72.0F Forecast »

March 11, 2010

Storm Supplies

It’s that time of year again, and we’re getting pounded with preparation planning—hurricane preparation. Although we’ve been lucky the last few seasons, it’s always a good idea to listen to the experts and make your house—and your pantry—ready for a worst-case scenario.

At Florida Table, we don’t think you have to live on Dinty Moore and Oreos to get through a week of lights out. Nor do you have to get the entire block together under your carport and grill every steak, chicken breast and pork chop you and your neighbors end up mining from your respective refrigerators. Although we like a protein fest as well as the next guy, there are other ways to weather a few days without electricity.

First of all, here’s your list of basics (and not-so-basics) as well as how to ramp up the flavor—courtesy of the Miami Herald Hurricane Guide, Florida International University’s Health Services and our own foodies, who have weathered many a storm in fine culinary style.

Pantry Basics
✓ Canned beans
✓ Canned chicken
✓ Canned tuna
✓ Cooked rice in pouches (shelf-stable)
✓ Spanish chorizo
✓ Triscuits
✓ Cereal
✓ Canned fruits
✓ Dried fruits and nuts
✓ Peanut butter
✓ Boxed soups
✓ Small boxes of milk and juice
✓ Energy bars
✓ Apples
✓ Mandarin oranges
✓ Fresh and dried herbs
✓ Olive oil and vinegar
✓ Sun-dried tomatoes
✓ Greek olives
✓ Small mayonnaise packets
✓ Canned anchovies
✓ Caviar
✓ Parmesan cheese, sealed in container or in hard chunks
✓ Shelf-stable bacon
✓ Cold potato soup, such as vichyssoise (or, if you can find it, Dominic’s vichy)
✓ Artichoke hearts

Ways to ramp up the flavor using ordinary pantry staples

Shelf-stable bacon
Kicking it up: Add to cold potato soup, such as vichyssoise, with salt and pepper.

Spanish chorizo
Kicking it up: Chop and add to Uncle Ben’s Cajun-style ready rice.

Mandarin oranges
Kicking it up: Layer with shelf-stable vanilla pudding and crushed amaretto cookies sprinkled with booze and shaved chocolate—great for a hurricane block party.

Canned beans (kidney, navy, chick peas, pigeon, cannelloni)
Kicking it up: Add a little olive oil and wine vinegar, spices and a dab of mustard for a simple vinaigrette that can pick up the favor; lemon and lime juices also work. The Miami Herald suggests herbs like fresh cilantro and parsley to pack a punch. Herald columnist Linda Larsen says that canned mangos (or those fresh from your yard) are great with a corn and black bean salad.

Chicken or tuna, canned or in shelf-stable pouches
Kicking it up: For an Italian spin, try adding olives and sun-dried tomatoes, and top with Parmesan. Or add shelf-stable rice, herbs and some olive oil and vinegar for a pretty satisfying rice salad.

No Cook Menus

Menu One
• Dirty rice salad: chopped Spanish chorizo and canned chicken or shrimp mixed with rice from a pouch, chopped onion (green if available), Cajun seasonings, a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon
• Salad of canned, diced tomatoes (drained) and corn tossed with oil and vinegar and herbs (fresh from garden or dried from pantry)
• Granola and chocolate chips drizzled with honey

Menu Two
• No-bake pizzas
Italian: flour tortillas spread with tomato sauce, Spanish chorizo, black olives and grated Parmesan
Middle Eastern: flour tortillas spread with hummus, roasted peppers from a jar, olive oil and a sprinkling of pine nuts
Asparagus (from a jar) with lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and sea salt
• Graham cracker pie: crushed graham crackers topped with peanut butter and chocolate chips or Nutella

Menu 3
• Marinated artichoke hearts with grated Parmesan cheese
• Chicken salad with dried cranberries and pecans
• Mandarin oranges with vanilla pudding and crushed almond cookies

Gazpacho:  This is a good way to use up vegetables that might be a little limp.

Cucumber, pepper,
onion (Vidalia or sweet is
preferred), diced
1 large bottle V8 or tomato juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
(Jerez preferred)
Salt and pepper to taste
Stale bread or croutons

Chop vegetables and mix with juice. Mix oil and vinegar; add about half to soup mixture. Season with salt and pepper. If it needs more personality, add remaining oil and vinegar. If using croutons, add now. Let sit at least 15 minutes for flavors to meld.

Vinaigrette dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dill
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 garlic clove, mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad Niçoise

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 5-ounce cans solid white
albacore tuna
2 15-ounce cans sliced potatoes
1 15-ounce can whole or
French-style green beans
1 15-ounce can diced
tomatoes, drained well
1 cup marinated artichokes, sliced
2 tablespoons capers
12 black or green olives
3 anchovey fillets (optional)

Shake dressing ingredients in screw-top jar. Combine salad ingredients (except anchovies) in large bowl. Lightly toss with dressing and
top with anchovies.

Do you like what you read? Subscribe to Florida Table Magazine »