The Frugal Foodie Cookbook (17 page)

1 tablespoon ground ginger

½ cup water

Simmer mushrooms in a shallow pan with about 1" of water for about 4 minutes, until mushrooms are soft, then drain (or steam them in a microwave-safe bowl with some water for 1 minute). Put pasta in large bowl; add cucumber, scallion, red pepper, and mushrooms. In small bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and water. Toss with noodle mixture and serve at room temperature.

Colorful Risotto-Stuffed Peppers

price
$12
servings
4
price per serving
$3

T
his dish is as gorgeous as it is delicious. Because we chop up a little bit of each colored pepper to toss into the risotto filling, the peppers appear as though they have been stuffed with confetti. They’re also deceivingly filling, so this dish may be sufficient on its own for lunch or a smaller dinner.

1 medium green bell pepper

1 medium orange bell pepper

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium, yellow bell pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 large portobello mushroom, cut into ½" pieces

1 cup arborio rice

3 cups chicken broth

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus some additional

Cut off top ¼ of each pepper; remove stems and dice tops. Heat oil in a large pan; add diced pepper tops and onions. Cook 4–5 minutes, or until peppers are soft; add mushrooms and cook additional 2 minutes. Add rice, cook 1 minute; add 1 cup chicken broth. Gradually add remaining 2 cups chicken broth over 10 minutes, stirring continually. Stir in cheese. Cook risotto 20 minutes, until most of liquid has been absorbed. Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide risotto among peppers; top with sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake 30 minutes, until outside shell is soft.

Eggplant Pasta alla Siciliana

price
$16
servings
8
price per serving
$2

W
e begged Alanna’s close family friend to lend us this recipe for our cookbook, since it is among the best pasta dishes we’ve ever tasted. Although it’s vegetarian, the eggplant sauce is hearty, with the currants and pine nuts adding flavor and texture. Even when our friend would bring enormous bowls over for potlucks, there wasn’t a chance this Italian masterpiece would last the night.

¼ cup olive oil

2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons oregano

¾ cup red wine

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

¾ cup currants or golden raisins

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

1 pound farfalle pasta

Heat olive oil in deep skillet or large pot; add eggplant. Let one side of eggplant brown over medium heat 8 minutes, turn to brown other side. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook additional 10 minutes. Add oregano and wine; cook 10 minutes. Add canned tomatoes; cook covered 30 minutes. Add currants or raisins and pine nuts. Lower heat; cook 5 more minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain and place in large bowl. Spoon sauce over pasta and serve.

Farfalle with Portobello Mushrooms

price
$15
servings
5
price per serving
$3

T
his is an easy meatless dish that we always recommend to friends and aspiring chefs because it’s easy and frugal. It’s also easy on the eyes, with a sprinkling of shaved Parmesan and a parsley, and the portobellos make a great and filling alternative to meat.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, finely diced

4 medium portobello mushrooms, sliced and cut into 2" pieces

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup red wine

3 teaspoons fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound farfalle pasta, cooked

1 tablespoon parsley (dried or finely chopped fresh)

Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Heat olive oil in large pan; add onions and cook until soft, 2–3 minutes. Add portobellos and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, wine, and rosemary; cook 5 more minutes, until mushrooms are cooked. Add salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta to pan and toss with mushrooms. Top with parsley, garnish with cheese, and serve.

Gorgonzola Pizza with Radicchio
and Asian Pears

price
$12
servings
4
price per serving
$3

T
his is another of our very favorite recipes. We love to combine Gorgonzola, radicchio, and pears in salads, and we blew our own minds when we discovered that we could combine them in pizza form as well. Asian pears are an incredibly unique and tasty fruit—we think they look and taste like the perfect hybrid of apple and pear, but if you can’t find them cheap, feel free to substitute other varieties of pear.

1 Homemade Pizza Crust

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

½ head radicchio, coarsely chopped

1 Asian pear, cut into 1" slices

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 500°F and heat up pizza stone. On flour-dusted baking sheet or countertop, roll out pizza dough to desired thickness. Brush dough with olive oil. Cover crust with Gorgonzola cheese, radicchio, Asian pear, and rosemary. Transfer to heated pizza stone. Bake 20 minutes and serve hot.

Israeli Couscous Salad

price
$8
servings
6
price per serving
$1.35

T
his is a very fresh-tasting salad to serve for lunch or with dinner. We like it extra lemony, so add lemon juice to taste if you prefer your dishes to be less tart.

2 cups dry Israeli couscous

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 medium red pepper, chopped

1 medium orange pepper, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1–2 lemons

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook couscous according to package instructions. In a bowl, combine couscous with cucumber, peppers, scallions, parsley, and dill. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mediterranean Salad with Lentils,
Tomato, and Feta

price
$8
servings
4
price per serving
$2

T
his salad can be as easy as you want it to be. Buy precooked lentils for a less-than-five-minute assembly, or soak and cook them from scratch. You can scoop the salad into intact romaine leaves or eat the lentils straight from the bowl. Any way you serve it this dish is flavorful and tasty, especially with fresh summer mint.

4 cups lentils

2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup mint, chopped

½ cup olive oil

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

12 ounces crumbled feta

Salt and pepper to taste

Romaine leaves (optional)

Cook lentils according to package instructions; drain and pat dry with paper towels. Let cool. Combine lentils, tomatoes, and mint in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar; pour over lentils. Add feta, salt, and pepper. Serve in individual romaine leaves.

Moroccan-Style Veggie Stew

price
$16
servings
8
price per serving
$2

I
n the depths of winter, when the only seasonal items are root vegetables and onions, break out this recipe for a spicy, tasty stew that will warm you over until spring.

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons curry powder

1½ tablespoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 sweet potatoes, cut into ½" pieces

2 parsnips, cut into ½" pieces

2 turnips, cut into ½" pieces

4 carrots, cut into 1" pieces

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 head cauliflower, cut into 1" florets

1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas, drained

1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups couscous, cooked according to package

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup peanuts, chopped

In a large pot, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onions; cook 3–4 minutes, until just soft. Add garlic, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne; continue to cook 30 seconds. Add sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, and broth. Bring to a simmer; add cauliflower, chickpeas and canned tomatoes. Simmer 20–30 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over couscous and top with cilantro and sprinkling of chopped peanuts.

Mushroom and Leek Pizza

price
$7
servings
4
price per serving
$3.50

T
his is an upscale take on mushroom and onion pizza—all the classic flavors are there, but leeks make this version a bit more unique and complex. Button mushrooms are our default for this dish, but we’re always experimenting with other varieties as well.

1½ cups leeks, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1½ cups white mushrooms, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Homemade Pizza Crust

½ cup tomato sauce

8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 500°F. In large pan, sauté leeks and garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Roll out pizza dough to desired thickness; place on flour-dusted baking sheet or heated pizza stone. Brush with remaining olive oil. Spread tomato sauce over dough, leaving 1" around edges. Sprinkle on cheese and top with mushroom and leek mixture. Bake 10–15 minutes, until lightly brown. Serve hot.

Mushroom and Rosemary Marinara

price
$8
servings
5
price per serving
$1.60

T
here are infinite recipes for marinara sauce floating around, but we stick with this one because it is inexpensive, comprehensive, and classic.

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

2 (28-ounce) cans tomatoes, crushed or diced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons honey

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onions until soft. Add garlic, mushrooms, and rosemary. Stir in tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, and honey. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 40–50 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Orange-Flavored Tofu

price
$6
servings
4
price per serving
$1.50

P
eople complain about tofu being flavorless, but this orange tofu has taste: it’s sweet, orangey, savory, and delicious. It’s even a bit crunchy around the edges. It goes wonderfully over Toasted Coconut Rice (page 146) or you can try it over greens in an Asian-inspired salad.

2 blocks firm tofu

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup sherry

2 tablespoons sesame oil

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground ginger

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon orange zest

Drain tofu. Slice each block into thirds; press tofu by placing slices in between thick layers of paper towels (about 3 three sheets per layer). Place heavy item like baking dish with water on top of tofu. Press tofu 2 hours, changing paper towels after 1 hour to eliminate excess liquid. Meanwhile, whisk together orange juice, sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, ground ginger, sesame oil, and lemon zest. Place tofu in baking dish; pour marinade over, turning to make sure marinade is on both sides. Marinate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, 20 minutes, then without foil additional 15 minutes. Turn on broiler; broil additional 5–7 minutes, until browned. Serve over Toasted Coconut Rice.