We are all feeling the pinch with rising food prices. Angela Day prepares five inexpensive meals.
ON THE MENU
Pilchard puttanesca
Mexican chicken burgers
Beef and lentil soup
Curried fish pie
Barley and bacon casserole
PILCHARD PUTTANESCA
Approximate cost per serving – R10
Serves 4-6
30ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
400g tin of pilchards in tomato sauce, chopped
125ml vegetable stock
60ml black olives, sliced
a handful of basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper
250g wholewheat spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and chilli for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the chopped tomatoes, chopped pilchards, vegetable stock, olives and half the basil. Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 30ml of the cooking liquid.
Add the pasta tothe sauce with the reserved liquid and the remaining basil and stir to combine.
Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
MEXICAN CHICKEN BURGERS
Approximate cost per serving – R8
Makes 6
2 slices of white bread
1 red onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
1 red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
125ml chopped coriander
600g chicken mince
salt and pepper
200g tin of sweetcorn kernels, drained
oil for frying
buns for serving
lettuce, tomato, sliced avocado, red onion and sour cream
Place the bread in a food processor and make breadcrumbs. Remove and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, chilli and coriander and pulse to chop finely.
Add the mince and breadcrumbs and season well. Pulse until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and mix in the corn. Shape the mixture into patties and refrigerate until required.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken patties until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato, avocado, red onion and a dollop of sour cream.
BEEF AND LENTIL SOUP
Approximate cost per serving – R10
Serves 6-8
30ml olive oil
500g beef shin, bone-in
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
10ml ground cumin
5ml paprika
250ml brown lentils
3 litres of beef stock
125ml chopped parsley
Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the meat on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Fry the onion, carrot, celery, red pepper and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika and fry for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Stir in the lentils and coat well with the spices.
Return the meat and pour in the stock. Simmer for 3 hours, until the meat falls off the bone and the lentils are tender.
Shred the meat off the bone and add parsley before serving.
CURRIED FISH PIE
Approximate cost per serving – R15
Serves 4-6
30ml oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5ml chopped garlic
10ml curry powder
5ml turmeric
250g mushrooms, sliced
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
250ml fish stock
60ml flour
5ml salt
3ml pepper
500g frozen hake, defrosted and cut into cubes
oil, for frying
250ml frozen peas
300g baby potatoes
40g butter
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
Add the spices and fry until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Stir in mushrooms and coat with the spices.
Add the chopped tomatoes and stock, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and coat the hake pieces.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the hake until golden. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Add the hake and peas to the curry sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the curry fish to an ovenproof dish.
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, return to the pot and crush slightly with a potato masher. Add half the butter, and season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the potatoes over the curried fish and dot with the remaining butter.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
BARLEY AND BACON CASSEROLE
Approximate cost per serving – R8
Serves 6-8
250g bacon bits
15ml olive oil
3 medium leeks, sliced
10ml chopped garlic
2 carrots, peeled and diced
250ml pearl barley
1 litre of chicken stock
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
1 baby cabbage, thinly sliced
60ml chopped parsley
Fry the bacon in oliveoil until cooked but not crispy.
Add the leeks, garlic and carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the barley and stock, and bring to the boil.
Add the bay leaves and seasoning and cover and simmer for at least an hour until the barley is soft. Add more stock if the mixture gets too dry.
Add the cabbage and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves, adjust seasoning and stir in the parsley before serving.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.