The Frugal Foodie Cookbook (3 page)
1. Olive oil
2. Balsamic vinegar
3. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4. Rice and pasta
5. Onions and garlic
6. Sugar
7. Flour
8. Soy sauce
9. Nuts and dried fruits
10. Honey
PART I : SMALL DISHES
APPETiZERS
AND SNACKS
Sweet and Savory Hot Stuffed Peppers
price
$15
servings
8
price per serving
$1.90
T
hese are a sleeper hit at any party; other appetizers will get the cold shoulder as your guests pop these like candy and finish them in a blink. They’re small in size, but burst with a bold, spicy flavor that’s smoking hot yet refined. If pressed for time, make the paste in advance and refrigerate it for up to three hours before stuffing and baking the peppers.
1 large (32-ounce) jar whole hot vinegar peppers, vinegar reserved
1 can anchovies in oil
cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut tops off large peppers; remove seeds. Mash anchovies with a fork; mix well with bread crumbs, nuts, raisins, and garlic powder. Drizzle in olive oil; mix to make a paste. Stuff bread mixture in peppers; place in baking dish. Put 1 cup of reserved vinegar in bottom of pan; cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil; brown 15 more minutes.
Chicken Satay
price
$32
servings
8
price per serving
$4
I
t’s a great accomplishment to recreate a classic restaurant dish, and this recipe makes it extremely easy to churn out a favorite Thai appetizer at home. We use chicken breasts because they are lower in fat, but you can substitute thighs and the dish will turn out more moist. If you have leftover dipping sauce, this creamy peanut spread is stellar on sandwiches or for dipping raw vegetables.
¼ cup lemongrass, minced
1 small onion, quartered
2 tablespoons grated ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
3 tablespoons soy sauce
5 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
6 chicken breasts
Wooden skewers (about 32)
DIPPING SAUCE:
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup coconut milk
6 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup cilantro, chopped
For marinade, combine lemongrass, onion, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice; pulse in food processor or mix thoroughly. Cut chicken lengthwise into 2" strips. Pour marinade over chicken; let rest 1–10 hours in the refrigerator. Soak skewers in water. Preheat grill; skewer chicken. Grill 5–6 minutes on each side over medium heat, until cooked. To make dipping sauce, mix together peanut butter and coconut milk. Add remaining ingredients; stir until combined. Serve chicken with dipping sauce on side.
Fig and Fontina Flatbread
price
$10
servings
5
price per serving
$2
W
hile you can serve this like a pizza, we prefer to cut it into bite-sized squares to set out before a party. This dish captures the beloved combination of fruit and cheese, and serving it on flatbread lends the dish a laid-back, Mediterranean feel. You can also serve it for dinner with a side salad or alone for lunch.
3 cups all-purpose flour, more as needed
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little more
2 teaspoons coarse Kosher salt or sea salt
1 cup water
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (Gorgonzola works, too)
½ pound dried black mission figs halved (or any other type of fig)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine flour, yeast, oil, and salt in food processor; process. Add water through feed tube; process about 30 seconds, adding more water if necessary until mixture forms a slightly sticky ball. Turn dough onto floured work surface; knead to form a smooth, round ball. Place ball in bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size, 1–2 hours. Divide in ½; roll each ball flat and place on baking sheet. Rub a little olive oil over top; sprinkle on cheese and figs. Bake 8–10 minutes, until golden. Cut into squares and serve.
Pomegranate Fig Bites
price
$12
servings
8
price per serving
$1.50
S
ometimes recipes develop out of necessity, and this is one of them. We had some figs and pomegranate juice in the kitchen, and people coming over for dinner. Alex threw the ingredients into a pot, and thirty minutes later he’d invented this tangy, delicious spread that our guests devoured. We later went back to recreate and record the spread, which we love to complement with creamy blue cheese and crisp wheat crackers.
12 dried figs, chopped
1 cup red wine
½ cup pomegranate juice or grape juice
3 lemon slices
2 tablespoons honey
20 wheat crackers
4 ounces blue cheese, sliced into very thin pieces
Combine figs, wine, juice, lemon slices, and honey in saucepan. Bring to a boil; turn down heat and simmer 15 minutes, until only a bit of liquid remains. Remove from heat; remove lemon slices and let cool. Spoon into a food processor or blender; pulse until smooth. Spread over crackers and top with miniature slices of blue cheese.
Grilled Peach and Shrimp Crostini
price
$16
servings
8
price per serving
$2
S
erve this dish during the summer when the grill is going, peaches are in season, and everyone’s in the mood for bold and refreshing flavors. The sharp lime vinaigrette balances the sweet summer fruit, and serving the mixture over toasted bread lends the perfect crunch. If you want to make a little extra, this bright shrimp salad also goes well over crispy greens or in a sandwich the next day.
3 peaches, halved with pits removed
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Juice of 3 limes
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
1 baguette (or similar amount of other bread), sliced into small pieces and toasted
Preheat grill to high. Place peach halves on grill; cook them about 3 minutes each side, until just softened. Remove, then place shrimp on grill; cook about 2 minutes each side, until cooked through. Chop shrimp and peaches into ½" cubes; place in a bowl. Whisk together honey, mustard, lime juice, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings, then pour over shrimp and peaches; gently stir to coat. Arrange toasted bread on a platter; spoon mixture onto bread and serve.
Gourmet Chips with Smoked Salmon
price
$10
servings
6
price per serving
$1.65
Although smoked salmon tends to show up only during brunch hours, we’re such fans of it that we’re on a mission to incorporate it into other mealtimes. In this easy appetizer, we layer bits of smoked salmon onto homemade potato crisps with a dab of lemony cream. Potato crisps and smoked salmon alone are irresistible, so you can imagine how tempting the results are when their flavors combine.
10 fingerling potatoes, sliced into" rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 tablespoon horseradish
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 slices smoked salmon, cut into 1" pieces
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss potatoes in olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20–30 minutes, flipping once, until very crispy. Let potatoes cool. Mix together chives, horseradish, sour cream, and lemon juice. Spoon a small amount of sour cream mixture on each potato chip and top with a small piece of smoked salmon.
Onion-Parmesan Crisps
price
$5
servings
6
price per serving
$.68
T
his is one of the easiest appetizers in our repertoire—ideal for an impromptu dinner party when there’s no time to run to the grocery store or a simple snack for the family. Not only does it use ingredients you probably have at home, it’s extremely quick to make.
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
3 thin slices red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
12 Melba crackers
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, and Parmesan. Spread mixture on crackers; place on a baking sheet. Broil in oven 5 minutes, until topping is golden brown, then serve.
Avocado Boats
price
$8
servings
4
price per serving
$2
O
ur love for avocado is borderline obsessive, and we’ve found that we aren’t the only ones. We often invent sandwiches or salads just to sneak in a few slices, but in this dish the devotion to avocado is anything but clandestine. So if you, like us, love avocado, here’s a legitimate excuse to eat it unabashedly (as if you needed one).
½ cup French dressing
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste