Join TV chef Miguel Maestre in making over your meals with pantry staples

Celebrity chef Miguel Maestre is dishing up the best ways Aussies can make the most of pantry staples overstocked and panic bought before lockdown. Here are some of his favourite recipes.

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From restaurant closures to supermarket restrictions, the pandemic has caused many families and picky eaters to make the most of what they already have in their kitchen cupboards.

Whether seasoned chefs or complete novices, people have become more adventurous as they experiment with staple ingredients from their pantry, fridge and freezers to make budget-friendly, quick and easy meals.

Likewise those who overstocked on basics like flour and pasta – restricted items during the early days – may be wondering how to use them up.

Chefs like Miguel Maestro agree having an organised pantry is the key better cooking and can provide a sense of safety and control during uncertain times.

Chef Miguel Maestre says beans and rice can be the start of many great meals. Picture: Toby Zerna

Not only can shelves filled with bags of rice and cans of beans give us a sense of order, they’re also the beginning of many excellent meals.

Other staples such as canned vegetables and fish and dried herbs last a long time and can often eliminate the need for a stop on the way home.

“Pantry staples are perfect for whipping up a quick meal,” Maestre said.

“The secret is to keep it simple and pair your staples with fresh ingredients. That way you’ll help to lift the flavour and colours in your dish.

“You can cook up a delicious dinner using just pasta, tinned tomatoes and olive oil with fresh chilli, garlic and herbs, or a healthy salad with canned beans, brown mushrooms, onion, chopped olives and kewpie mayo.”

For mum-of-four Racquel Bechara said having a pantry full of grains, dried beans and lentils and a stash of onions, ginger and garlic meant endless meal opportunities.

Ms Bechara said it was important to be able to pull together meals quickly.

“I can make a lot of different things with staple ingredients,” she said.

“I’m relying on different spice powders and herbs that can flavour our meals in different ways so my kids don’t get sick of the same thing.”

Dietitian Melissa Meier said it was important to play around with different preparations of staples in order to find several that you enjoy.

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Canned and dry goods are no-brainers when it comes to making healthful meals.

Beans, rice and lentils are all good big batch foods which can be transformed into a variety of dishes, from wintry soups to warm salads.

Canned tuna and chickpeas are ideal picks for a hearty pasta dish mixed with frozen vegetables.

Polarising foods like mushrooms may render a dish inedible for some, but they are known to be nutritious, environmentally friendly and can add a meaty texture to meals.

“You can add mushrooms to fried rice, in pasta or risotto dishes, even over steak or chicken,” Ms Meier said.

“With their meaty flavour, they’re also a great vegetarian alternative in traditional mincemeat dishes like spaghetti bolognese and shepherd’s pie.”

For those looking for a kid-friendly way to cook and eat mushrooms, Maestre – an Australian Mushrooms ambassador suggests masking them with crumbs, sauces or herbs.

“It’s an easy way to sneak in those veggies,” he said.

Maestre will give viewers tips and tricks live from his kitchen June 10, 17, 22 and 26 at 6pm on the Australian Mushrooms Facebook event page.

Originally published as Join TV chef Miguel Maestre in making over your meals with pantry staples