More… With a Twist

 Read more from Gerald

Food is very expensive today. It can seem so unfair in a country that prides itself on its agricultural prowess; one that produces so much good meat, fruit, vegetables and dairy produce and that is surrounded by the natural bounty of the Pacific, that these healthy and once basic goods should be unaffordable to so many. Supermarket specials on these items seem few and far between amid the plethora of cheaper-than-usual prepared foods, snacks, chocolate and other sugar filled items offered in their junk mail and even then being reduced doesn’t necessarily make them cheap.

However I am finding a shaft of light in this gloom. Even when finances are tighter than usual, like now after the excesses of Christmas, I can’t bring myself to buy things like the cheaper (and uber-bland) Mild or Colby cheese or MRM (mechanically recovered meat) products like pork/beef flavoured sausages; I resist tasteless battery-fed chicken, whole or in lumps and refuse most prepared dishes. I would rather hang on to my pennies until I can afford something better. It is during the time between these better things that the light shines. I really enjoy facing the challenge of creating every day, original, interesting and healthy dishes on a very limited budget. I get so much satisfaction from spending as little as possible, not wasting anything and still turning out meals that people enjoy. I admit I do have the advantage of not having to cook for children but I still have my share of fussy eaters.

It starts with things I always have in my pantry/fridge. Bought over time, those I find most useful are (in no particular order):

• Tinned tomatoes (chopped or whole, in juice and unflavoured)

• Pulses – chickpeas, dried beans, lentils (Indian food shops have a great choice)

• Rice – long grain but Basmati, short grain and jasmine are useful too

• Onions (buy a 5kg bag)

• Garlic

• Olive oil

• Spices – cayenne, cumin, coriander, mustard, cinnamon, Chinese 5-spice etc.

• Herbs – fresh, grow them if you can, oregano is the only one I used dried

• Pasta – dried – spaghetti/fettuccini, rigatoni etc.

• Potatoes – a 10kg bag of Agrias will serve you well

• Bacon offcuts or ends – much cheaper than sliced bacon

• Stock – homemade and frozen chicken, vegetable, beef or fish

• Flour – plain but wholemeal and self-raising can be useful

• Salt, pepper, vinegar (I find cider to be most useful at a lower price), sugar

• Eggs

• Dried yeast – I bake bread

To these I add milk and when needed, one or maybe two other inexpensive ingredients which can be bought on special. This gives all that’s needed to devise a range of wonderful meals for those budget days.

It could be homemade pizza marinara with a simple topping of tomato, garlic and oregano, (there’s a recipe for the base in an earlier article) or if the budget allows, buy a small piece of mozzarella and shave it over homemade tomato sauce (sofrito is ideal) sprinkled with chopped bacon for a more substantial pizza. There is even a classic potato topped pizza.

Still with things Italian, a version of spaghetti carbonara is delicious. While the spaghetti is boiling, fry some chopped bacon and garlic in olive oil. In a serving bowl gently whip an egg for each person and when the pasta is cooked, drain it then add it to the eggs, stirring to mix. Pour in the bacon, garlic and oil, add grated Parmesan if you have it and serve. Lovely with a fresh salad from the garden (or market). Even more simple is pasta tossed with olive oil and chopped garlic; you can add chopped parsley if there is any about or some Parmesan.

A favourite dish when I was a student and one I still love is potatoes, onions and bacon baked in a white (or cheese) sauce. Really for winter with winter green vegetables, it’s great with salad outside on a cool summer evening. Layer the ingredients, ending with potato then pour over the sauce. Cover and bake at 200˚C for an hour then reduce to 180˚C, uncover and cook for another hour or until cooked and golden.

Given the right spices, there is everything on the basics list that is needed to make a very special potato curry with a lentil dal and Indian breads.

Mussels are beneficial and so cheap, as I write they are $2.99 a kilo; made into a hearty mussel soup with potatoes, onions, garlic, tomato, herbs and stock and with some croustades and homemade aioli on the side they become a dish that would grace any dinner table.

Chicken livers are also not expensive, a pot costing about $5 and cooked with bacon, onion and tomato and served over rice with a crisp salad make a very pleasing dish sufficient for 3 people or 4 for a light meal. Alternatively the livers could be cooked in a generous amount of butter with onion and garlic, some chopped bacon if the budget allows then add some chopped parsley and if there is any left from Christmas, a good jolt of brandy or Scotch then blend into a paté, check the seasoning and when cold, serve with crusty bread or toast.

A store cupboard favourite of which I never tire is falafel which I like to serve with sliced tomato, finely sliced raw onion, fresh coriander and yoghurt in warm pita bread. Making falafel is not difficult. Soak a cup of dried broad or white beans in a bowl of cold water for 24 hours. At the same time soak a cup of dried chick peas in the same way. Drain them and rinse well. In a processor, blend them with 6 cloves of garlic and an onion until smooth. Then add 2 tsps ground coriander, 1 Tbsp ground cumin, ½ cup chopped parsley, ¼ tsp ground Cayenne, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda and 3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander. Season with salt and pepper and set aside for 30 minutes or so. Then shape into small balls and flatten into 5cm patties and refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Shallow fry in hot oil for about 2 minutes, turning once then drain on paper towels. Serve hot or cold.

So there it is; beat boredom and don’t blow the budget and anything like cheese, butter, cream, vegetables, herbs etc. that you have left over, don’t waste but plan to use them next time. So use your basic store cupboard and every so often buy an inexpensive extra and have fun creating. I’d love to hear what you come up with.