The Budget Queen
I have been asked so many times for this, so here it is...for Mums and Dads under pressure, students, anyone trying to stretch a dollar, these are my recipes for a happy and healthy life.
This page is especially for Holly and George with all my love, as they venture into the world. They were given to me whole, integral, and I have learnt so much in sharing my life with them. And with thanks to my parents, and their family, who taught me how to make the most of anything I was given. I feel very blessed.
Getting the most out of a chicken
A lady came in some time ago and bought a quarter chicken, very normal, but then she walked around the shop picking at the chicken, commenting on how cute the shop was and how amazing the chicken tasted. I have an idea it was the first time she had sampled free range chicken. Free range chicken is dearer than cage, no question, so if you are facing a budget, you need to get your money's worth.
Try some of these thoughts
Thaw, remove breasts
Ultimate mince pie - don't mess with it
Mince beef kebabs with yoghurt dressing
Terrine with marinated prunes
Tacos with a bit of personality
Chilli and chocolate mince
Burgers a la Raewyn
Albondigas
Corn or banana wrapped bundles
Boulettes de viande aux champignons
This page is especially for Holly and George with all my love, as they venture into the world. They were given to me whole, integral, and I have learnt so much in sharing my life with them. And with thanks to my parents, and their family, who taught me how to make the most of anything I was given. I feel very blessed.
Peasant pizza
Pizza has to be the ultimate peasant food. Flour, water salt and yeast tended with love and leftovers! We were blessed the other night by a visit by dear friends presently living and working in Switzerland, and a one time sailing coach, now good friend of Holly's. "Nothing in the frig" was overcome in no time.
6 cups flour, preferably pizza flour, and you will notice the difference, but anything will do.
Make a well in the middle for 1 teaspoon sugar and 2 good teaspoons of dried yeast. Add about 1/4 cup blood heat water and leave to fizz. Around the edge of the bowl, put in 2 teaspoons salt (or as you like) and a good glug of any oil. When the yeast is fizzing, add water to bind and make a yielding dough, It will be about 2 cups, but depend on the flour and weather. If you can leave it to develop the yeast for half an hour, then do, otherwise roll it out into pizza rounds. We like ours thin.
Toppings are up to you - the world will not fly off it's axis if you do not use tomato sauce, oregano and parmigiano, but you will notice a difference if you use honest ingredients Personally, I think butter chicken and BBQ pork are better reserved for another evening, but I tend to be a little purist in the country food area. Then a little round of oil, a sprinkle of cheese, pecorino or parmigiano, mozzarella ( we keep mozzarella pearls in the freezer for just such an occasion), into a cast iron frypan and cook in oven preheated to 200 degrees. Don't cook too long - I have made the mistake often of thinking brown will be tasty, but I really think it spoils a beautiful bread.
Try Hungarian Deli Chabay, chopped tomato, and Gruff Junction fromage blanc. The fromage blanc refuses to melt ... perfect, and throw some rocquette over to serve.
Pesto, cooked chicken, blanched spinach with a sprinkle of parmigiano or capsicum.
Artichokes (Roman style stalks on are the best) roast tomato and mozzarella
Black pudding is a winner
The interesting thing is the cost. Some of the ingredients are expensive by weight, but the total for an evening meal with a big salad of greens, nuts, avos, whatever, would be no more than most meat based meals. A treat for students, and great drinking food as it just keeps on coming.
I will keep adding rtoppings to this list, so let me know your favourites.
6 cups flour, preferably pizza flour, and you will notice the difference, but anything will do.
Make a well in the middle for 1 teaspoon sugar and 2 good teaspoons of dried yeast. Add about 1/4 cup blood heat water and leave to fizz. Around the edge of the bowl, put in 2 teaspoons salt (or as you like) and a good glug of any oil. When the yeast is fizzing, add water to bind and make a yielding dough, It will be about 2 cups, but depend on the flour and weather. If you can leave it to develop the yeast for half an hour, then do, otherwise roll it out into pizza rounds. We like ours thin.
Toppings are up to you - the world will not fly off it's axis if you do not use tomato sauce, oregano and parmigiano, but you will notice a difference if you use honest ingredients Personally, I think butter chicken and BBQ pork are better reserved for another evening, but I tend to be a little purist in the country food area. Then a little round of oil, a sprinkle of cheese, pecorino or parmigiano, mozzarella ( we keep mozzarella pearls in the freezer for just such an occasion), into a cast iron frypan and cook in oven preheated to 200 degrees. Don't cook too long - I have made the mistake often of thinking brown will be tasty, but I really think it spoils a beautiful bread.
Try Hungarian Deli Chabay, chopped tomato, and Gruff Junction fromage blanc. The fromage blanc refuses to melt ... perfect, and throw some rocquette over to serve.
Pesto, cooked chicken, blanched spinach with a sprinkle of parmigiano or capsicum.
Artichokes (Roman style stalks on are the best) roast tomato and mozzarella
Black pudding is a winner
The interesting thing is the cost. Some of the ingredients are expensive by weight, but the total for an evening meal with a big salad of greens, nuts, avos, whatever, would be no more than most meat based meals. A treat for students, and great drinking food as it just keeps on coming.
I will keep adding rtoppings to this list, so let me know your favourites.
A lady came in some time ago and bought a quarter chicken, very normal, but then she walked around the shop picking at the chicken, commenting on how cute the shop was and how amazing the chicken tasted. I have an idea it was the first time she had sampled free range chicken. Free range chicken is dearer than cage, no question, so if you are facing a budget, you need to get your money's worth.
Try some of these thoughts
Thaw, remove breasts
- Marinate and slice over bowls of hearty salad - premium salad leaves, seeds, flowers, herbs. crouton and a dressing of yoghurt, good oil, salt and pepper, a little chutni if you fancy, or a pesto
- Marinate slices in soy sauce, oil and a little shao sing wine. Shao sing wine is under rated, we have replaced it for years with sherry, but it is not the same. Get Shao sing wine! Stir fry chicken breast and remove. Then add a little more oil, and throw in as many veg as you have, Try to cut the veg so they cook evenly, and put them in the wok in the order they will cook, roots first, and leaving leaves until last. Replace the chicken. Add a cup of water mixed with a couple of tablespoons of cornflour, a favourite organic stock powder or oyster sauce, and as much soy sauce as you need to taste. You are wanting browned, but succulent chicken, crisp veg, and a clear tasty sauce. Serve over rice or noodles.
Gently poach carcass in lightly salted water to cover for an hour or so. This will leave you with a tasty stock, and a poached chicken meat.
Cooked chicken meat is used a thousand ways
- Sandwiches and filled rolls
- Gently fry onion or leek, garlic, and chopped carrot in a little oil, Add veg which appeals to you - mushrooms or pumpkin or anything from the bottom of the frig. Add herbs, stock, a little chicken or organic powdered, and and a thickener - stale bread, potato starch or cornflour and then the ubiquitous chicken. Line a pie dish with a good pastry and pile in the filling. Cover with more pastry, latticed perhaps, or mashed potato with a little butter on top. Place low in the oven and bake at 180 until pastry is cooked and top is browned.
- Chicken taco with sour cream, a bit of nice soft cheese, salsa of chopped tomato, cucumber, fresh coriander, salt, chilli, and lime
Stock
- Bring to boil and pop in balls of FR pork, with choices from salt, seaweed, ginger, garlic ground coriander. Cooked noodles if you fancy - wheat or rice. Add leaves last minute and serve with a platter of chopped coriander, chili, fish sauce, soy sauce, lemon...
- Use in a pumpkin or mushroom risotto...
Three meals from one chicken has to be good.
Minced Beef is next
Minced Beef is next
Ultimate mince pie - don't mess with it
Mince beef kebabs with yoghurt dressing
Terrine with marinated prunes
Tacos with a bit of personality
Chilli and chocolate mince
Burgers a la Raewyn
Albondigas
Corn or banana wrapped bundles
Boulettes de viande aux champignons
