Inside My Kitchen: Benjamina Ebuehi
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I love the amount of storage in my kitchen. I have a lot of equipment, tools, kitchen gadgets and ingredients I use for shoots and recipe development, so having enough space to store everything is a necessity. I have a few tools that you’d typically find in a pro kitchen which are a lifesaver, like magnetic kitchen timers. I often have multiple things on the go at once and using my phone just doesn’t cut it. Having a couple of them stuck to the fridge or extractor hood keeps me on track and stops me forgetting about things I have in the oven.
I’m currently on a self-imposed kitchenware buying ban. However, when I inevitably break that I’ll go straight to Habitat which is one of my go-tos for affordable pieces. Borough Kitchen is also amazing for more niche items and high-quality brands. The last thing I bought was some new mugs. I have far too many but I can’t resist buying one or two when I travel, especially if it’s handmade.
The one utensil I couldn’t live without is my microplane. It’s great for finely grating garlic and ginger, and perfect for zesting citrus. I also love my rubber spatula and offset spatula – both essentials for any baker.
I love my KitchenAid stand mixer and use it multiple times a week. I’ve had mine for over ten years and it’s still got a lot of life in it. It makes mixing, whipping and kneading ten times easier and allows me to get on with other things whilst it does the hard work. Plus, they just look great in your kitchen.
@bakedbybenji
I like buying plates from independent ceramicists. You get beautiful handmade pieces that you’re not likely to find elsewhere. Klei Shop in Hackney is great for this as they sell lots of pieces from different makers in one place. When I do buy plates in larger stores, Zara Home, Anthropologie and Glassette are all go-tos.
I recently picked up some gorgeous glassware in ARKET which was a nice surprise. Charity shops are also fantastic for glasses if you’re looking for something a little unique you won’t find elsewhere.
I love my OurPlace Always Pan. It’s the perfect size for pretty much everything and they’re obviously very pretty to look at. I use it to make eggs, pasta sauces, curries, soups and everything in between – it’s so versatile.
Having regular clear outs has been helpful in trying to stay organised. We’ve all got bottles and jars sitting at the back of the cupboard that we’ve forgotten about so setting time aside to empty out cupboards and drawers encourages me to try and incorporate some of those items into meals that week or donate them to a food bank if they’re still in date.
@bakedbybenji
@bakedbybenji
The store cupboard essentials I couldn’t live without include flaky sea salt, peanut butter, soy sauce, plain flour and basmati rice. And chocolate, of course. I always have some good quality extra virgin olive oil, as well as spices like cumin, black and white pepper, chilli flakes and fennel seeds. For baking, I’m obsessed with cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon.
My most-used ingredient has to be butter or eggs. During a week when I’m testing lots of recipes, I can easily get through kilos of butter and two to three dozen eggs. I buy most of my ingredients from a mix of places – if I’m doing a big shop online, I’ll use Ocado because I can get my favourite M&S bits from there (I need my Percy Pigs at all times). I also have an amazing Turkish greengrocer nearby that has a huge variety of fresh produce and they sell fresh bread in the back that I can never resist.
When I’m hosting, one of my favourite dishes to make is lamb shawarma from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook. It’s marinated in lots of fragrant spices and after a few hours in the oven you’re left with really tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb. I serve it with crispy potatoes, pitta breads, pickled cabbage and a couple of crisp salads.
@bakedbybenji
I have over 80 cookbooks on my shelves. The ones I find myself cooking from again and again are Jerusalem by Ottolenghi, Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat and Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman. A new addition that I know I’ll be cooking lots from is Nortena by Karla Zazueta; featuring recipes from the north of Mexico that look and sound incredible.
The secret to hosting a good dinner party is prepping as much in advance as possible. There’s nothing worse than feeling flustered in the kitchen when your guests arrive. I always try to choose a menu that doesn’t require too much hands-on time; go for things can tick along in the oven and desserts that you can make the day before or just need to finish off before serving.
My perfect midweek meal usually involves rice. It’s my carb of choice so I tend to make some sort of rice bowl with grilled chicken or salmon and garlicky veg.
I’m a big egg lover so for breakfast, nine times out of ten, I go for soft scrambled eggs on toast. Sometimes with a bit of cheese folded in too if I’m in the mood. I always have a black americano on the side, too.
My idea of a perfect Sunday lunch is a good roast dinner or jollof rice. I serve it with chicken and fried plantain, followed by dessert. Usually a crumble, tiramisu or pavlova.
I’ll Bring Dessert by Benjamina Ebuehi (published by Quadrille Publishing Ltd, £24) is available to buy now. Follow @BakedByBenji on Instagram.
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