Smoked Haddock with Chive, Pea and Potato Crush

Smoked Haddock with Chive, Pea and Potato Crush

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 300g small salad potatoes, halved
• 2 handfuls frozen peas
• 50g butter
• 2 smoked haddock fillets, about 150g each
• a splash white wine or chicken stock (optional)
• ½ small bunch chives , chopped
  

1. Cook the potatoes until tender, then add the frozen peas for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Gently crush with half the butter.
2. Heat the rest of the butter in a pan and cook the haddock for 3 minutes on each side. Remove the haddock then add a splash of wine or chicken stock and reduce a little. Stir in the chives.
3. Put the potato on 2 plates, top with the haddock and the chive butter.
   

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8173/smoked-haddock-with-chive-pea-and-potato-crush

Hmm, is the story of the story 'don't buy fish from Tesco?' I think so. I don't know why the haddock here was dyed and I wasn't quite sure when it was done. It didn't taste raw at least. I don't think I will re-try this with haddock from the fisherman.

I think I need to focus more on 'fresh' foods, where I know where the ingredients come from. That will provide better tasting food, I'm sure.

200g Smoked Haddock: EUR 2.94 at Tesco

Chives, 1/3 of a packet at EUR 1.19/packet = EUR 0.40 at Tesco

Peas, 2/3 of a can at EUR 0.69/can = EUR 0.46 at Tesco

Baby Potatoes, 1/3 of a bag at EUR 1.19/bag = EUR 0.40 at Tesco

Butter, about EUR 0.10 at Tesco

Total Cost: EUR 4.30 for two servings or EUR 2.15 for one serving

Potato and Salmon Grill

Potato and Salmon Grill

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 650g new potatoes, skin on, sliced lengthway
• 100g frozen or canned peas
• 200g can salmon
• 200ml tub crème fraîche
• 100g mature cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
  

1. To cook the veg, boil the potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes until almost tender but not breaking up. Tip in the frozen peas and simmer for another 2- 3 minutes. Drain well then tip into a mixing bowl. Turn on the grill (or oven) to high.
2. Drain the salmon and flake it into chunks, then gently toss with the potatoes and peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper and spoon into a flameproof dish.
3. Dollop the crème fraîche on top, roughly spread it over, and scatter with the cheese. Grill or bake in the oven for a few minutes until bubbly and golden.
   

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3262/potato-and-salmon-grill

Is it ethical to market your canned salmon as 'Boneless and Skinless' if you say on the label that the fish may still contain small bones? I understand that it's hard to ensure that there are no bones whatsoever, but this doesn't seem right to me.

I can also buy a fresh salmon filet from the fisherman for less than the cost of one of these cans. Taste-wise, it was not that good and budget-wise, not a frugal choice.

I think I need to judge which recipes I make more carefully.

Baby Potatoes, 3/5 of a bag at EUR 1.19/bag = EUR 0.72 at Tesco

Garden Peas, 1/3 of a can at EUR 0.65/can = EUR 0.22 at Tesco

200g of Red Salmon, EUR 7.98 at Tesco

200ml Creme Fraiche, EUR 1.49 at Tesco

Cheddar Cheese, about EUR 0.30 at Tesco

Total Cost: EUR 10.71 for two servings or EUR 5.36 for one serving

Carrot and Sweet Potato Mash

Carrot and Sweet Potato Mash

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 500g carrots , chopped
• 500g sweet potatoes, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, bashed
• 25g butter

1. Put the carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic in a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil, then cook for 12 mins. Add butter and seasoning, roughly mash, then serve immediately.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1656649/carrot-and-sweet-potato-mash

What can I say? I had carrots and garlic to use up and this seemed like a good way of doing it. I did not season the dish so it came out a little bland. Damned by faint praise, I know, I know. Still, I would probably make this as a side dish to another meal.

Sweet Potatoes: EUR 0.76 at Tesco

Carrots, 1/3 of a bag at EUR 0.99/bag = EUR 0.33 at Tesco

Garlic, 1 bulb of a package of 4 at EUR 0.89/package = EUR 0.22 at Lidl

Butter, EUR 0.05 at Tesco

Total Cost: EUR 1.61 for three servings or EUR 0.54 for one serving

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Mash

Vegetarian Shepard's Pie with Sweet Potato Mash

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, halved and sliced
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• sprinkling of thyme
• 200ml red wine or diluted red wine vinegar
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• 410g can green lentils
• 950g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 25g butter
• 85g vegetarian mature cheddar

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion until golden. Add the carrots and all but a sprinkling of thyme. Pour in the wine, 150ml water and the tomatoes, then sprinkle in the stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins. Tip in the can of lentils, including their juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 mins until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy.
2. Meanwhile, boil the sweet potatoes for 15 mins until tender, drain well, then mash with the butter and season to taste. Pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish, spoon the mash on top, then sprinkle over the cheese and remaining thyme. The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.
3. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 20 mins if cooking straight away, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden and hot all the way through. Serve with broccoli.
   

From http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4382/veggie-shepherds-pie-with-sweet-potato-mash

This meal wasn't very tasty. It was worth what I paid for it and it was very filling and healthy, but nothing really stood out about it. I'm sure someone else would like it but I doubt I will make it again.

Carrots, 1/4 of a bag at EUR 0.99/bag = EUR 0.25 at Tesco
800g Sweet Potatoes: EUR 1.19 at Tesco
Onion, EUR 0.33 at Tesco
400g Green Lentils: EUR 1.25 at Tesco
335g Broccoli: EUR 0.59 at Tesco
Thyme, 1/40 of a bottle at EUR 0.85/bottle = EUR 0.02 at Tesco
Olive Oil, 1/20 of a bottle at EUR 3.99/bottle = EUR 0.20 at Aldi
400g Chopped Tomatoes: EUR 1.25 at Tesco
100ml Red Wine Vinegar, 1/5 of a bottle at EUR 1.25/bottle = EUR 0.25 (approximate)
2 Vegetable Stock Cubes at EUR 1.25/12 cubes = EUR 0.21 at Tesco
Butter, about EUR 0.15 at Tesco
Cheddar Cheese, about EUR 0.30 at Tesco
Total Cost: EUR 5.99 for five servings or EUR 1.50 for one serving

Bratwurst Pasta Bake

Bratwurst Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 400g pasta
• 5 large bratwurst, sliced
• 800g canned peas
• 800g canned sweetcorn
• 2 (400g) tin tinned tomatoes or passata
• 50 to 75g hard cheese, grated

1.Heat oven to 200 C / Gas 6. Cook pasta according to instructions on packet, drain and pour into baking dish.

2. Slice the bratwurst and add to the dish.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and top with grated cheese. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes. Serve with the corn and peas.

Modified from http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/25528/bratwurst-pasta-bake.aspx

This was pretty bad. I would have been better off with a regular marinara sauce. The smoke pork sausage I used was not good and the baking burned part of the pasta. I salvaged most of the meal by throwing out the sausage and just eating the pasta.

I apparently modified this recipe way back when I added corn and peas to the ingredients list. I am pretty sure I meant for that to be a side dish.

German Smoked Pork Sausages: EUR 1.39 at Lidl
800g Canned Tomatoes: EUR 0.98 at Lidl
800g Marrowfat Peas: EUR 0.66 at Lidl
800g Sweetcorn: EUR 1.18 at Lidl
400g Pasta: EUR 0.49 at Lidl
Cheese, perhaps EUR 0.20 worth at Tesco
Total Cost: EUR 4.90 for four servings or EUR 1.23 for one serving

Strawberry Yogurt Pots

Strawberry Yogurt Pots
Serves 1
Ingredients

• 185 g Greek yogurt
• 1/3 of a carton of strawberries, sliced
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 10g walnuts, smashed

Dollop about 1 tbsp apple into the bottom of a small glass. Add a layer of apple, then some more yogurt. Repeat the layers until the glass is full. Scatter over the sugar and nuts, then leave in fridge for 20 mins until sugar has dissolved.

Modified from http://curtainsandcoathooks.blogspot.ie/2013/03/banana-yogurt-pots.html

The strawberries did not work as well with the yogurt as the apples, bananas, raspberries and blackberries did. The berries were sweet but in an almost sour or tangy way. Still, it was good.

Yogurt: EUR 0.39 at Lidl
Strawberries, 1/3 of a carton at EUR 1.98/carton = EUR 0.66  at Tesco
Dark Muscovado Sugar, 1/50 of a bag at EUR 1.65/bag = EUR 0.03 at Tesco
Walnuts, 1/10 of a bag at EUR 3.89/bag = EUR 0.39 at Tesco
Total Cost: EUR 1.47 for one serving

Beef and Guinness Stew with Champ

Beef and Guinness Stew

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200 ml Guinness (about half a can in Ireland)
• 400 g stewing diced beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 large carrot, diced
• 1 large parsip, diced
• 2 large celery, diced
• 1 litre of thick beef stock
• springs of fresh thyme and rosemary

1. Stir fry the beef, add veggies and cook until tender, then pour the Guinness and reduce by half. 
2. Add beef stock and herbs and simmer very slowly between an hour and an hour and a half. 
3. Serve with the mashed potatoes.

From http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/cooking_beef_stew.aspx

Champ

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds potatoes
• 1 cup milk
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup butter

1. Place potatoes into large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Drain well. Return to very low heat and allow the potatoes to dry out for a few minutes. (It helps if you place a clean dish towel over the potatoes to absorb any remaining moisture.)
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk and green onions gently in a saucepan, until warm.
4. Mash the potatoes, salt and butter together until smooth. Stir in the milk and green onion until evenly mixed. 

From http://allrecipes.com/recipe/irish-champ/

Stew ingredients

Chopping the vegetables before frying the meat

Meat and Vegetables

And the Guinness

Chopped and shredded thyme and rosemary

Simmering for an hour

Champ ingredients

Roughly 2 lbs or 1 kilo of rooster potatoes

Peeled, halved and boiling

Milk and green onions for the mashed potatoes

Champ made while the stew is cooking

Scallion milk

Mashed potatoes with butter

Champ with milk and scallions

Ta-da!

Champ is an Irish version of mashed potatoes that involves green onions/salad onions/scallions. Regular mashed potatoes work just as well. I found 1 cup milk made it a little soggy - I would cut the recipe down to 3/4 cup milk.

This stew was excellent. The butcher bought beef was tender and juicy, the vegetables were soft and filling, and the beef broth went well with the champ. This is definitely one of the best things I've made this year. 

I doubled the number of beef stock pots from 2 per liter to 4 per liter and actually boiled the stock pots until they had completely dissolved into the water. The beef stock was delicious and consistent because of that. 

Fresh rosemary and thyme are expensive and because I only used half of each packet, I need to use up the rest before it goes stale. I should just bite the bullet and get dried and bottled thyme and rosemary next time.

I made the champ in the hour that the stew was cooking. Making the mashed potatoes took up nearly that entire hour so it was a good use of time.

Warning: this meal did take three (3) hours from start to finish. It is good for a lazy Sunday afternoon but not for a busy weeknight. I will certainly make this recipe again but not anytime soon.

400g stewing diced beef: EUR 5.90 at the local butchers
200ml of Guinness at EUR 2.09 for 400ml = EUR 1.05 at Lidl
Onion: EUR 0.35 at Dunnes
3 Carrots, 1/5 of a bag at EUR 0.99/bag = EUR 0.20 at Tesco
1 Parsnip: EUR 0.90 at Tesco
Celery, 1/6 of a bundle at EUR 0.59/bundle = EUR 0.10 at Tesco
Beef Stock Cubes, 1/2 of a package at EUR 3.39/package = EUR 1.70 at Tesco Express (approximate)
Rosemary, 1/2 packet at EUR 1.19/packet = EUR 0.60
Thyme, 1/2 packet at EUR 1.19/packet = EUR 0.60
Total Cost: EUR 11.40 for 4 servings or EUR 2.85 for one serving

Potatoes, 1/2 of a 2 kilo bag at EUR 5.79/bag = EUR 2.90 at Tesco
Scallions: EUR 0.79 at Tesco
Butter: About EUR 0.50 worth of butter (approximate) at Tesco 
Milk, 1/4 of a 1 liter at EUR 0.79/liter = EUR 0.20 at Lidl
Total Cost: EUR 4.39 for 4 servings or EUR 1.10 for one serving

Total Cost: EUR 3.95 for one serving

Sweet Potato and Pineapple Korma

Sweet Potato and Pineapple Korma

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Korma paste
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 400g tin coconut milk
• 400g tin pineapple chunks
  

1. Heat korma paste and toss with sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks.
2. Pour in coconut milk and water then cook for about 15 mins or until the sweet potato is tender. Tip in pineapple chunks simmer for 2 mins, then season. Scatter with coriander and serve with naan bread.
   

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2621/sweet-potato-and-pineapple-korma

If coconut milk does not do your stomach any favors, this is a recipe to avoid. I liked it well enough as I was eating it but it led to a fierce stomach ache later on.

2 Sweet Potatoes: EUR 1.14 at Tesco

400g Coconut Milk: EUR 0.99 at Lidl

400g Pineapple Slices: EUR 0.92 at Lidl

Korma Curry Sauce, 1/8 of a bottle at EUR 0.79/bottle = EUR 0.10 at Lidl

Naan Bread: EUR 2.19 at Tesco

Total Cost: EUR 5.34 for two servings or EUR 2.67 for one serving