Economy Gastronomy - new budget cookery programme; BBC

Lesley_Gaye

Fivenations wrote: »

I love black beans. They have a silky texture and are are smaller and softer than red kidney beans - great for soups and chillis.You can buy them dried in Waitrose - look in the sections with all the dried wholefoods and in Indian supermarkets.

http://www.hub-uk.com/cooking/tipsblackbeans.htm

aah, so the black beans used in Chinese dishes are fermented black soy beans, I never knew that

[Deleted User]

Just watched this weeks and thought what a nice lad she has got and how polite and thoughtful.He has obviously grasped the consept quickly that his Mum was spending too much and hopefully now so will she. I can see how she wanted to give him the best food she thought but I thought their filled egg ommelette was maybe one egg too many.I was always careful not to give my children too many eggs when they were growing as I always worried that it was too much, plus of course the filling seemed to be rather a lot even for a growing lad.But the programme was as always excellant .My sis-in-law watched it with me and hadn't seen it before, and like me she nearly fell over at the thought of spending £1500.00 a week on food for two people.but I suppose if you can afford it why not .But I couldn't feel very easy spending that amount, even if it was organic. I never seem to see any cleaning materials when they go shopping so is it only food that is bought or other bits as well.That would make it even more expensive wouldn't it .

trying-very-trying

JackieO wrote: »

Just watched this weeks and thought what a nice lad she has got and how polite and thoughtful.He has obviously grasped the consept quickly that his Mum was spending too much and hopefully now so will she. I can see how she wanted to give him the best food she thought but I thought their filled egg ommelette was maybe one egg too many.I was always careful not to give my children too many eggs when they were growing as I always worried that it was too much, plus of course the filling seemed to be rather a lot even for a growing lad.But the programme was as always excellant .My sis-in-law watched it with me and hadn't seen it before, and like me she nearly fell over at the thought of spending £1500.00 a week on food for two people.but I suppose if you can afford it why not .But I couldn't feel very easy spending that amount, even if it was organic. I never seem to see any cleaning materials when they go shopping so is it only food that is bought or other bits as well.That would make it even more expensive wouldn't it .

I know they spend a lot of money, but £1500.00 a week:eek:

ALIBOBSY

competitionscafe wrote: »

I never did get round to watching the first episode of Virgin Cooks (BBC3) after reading the comments on here but did watch the 2nd and 3rd episodes on iplayer and thought they were okay - yes bit formulaic /contrived etc but some of the recipes sound really nice. (although homemade ravioli and souffles seem odd choices for complete beginner cooks!)

I made the lamb kofta kebabs this week (but bought pitta breads rather than making them!) and they were delicious. The homemade chilli sauce and the coriander houmous were both very quick and easy to make and very tasty so will make those again for sure - to go with other dshes too or the houmous is nice just with pitta breads. As the kebabs are made with lamb mince instead of diced lamb they also work out cheaper than the recipe on EG (athough perhaps not as healthy)

I think Virgin cooks has got better as it has gone on, becoming less about the competition and more about budgeting and the actual food.
The latest one was really good. It was just one teen boy cooking for his family as the mum who had been chief cook etc (and from the description sounded like a real moneysaver-they even said she knew all the times stuff was marked down at the supermarket lol) had very sadly passed away. He wanted to get the family eating together and spending more time together. Worth a watch on iplayer.

ali x

fuzzyfelt_2

I've got the book and have already cooked several recipes from it (the Chicken Bhuna salad is our fave so far!). I've enjoyed the episodes so far, but have picked up on a few things that don't seem to fit in with usual food safety advice. Has anyone else noticed this?

For example, the tumbledown recipe from the roast shoulder of lamb is shepherd's pie, which is fine (this is a mainstay in our household). But, Paul Merrett then suggests using the leftover shepherd's pie to make the next dish - "Leftover Shepherd's Pie Baked in a Loaf". This means the lamb will have been reheated twice. As far as I am aware, the FSA advise we should reheat cooked food only once.

It also happened in the episode where they poached the salmon. They made several dishes from the leftovers, such as fishcakes and a chowder. Again, this is all fine, as the leftovers will only have been reheated once. But, the couple mentioned that they had enough leftover chowder for a lunch portion! This would mean reheating a second time. :eek:

I am all for using leftovers. I'll be turning my roast lamb tomorrow in to a pilaf on Monday and a broth on Tuesday. Just a bit worried that some people may not realise the dangers of reheating food twice. Although, I'm sure some of you will tell me that they do it all the time and have lived to tell the tale!

[Deleted User]

trying-very-trying wrote: »

I know they spend a lot of money, but £1500.00 a week:eek:

Whoops typing error methinks :rotfl::o

Money_saving_Diva_2

I have to admit I don't worry about reheating mince for a second time. I just make sure it is piping hot in the middle. For instance, I cook the mince and use it and then make a lasagne with the left overs and then the next night heat up the lasagne again so twice heating the mince.

I think like most things it's all about commen sense. As long as things are cooked properly and reheated thoroughly I do not think you need to be too concerned.

Diva.x

Rossy2692

I always thought that is was chicken that was a bit dodgey about 2nd reheating, I never worry about mince or lamb reheated a 2nd time, am still here to tell the tale ha ha

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i allways thought it was pork you couldnt re-heat?

i have used cook chicken to make a curry, and there has been some left over, so i have re-heated this so its pipping hot and eaten it,

i think as long as its been stored, and heated properly it will be fine,

i am sure there is more harm in re-heated food when its been left to 'tick over' on heat in a cafe or something...

Spendless

cw18 wrote: »

As far as I'm aware there are only 6.

1. Family with mum who worked in a school, and three children (incl twins)
2. Family where Mum always cooked chicken, rice, and 'one of her special sauces'
3. Large family
4. Student
5. Single mum and son
6. next week.....

2 Dads and their daughter.

Hadn't seen the prog till I caught the end of episode 5 whilst on hol, so have caught up with episode 1 and watched episode 5. Am really liking it.

Yes I know I've been a member here a long time and occassionally post on OS, but sometimes you just need to go back to basics and comments on this prog (not on MSE) about how once meals from leftovers was part of learning to cook at secondary school, got me thinking about how my 4 great grandmothers would be collectively tutting at me from above about the amount of stuff I throw out. 3 of them had 6, 8, 11 kids and the one with only 2 kids had to work to support my grandmother when the went to Grammar School.

Then from them I thought about my Grandmothers both married during WW2 and with their own homes and a child whilst rationing was still on. Then I thought about my MIL who still wastes little now, and whilst my mother may not be as frugal as she once was, that wasn't the case when she was raising me and my sis.

So I might not be copying any of the recipes I've seen on the programme but thinking more about what we do with our food.