The Frugal Foodie Cookbook (16 page)

1 avocado, sliced (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut salmon into large pieces; place in food processor. Pulse several times until minced (you can also use a knife to cut salmon into very small pieces). In large bowl, mix salmon, miso paste, green onions, and panko; form into 8 patties about 4" in diameter. Place on oiled baking sheet; bake 12–15 minutes, or grill over high heat for about 3 minutes per side until salmon is cooked through Serve on buns with a few slices of avocado.

Lemon-Yogurt Salmon and Orzo Salad

price
$20
servings
4
price per serving
$5

W
hen Alanna was younger, her family called orzo “rizzo” because she and her brothers couldn’t pronounce the word properly. So while this recipe is actually for rizzo salad, we’ll forgive those who prefer the mainstream title. We turn to this salad for spring and summer lunches or light dinners. Also, try grilling the fish instead of pan cooking it for a slightly stronger flavor.

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

1½ cups water

5 sprigs fresh dill, plus
cup chopped dill

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 pound salmon, cut into fillets

1 box orzo or other small pasta

16 ounces plain yogurt

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

½ medium red onion, diced

2 cups spinach leaves (optional)

Sauté onions 1 minute in pan with 1 tablespoon water. Add water, dill sprigs, salt, and pepper. Add salmon; cover pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently about 10 minutes, until salmon is cooked through. Remove from heat; cool and separate salmon into 1" chunks. Cook orzo according to package instructions. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice,
cup dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Combine orzo, salmon, cucumber, red pepper, and onion in a large bowl. Toss with yogurt dressing. Serve alone or over spinach leaves.

Seared Tuna with Fennel

price
$27
servings
4
price per serving
$6.75

W
e love sushi, so when we make this salad we buy high-quality tuna and sear it just a touch. You can cook the fish to your liking, however, and it’s sure to both look and taste incredible when surrounded by the elegant combination of spring vegetables and cool fennel in a light citrus dressing.

2 pounds tuna

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ pound fresh string beans

8 ounces mixed greens

2 bulbs small fennel, sliced very thinly

½ cup kalamata olives, pits removed

DRESSING:

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut tuna into 4 pieces; salt and pepper each piece on both sides. Preheat grill; cook tuna to your taste (about 3 minutes on each side should cook it to rare). Blanch green beans by placing in boiling water 3 minutes, then removing and rinsing. Arrange greens on 4 plates; divide green beans, fennel, and olives among plates. Let tuna rest 5 minutes; slice and divide among plates. Whisk together dressing ingredients; pour over salad.

Shrimp Kind-of-Scampi

price
$16
servings
4
price per serving
$4

I
t’s true—this is not shrimp scampi. It’s loosely based on shrimp scampi, but healthier, lighter, and fresher. Feel free to use as much lemon as you can handle.

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup bread crumbs

Juice of 1 lemon

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine everything but butter in ovenproof dish. Cut butter into small pieces; scatter on top. Bake 20 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. Serve plain or over pasta.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

price
$15
servings
5
price per serving
$3

T
his delicious shrimp dish is simple, frugal, and packed with flavor! Try it for dinner, served over rice or steamed vegetables.

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup gin

2 garlic cloves, mashed

2 pounds uncooked shrimp

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

½ cup chili sauce

20 wooden skewers

Combine ingredients in dish; allow shrimp to marinate 1 hour in refrigerator. Soak wooden skewers in water. Thread about 4 shrimp on wet skewers; grill 2–3 minutes on each side. Serve skewered shrimp as appetizers or remove from skewers and serve over rice as main dish.

Soy-Braised Salmon Steaks

price
$20
servings
4
price per serving
$5

T
here’s food that we cook, and there’s food that we live on. We cook paella and cupcakes and apple butternut squash soup. We live on turkey wraps and salads and fruit. This recipe represents food we both cook and live on. It’s healthy and easy, with all of our favorite flavors. Vegetables are already incorporated, so just serve it alongside brown rice or a sweet potato.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 salmon steaks, ½ pound each

Salt and pepper to taste

3 leeks, whites only, sliced

3 medium carrots, sliced in rounds

3" piece ginger, peeled and sliced

1 cup sake or dry cooking wine

3 tablespoons mirin

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Heat oil in heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper; add to pan. Sear on both sides until golden; remove and set aside. Add leeks, carrots, and ginger to pan; sauté until just soft. Combine sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl; add to pan to deglaze. Put salmon back in pan; cover and cook until done, about 10–15 minutes depending on thickness of salmon. Serve hot with vegetables and sauce from pan.

Thyme-Encrusted Salmon

price
$24
servings
4
price per serving
$6

Some things pair well—pancakes and Sundays, coffee and biscotti—but other things, when combined, absolutely sing. You wouldn’t expect a duo as simple as salmon and mashed potatoes to fall into this group, but here, flavorful herbed salmon accompanies classic potatoes so harmoniously that we can’t imagine them apart. The drizzled balsamic reduction sweeps the entire dish together for a meal so sweet you’ll beg for an encore.

2 tablespoons dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1½-pound salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

MASHED POTATOES:

2 pounds red potatoes, washed and cut into 2" pieces

3 tablespoons butter

¾ cup milk

1 garlic clove, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine thyme, salt, and pepper in dish. Brush salmon with olive oil; press into thyme mixture. Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium heat; place salmon flesh-side down. Cook 2 minutes, flip to skin side. Cook additional 5–7 minutes, until done; set aside. Bring 1 cup balsamic vinegar and sugar to boil in small saucepan; reduce to
cup. For mashed potatoes, boil potatoes in medium pot of salted water until tender. Drain in colander; mash in large mixing bowl. Add butter, milk, garlic, salt, and pepper. Serve salmon over mashed potatoes; drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction.

PART II: BIG DISHES

VEGETARiAN

Chickpea and Broccoli Orecchiette

price
$16
servings
4
price per serving
$4

W
e prefer pasta dishes that are light and fresh rather than those heavily bogged down with sauce and meat. This quick pasta number will leave you feeling satisfied but not stuffed. It’s even light enough for summer, when freshly picked tomatoes will elevate the dish to something heavenly.

1 head broccoli, cut into small florets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

12 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked

½ pound orecchiette or other shaped pasta, cooked

2 cups fresh plum tomatoes, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional)

Place broccoli in shallow pan with 1" water; cook covered until tender, about 3 minutes. Heat olive oil in pan; sauté onion and garlic until onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Toss in chickpeas, broccoli, orecchiette, and tomatoes; cook additional 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper and top with freshly grated Parmesan.

Chilled Peanut Butter Noodles

price
$12
servings
8
price per serving
$1.50

N
o matter how badly you want to devour these noodles in your first sitting, try to save some for the next day. The peanut sauce will have thickened, and the noodles will be colder, chewier, and more delicious. This recipe calls for regular spaghetti and just a few fresh vegetables to lighten it up and add a refreshing crunch.

4 ounces shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 pound spaghetti noodles, cooked and cooled

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced

SAUCE:

6 tablespoons peanut butter

6 tablespoons soy sauce

3 teaspoons sesame oil