My store cupboard MUST-haves.

As someone who’s built a business around food, I’m often asked what my own favourite things are to eat and to cook with.

And whether I’m in the RMB kitchen or my own kitchen, there are some ingredients I just can’t do without.

These are my are my go-to store cupboard favourites, that I try to make sure I always have on standby to add flavour, texture and sass to every meal.

Capers

I love, love, love a caper. And if I’m throwing together a weekday meal and I don’t have any I’m thoroughly pissed off.

The saltier the better for me. I find the best ones are usually French.

I almost always fry them with an egg on my lunch plate. If I’m cooking a piece of fish or meat then for the last 10 mins in the oven I’m likely to throw in some capers.

I use them in place of my second love anchovies in a vegan Caesar dressing. They add some saltyness to a pasta sauce, especially when paired with an olive. Adding a spoon of chopped capers to a boiled egg sandwich with mustard is DELICIOUS And they absolutely make a tomato salad all come together.

Or I’ll just fry them with butter and add on top soups or salads. I could go on…

Anchovies

Oh, those tiny hairy slivers of joy are packed with protein and omega 3’s.

I add them to most salads, hide them in a tomato sauce to get some extra flavour and goodness in for Jude, and love them on top of avocado toast.

Anchovies on a cocktail stick with a Perello olive is a chic and easy canape. And if you’re making flat breads or pizzas at home then anchovies are an absolute must on top. Anchovies in a potato salad with capers is a really elevated salty taste. Or chop up a few, add them to olive oil and lemon juice and pour over any type of broccoli before roasting for 15 mins and covering with grated parmesan before serving.

In the summer I’m constantly eating Boquerones, but it’s the oily marinated tins and jars that live in my cupboards all year round. I’m not a snob, I like most varieties, just don’t give me the ones with added tomatoes or sauces! And if there’s ever an open tin of anchovies in the fridge, they make the perfect classy add-on to a bread /cheese board when friends pop over too.

Cumin seeds

The things I do with cumin seeds!

I’ll always add them to a tray of roasting veggies, especially carrots for added nutty crunch. I’ll toast them for soup toppings, or add to a yoghurt for a cumin cream, or pop some in a chilli.

When I make seeded bread I add a handful of cumin seeds at the end before baking. And we make batch after batch of baked rice in the RMB kitchen, throwing a couple of tablespoons of cumin seeds on the rice before baking to add a nutty aromatic taste and texture to our pilaf.

Sumac

Possibly my favourite spice?

Sumac is a beautiful flavour that’s super popular in Middle Eastern dishes. It has a lemony taste, so it works anywhere that you use lemons (basically most things in my kitchen…can someone tell me where all the lemons go?). Anyway, my favourite ways with sumac are added to slaw, fried eggs, on a chicken before roasting, on a tomato salad with lots of herbs and pine nuts, on anything pickled, or sprinkled over dips.

Mutti cherry tomatoes

You should always have a supply of tinned tomatoes in your pantry, and if you can, you should make sure you have some Mutti cherrys! These little flavour bombs make a humble pasta sauce rich and delicious, and I add them to chillis, curries and soups too.

A spoonful of them on top of flat breads or bruschetta is perfection. And you can make the most simple and easy shakshuka sauce by adding some sautéed onion, peppers, and spices to these amazing little tinned tomatoes.

Lentils

Whether dried or pre-cooked there's not a week that goes by that I don't have a use for a batch of lentils.

Brindisa are my go-to and I add them to everything.

If I'm frying an egg I'm chucking some pre-cooked ones in the pan to crisp up with it. With capers too? Yes please.

Making a salad? Then I’ll chuck in a handful of cooked lentils for a healthy fibre and protein boost.

Lentil, rocket, roasted beets, mackerel and walnuts is a favourite on rotation - don't forget a sprinkle of dill at the end.

I try to use half the meat in a bolognese and add lentils in for a healthier less fatty meal. And lentils are the most perfect veggie burger base with onion, beans and your favourite spices.

We should all just be eating more legumes. FACT.

RMB house dukkah

Dukkah is such a must-have for me that we created our own.

A moreish crowd-pleasing combination of toasted nuts + seeds that we sprinkle generously over our signature avocado toast.

Aside from that, I can honestly say pretty much everything is better with just a teeny sprinkle of dukkah.

Eggs, salads, fish, soup, meats.

On top of hummus + dips, in a sandwich. It makes them all better.

And one of my favourite veggie sides is roasted broccoli with a generous amount of butter, chilli flakes and dukkah - try it!

The only place you can get our house dukkah is online through the newly launched RMB Larder.

Handmade by our tiny team in our South East London kitchen, it comes in a pretty little jar that you could then reuse to make some pink pickles or herb oil.

Enjoy.

Rebecca x