Bernie Michalik's posterous site

I like to keep some salami or other smoked/cooked meats around, as well as
a small amount of good cheese, olives, pickled vegetables and good canned
or bottled vegetables or legumes too. Plus some good olive oil, wine
vinegar and mustard.

First off, they generally will last a long time. But more importantly, I
can make a lot of different but simple meals that are delicious and fairly
low cost. For example, last night I paired up some stilton, some salami and
olives and bagette and mustard for a fairly light plate of supper. Tonight
I took some cooked pasta, olives, shaved ham, cheese (asaigo would have
been great) to make a nice pasta salad. Tomorrow I could make a vinegrette,
toss some steamed asparagus and green beans, and pair it with some bread
(or cooked rice) and perhaps some pate or a spreadable cheese to go on the
bread or some crackers. The next night I could saute some mushrooms and
shallots in a quarter cup of olive oil until soft. Perhaps add some pepper
salami in there. Then remove the solids to a side plate and add some wine
vinegar and a dash of sugar or some honey mustard to the pan and then whip
it into a dressing that can be tossed over a green salad. Add some slices
of tomato, or wedges of cooked egg, some olives and or tips of green onions
and some bread with a spread and you have a great salad as a meal.

Yes, I did add more ingredients. It's always good to have salad greens,
green onions, red onions, mushrooms and pickles around. If nothing else,
you can toss them together for a good salad. Or cook them up and add them
to some stew or some soup.

Lots of good meals from the types of ingredients you'd find on an antipasti
plate. Buono appetito!
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