Who says you can't eat fish on a budget and feed a large family? It can be done! But you have to be very savvy where you buy your fish. Fresh fish is quite expensive, but you lose nothing in this recipe by cooking with frozen fish.
Remember to shop at a supermarket/market local to you. I use Tesco mostly so a lot of my ingredients and prices are sourced from there, but you shop at your local store or open market.
Ingredients for Family of 6 ( Adjust portion size to suit your family)
1 pack of 5 Iceland Frozen Haddock Fillets @ 4.00
2 onions @ 25p each in Tesco =50p
1 tub -2 Tablespoons of Tesco Medium Curry Powder (or Mild or Hot to suit your family taste) @ 1.00
2 tins Tesco Everyday Value Chopped Tomatoes @ 34p each = 68p
1 x 10 pack Tesco Everyday Value Vegetable Stock Cubes @ 20p
1kg bag Tesco Everyday Value Rice @ 40p
2 -3 pints cold water
2 tablespoons oil
Method
Defrost the fish overnight or use a microwave to defrost instantly.
When defrosted cut into small bite size pieces.
Peel the onions and chop into small dices and then add 2 tablespoons oil to a large saucepan and throw in the onions on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until soft.
Add 2 or 3 Tablespoons of the curry powder to the pan, tip in both cans of tomatoes, add 2-3 pints of water then crumble in 4 of the vegetable stock cubes. Keep stirring on the low heat.
Get a saucepan of water bring to the boil and add enough of the rice to fee your family. Normally 1 cup of rice per person. Allow the rice to cook for 20-25 minutes.
While the rice is cooking go back to the curry saucepan and add the fish. Stir through on a low heat thorougly for about 10 minutes. Then the remove the pan from the hob/stove.
Once the rice is cooked and is fluffy with no water remaining, remove the saucepan of rice and spoon out onto plates. Then add portions of the fish curry.
A filling nutritious meal that brings fish to a budget menu for a large family.
Tip: Bulk it out further if your budget allows with either nan breads (Tesco do a pack of 6 Garlic and Coriander mini nans for £1.00) or with a crusty loaf.
Monday 10 March 2014
Big Vegetable Stew
My large family are all meat eaters but when I surprise them with a vegetable only dish they always ask for more. Vegetable dishes don't have to be boring, they can be filling and nourishing and for your pocket - cheap!
Remember to always source your ingredients from a supermarket or market local to you. I use Tesco ingredients and quote Tesco prices as that is my local supermarket.
Ingredients for Family of 6 (Adjust your size portions to suit your family)
1 bag 1.5kg of Tesco Everyday Value Carrots @ 89p
1 pack of 3 onions @ 1.00
1 2.5kg bag Tesco White Potatoes @ 2.00
750gr Tesco Everyday Leeks @ 1.59
750 gr Tesco Everyday Value Parsnips @ 90p
1 x 10 pack of Tesco Everyday Value Stock Cubes @ 20p
1.5 - 2 pints cold water
Tip : Buy in store what is seasonal or if making the same day what is on offer and marked down. Other veg could be celery, sweet potatoes, corn, mange tout, cabbage etc. Buy what you like at a low price.
Optional
Half a teaspoon of salt.
1 Teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoons Worcester Sauce
Bread
2 Tablespoons Cornflour.
Method.
Firstly prepare all the veg. Peel and slice the carrots and parsnips and do the same with the potatoes but cut the potatoes into small chunks. Slice and cut off the top and bottom of the leeks then slice them as you would the carrots. Peel and chop into small dices the onions.
Get a large saucepan and fill two thirds with water and bring to the boil on the hob/stove then turn the temperature down to medium. Throw in the potatoes and carrots and parsnips and allow them to cook for 10 minutes. Then throw in the leeks and onions and the optional salt, black pepper and worcester sauce if you have them. Crumble in 4 or 5 Vegetable stock cubes to give the stew more flavour.. Turn the heat down to a lower setting and cook for another 20 minutes. If the stew looks to watery add 2 tablespoons of cornflour which will thicken it up.
Once the vegetables are soft and cooked through serve in bowls.
Tip: I bulk this out with bread. A crusty loaf goes down well or a Tesco value loaf is the cheaper option.
Remember to always source your ingredients from a supermarket or market local to you. I use Tesco ingredients and quote Tesco prices as that is my local supermarket.
Ingredients for Family of 6 (Adjust your size portions to suit your family)
1 bag 1.5kg of Tesco Everyday Value Carrots @ 89p
1 pack of 3 onions @ 1.00
1 2.5kg bag Tesco White Potatoes @ 2.00
750gr Tesco Everyday Leeks @ 1.59
750 gr Tesco Everyday Value Parsnips @ 90p
1 x 10 pack of Tesco Everyday Value Stock Cubes @ 20p
1.5 - 2 pints cold water
Tip : Buy in store what is seasonal or if making the same day what is on offer and marked down. Other veg could be celery, sweet potatoes, corn, mange tout, cabbage etc. Buy what you like at a low price.
Optional
Half a teaspoon of salt.
1 Teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoons Worcester Sauce
Bread
2 Tablespoons Cornflour.
Method.
Firstly prepare all the veg. Peel and slice the carrots and parsnips and do the same with the potatoes but cut the potatoes into small chunks. Slice and cut off the top and bottom of the leeks then slice them as you would the carrots. Peel and chop into small dices the onions.
Get a large saucepan and fill two thirds with water and bring to the boil on the hob/stove then turn the temperature down to medium. Throw in the potatoes and carrots and parsnips and allow them to cook for 10 minutes. Then throw in the leeks and onions and the optional salt, black pepper and worcester sauce if you have them. Crumble in 4 or 5 Vegetable stock cubes to give the stew more flavour.. Turn the heat down to a lower setting and cook for another 20 minutes. If the stew looks to watery add 2 tablespoons of cornflour which will thicken it up.
Once the vegetables are soft and cooked through serve in bowls.
Tip: I bulk this out with bread. A crusty loaf goes down well or a Tesco value loaf is the cheaper option.
Big Sausage and Tomato Pie
Sausages are a great filler when it comes to feeding the larger family. They can also be bought fresh or frozen in large packs instead of the traditional 8 or 12 pack. Easy to cook and put into a pie, this recipe is a filling winner!
Always remember to shop at a supermarket or market that is local to you. My recipes use Tesco ingredients because that is my local supermarket, and my prices are the current Tesco prices.
Ingredients for Family of 6 (adjust size portions to suit your family)
Tesco Everyday Value 20 Pork Sausages @ 1.50
2 Packs of Tesco Salad Tomatoes @ 69p per pack = 1.38
1 Bag Tesco White Potatoes 2.5kg @ 2.00
2 onions @ 25p each =50p
Dash of milk for mashing potatoes
2 knobs of butter or margarine for mashing potatoes
Method
Pre heat your oven to 190o C or Gas Mark 6.Get a saucepan of water and bring the water to the boil on a hob/stove/. Throw in the sausages for 10-15 minutes. get another saucepan of water, bring to the boil. Slice the tomatoes in half and throw them into the water for 2 minutes and then drain the saucepan of water and take the tomatoes out and put to one side in a dish.
Fill a saucepan of water and bring this to the boil too.Peel and cut into halves/quarters all the potatoes and throw them into the saucepan and cook through for 20 minutes. Test that the potatoes are soft and then drain the pan and mash the potatoes up with a dash of milk and a few knobs of butter or margarine.
Get a large casserole dish. get a tiny amount of margarine and grease the dish spreading the margarine around as thinly as possible to coat the dish sides. This prevents the ingredients sticking to the sides of the dish. Take the sausages and slice them in half lengthways. cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of sausage and then on top put a layer of tomato.Keep doing this until you have run out and then top the dish off with the mashed potato. You can run a fork along the top to make a pattern.
Stick the casserole dish into your preheated oven and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes until the top goes brown. Take out and serve.
Tip ; To bulk this out further you can add some veg like carrots and green beans or peas. whatever your budget allows.
Always remember to shop at a supermarket or market that is local to you. My recipes use Tesco ingredients because that is my local supermarket, and my prices are the current Tesco prices.
Ingredients for Family of 6 (adjust size portions to suit your family)
Tesco Everyday Value 20 Pork Sausages @ 1.50
2 Packs of Tesco Salad Tomatoes @ 69p per pack = 1.38
1 Bag Tesco White Potatoes 2.5kg @ 2.00
2 onions @ 25p each =50p
Dash of milk for mashing potatoes
2 knobs of butter or margarine for mashing potatoes
Method
Pre heat your oven to 190o C or Gas Mark 6.Get a saucepan of water and bring the water to the boil on a hob/stove/. Throw in the sausages for 10-15 minutes. get another saucepan of water, bring to the boil. Slice the tomatoes in half and throw them into the water for 2 minutes and then drain the saucepan of water and take the tomatoes out and put to one side in a dish.
Fill a saucepan of water and bring this to the boil too.Peel and cut into halves/quarters all the potatoes and throw them into the saucepan and cook through for 20 minutes. Test that the potatoes are soft and then drain the pan and mash the potatoes up with a dash of milk and a few knobs of butter or margarine.
Get a large casserole dish. get a tiny amount of margarine and grease the dish spreading the margarine around as thinly as possible to coat the dish sides. This prevents the ingredients sticking to the sides of the dish. Take the sausages and slice them in half lengthways. cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of sausage and then on top put a layer of tomato.Keep doing this until you have run out and then top the dish off with the mashed potato. You can run a fork along the top to make a pattern.
Stick the casserole dish into your preheated oven and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes until the top goes brown. Take out and serve.
Tip ; To bulk this out further you can add some veg like carrots and green beans or peas. whatever your budget allows.
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