Pantry Raid: Elle Cuisine owner Lauren Mozer’s six essential kitchen supplies

We’re asking chefs to peer into their pantries and tell us their top shelf-stable essentials. Here are six staples that Elle Cuisine’s Lauren Mozer made sure to stock up on before we went into lockdown.

Arborio rice

What kind: Riso Ceriotti Where she bought it: Mozer got it from her wholesaler but you can get it from Lady York. What she does with it: “When I get home from a long day, risotto is my go-to dinner. These days, our fridge is often empty or full of leftover takeout, but I can make a delicious, 20-minute risotto with only seven ingredients: stock, arborio rice, white wine, onion, parmesan, butter and some veggies.

San Marzano tomato sauce

What kind: Elle Cuisine’s marinara sauce Where she bought it: This is Mozer’s own sauce but you can get similar San Marzano marinara from Loblaws. What she does with it: “I’m always looking for quick meals I can cook for my fiancé́ when I get home around 9 p.m. With a pantry full of different dried pastas, I can use this San Marzano sauce to make a bunch of different dishes by adding just a few other ingredients. If I add whipping cream, it becomes a rose; if I add mushrooms, chickpeas and kale then it becomes a hearty stew. The versatility of this sauce is what makes it a staple in my pantry.”

Za’atar

What kind: Arz Lebanese Za’atar Where she bought it: Arz Fine Foods
What she does with it: “I’m pretty obsessed with this spice blend. I sprinkle it on tomatoes and labneh. I use it in vinaigrettes. I dust it on pizza and flatbreads, or mix it with olive oil for dipping fresh baguette. I even make a barbecue chicken marinade using it—all you need is some za’atar, olive oil and kosher salt.”

Jerk marinade

What kind: D-I Easy Jerk Where she bought it: Call 647-219-7230 to place your order. What she does with it: “One of our chefs makes this jerk marinade, and now we use it for all kinds of proteins at Elle Cuisine. It’s perfect on shrimp and flattened chickens.”

Dijon mustard

What kind: Fleur De Dijon Where she bought it: Find it at Costco or Inabuggy. What you make with it: “I use Dijon in a lot of daily food prep. I put it in all my vinaigrettes and most of my marinades. I spread it on sandwiches and eat it as a sauce with my steak.”

White truffle oil

What kind: Urbani Tartufi Where she bought it: “We carry this item in our Elle Market, but you can find it at Cheese Boutique, too!” What she does with it: “I put this shit on everything—I love truffles. These days, I don’t get to work with fresh truffles much because it’s not really a product I can put on menus since we pivoted from high-end events to prepared meals and groceries. I add truffle oil to risotto, to mac and cheese, to vinaigrettes, to baked brie and honey.