Many of us share a common foodie fantasy in which we revel in the leisurely preparation of sumptuous meals, made entirely from scratch, and using only the most impeccable ingredients. Then there's the reality of hectic workdays, traffic jams, kid corralling, and those last minute, pre-dinner supermarket runs that turn up nothing but wan, uninspiring produce. It's enough to make even the most dedicated cook call for takeout.
Of course, you could also turn to the freezer for help. It can be hard to banish the bias against frozen products, but with some selective stocking, you'll always have the building blocks for great gourmet meals right at your fingertips. From specialty ingredients that make quick work of "almost-from-scratch" cooking, to fully-prepared gourmet foods, here's a round up of frozen food must-haves that make it easy to dine well every day.
Pastry Dough
Pastry is luxe and fun, which is why it's so popular at parties. Since it's festive by association, it's a great choice for turning a weeknight meal into something special. But while it can be immensely satisfying to make your own pastry, it can also be really time consuming. With a selection of pastry dough in the freezer, you'll save hours of prep time (not to mention a fortune on butter), and can enjoy those flaky layers whenever the whim arises.
Stock
There's a reason gourmet recipes so often include stock. For everything from braising to making soups, stews, sauces and grains, good stock promises culinary alchemy, smoothing flavors and adding dimension. And though it's not really hard to make homemade stock, it is a pretty time consuming process.
Personally, though I wish I were the sort to dutifully sock away chicken bones and fennel fronds for always-homemade stock, I just don't have the freezer space for the ingredients or a big batch of the finished stuff. There's no shame in letting someone else do the legwork. Stock Options, for instance, offers chef-made, all-natural, small-batch stocks and demi-glaces that offer dividends in flavor - without the big time or freezer space investment.
Cost: $10.99/28 oz. at Whole Foods, gourmet shops and butchers.
Fish & Shellfish
When it comes to fish and shellfish, you've probably heard that anything but freshly caught (read: never frozen) is the only way to go. While it's true that nothing beats fresh-off-the-boat seafood, most of us don't live dockside. And believe it or not, a lot of reputable fishmongers sell previously-frozen fish (though they'll generally thaw it before displaying it on ice, so it looks appealingly fresh-caught). That's because nowadays, fish are often dressed, flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed right on the boat, so they're ostensibly "fresher," and their quality better preserved, than their raw counterparts - especially if they've got far to travel.
FishEx offers wild, flash-frozen fish and seafood from Alaska, including a great selection of wild salmon varieties. They also ship fresh seafood in season, so while you're stocking your freezer, you can get your fresh snow crab fix.
Cost: Calculated per pound, varies by fish. There is also a base overnight shipping charge of $29 + $1.95/pound, so larger orders are more cost effective.
Organic Vegetables & Fruit
Frozen produce isn't exactly an exciting specialty food find (unless you're talking about exotic fruits like açaĂ). It is handy for quick, convenient cooking, though, especially when local, seasonal produce isn't readily available. And you don't have to shun frozen fruits and veggies just because a gourmet dish is on the menu. The trick is to know your produce, and the intended application (if you want steamed asparagus, go with fresh. If you're making spanakopita, frozen spinach works fine).
Certain varieties - like peas, corn, artichokes, butternut squash, wild blueberries, and rhubarb - handle freezing well, reheat without a perceptible loss of quality, flavor or texture, and come with the prep work done. So you don't have to wait for warm weather - or spend hours in the kitchen - to make White Lasagna with Chicken, Artichokes, and Mushrooms or Key Lime Soufflé with Raspberry Chambord.
Of course, you could also turn to the freezer for help. It can be hard to banish the bias against frozen products, but with some selective stocking, you'll always have the building blocks for great gourmet meals right at your fingertips. From specialty ingredients that make quick work of "almost-from-scratch" cooking, to fully-prepared gourmet foods, here's a round up of frozen food must-haves that make it easy to dine well every day.
Pastry Dough
Pastry is luxe and fun, which is why it's so popular at parties. Since it's festive by association, it's a great choice for turning a weeknight meal into something special. But while it can be immensely satisfying to make your own pastry, it can also be really time consuming. With a selection of pastry dough in the freezer, you'll save hours of prep time (not to mention a fortune on butter), and can enjoy those flaky layers whenever the whim arises.
- Keep filo dough on hand for beggar's purses, strudels, Greek and Middle Eastern recipes, and hors d'oeuvres.
- Regular or whole-wheat pie crusts are great for quick quiches and pies. Think outside the recipe box, and try the filling from this Potato Crust Quiche with Leeks and Mushrooms. Pre-made crusts can also be thawed and rolled out for galettes and sweet or savory tarts (like this Baked Ricotta and Spinach Tart). Look for crusts with all-natural ingredients, such as those from Wholly Wholesome, for the best flavor.
Cost: $4 for 2 crusts; available at Whole Foods and natural food stores nationwide. - Puff pastry is a must-have for everything from homey pot pies or tarte Tatin, to elegant (yet deceptively simple) Beef Wellington. Or skip the recipe and use it to transform leftovers into an exciting new dish - try wrapping it around roasted vegetables and goat cheese, or yesterday's salmon and spinach. Pick an all-butter version, like Dufour Pastry Kitchens, for superior flavor and performance.
Cost: $10/14 oz. at Whole Foods and gourmet shops, or order online. - Williams-Sonoma offers highly-rated frozen croissants. They need to thaw and rise overnight, but that's part of what makes them winners - freezing is much kinder to raw dough than it is to finished pastries, and best of all, you get to eat them fresh from the oven. Enjoy them for breakfast, or with this chicken salad.
Cost: $39.95 for 15 croissants, plus shipping.
Stock
There's a reason gourmet recipes so often include stock. For everything from braising to making soups, stews, sauces and grains, good stock promises culinary alchemy, smoothing flavors and adding dimension. And though it's not really hard to make homemade stock, it is a pretty time consuming process.
Personally, though I wish I were the sort to dutifully sock away chicken bones and fennel fronds for always-homemade stock, I just don't have the freezer space for the ingredients or a big batch of the finished stuff. There's no shame in letting someone else do the legwork. Stock Options, for instance, offers chef-made, all-natural, small-batch stocks and demi-glaces that offer dividends in flavor - without the big time or freezer space investment.
Cost: $10.99/28 oz. at Whole Foods, gourmet shops and butchers.
Fish & Shellfish
When it comes to fish and shellfish, you've probably heard that anything but freshly caught (read: never frozen) is the only way to go. While it's true that nothing beats fresh-off-the-boat seafood, most of us don't live dockside. And believe it or not, a lot of reputable fishmongers sell previously-frozen fish (though they'll generally thaw it before displaying it on ice, so it looks appealingly fresh-caught). That's because nowadays, fish are often dressed, flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed right on the boat, so they're ostensibly "fresher," and their quality better preserved, than their raw counterparts - especially if they've got far to travel.
FishEx offers wild, flash-frozen fish and seafood from Alaska, including a great selection of wild salmon varieties. They also ship fresh seafood in season, so while you're stocking your freezer, you can get your fresh snow crab fix.
Cost: Calculated per pound, varies by fish. There is also a base overnight shipping charge of $29 + $1.95/pound, so larger orders are more cost effective.
Organic Vegetables & Fruit
Frozen produce isn't exactly an exciting specialty food find (unless you're talking about exotic fruits like açaĂ). It is handy for quick, convenient cooking, though, especially when local, seasonal produce isn't readily available. And you don't have to shun frozen fruits and veggies just because a gourmet dish is on the menu. The trick is to know your produce, and the intended application (if you want steamed asparagus, go with fresh. If you're making spanakopita, frozen spinach works fine).
Certain varieties - like peas, corn, artichokes, butternut squash, wild blueberries, and rhubarb - handle freezing well, reheat without a perceptible loss of quality, flavor or texture, and come with the prep work done. So you don't have to wait for warm weather - or spend hours in the kitchen - to make White Lasagna with Chicken, Artichokes, and Mushrooms or Key Lime Soufflé with Raspberry Chambord.