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Bean and Tomato Broth no. 2 – potato (34p)

Jan14

A simple variation on the 9th January posting, Back to Jack – Bean and Tomato Broth. (Actually found I’d mispriced that, it was 34p a serving, not the 80p+ I originally posted.) I’ve decided not to include the cost of the accompanying cup of tea or coffee in future postings, just the straight meal price as a single serving, but still including the cooking, washing-up and any other incidental costs.

This version uses the insides of large baked potato instead of the bread, and the stock dissolved in just half a mug of water. The potato can be baked in the microwave – jab it all over with a fork or make a deep cut all around to let the steam out as the potato is cooking – takes 10 minutes or so. I need to experiment with different methods to see what times and methods work best.

  • Tin of beans.
  • Tin of tomatoes.
  • Herb seasoning.
  • Juice of half a lemon.
  • Half a mug of vegetable stock.
  • The insides of one baked potato – could actually include the skin, I just prefer it without.

As before, just simmer everything together for a few minutes. I liked this version better, tastier, although I think that would depend on the quality of the bread used in the other.

The result is a straighforward broth – I like to leave mine very lumpy, but it could be whizzed up or the ingredients well-mashed to make it more soupy. Could also use packet mashed potato. 34p a serving.

Microwaved Egg Fried Rice with Veg (27p)

Jan13

This turned out to be quite a substantial, filling meal and not something that could be gobbled down quickly, so not one to dish up as a quick fix before work. Probably took about thirty minutes to make start to finish.

I tried a sprinkle of Italian herb seasoning, but I’m not sure it really suited the dish, so added the juice of half a lemon which added a nice edge. Next time I’ll use the lemon juice alone. Avoiding adding salt to anything, finding alternatives. Very pleased with the price of this one, which includes electricity and washing-up cost.

  • 100g rice, boiled up.
  • 100g mixed veg – the cheap supermarket own-brand – if rather chunky, chop into smaller pieces before mixing with the boiled rice.
  • Juice of half a lemon.

Defrost the veg in the microwave or by leaving in the fridge for a good while. Boil up the rice, drain off the water and mix with the veg. Crack in an egg, mixing in well. Microwave for two minutes (700W oven). Add the lemon juice and stir a final time to break up the mixture.


Back to Jack – Bean and Tomato Broth (34p)

Jan9

Taking up the cheap cooking challenge again. My goal is nutritious food for £2.50 a day or less, including cooking and washing-up costs.

This one is a close copy of a Jack Monroe recipe, although I can’t find the actual web page I copied it from. Simple, tasty, 100% veggie and low salt – about 1g per serving.

Ingredients:

  • Tin of beans – kidney beans, any sort of beans really, even baked beans.
  • Tin of tomatoes – chopped or plum.
  • Herb seasoning.
  • Fresh lemon juice – I don’t use processed juices to avoid additives.
  • Mug of vegetable stock.
  • Two slices of bread, well broken-up.

Really simple to prepare – everything simmered for a good few minutes, then add the bread, mashing everything up a bit with the end of a rolling pin. Three servings. Along with cooking and cleaning up costs, 34p a portion. Freezable.

Another time I might try this with a microwave-baked potato instead of bread and no stock (to remove the added salt and sugar).

Home-made Hummus (35p).

Aug31

Humous, according to Wikipedia, is an Arabic dish originating in the near east – the earliest recorded recipe being from Cairo in the 13th century. The main ingredient is chickpees and it should include tahini (roasted, puree seseme kernals), although that would add too much to the cost for purposes of this blog. My version, which is a filling snack rather than a meal, is as follows …

  • Tin of chickpeas.
  • Juice of 1 lemon or a couple of limes.
  • Good splash of olive oil, extra virgin if you’ve got it.
  • Garlic puree (or crushed garlic clove), a heaped teaspoon or less depending on taste.
  • Several pinches of all-purpose seasoning.
  • Water.
  • Some bread or crackers to put it on.

I used a blender to mix everything together, but with a bit of elbow grease and a large pestle and mortar (end of a rolling pin and a deep bowl) would be as good. Rinse the chickpeas and put them in the blender, then simply add everything else. Whizz it all up, adding water until it is like heavy wallpaper paste – don’t over-do the water and make it runny.

Traditionally served as a dip with raw vegetables and/or bread. My version is to simply spread it on top of some bread and butter. It would be nice with a couple of slices of beef tomatoes laid on top, but that would add to the cost, of course.

A difficult one to price up, but I think – as a light meal with a cup of Earl Grey Tea – come to about 35p a serving.

Lent Potato Salad (39p)

Apr14

greece-flag-17A hot (or cold) potato salad inspired by a recipe on Giota Nikolau’s ′Grandma’s Food′ blog, a site which has many wonderful recipes. It is all written in Greek, but with help from Google translate and the wonderful photos on the site, her recipes and ideas can be followed.

It is still Lent in the Greek Orthodox church calendar, their Easter day being Sunday 19 April, making this their Orthodox Holy Week and a time of fasting – no meat, fish, wine, oil, wine, dairy or eggs, so my version of the recipe almost meets the criteria, bar the splash of oil for frying and knob butter for flavour.

Ingredients (serves four):

  • Three baking-size potatoes.
  • One onion, red or white.
  • Dried oregano.
  • Tin of beans – I used a tin of Flageolet beans that I found at the back of the cupboard, but would normally use the cheapest kidney beans, or indeed anything suitable hanging around in the cupboard or fridge that needs using up – some fresh green or string beans, for example.
  • Salted butter.

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Method:

  • Slice the onion up and fry until soft and translucent, then put it aside. Don’t over-fry the onion, keep it a little al dente.
  • Peel and chop the potatoes into inch-sized lumps, then simmer them in a saucepan for 15-20 minutes until soft. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t dissolve and you end up with a watery potato soup.
  • While they’re simmering, empty the can of beans, rinsing them under the cold tap, and add them to the simmering potatoes half way through.
  • When the potatoes are ready, pour off the water and transfer to a bowl, sprinkling in a pinch of dried oregano.

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And that’s it. Makes about four portions. Serve hot in a bowl with a good knob of  butter on top, or can be eaten cold.

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Estimating electricity use and washing up costs, and with a mug of Earl Grey tea, that’s a meal for about 39p.