What you need first...

KITCHEN NOTEPAD This is so that you can jot down when you’re running low on basic ingredients, such as tins of anchovies and Dijon mustard.

FREEZER PENS AND FREEZER BAGS To keep your freezer tidy and accessible; helping you to put your hands immediately on what you need.

PLASTIC CONTAINERS Tupperware boxes are good for storing everything from flour and pasta, to nuts, sugar and spices. (All are available from John Lewis and other leading stockists)

Week 1: Shopping list

At least 12 Jerusalem artichokes
1 bag of onions or banana shallots
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of celery
4 heads of garlic
4-5 lemons
Fresh thyme
500g goat’s cheese
2 packets of streaky bacon

Store cupboard buy

3 packets lentils: one Puy, one green, one brown.

Star buy 5l (9 pints) of extra-virgin olive oil (the type you can get from Middle Eastern, Greek, Italian or Polish supermarkets; a lot better value than 750ml bottles)

Week 2: Shopping list

1 small head celeriac

1 loaf bread

700g greens (before cooking, wash, remove stalks and slice)

1 packet streaky bacon or pancetta

2 packets vacuum-packed chestnuts

700g spinach (before cooking, wash, remove stems, or buy 2 packets prepared spinach)

1 bunch of fresh thyme

And if you don’t have them already . . .

1 bunch carrots

1 bag of onions

1 head celery

1 head garlic

1 bag of potatoes (Desirée are good)

300ml double cream

Store cupboard buy

1 bottle of good quality sherry vinegar for salad dressings and seasoning dishes

Star buy

A wedge of parmigiano reggiano or the cheaper gran padano. Keep it in the fridge wrapped in greaseproof paper. A good deli will sell you a fat chunk, which should last you for weeks

Week 3: Shopping list

1 free-range chicken, cut into eight pieces by your butcher (or 8 free-range thighs)

6 tins cannellini or butter beans (or 600g dried beans)

500g clams

4 tomatoes

1/4 bottle dry white wine

And if you don’t have them already . . .

A bag of shallots, an onion, a head of garlic

2 lemons

1/2 bunch of thyme

A large bunch of flat-leaf parsley

600g floury potatoes

A bottle of extra-virgin olive oil

Store cupboard buy

Bay leaves

Star buy

A bag of small, dried chillies

Week 3: shopping list

6 lamb shanks
1 bottle of dry white wine
2 pomegranates, 1 orange
4 heads of chicory, 2 heads lettuce
1 bag red onions
1kg waxy potatoes, 4 baking potatoes
1 small butternut squash (about 600g)
1 packet couscous
150g feta cheese
Onions
carrot
garlic
celery
1 bunch of thyme
2 bunches of mint
1 bunch of parsley
1 box of saffron
balsamic vinegar

Store-cupboard buy A tin of anchovies, a packet of walnuts, a packet of pine nuts, one packet of cinnamon sticks

Week 4: Shopping List

1 tame duck or 2 wild ducks
3 tins plum tomatoes
1 jar pickled jalapeños/serranos
A pack of spaghetti (buy an extra pack for the cupboard)
6 bay leaves*
Garlic, onion*
1 bag of carrots*
2 heads of fennel
A bottle of fino sherry
A bag of potatoes*
A bag of parsnips; apples

*If you don’t have them already

Star buy: a bottle of dry manzanilla or fino sherry, always useful for cooking

Store cupboard essentials: One jar of green olives, preferably with stones in for quality, curry powder, fennel seeds

Week 5: Shopping List

for Pipian Chicken

1 free-range chicken
8 large tomatoes (or tomatillos)
1 cucumber
5 limes
1 large bunch of mint
1 large bunch of coriander
1kg purple sprouting broccoli
450g Charlotte potatoes
150g feta cheese Lemon

If you don’t have them already

Onions, garlic Peppercorns, bay leaves Parmesan cheese Extra-virgin olive oil Dried chillies (preferably jalapeño) Anchovies in olive oil Walnuts

Star buy Pumpkin seeds

Store cupboard buy Fusilli or pasta shells, brown basmati rice

More of Thomasina's recipe ideas:

Cooking with broad beans, chick peas and rice

How to cook smoked mackerel

Recipes with parsley oil

Three healthy meat-free spinach recipes

Cooking with frozen peas, sausages and parsnips

Nice as paella

A gastronomic tour of the Iberian peninsula

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article3727958.ece

For the best local produce in your area visit the Times Real Food Directory

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