BUDGET MEALS FOR UNDER £5

Approximate costs based on supermarket prices February 2015

SHEPHERDS PIE

450gms Minced Lamb or Beef

1 Med Onion, chopped

2 Tablsp Flour

300mls Lamb or Beef Stock

1 Tablsp Tomato Puree                                         COST  £4.20

½ Teasp Mixed Herbs

700gm Potatoes, chopped

25gm Butter

45ml Milk

50gm Grated Cheddar.


Dry fry the meat until browned, add the onion and cook for 5 mins. Add the flour, cook out for one minute then blend in the stock, herbs, the tomato puree and seasoning to taste. Stir, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Turn out into an ovenproof dish. Cook and mash the potatoes with the butter and milk. Cover the mince with the potato and grate the cheese over the top. Bake at 180°C for 45 mins to one hour.


TUNA PASTA BAKE

400gm Fusilli Pasta

100gm Frozen Peas

50gm Butter

50gm Plain Flour                                                       COST £4.98

i pt Milk

1 Teasp Dijon Mustard

2 x 195gm Tins of Tuna - drained

4 Sp Onions. sliced

198gm Can Sweet corn

100gm Grated Cheddar.

Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the packet instructions, add the peas for the final 5 mins of cooking time. Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour, stir for a minute or two. Slowly add the milk whisking constantly, bring to the boil and stir until thickened. Add the mustard and seasoning, take off the heat. Heat the grill to medium. Drain the pasta and peas and then place back in the pan. Add the tuna, spring onions, sweet corn and sauce. Tip into a shallow baking dish, top with the grated cheese and brown under the grill.


PASTICCIO

225gm Macaroni

225gms Lean beef

50gm Bacon - chopped

1 med onion - chopped

1 Med Carrot - chopped

1 Celery stick - sliced                                                 COST £4.55

1 garlic clove - crushed

2 Tablsp Tomato Puree

225 mls Stock

225 gm Frozen Peas

50 gm Butter

50gm Flour

1 pint Milk

70gm Double Gloucester Cheese - grated.

Cook the macaroni in boiling water for about 10 mins. Dry fry the beef until brown then add the bacon, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, tomato puree and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 mins. Mix the meat, drained macaroni and peas, place in an ovenproof dish. Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour, stir for a minute or two. Slowly add the milk whisking constantly, bring to the boil and stir until thickened . Remove from the heat, add half the cheese and stir until melted. Pour the sauce over the beef, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cook at 180°C for about 30 mins until golden.


CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND RICE

500gm Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 Tablsp Oil

50gm Pancetta - cubed

300gm Button Mushrooms

2 Large Shallots - chopped                                      COST £5.00

250 mil Chicken Stock

1 Tablsp White wine vinegar.

50 gms Frozen peas

I Heaped Tablsp Chopped Parsley

Heat 1 Tablsp of oil in a pan. Dust the chicken with seasoned flour and brown on all sides. Remove and keep warm. Fry the pancetta and mushrooms until softened, remove. Add the remaining oil and cook the shallots for 5 minutes, add the stock and vinegar and bubble for a couple of minutes. Return the chicken, mushrooms and pancetta to the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Add the peas and parsley, cook for 2 minutes more. Cook 50 - 60 gms of rice per person and serve with the chicken.



ASPARAGUS QUICHE

200gm Plain Flour

Pinch Salt

5ogms Lard

50gms Butter

175gms Asparagus Spears

Olive Oil

115gms Cream Cheese                                             COST £4.25

"tsp Fresh or dried Thyme

85gm Mature Cheddar Cheese - grated.

2 Medium Eggs

150ml Single Cream

Seasoning.

Make the pastry by rubbing the fats into the flour along with the salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add water to form a firm dough and tip on to a floured board. Roll out and line an 8 inch fluted flan dish.. Chill for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 180°C, line the pastry with baking parchment and tip in some baking beans. Bake for about 15 minutes, remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 5 minutes to dry out. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temp to 160°C.

Toss the asparagus into an oiled pan and cook for about 3 to 4  minutes until bright green and tender. Spread the cream cheese over the base of the pastry case. Sprinkle with the thyme, seasoning and cheddar. Trim the asparagus to fit the flan case and place any trimmings over the top of the cheeses. Lay the spears attractively on top of that. Beat the eggs and cream together with a little seasoning and pour into the flan. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden. Serve hot or cold.


CHICKEN PIE

340gms Short crust pastry

2 Chicken Fillets

2 Slices medium cut ham

2 Med leeks

50gm Butter

375mls Chicken stock                                            COST £4.95

125ml Single cream

30gm Flour

Seasoning

Roll out the pastry, cut in 2 and line the bottom of an 8 inch pie dish or tin. Cut the chicken fillets into chunks and fry in the butter with the sliced leeks until browned (about 5-6 minutes). Add the chopped ham and the flour, stir until absorbed. Add the chicken stock and cream, stir until nicely thickened.  If the sauce seems to runny for a pie add a little more flour mixed with milk. Season to taste and cool. When cool pour into the pastry case and roll out the pastry top. Crimp the edges to seal and make a small hole in the middle of the top to let any build up of steam escape, Cook at 180°C for 35 - 40 minutes until golden


BEEFBURGERS

450gm minced beef

1 small onion - finely chopped

½teasp made Mustard                                             COST £2.87

1 tsp Worcester sauce

1 Egg - beaten

Seasoning

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Using damp hands divide the mix into m8 equal pieces and shape into round burgers. Dry fry in a non stick pan for 8 - 10 minutes until cooked through, turn once.


TOAD IN THE HOLE

8 Pork sausages or favourite sausages of choice,

25gm Butter

100gms Flour

Pinch Salt                                                                        COST £3.70

1 Egg

½ Pint fresh milk

Place the butter and sausages in a 10 x 12 inch roasting tin and cook at 220°C for 10 minutes. Sift the flour into a bowl, add the salt and the egg. Gradually add half the milk and beat until smooth. Pour in the remaining milk and mix until a smooth consistency. Pour the batter into the tin over the sausages and bake for 40 - 45 minutes until risen and golden.


ROAST VEGETABLE  LASAGNE

450gm Cherry tomatoes

1 Small aubergine

2 med courgettes

1 small red pepper

1 small yellow pepper

1 Large Onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic

3 Tablsp Olive oil                                                    COST £5.95 - for 6 people

50gm Black Olives (optional)

2 Tablsp Fresh Basil

75gm Mozzarella Cheese

Seasoning

SAUCE - 35gm Plain Flour   

40gm Butter

1 pt Milk

1 Bay leaf

3 tablsp Parmesan cheese - grated + 1 tablsp Grated parmesan for the top.


Prepare the courgettes and aubergine ahead of time by cutting into 2.5 cm dice, placing in a colander with a weighted plate on top Leave for about an hour until the juices drain out. After that squeeze any remaining juices out. Place in a roasting tin with the tomatoes, peppers and onion. Sprinkle with the chopped garlic and basil and sprinkle with olive oil. Toss everything until well covered and roast in the oven at 220°C for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are brown at the edges. Stir in the olives now if using them. Place the sauce ingredients in a pan (except the cheese) and whisk continuously until the sauce boils and thickens. Turn the heat down and let the sauce cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the parmesan. In a baking dish pour one quarter of the sauce followed by one third of the veg mixture. Sprinkle over a third of the mozzarella and follow this with a layer of lasagne sheets. Repeat this process ending with a final layer of sauce and then sprinkle with the extra parmesan. |Bake for 25 - 30 mins at 180°C until the top is brown and crispy.


CHILLI AND RICE

2 Rashers Streaky Bacon - chopped

1 Large Onion - chopped

1 Garlic clove - crushed

450gm Lean mince beef

Large can Chopped Tomatoes

2 Tablsp Tomato Puree                                                 COST £5.00

1 Green pepper - seeded and chopped

1 Tablsp Chilli Powder

150ml Beef Stock

42Tin of Red Kidney Beans

Cooked Rice to serve - about 50 - 60 gms per person.

Cook the bacon in a non stick pan for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft

Add the beef and cook, stirring until brown. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree,, pepper and chilli powder and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 mins stirring occasionally. Stir in the beans and cook for a further 10 minutes, Serve with the rice.

You can also serve with pasta or jacket potatoes.



SPANISH OMELETTE

50gm Butter

4 Tsp Oil

2 Large Onion - thinly sliced

2 Large boiled potato diced                                    COST £3.70

100gms red pepper - diced

200gm Tomatoes - chopped

8 Eggs

20ml Water

Seasoning to taste

Put the butter and oil into a large fry pan and melt until sizzling. Add the onion and potato and fry until pale gold turning often. Add the tomatoes and pepper and fry for a further 2-3 mins. Beat the eggs lightly with the water, season to taste and pour over the vegetables. Cook until the base is firm and then stand beneath a pre heated grill. Leave for 1 - 2 minutes until the top is set. Slide on to a heated serving plate.


BUDGET MEALS