Staples

[sibyllevance]

I'm very much a beginner in all things kitchen so I tend to stick to recipes for the most part but obviously I can't work on recipes every day. I've just realized today while cooking 'by myself' (i.e. without a recipe) that I had some habits I frankly never realized I even had.
I almost always start by melting onions in a good chunk of salted butter, especially when I have no idea what I'm going to do. It seems like the right thing to do somehow (one of my housemates melts his onion exclusively in oil but I think I won him over just with the smell of mine).

So, what are your staples? Can be an ingredient or a 'foundation' for a recipe (frying onions for me)

Comments

[sid]

I'd say pasta, rice and potatoes are standard starting places for when I find myself in the kitchen with no idea what I'm going to make! Leftover veggies and meat from previous meals can be thrown in or on top of or next to any one of those, with some butter and/or olive oil and seasonings. Frozen veggies and/or canned tuna are handy if there aren't any leftovers and I'm not in the mood to cook fresh meat or veggies.

And of course sauteed onions are always a good thing! But I can't tell you how many times I've tossed a dish together and then suddenly realized, "Oh, I should have sauteed some onions!" So it sounds like your starting point is something I should always keep in mind, yes? :-)

[sibyllevance]

I'd say yes :p It's like a habit now, I don't like cooking one bit so the less time I spend in the kitchen, the better. Bizarrely enough just having the onions there always make me feel like I'm halfway through (if only!)