoa Powder

You will find cocoa powder in both Dutch-processed and natural versions.
Dutch-processed cocoa has been treated with alkali to neutralize the
powder’s acidity and mellow its astringent notes (it also darkens the
color). Both types will work in most recipes, although Dutch-processed
cocoa will produce baked goods with a darker color and moister texture.

Vanilla Extract

Get the real thing. Real vanilla extract has around 250 flavor compounds
compared with imitation vanilla’s one, giving it a unique complexity.

Black Peppercorns

Peppercorns’ scent and flavor start to fade as soon as they’re ground, so
buy whole peppercorns and grind them as you use them.

Salt

Table salt is our go-to for most applications, while kosher salt is great for
seasoning meat. Flaky sea salt is best reserved for finishing dishes.