Times are hard, the cost of living is rising, and so, like many people, I’m trying to cook cheaper meals for the family. I recently did the Piri-piri chicken wing, wedges and corn traybake from BBC Food.
Wings are cheap, potatoes are cheap, and corn isn’t crazy expensive. The limes were probably the most extravagent ingredient. Total price, probably £2-£3 per person.
It was great, and the family all enjoyed it. To the point where it would go on the regular rotation even if we had suitcases full of cash stashed around the place!
What are your best economical recipes that aren’t just beans, chickpeas, and rice? Meals you actively looks forward to, rather than just a budget way of getting calories inside you?
On my list for the coming week:
- Carbonara
- Sausage and mash with onion gravy
- Chicken Quesadillas
- Mac and Cheese with salad
- Spicy black bean tacos
- Stir-fried tofu
- Slow cooker leek and potato soup
I can supply recipes for any of these.
cheap is tacos here.
heat up the tortillas
heat up whatever goes in the taco (usually some leftovers from the fridge, or some ground meat)
saute some onions
make some salsa
put it all together
eat the taco
you should probably do it in the order that has them all done at the same time, but like tacos is usually leftovers. like, leftover pork butt, leftover beef, leftover whatever. it’s delicious.
i’ve also got a cheap pasta
-boil some water, add a small handful (about 1 T) of salt
-get a can/jar of unseasoned tomato sauce, passatta if you can get it
-brown some ground beef/pork/italian sassage (meat optional, you can just add the spices and wine to the tomate if you’re going veg)
-season the sassage (use italian seasoning if you don’t know what you’re doing, if you do or want to learn: add garlic, basil, oregano, fennel/aniseed, pepper of your choosing (i usually add red/white/black in ratios of my whim that day) a little sugar if you want i never do (that’s my mother’s variation), some onion if you want i never do (that’s my wife’s variation)
-when the sassage is browned deglaze the pan with a decent red wine of your choosing and add the tomate
-let the sauce warm, bring to a simmer
-MEANWHILE: boil the pasta in the salted water. about halfways through, add 1/2c of pasta water to the tomate. this helps the sauce stick to the noodle.
-If it’s a long noodle, when the noodles are al dente add them directly to the tomate with tongs. don’t use a strainer. if it’s a short noodle, get a spider skimmer, do the same. finish in the tomate. serve with a good crusty pugliese.