• Email Article
• Print Article

Here, Nancy Silverton names her favorite jarred and canned ingredients.

Albo Ventresca

Ventresca is the tuna's belly, the most coveted part. Albo oil-packs it in a flat tin, so you can lift out big fillets. DETAILS $9.75 for 4 ounces from Surfas Restaurant and Supply; 310-559-4770 or surfasonline.com.

Casina Rossa Truffle Salt

Truffle salt tastes much better than cloying white-truffle oil. And it contains real black truffles; it's not just an infusion. DETAILS $21 for 3.5 ounces from the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills; 800-547-1515.

Matiz Navarro Great White Beans or Chickpeas

These jarred beans are perfectly cooked but still firm—better than the undercooked beans served in many restaurants. DETAILS From $3 for 12 ounces from the Spanish Table; 206-682-2827 or thespanishtable.com.

Radici of Tuscany Farro

Jarred farro, an Italian grain similar to barley, is great for last-minute antipasti—as a substitute for fregola, say, in a tabbouleh-style salad. DETAILS $7 for 12.7 ounces from Surfas Restaurant and Supply.