The lockdown larder - inspiration for cooking during a pandemic

Another few weeks of lockdown have passed and we are all settling into new routines. Despite online advice to 'keep up appearances' I've pretty much worn the same clothes for the last two weeks, shaved my legs only once (disastrously) and have cut my own hair. It seems I go 'native' very quickly. Despite the constraints I am enjoying being at home, the slower pace of life and making do. I feel fantastically lucky to have a garden to potter about in and have been busy with a vegetable plot right outside the kitchen door. Shopping for supplies now needs even more thought than my usual weekly menu plans, the last trip to the local supermarket involved almost 3 hours of queuing, 2 metres apart, just to get into the store itself. Once through the doors it became a strange dance of trolleys with other face masked clad shoppers as we tried desperately to follow the social distancing advice bellowed from the tannoy. Shelves were depleted of normal items, emptied by a rush of panic buyers, no flour, no rice, no pasta and very limited tins. With normal staples now so difficult to come by, a little more imagination is needed so here is some inspiration and survival tips for meal planning during a pandemic.

Firstly, make sure you get a supply of any kind of cabbage, squash, root vegetables and pulses (tinned or bagged). All of these are cheap, last for ages outside a fridge and provide a multitude of different meals. You can swap what you can get into any of these dishes. Also have a look for unusual grains and flours as alternatives, time is something we all now have aplenty, so no excuses for not experimenting.

Risotto

Rice is difficult to find at the moment but if you can't find risotto rice try paella or pudding rice, both are perfect alternatives. Some shops have pudding rice near the baking supplies so it escapes the attention of the panic buyers, always worth a look. Can't get any rice? Use farro or pearl barley, these also make a tasty risotto style dish. Pumpkins are excellent in a risotto and if you have a garden you may be able to add a few fresh herbs, sage and rosemary team well with pumpkin. No pumpkin or any other type of squash? Celery, carrot, dark green cabbage (or any combination) are great in this simple rice dish, as are frozen peas. If you have any leftover Parmesan rinds chuck these in whilst its cooking. Once cooked stir in a handful of grated Parmesan (or any other type of hard cheese), a spoonful of butter and dust liberally with even more cheese before tucking in.

Try to hold some back for lunch the next day. Spoonfuls of cold risotto folded around a little more cheese, covered in breadcrumbs and fried until crispy become perfect arancini, a treat for lunch the next day.

Paella and pilaffs

Heartbroken that we will not be able to do our planned walk from the Spanish Pyrenees to the coast this year I made an acceptable store cupboard paella using Italian pudding rice, half a fennel, a jar of French grilled artichokes (using the oil to cook with), a jar of Spanish grilled red peppers, Greek kalamata olives and a chorizo.

Purists may disapprove but it made the most of what was in the house so was true to the ethos of original dish. I even unearthed a dusty jar of long forgotten saffron from a previous trip.

Also echoing the warmer shores of the Med, a packet of freekeh, the remaining artichokes, half a cauliflower, pine nuts and dried cranberries made a more than acceptable riff on a Middle eastern pilaff with Sicilian undertones.

Stews and hotpots

These are my favourite dishes and very forgiving. You don't need a recipe just follow your intuition. Tinned pulses have disappeared from the shelves but for some reason the most versatile, cannellini beans, seem to be abundantly available. Chunks of pumpkin, herbs, cannellini beans and tomato make a wonderful hearty stew, omit the sausages for a vegetarian version.

Leftovers make a good pasta sauce if you can find pasta. I found a packet of lasagne and snapped them up into shards, it may not have won a beauty contest but was still a comforting meal. Cabbage (or kale), with potatoes, onion and chorizo will give you a tasty caldo verde, a dash of fino sherry, dry white wine or vermouth adds a special touch (and a glass for the cook too).

Soups

Any leftover veg can make a wonderful soup. Spice it up with chilli or curry spices or make it silky smooth with chestnuts, pre-cooked packs are easily found and provide extra protein and fibre. Leftovers keep well for several days or in the freezer.

Run out of fresh veg? Red lentils are your friends, add spices or simply lemon juice for the cheapest of meals. Leek and potato is another simple winner with just a couple of potatoes and a handful of leeks. Pimp it up with a swirl of cream, grated cheese and chives.

Mash

Potatoes are currently scarce although you may get some. If you do, make your supplies last a little longer, extend your mash with pureed parsnips or sweet potatoes (a sweet potato mash is wonderful on a shepherds pie spiced with chilli, turmeric and cumin). Pureed cauliflower is delicious and won't leave you feeling so stuffed as a carb heavy potato mash (very quick to cook too). Pair the mash with panfried sausages and sliced onion, a spoonful of mustard and honey and about 100ml of stock. Let the stock simmer down to a sticky gravy and spoon over the mash.

Fritters

Grate any root vegetable, mix with onion, spices and an egg (or use a vegan 'egg', flax or chia seeds and water) to make easy crunchy fritters (see my last post for inspiration or check the numerous fritter recipe links on my recipe page, I seem to have many!).

Pasta and noodles

Italian pasta may be rarer than hens teeth but Asian noodles made from buckwheat or rice are still available. As the weather warms up, a cold noodle salad with frozen edamame beans, chilli, ginger, spring onions will make a simple supper.

Or add nests of rice noodles to a miso broth or that tin of coconut milk lurking in the back of the cupboard. Every house should have a decent chilli sauce to spice things up, stir in shredded cabbage and frozen peas for some colour.

If you do get some pasta, make it the star of the dish. Gently fry some garlic, chilli (fresh or flakes) and shredded cabbage or kale and stir into the cooked pasta with a handful of grated cheese.

Packets of smaller pasta shapes are great for more soupy dishes. Add veg, chicken or lardons (or lentils) and stock. Cabbage and beans really good here, giving you a hearty bowl reminiscent of minestrone or ribollita.

Salads and slaws

All varieties of cabbage, green, white and red are your absolute heroes. White and red cabbage make a fab crunchy coleslaw when needing something fresh, leftover red cabbage can make a useful quick pickle to add as a fresh salad/sandwich filling, leftover white cabbage can be shredded for a wrap or pitta with hummus. Raw turnips, celeriac, radishes, carrots and beetroot are all good here too.

Experiment with a jar of home fermented sauerkraut or kimchi, both are delicious in a toasted cheese sandwich (or eaten from the fridge as I do).

Curries

Lentil and white cabbage make a terrific and very cheap curry, don't underestimate these simple ingredients when combined with chillies, ginger, cumin and turmeric. Sweet potato and pumpkin with coconut milk is also excellent. Cauliflower and chickpeas, carrots and parsnips, mix and match with what you have. Make simple flatbreads with any type of flour, a spoonful of leftover plain yoghurt and water and serve with a spoonful of chutney.

Bread

Pittas are a good freezer staple, as are flatbreads, tortillas and chapattis. Save any leftover slices of stale bread and blitz them into breadcrumbs to store in the freezer. As well as adding crunch to fritters and arancini you can also use them as poor man's Parmesan if you do manage to find any pasta.

If you cannot find bread but have porridge oats then make 'oaties', a good few handfuls of any kind of oats, a dash of any kind of milk, and egg (or vegan 'egg'), salt and pepper and fry dollops until crispy. Seriously good with baked beans and cheese.

Hopefully this will give you some inspiration for these difficult times and for coping with empty shelves like those above, encountered on my last trip. Happy quarantine cooking everyone!