5 chefs share their favorite pantry recipes
Buttermilk fried chicken, lentil-curry soup, and more pantry recipes that local chefs recommend.
With grocery store trips fewer and further in between, our pantries have become the primary source for daily meal prep.
We tapped five Boston-area chefs to see what they’re making in their own homes, providing a little inspiration as we work wonders with our kitchen stash.
Here are their favorite recipes:
Polenta with Chorizo Vinaigrette
Chef Brian Poe, Tip Tap Room and Bukowski Tavern
Serves 4-6
Polenta:
1 pound corn meal
1 stick butter
2 cups water
½ of chicken bouillon cube
1 32 oz. container of chicken broth
4 oz. manchego or Parmesean cheese (shredded mozzarella works, too)
Pinch of diced garlic, pinch of diced onion (if you don’t have fresh, use dried herbs)
Combine water, chicken broth, and bouillon in a pan and and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer.
In a separate pan, melt butter, then add onion and garlic. Slowly pour in corn meal and begin to ladle in the water/bouillon, stirring constantly and continuing to add liquid until fully incorporated. Cook until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese.
Chorizo and Herb Vinaigrette:
¼ cup diced chorizo, sausage or bacon (whatever you have on hand that will render fat/oil)
pinch of garlic
¼ red onion, diced
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 tsp. chopped rosemary and basil (if using dry herbs, pinch of rosemary and ¼ tsp. basil)
olive oil
In a pot with just enough olive oil to cook, add the chorizo, then turn heat on low. Allow to simmer and cook in its own oil. Add more oil if needed. Cook until crispy. Remove from heat. Add garlic and shallots. As it cools to just warm, add herb mixture and vinegar. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Serve chorizo vinaigrette over polenta and top with a fried egg.
Lentil and Curry Soup
Chef Jeremy Sewall, owner of Row 34 and Island Creek Oyster Bar
Serves 4
1 cup of lentils (substitute canned chickpeas or dried beans)
2 Tbs. canola oil
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (add 2 additional cups if using dried beans)
1 T minced garlic
½ cup minced onion (white or red)
¼ cup diced carrot
1 T tomato paste
1 tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 T apple cider vinegar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes:
4 eggs
¼ cup sour cream
2 scallions, sliced thin
In a large pot, heat oil and sauté the onions, garlic and carrots until they begin to color lightly. Add curry powder and tomato paste, mix in well. Add lentils and stock, let simmer until the lentils are tender. If using dried beans, refer to package for cook times. Remove from the heat and season with thyme, vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, a fried egg, and chopped scallions.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Chef Jason Santos, Buttermilk & Bourbon and Citrus & Salt
Serves 4
4 large chicken thighs, boneless & skinless, slightly pounded
1 cup buttermilk
1 T hot sauce
Mix together and soak chicken for minimum 1 hour.
Chicken Dredge:
1 T lemon pepper
1 T granulated garlic powder
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. dried oregano
2 cups corn meal
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Mix ingredients together. Shake chicken of excess buttermilk mixture then dredge. In either a medium pot or a cast iron pan heat canola oil to 350F. Carefully add chicken to the oil and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. When done season with salt and pepper and serve.
Ceci and Pasta
Property Executive Chef Joseph Leibowitz, Encore Boston Harbor
Serves 4
1 can garbanzo beans
1 lb. elbow macaroni
1 qt. chicken broth
1/2 small carrot, peeled and cut in half
1/2 stalk of celery, rinsed and cut in half
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. EVOO
Pinch chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Parmigiano reggiano
In a medium sauce pan heat the EVOO, add garlic and chili flakes and lightly brown. Add carrot, celery, beans with the liquid from the can and 1 cup of chicken broth. Braise the beans for 25 minutes or until very tender. Once tender, add remaining chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, being sure to stir every 40 seconds. Once pasta is cooked through discard carrot and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Finish with a drizzle of EVOO and grated Parmigiano reggiano, and serve.
Ricotta Gnocchi
Chef David Crinieri, culinary director, Tuscan Kitchen
Serves 3-4
1 cup of ricotta cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan
3/4 Tbs. olive oil
1 egg
salt to taste
¾ cups all-purpose flour
In a large mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan, olive oil, egg, salt to taste. Gradually add the flour in three parts, mixing in between. Form the dough into a ball and cut into quarters, rolling each section into a long dowel shape about 5/8-inch in diameter on an all-purpose flour-dusted surface. Cut the dowel into 5/8-inch gnocchi pieces, place on parchment paper dusted with semolina, and repeat until dough is gone. Freeze or cook in boiling water for two minutes. Serve with your favorite sauce.
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