Condiments

Foods preserved in salt or brine, such as olives, sardines, and pickles, will add saltiness to a dish, so when you include them you’ll need to use less salt than you normally would. All the varieties of miso are salty to taste (in addition to their rich savoriness), and you can use this to your advantage (see the Chocolate Miso Bread Pudding). Unsalted and low-sodium versions of many pantry staples give us greater control over our seasoning during cooking; for this reason I use low-sodium chicken stock, low-sodium soy sauce, and unsalted butter when I cook.