Cheap recipes

sully969

Hello,

My girlfriend is moving in with me at the end of June and so I am trying to expand my choice of recipes but will be skint for the next couple of months. Does any one know of good cheap recipes that dont involve fish or spices (girlfriend is allergic :rolleyes: ) that I can use to impress her?

Thank you!

Stephen_Leak

You don't specify what your skill level is, but try these. Once you get the hang of the tomato sauce, you can add minced beef for bolognese sauce.

ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE

Enough for pasta for 2

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic
2 onions
2 tablespoons of olive oil
400g tin of plum tomatoes*
2 teaspoons of basil, oregano or mixed herbs
Salt and ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onions and chop them into tiny pieces.

Put the oil into a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Fry the garlic and onion for about 2 minutes. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Put the juice into the pan. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the pan).

Put the chopped tomatoes into the pan. Add the herbs. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils. Season with the salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils, until the sauce has reduced.

TIPS

Always "take the pasta to the sauce". Put the cooked pasta in the pan with the sauce and stir together until thoroughly coated.

* Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.

BOLOGNESE SAUCE (and vegetarian version)

Enough for spaghetti for 2

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic
2 onions
1 tablespoon of olive oil
500g of minced beef
400g tin of plum tomatoes*
1 beef stock cube
2 teaspoons of basil, oregano or mixed herbs
Ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onions and chop them into tiny pieces.

Put the oil into the frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Fry the garlic and onion for about 2 minutes. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Put the meat into a frying pan and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the time. By this time, it should have broken up and be an even colour, with no pink bits.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Pour the juice into the frying pan. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the pan).

Pour the chopped tomatoes into the pan. Crumble the stock cube into the pan. Add the herbs. Season with the pepper. Mix thoroughly. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils, until the sauce has reduced.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Use minced lamb, pork or turkey instead of minced beef.

The vegetarian version is made by substituting the meat for a 150g packet of soya mince or Protoveg Burgamix, made up according to the instructions on the packet. You can even use 500g of broken up vegetarian hamburgers. Substitute the stock cube for a vegetable one.

TIPS

Always "take the pasta to the sauce". Put the cooked pasta in the pan with the sauce and stir together until thoroughly coated.

* Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.

You can convert this into chilli con carne, but we then hit the spice (chilli & cumin) problem.

Ice_2

beef stew on the hob

a pack of stewing steak from co-op/tesco's/asda wherever you like is the cheapest place cut this up with scissors into cubes
add
a couple of chopped up potatoes
about 4 carrots chopped up
a 1/4 of swede chopped up
a couple of parsnips chopped up
and an onion chopped up

2 beef oxo cubes
bring to boil then simmer for 2 hours
smells great
tastes fab
you might also like to add some dumplings
get a box of atora suet and some SR flour
the directions are on the box
but if memory serves me right its 2oz of suet and 4oz SR flour pinch of salt then mix it all up and add water to mix in to a not to sticky mixture plop them in the pan with the lid on and cook on full power for 30 minutes job done enjoy ...

Ice_2

mince beef and onion

we had this tonight

1/2lb minced beef
1 onion
2 beef oxo's
water
chop the onions and place in an over proof dish place mince over the top sprinkle the beef oxo's over the top and add water to cover...cover with tin foil and cook on gas 7 for 1 1/2 hours
prepare some veg
one pan
3 potatoes peeled and chopped
3 carrots peeled and chopped
1/4 swede peeled and chopped
cover with water
bring to boil and simmer for 30 mins
once done mash all together
put some beef bisto granula's into the minced beef and stir until its as thick as you like it...
put the mash on a plate pour the mince over the top
taste great
enjoy

Stephen_Leak

That reminds me ...

COTTAGE or SHEPHERD’S PIE (and vegetarian version)

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

375g of old potatoes*
1 onion
1 carrot
250ml of water
½ a teaspoon of salt
½ a tablespoon of butter
½ a tablespoon of milk
Ground pepper to taste
½ a tablespoon of sunflower oil
250g of minced meat (Use minced beef for a cottage pie. Use minced lamb for a shepherd’s pie.)
125ml of water
1 stock cube (Use a beef stock cube for a cottage pie. Use a lamb stock cube for a shepherd’s pie.)

METHOD

Peel the potatoes and chop into quarters. Peel the onion and chop it into tiny pieces. Cut both ends off the carrot, peel it and then grate it.

Put the 250ml of water and salt into a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the potatoes. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Put the lid on the saucepan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until soft. Check the water level from time to time and top up if it starts to dry out.

While the potatoes are cooking, put the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the onion for a couple of minutes. Stir frequently to stop it sticking. Add the meat and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the carrot. Crumble the stock cube into the 125ml of water and pour it into the frying pan. Cook for another 5 minutes until most of the water has boiled off.

Drain the potatoes and mash with the butter and milk until it is smooth and lump free. Season with the pepper.

Put the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Level off the surface. Put the mashed potato on top. Spread to cover the meat mixture. Make artistic swirls in the mashed potato. This increases the surface area and makes the top crisper.

Cook in a preheated oven at 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4 for 20 to 30 minutes until golden on top.

ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Use minced pork, but then it ought to be called a swineherd’s pie. Use minced turkey, but then it ought to be called a poultryman’s pie.

If you haven’t got a grater, you can chop the carrot into tiny pieces. However, grated carrot was the traditional farmer's wife's method of making the minced meat go further without anyone realising.

The vegetarian version is made by substituting the meat for 75g (½ a 150g packet) of soya mince or Protoveg Burgamix, made up according to the instructions on the packet. You can even use 250g of broken up vegetarian hamburgers. Substitute the stock cube for a vegetable one.

Add 100g of chopped mushrooms to the meat. Sprinkle 50g of grated Cheddar cheese on top of the potato, or even into it as it being mashed.

*New potatoes make rubbish mashed potato. Use old ones like King Edward’s or Desiree Reds.

I had some of my Spag' Bol' tonight.