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The Essential Ingredient

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24.01.2022 A traditional Cornish pasty - that handheld, shortcrust pastry-wrapped parcel concealing diced beef, potato, swede and onion - is a thing of such singular, humble beauty that we're reluctant to even consider putting any kind of contemporary or culturally diverse spin on it. And yet, the thought of seeing other vegetables, meats and (gasp) even cheese tumble from that golden, crumbly pastry, is difficult to shake from our minds. So while this recipe is for a traditional Cornis...h pasty, we won't begrudge you swapping out the beef for melty cheese and a generous shake of paprika, or stuffing the pastry full of lamb mince, rose harissa, red onion and pomegranate jewels, or even filling it with diced chicken tossed with our superb tandoori paste. Check out our list of (arguably sacrilegious) fillings via the link below, and remember: the world is your pasty.

23.01.2022 While it might seem like a long time, every minute of this incredible lamb shoulder recipe’s eight hour oven stint is spent driving the aromatic smokiness of the dried chillies as well as the Mexican oregano, garlic and other spices - deep into the meat, resulting in a tender, succulent and deeply flavourful centrepiece for your next dinner party. Cover the marinade-crusted roast with a pile of fresh herbs and green chilli, and serve with a quick tomatillo and white onion s...alsa, alongside a mountain of flour or corn tortillas, and you’ve got an unforgettable Mexican spread that will not only satisfy a whole table of guests, but make your house smell incredible for a whole day too. Check out the recipe below, and while you're there, grab the dried chillies, achiote paste, chipotle in adobo, Mexican Oregano, tomatillos and tortillas you need to make this magnificent recipe. Near one of our beautiful stores? They're packed with all specialty ingredients, professional-grade cookware, culinary books and inspiration you need to create something amazing in the kitchen.

18.01.2022 You’ve ordered the ham, but have you locked in your glaze? Our apple glaze is the perfect ready-to-go-straight-out-of-the-bottle solution. Made by simmering down apple juice for many, many hours, it’s rich, fruity and complex, and the perfect match for that resplendent cured pork. Just remove the ham’s skin, brush with apple glaze, and roast at 150C for 30-40 minutes, brushing with more glaze every ten minutes. Serve with our pickled cherries and cranberry sauce, all available in your nearest The Essential Ingredient store now.

18.01.2022 Do you hear that? The not-do-distant sound of Christmas bells...? Now that it’s December, our thoughts turn (finally) to festive feasts and all the traditional, comforting indulgences they include. Christmas isn't a time for cutting corners, which is why Silver Penny embrace all the traditional pudding-making methods handed down for generations to produce their nostalgia-inducing finales for our festive feasts. Suet replaces butter for a lighter crumb and richer flavour, eac...h pudding is filled with incredible Australian fruit, and every detail and step is steeped in tradition, right down to the company's name; a nod to the silver penny that would once be hidden in one lucky diner's slice. As with all traditional puddings, the most important ingredient in Silver Penny's range - which includes a gluten free pudding - is time, with the puddings cooked in early spring to give them the traditional amount of time required to develop those rich, Christmassy flavours. Naturally, Silver Penny puddings are best enjoyed with a spoonful of Silver Penny Spiced Brandy Sauce. Available now in-store and online!

17.01.2022 Gong Xi Fa Cai! We’ve just sent out our latest eNewsletter (subscribe at the bottom of our website if you’re not already on the list), breaking down the Lunar New Year dishes we’re enjoying this year. We’ve taken advantage of the unprecedented availability of crayfish right now with this fiery Szechuan pepper-spiked rock lobster, served alongside shiitake mushroom-filled spring rolls (for wealth), noodles dressed with Ferguson Lobster Oil (for longevity), dumplings with home...made chilli oil (also for wealth... can you blame us?) and much more! Check your inbox for the full breakdown of our feast, or find the link below. While you’re there, check out our range of Chinese ingredients for sale in our online shop, or visit your nearest store for bamboo steamers, Szechuan peppercorns, lobster oil and much more!

16.01.2022 Online shopping update. It's been a big year for online shopping, and this Christmas promises to be the busiest ever. As such, our shipping partners advise that they are currently experiencing delivery delays across the country. For that reason, we encourage all our online customers wanting delivery in time for Christmas to complete their orders by COB *today*, Thursday 10 December. While we (disappointingly) can't guarantee any delivery times due to these national shipping ...delays, we will continue to do everything we can to dispatch your order quickly and get it on its way. If you're lucky enough to live near one of our amazing stores, they'll be open all the way to Christmas for all your specialty ingredient, cookware, tableware and foodie gift needs!

16.01.2022 Compound butters, made by combining butter with other ingredients, are a great way of giving a dish a flavour boost. Some of our favourites include: Mix butter with miso and slip it under the skin of a chicken before roasting. Combine butter and capers, and let it melt over grilled fish.... Paprika butter is terrific spread over barbecued prawns or warm corn. Mix butter and bottarga and let it melt over a grilled steak. And, of course, the classic garlic butter, spread over a baguette before being baked into homemade garlic bread!

15.01.2022 We believe, as well as creating something nourishing, cooking should make you happy. That's why we've put together this 16 page collection of some of the recipes that bring us the most joy. Shareable desserts, summer-ready BBQ spreads, ideas for cocktail garnishes; these are the foods that bring people together in spirit, even in times when we can't get together in person. With dozens of tips and ideas, our 2020 recipe collection is sure to have something to inspire everyone.... Get your copy for FREE from your nearest The Essential Ingredient store, or have one included with every online store order over $50.

13.01.2022 Making your own mustard is a lot easier than you might think, just requiring you to combine mustard seeds, mustard powder, vinegar and seasonings. The only important choice you'll need to make is what kind of vinegar to use, as this will have the biggest impact to your homemade mustard's flavour. A light white wine vinegar, like Delouis's delicious Chardonnay Vinegar, will yield a more floral result, while using our incredible Terra del Tuono craft beer vinegars will produce ...the kind of mustard you'll be taking with you to every barbecue you're invited to. We also recommend buying new mustard seeds for this recipe, rather than reaching for that packet that's been sitting in the back of the cupboard for years, as they (like all spices) lose their flavour and vibrancy over time. While it's quick to prepare, your mustard will need a week to come together in the fridge. If you're short on time, we have a large range of authentically-prepared mustards, including Dijon, old fashioned grain, Champagne, mustard with tarragon and other herbs, and our own delicious The Essential Ingredient Hot English Mustard, all ready to eat. Or visit your nearest The Essential Ingredient store (or shop online) for mustard seeds, vinegars and many other accoutrements of home condiment making.

12.01.2022 As avid heat-seekers, we know that whether you're a person who only reaches for the bottle of Tabasco when there's eggs on the table, or someone for whom there's a different fiery condiment matched to every meal, it takes something special to stand out in the spicy world of hot sauces. That's why we were so excited to now stock Kata Fiji Bongo Chilli Sauce. Made in Fiji from ethically sourced, locally-grown bongo chillies - famous not only for their fiery heat but also their ...fruity flavour - this vibrantly-coloured sauce contains no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or sugar, ensuring the unique flavour of the beloved bongo chilli shines through. Use only a few careful splashes of this spicy, acidic sauce to enhance white fish, oysters and other seafood, smashed avocado, eggs, sandwiches, grilled chicken wings or anything that could use a little extra kick. But be warned, with the chillies ranking up to 350,000 Scoville units on the heat scale, this incredible sauce is as spicy as it is utterly addictive. Available in-store and online!

09.01.2022 A cup of tea on its own, even one of our beautiful The Essential Ingredient Ceylon-grown, loose-leafed varieties, is a missed opportunity. We’ll never pass up the chance to sip that perfectly-brewed English breakfast tea or high-grown pekoe black tea with a warm scone slathered with our four berry jam and whipped cream, or enjoy that invigorating pot of gunpowder green tea with some homemade sourdough crumpets (link to the recipe below), drizzled with lashings of local wildflower honey. Our range of jams are hand-made using fresh Australian fruit; perfect for scones, crepes, cakes and that slice of freshly-baked sourdough, while our The Essential Ingredient Ceylon teas are grown in mountain-top gardens in Sri Lanka and hand-picked at their prime, resulting in a full-flavoured cup of tea.

06.01.2022 Stroll through the streets of Mexico City (remember travel...?) and you'll inevitably find yourself lured, nose-first, to the countless food carts and taquerias grilling freshly-pressed tortillas and roasting meats over glowing charcoal. While it's not possible to recreate the sounds, sights and intoxicating smells of the experience entirely at home, a few extra steps will give your homemade tacos - like this recipe for tacos al pastor - a boost of authenticity, perhaps even ...transporting you to a time when it was possible to travel beyond our own borders. Marinated meat cooked slowly over charcoal, made-to-order tortillas, zesty salsa; they're all hallmarks of the kind of food you'll find throughout Mexico's capital, all achievable at home with a few specialty ingredients (available from The Essential Ingredient, of course) and a little extra effort. Sliced thinly from a gently spinning spit (a tradition brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants), al pastor is layers of pork shoulder (or other similarly fatty cuts) marinated in a mix of smoky rehydrated dried chillies, achiote paste, chipotle in adobo, and plenty of herbs and spices. With a little pork fat and the assistance of a tortilla press, yellow masa flour is quickly transformed into home-made tortillas, but if time is limited, our range of flour and corn tortillas are delicious substitutes. Wrap the whole thing up with a few shaved pieces of charred pork, a slice of grilled pineapple and a dollop of tomatillo salsa and you've got the perfect handheld meal. Click below for the recipe, and shop online or drop into your nearest store for all the authentic ingredients, direct from Mexico!

05.01.2022 Since the days of Ancient Rome, garum has been used as a condiment to not only season food, but also to add wonderfully complex fermented, briny notes to pastas, grilled meats, marinades, sauces and more. While we know despite the name that Caesar salad didn’t appear in the days of its namesake emperor, we love adding a good splash of our beautiful Australian-made garum to a Caesar salad dressing in place of the traditional anchovy fillets (sub tsp garum for each fillet... your recipe specifies). The flavour and aroma of the rich, dark liquor combines with the depth of aged Parmigiano Reggiano, the zing of the garlic, and the creaminess of the egg and oil emulsion to elevate this modern salad into an all-time classic. Pick up a bottle of The Essential Ingredient Garum in-store, or get one delivered from our online shop (link below), and use it to season perfectly-cooked steaks, add flavour to spaghetti alla vongole, kick your marinades up a notch, and much more!

05.01.2022 Made in Sydney using traditional family recipes, La Gitana’s Spanish sauces (available now in-store and in our online store) are delicious additions to your fridge, ready to be pulled out whenever you need an extra hit of flavour. Allioli (from the Catalan words for garlic and oil), is a creamy aioli-like emulsion that adds smoothness and flavour to fish or vegetable soups, roast vegetables, hot chips and traditional tapas dishes like patatas bravas. Salsa Brava (‘brave sauce...’) combines chillies with tomato and spices in a spicy, smokey sauce that’s delicious on sourdough bread, drizzled over crispy roast potatoes, and spooned onto a plate as a comfortable bed for perfectly grilled fish. Serve either sauce as a dip on an antipasto platter, or a condiment to a spread of tapas plates, or deploy both alongside these hearty salt cod croquettes.

04.01.2022 Got someone in your life who loves spending time in the kitchen (or by the barbecue, or at the dining table...) but don't know exactly what amazing new ingredient, specialised piece of professional-grade cookware, or cooking class would most excite them? A gift card from The Essential Ingredient can be loaded with any amount (up to $500 per card) and is valid for three years from the date of purchase. It's redeemable on anything available in any of our stores or online, incl...uding food, cookware, tableware and even cooking classes. Need a gift quickly? An electronic gift voucher is emailed directly to the recipient as soon as you purchase it, and can be used the same way as a physical card. It's the perfect gift for lovers of food.