Essential kitchen kit

Essential Kitchen Kit

My kitchen kit is something I have built up over my lifetime. You don't need to go rushing out to buy everything at once. Catering equipment companies are excellent sources for high-quality, well-made kitchen equipment at a fraction of the price of a fancy store. I get the majority of my essentials from Nisbets catering equipment and supplement with unique pieces from artisans and culinary shops.

Utensils

Knives

I use four main knives in the kitchen: a small chef's knife (about 12cm), a small serrated paring knife (for tomatoes and fruit), a larger chef's knife (about 21cm) for sturdy vegetables such as pumpkin or squash and a good serrated bread knife. I also have a sharpening stone to keep them nice and sharp.

Speed and Julienne Peelers

I have two peelers in my kitchen, a speed peeler and a julienne blade. My speed peeler has to be the most used gadget in my kitchen and the cheapest. I use it for peeling and for making vegetable ribbons for salads and noodles. I also use a julienne peeler to make noodles from vegetables such as courgettes, it does the job of the currently popular spiraliser but costs about £2 and takes up much less kitchen space.

My favourites - The all-metal ones from Lakeland.

Kitchen Scissors

I always keep a sharp pair of kitchen scissors on hand in my kitchen for opening packaging and doing small jobs. If you're not the fastest at chopping with a knife, slicing little things like herbs or spring onions with a pair of scissors can be done swiftly.

My favourites - Wusthof kitchen scissors are strong and sharp, they also come apart for cleaning.

A Dough/Bench Scraper

This is such a handy tool in the kitchen, not only for making bread, but also for cleaning up the counter after cooking and effortlessly moving items from the chopping board to the pan. I always keep one on hand. It doesn't matter if it's made of plastic or metal.

My favourites - Cheap and cheerful from a catering supplier

Box Grater

I use this almost every day. A good sturdy box grater for grating veg and cheese.

My favourites - A simple cheap stainless steel one is all you need - don't waste money on a fancy one.

Microplane

Microplanes (different brands are available) are sharp fine graters that can finely grind many things that a box grater cannot. They are a little more expensive, but one will last a lifetime and will come in handy for zesting citrus and carefully shredding garlic, chilli, ginger, or any hard cheese. I have a coarse and a fine one, with the finer one being the one I use the most.

My favourites - Microplanes and Cuisinart also make good ones.

General Utensils

General utensils include tin opener, bottle opener, pastry brush, ice cream scoop, tongs, slotted spoon, kitchen spoon, ladle, fish slice, whisk, plastic spatula, bottle opener.

Measures

Measuring equipment like cup measurements and teaspoon measures are invaluable in your kitchen.

Mandoline

A mandolin is ideal for slicing things neatly and evenly if your knife skills aren't up to par. These can be really cheap and will last for a very long time. Always utilise the guard and take extra care.

My favourites - A simple cheap one from the catering supply shop.

Pestle and Mortar

I use a porcelain one, but stone and wooden ones work well as well and can be found at a reasonable price at most Asian supermarkets. Mine is from Milton Brook and is meant to last a lifetime. A larger one that can hold pestos and sauces is ideal. Keep in mind that the stone ones can be difficult to lift and clean.

My favourite - Milton Brook porcelain and catering supply shop or asian supermarkets.

Colanders and Sieves

A simple stainless steel sieve and a metal or enamel colander.

My favourites - Vogue for sieves and Falcon enamel colanders

Mixing Bowls

I have a few metal and enamel mixing bowls as well as some pyrex and ceramic. I certainly have too many but I like collecting them and the ceramic ones mean they can go straight on the table.

My favourites - Pyrex - flea markets and charity shops for old pyrex bowls, Falcon enamel mixing bowls and catering supply for simple metal bowls

Stackable Glass Jars

One of the things that makes a huge difference in my kitchen is having everything accessible and easy to find. I stack all my spices in small glass jars on a shelf, which means they are always at hand. I also keep my dry ingredients in large jars for easy access.

My favourites - Le Parfait, Weck and Kilner

Chopping Boards

I have a few wooden chopping boards, I keep one for garlic and onions and one thats only for fruit. As there is no meat or fish in my kitchen I don't use plastic ones. I like to search out small makers of chopping boards as I like to use them to serve on too.

Pans

Good Frying Pans

A good frying pan will last a lifetime. I have a good non-stick pan in two sizes, 22cm and 26cm. I also have a heavy cast-iron frying pan/sauté pan (also good for serving directly on the table) and a griddle pan (key for adding smoky flavour that's important in veg cooking). If you are using a teflon coated pan it's imperative you DO NOT USE it once the coating has scratched.

My favourites - GreenPan (which use a non-toxic ceramic coating) for non stick, Crane cookware cast Iron, Le Creuset and Vogue non stick pans that are very affordable.

A Small Couple of Saucepans

A milk pan and a small saucepan are super useful for heating up small amounts and reheating in small amounts.

My favourites - De Buyer copper pans and Crane cookware stainless steel pans.

A Couple Of Large Saucepans/Stockpots

Every week, I prepare a vat of soup, stock, or a large pan of chickpeas, and a large pot makes things much easier. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it will allow you to cook in large portions that will last a week or fill the freezer. A heavy-bottomed cast-iron pan from Le Creuset would be my preference, but any solid large pan will suffice.

My favourites - Le Creuset and Crane cookware cast iron

Baking Trays and Sheets

I keep 2 baking sheets, 1 large metal roasting tray and a selection of enamel roasting dishes which cover all bases.

My favourites - (catering shops are a good place to look for best price), Mermaid aluminium and hard anodised, Vogue for aluminium and Falcon for enamel

Baking Essentials

• Muffin/cupcake Tray
• 2 X 24cm Spring Form Cake Tins
• 1 X 20x20cm Brownie Tin
• Cooling Rack

My favourites - Vogue, Tala, Mermaid and Nordic Ware (If You Are Into Fancy Shaped Cakes).

Machines in the Kitchen

Hand/Immersion Blender

If you can't get your hands on a blender or a food processor, or your kitchen is too small for big pieces of equipment, then a decent hand/immersion blender will stand in for most things. You'll need a little more elbow grease and probably patience but it will do the job. I use my hand blender for making dressings and quick pestos and for blending soups, and I find it really useful. Hand blenders come pretty cheap and I use a basic £10 one which has been with me for years.

My favourites - I would buy a cheap one meant for home use here, I've had my budget one for years and it's still going strong.

Bullet Blender

A bullet blender is excellent for smoothies, sauces, hummus pesto, and soups. Simple to use and reasonably priced.

My favourites - My Nutribullet has served me well, and if you invest in a Vitamix, they now come with a bullet attachment as well, so you don't need to have both.

Handheld Mixer

A handheld mixer is an excellent thing to have in your kitchen especially if you an avid baker.

Worthwhile Investments

Food Processor

It may seem overkill to have a food processor and a blender but they really do different jobs. A blender will liquidise items, but a food processor will chop and smash things, as well as grate and slice if you get one with accessories, as well as make icings and cake mixes. If I could only recommend one item for your kitchen, it would be a food processor. I've had my Magimix for over a decade and it's still going strong. Magimixes are fantastic because they have a wide range of attachments and are quite durable, but other brands, like as KitchenAid, also make decent ones. Again, you get what you pay for; I recommend investing as much as you can afford.

My favourites - Magixmix

High Speed Blender

I use my blender every day for smoothies, soups, nut butters and hummus. The Vitamix is the king of blenders, with a super high-speed motor that can turn nuts into butter in seconds. They are, however, very expensive, so I am not suggesting that you all go out and get one, but they are a terrific investment if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Alternatively, most electrical companies produce strong blenders at varied rates; choose the best you can afford.

My favourites - Vitamix

Standing Mixer

A Kenwood is particularly good. They are great for things that need whisking, cake batter and bread.

My favourites - Kenwood