The Coastal Kitchen Pantry

A well-stocked pantry is what turns a great piece of fish into a great meal. These are the ingredients that earn permanent shelf space in a coastal kitchen.

Oils and Fats

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

The cornerstone of coastal cooking from the Mediterranean to the California coast. Use a bold, grassy EVOO for finishing and dressings; a more neutral one for cooking.

Uses: Marinades, dressings, finishing grilled fish, sautéing aromatics.

Neutral High-Heat Oil

For searing and frying, you need an oil that won’t burn. Keep one of these:

Grapeseed oil — light, neutral, high smoke point (420°F)
Avocado oil — buttery, extremely high smoke point (520°F)
Refined coconut oil — works well for Asian-style preparations

Unsalted Butter

For finishing sauces, basting fish, and making pan sauces. Always unsalted so you control the seasoning.

Acids

Acid is one of the most important flavor elements in seafood cooking. It brightens, balances richness, and enhances freshness.

Lemons and Limes

Fresh citrus, always. Bottled lemon juice has no place here.

Lemon — classic with white fish, shellfish, and most European-style preparations
Lime — essential for ceviche, tacos, and anything with Southeast Asian influence

Good White Wine Vinegar

For mignonette, quick-pickled onions, and vinaigrettes. Look for wine vinegar with at least 7% acidity.

Rice Wine Vinegar

Lighter and sweeter than white wine vinegar. Essential for Asian-inspired slaws and dipping sauces.

Sauces and Condiments

Fish Sauce

The secret ingredient most people don’t know they’re missing. A few drops added to a clam chowder or mussel broth adds profound depth without tasting “fishy.”

Brands worth buying: Red Boat 40°N, Tiparos, Megachef.

Dijon Mustard

For emulsifying vinaigrettes, making sauces, and coating fish before breading. A classic component of a grilled salmon marinade.

Good Mayonnaise

For aioli, remoulade, tartar sauce, and as a coating before grilling (the oil prevents sticking and the egg encourages browning). Duke’s or Kewpie if you can find them.

Hot Sauce

Keep a variety:

Crystal or Louisiana-style — thin, vinegary; classic with fried oysters and po’ boys
Tabasco — for Bloody Marys and raw oysters
Sriracha — for Asian-inspired sauces and dipping
Calabrian chiles in oil — for pasta and Mediterranean dishes

Capers

Small capers (nonpareils) are better than large ones for most applications. Use them in piccata sauces, with smoked salmon, in tartar sauce, and in anything where you want a briny, acidic pop.

Spices and Dried Herbs

Smoked Paprika

Arguably the most important spice in a coastal pantry. Adds color, depth, and a subtle smokiness to shrimp, fish tacos, and chowder.

Old Bay Seasoning

The classic American seafood spice blend. A must for boiled shrimp, crab boils, and Maryland crab cakes.

Dried Thyme

Works with almost everything: fish chowders, shellfish broth, herb-crusted fillets.

Bay Leaves

Essential in stocks, chowders, and braises. Use them whole and remove before serving. Real dried bay leaves (Mediterranean, not California) have more flavor.

Fennel Seeds

Particularly good with fish in Italian and Mediterranean preparations. Toast briefly in a dry pan before using to bring out their anise flavor.

Red Pepper Flakes

For heat in pasta dishes, marinades, and anywhere you want a slow burn.

Pantry Staples

Canned San Marzano Tomatoes

For fish stews, cioppino, and tomato-based seafood pasta. San Marzano tomatoes have lower acidity and better flavor than most domestic canned tomatoes.

Canned or Jarred Anchovies

One of the great umami bombs. Melt them into olive oil at the start of a recipe — they dissolve completely and no one knows they’re there. Essential in bagna cauda, puttanesca, and Caesar dressing.

Bottled Clam Juice

When you don’t have homemade shellfish stock, bottled clam juice is your friend. Use it to deepen chowders and broth-based dishes. Bar Harbor and Bumble Bee are reliable brands.

Dried Pasta

Keep a variety: linguine for clams and shellfish, spaghetti for aglio e olio with shrimp, and rigatoni for heartier fish ragus.

Arborio or Carnaroli Rice

For seafood risotto. Carnaroli holds its texture better through the long cooking process; Arborio is easier to find. Both work well.

Refrigerator and Freezer Staples

White Wine

Always have a bottle open (or a partial bottle) for cooking. Nothing expensive — a Pinot Grigio or Muscadet works fine. Avoid anything labeled “cooking wine,” which contains added salt.

Lemons (Fresh, Always)

Already mentioned under acids, but worth repeating. Keep a bag in the crisper at all times.

Frozen Shrimp

Wild-caught IQF (individually quick frozen) shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico are excellent and always ready. Thaw in cold water for 15 minutes.

Compound Butter

Make a batch of herb-lemon butter or garlic-parsley butter and keep it in the freezer, rolled in plastic wrap. Slice off a disc to finish any piece of fish in seconds.