Matt Preston’s saucy baked chicken.

When asked to list Australia’s best produce, Matt Preston goes straight to the sauce.

I AM, AND have always been, a contrarian. When others zig, I like to zag. So asked for a column for this issue that is focused on the best bounty from the earth, sea, paddock and dairy I want to talk about stuff that comes out of jars and bottles.

It’s not that I don’t love artisan cheese and the best fish that swims in the sea, I just think that sometimes a change is as good as a rest, and it’s guaranteed this issue will be jampacked with praises about produce. So here are the best things in bottles and jars and what to do with them. (There will be more online at delicious.com.au because I always over-write. That’s another one of my many flaws that I vainly try to dress up as a positive.)

HOISIN SAUCE Mix with peanut butter and mirin, and use as a marinade, or brush on wedges of sweet potato before baking.

ANY HOT SAUCE (AFGHAN, JAMAICAN, LOUISIANAN) Slather on bagels with cream cheese and cucumber. Keep a small bottle in your briefcase, satchel or handbag for subtly pepping up any bland food you are presented with.

CRISPY CHILLI OIL Toss through steamed prawn har gow with a splash of black vinegar and slices of lap cheong. Serve on grilled or pan-friend broccolini arranged on hummus. Life changing!

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES Like the sweet Indonesian soy sauce kecap manis, this is great as a quick marinade, but the high sugar content means it’s best for stuff cooked over low heat.

TOMATO RELISH This can be added to mince for burgers or meatballs, use it (with a little extra sugar) to glaze rissoles, or spoon over your nachos instead of packet taco sauce.

FISH SAUCE Buy a good one that’s not too salty (try Red Boat or Three Crabs) and use it like an umami bomb on your prawn dishes, marinara seafood sauce for pasta or pizza, or as a base for beef or lamb braises.

TAMARI Use this like soy sauce to add a funkier saltiness and umami depth to your bolognese, barbecue sauce or salad dressings.

TAHINI Mix with lemon juice and yoghurt as a dressing for spiced roast pumpkin or eggplant, add a tablespoon to your next batch of brownies, or use it to thicken soups like cauliflower or broccoli. PEANUT BUTTER Stir through soups such as a pumpkin soup with Jamaican spices. Add in frosting for banana bread. Add to oat slices, chocolate brownies or self-saucing chocolate puddings. Make a Ghanian stew with sweet potato, chicken and peanut butter. Make a cheat’s satay or sauce for gado gado salad.

DILL PICKLES These are good for much more than Polish dill pickle soup, tempura-battered pickle slices in your burger or on the side of your pastrami sandwich. Far better to chop them to add bite to hummus, or marinate thin slices of steak in the pickle juice and then skewer with a dill pickle before quickly grilling.

INDIAN CHUTNEYS There is a whole world of Indian chutneys and pickles from the prosaic, like mango chutney or lime pickle, to the more exotic prawn balichow or date pickle from Kerala. Given the wealth of Anglo-Indian recipes it’s perhaps no surprise that mango chutney is the one that’s used with more versatility – whether replacing the apricot jam in Coronation chicken or giving the chicken thighs in the following recipe a sweet sticky glaze.

BAKED MANGO CHUTNEY CHICKEN SERVES 4

3/4 cup (280g) mango chutney

1 tsp finely grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 limes, zest and juice of 1, the other cut into halves

1 bunch coriander, leaves picked, stems finely chopped

3 tsp garam masala

10 (1.2kg) skinless chicken thighs, cut into three equal pieces 4 long green chillies

50g slivered almonds

2 tbs neutral oil, such as grapeseed

2 sprigs of curry leaves (about 30+ leaves)

Naan, steamed rice and tzatziki, to serve

To make the marinade, mix the mango chutney with ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice and coriander stems in a non-reactive bowl.

Coat the chicken thigh pieces in the garam masala and then toss into the mango chutney marinade. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 220°C

Arrange the chicken pieces, in 2 roasting trays, well spaced apart. (This will help them become more sticky and golden brown.) Pour over any remaining marinade.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Drain any excess liquid and bake the chicken for a further 10 minutes or until crispy. Set aside and keep warm.

Slice chillies in half lengthwise, taking care not to cut all the way to the stalk end. Using a teaspoon scrape out and discard the seeds. Now make two long incisions almost the whole way up each half of the chilli. It should now look green and frilly.

While the chicken is cooking, place the almonds in a small pan over medium heat. Toast for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside. Heat the oil in the same pan and increase the heat to high. Add the chilli and curry leaves, and cook for 30 seconds-1 minute until fragrant. Set aside on paper towel.

Top the chicken with the toasted almonds, chilli, curry leaves and coriander. Serve with naan, rice, tzatziki and lime halves.