Gourmet on a Shoestring

Chicken & Mushroom Risotto

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Serves 6

Adapted from a basic risotto recipe from Jamie Oliver.

“I think this is the best basic risotto recipe you will come across – you will find it really easy. I assure you that once you’ve got the knack you’ll carry on making it all the time and it won’t let you down. You can so easily enhance it by adding different seasonal ingredients. So here’s the basic risotto, which will give you an amazingly creamy base, followed by some simple recipes to take the dish in completely different directions.”

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken Breast, sliced in thin bite-sized strips
• 1 bag of Button Mushrooms, chopped
• Approx. 1 litre Stock (chicken, fish or vegetable as appropriate)
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 medium Onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 head Celery, finely chopped
• 400g Arborio Rice
• Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• 2 glasses dry White Wine
• 70g Butter
• 100g freshly grated Parmesan, omit for the prawn recipe
• Basil for garnish

Method

1. Heat stock. Cook chicken and mushrooms in a frypan whilst cooking the risotto and leave aside until Stage 3. In a separate large frypan heat the olive oil, add the onion, garlic and celery and slowly fry for about 3 minutes. When the vegetables have softened, add the rice, season with salt and pepper and turn up the heat.
2. The rice will now begin to fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent having absorbed all the flavors from the vegetables. Add the wine and keep stirring — it will smell fantastic as it sizzles around the rice.
3. Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt, but be careful not too make it too salty. Turn down the heat to a highish simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladles of stock, stirring and allowing each ladle of liquid to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes. Taste the rice — is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Add chicken and mushrooms when the rice is half cooked.
4. Remove from the heat and add the butter and Parmesan, if using. Stir gently. Place lid on pan and allow to sit for 2 to 3 minutes. This is the most important part of making the risotto as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be. Eat as soon as possible while the risotto retains its perfect texture.

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Prep and Cooking time: 6o min Serves 6

This Thai soup recipe, from my neighbor Irene, is AMAZING! It’s beautiful Thai flavours make a party in your mouth. Although there are a lot of ingredients, it’s very easy to make – once the prep is done, you can sit back and relax while it cooks. Serve it at dinner parties!

Ingredients

• 400ml Coconut Cream (CC Milk for those on a diet)
• 3 tablespoons yellow (or red) Thai Curry Paste
• 350ml Fish Stock (Fish Stock Cubes are cheaper)
• 3 tablespoons Fish Sauce
• 2 tablespoons Caster Sugar
• 3 Lemongrass stalks, cut into thirds and bruised
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric
• 1kg Pumpkin, peeled and cut into large bite sized chunks
• 500g Fish (any type)
• 400g peeled raw Prawns (cheap bags in the frozen section at Coles)
• 3-4 small bunches of Bok Choy, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch Coriander, chopped
• Juice of ½-1 lime, to taste
• 2 cups Basmati Rice

Method

1. Begin cooking the rice (it doesn’t need to still be hot at serving time).
2. In a large pot, combine curry paste and small amount of coconut cream and fry to release aroma, whisk with wooden spoon until frothy.
3. Add rest of CC cream, fish stock, fish sauce, lemongrass, sugar, and turmeric. Bring to boil.
4. Add pumpkin to pot and cook at a fast simmer with the lid on, until tender.
5. Add seafood to pot and boil for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add bok choy and lime juice, and boil until bok choy is wilted. Pumpkin should now have made the soup thick and creamy.
7. To serve, place a ladel full of rice in the bottom of each deep bowl, then add a generous amount of soup and sprinkle coriander on top.

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Prep and Cooking time: 60 mins Serves 6

This lasagne is very hearty yet also very fresh and light (low fat too!). You will eat your heart out and won’t leave the table feeling heavy. Delicious! To save money with this one, you can get the Ricotta from the deli, buy the Coles brand lasagne sheets, and grab whichever pasta sauce is on special.

Ingredients

400g minced Chicken
1 Red Capsicum, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Red Chilli, finely chopped (very mild)
440g can Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
575g jar Tomato-based Pasta Sauce
400g can Crushed Tomatoes
375g fresh Lasagne sheets
375g Ricotta Cheese
½ cup Tasty Cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Heat a big non-stick fry pan to high and add chicken. Break clumps up with a wooden spoon as you brown chicken.
3. Add capsicum, chilli, beans, pasta sauce and tomatoes, and stir to combine.
4. Grease lasagne dish with a small amount of olive oil (use a brush or spray). Cut pasta to size and place a layer on the bottom of the dish, then alternate sauce and pasta layers, finishing with a pasta layer (you should fit 5 or 6 layers).
5. Spread ricotta over the pasta and sprinkle with grated cheese.
6. Bake for 30mins or until cheese starts to brown slightly. Stand for 5 minutes, then serve with green salad.

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Prep time: 30min Cooking time: 35min
Makes approx. 30 pieces

I learnt this recipe from my friend Michelle. I had never craved cakes or biscuits until I made this beautiful stuff! Very easy, very yummy, and makes enough to sustain your coffee breaks for weeks!

Ingredients

250g unsalted Butter
125g Dark Cooking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups Caster Sugar
4 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1 cup Flour
¼ cup Cocoa
½ teaspoon Salt
125g pecans, chopped (use walnuts if cheaper)
Optional: Icing sugar on top

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 24cm square cake tin with grease-proof paper.
2. Heating the butter in a saucepan over low heat. When half melted add chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until all melted and combined.
3. Remove from heat and stir in sugar.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is shiny.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Sift in dry ingredients and nuts and mix well.
7. Pour into baking tin and bake for 35mins. Cool completely in pan, sift a little icing sugar over the top and cut into small rectangles.

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Prep Time: 5 mins Cooking Time: 6 mins Serves 2

This is an easy, beautifully creamy dish. Great for boosting the immune system! A glass (or bottle) of white wine like Riesling goes really well with this meal - essential.

Ingredients

10 Large Green Peeled Tiger Prawns
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Butter
3 tablespoons crushed Garlic
1 tablespoons chopped parsley
3/4 cup of thickened cream
1 cup rice

Alternative: You can also use frozen raw peeled prawns from the supermarket.

Method

1. Rinse the rice and allow to cook while completing the remaining steps.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the prawns in the oil until they’re just cooked.
3. Add the butter, garlic, parsley and the cream (you may only need 1/2 cup of cream).
4. Simmer, reducing the garlic cream sauce just a little.
5. Serve on spooned over a bed of rice.

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Serves 5

A delicious, thick and hearty soup. So creamy and filling, but won’t leave you with a heavy feeling afterward, like so many other meals.

Ingredients

• 6 medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 5 cups Chicken Stock
• 2 Leeks, chopped finely
• 2 teaspoons Butter
• 1 cup thickened Cream
• 1 Onion, chopped finely
• ½ teaspoon of Garlic
• 3 slices of Panchetta, chopped coarsely(or a handful of Bacon Bits – cheaper!)
• Salt and Cracked Pepper to taste
• 1 slice of thick bread in 1cm cubes (optional)

Method

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the potatoes and stock and allow to simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, if using bread bits, heat half the butter in a saucepan; sauté bread until browned and crisp. Put to the side. Then fry pancetta (or bacon) in a the same hot saucepan until crisp, and set aside.
3. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the leeks, garlic and onion to the saucepan with the remaining butter for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender (should look bright green and transparent).
4. Meanwhile, mash the potatoes in the pot they were cooking in.
5. Add the leeks, cream, and panchetta/bacon to the potatoes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Makes 1 Standard Size Bowl

Guacamole, a dip made from avocados, is originally from Mexico. The name is derived from two Aztec Nahuatl words - ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). This recipe has been improved time and time again to perfection! It’s a delicious, fresh and healthy dip or pita bread spread.

Ingredients

2 ripe Avocados
1/3 small Red Onion, minced
¼ teaspoon of Chilli
¼ teaspoon of Garlic
1 teaspoon of Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
Sprinkle of ground Black Pepper
3/4 ripe Tomato

Method

No need to pre-chop any ingredients if you have a blender. Simply put all ingredients into the blender and spin! Otherwise, pre-chop as directed in ingredients list and mash thoroughly.

Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, pita bread or nachos.

Top Guacamole Tips:

• Guacamole can last 4-5 days if you store correctly. Put the avocado seed in the bowl of guacamole, don’t ask why this works – it just does! Then cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation (turning brown) as a result of the air reaching it, and keep in the fridge.
• To extend a limited supply of avocados, add either sour cream or cream (cottage) cheese to your guacamole. Guacamole purists may be horrified, but it’s great!

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Cooking time: 30mins     Serves 6

This recipe is adapted from Jamie Oliver’s easy and basic polenta recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 litre Water
• 250g Polenta
• 240g Butter
• 2 handfuls Parmesan, grated

Method

1. Bring the water to boil in a large pan, then slowly add the polenta, whisking continuously.
2. Once it’s mixed, continue to stir over the heat for 15-20 minutes.
3. Stir in the butter and parmesan.
4. You can add a little more water to make it the right consistency.
5. Season and serve straight away.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

1 packet of Rocket
3 peaches, sliced into 8 slices each
8 thin slices prosciutto, roughly ripped up
100g Parmesan Raggiano (use only a handful of thin slices)

Sauce
3 teaspoons mustard
3 teaspoons sugar
90ml olive oil
1.5 tablespoon of white vinegar
Garlic chives, chopped
Pinch of pepper and sea salt

Method

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. On large tray or bowl, lay rinsed rocket, prosciutto, peaches and parmesan, and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

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Prep time: 20 min Cooking time: 35 min Serves 6

This rich Italian dish is another of my favourites and is also great comfort food. Just the thought makes my stomach groan in hunger! This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart, and I find bacon bits is easier to find in your supermarket deli, cheaper and just as yummy.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
283g Pancetta, sliced into small rectangles (or 300g of bacon bits)
1 tablespoon Garlic (or two cloves)
500g Spaghetti
1 cup Thickened Cream
3-4 large Egg yolks
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Black pepper

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente, about 8 minute. While spaghetti is cooking, whisk cream, egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined.
3. In a pan over medium heat fry the garlic and olive oil for a few minutes, then add pancetta (or bacon bits) and cook until browned. Drain on paper towel.
4. Drain pasta, and return to pot. Immediately stir in egg/cheese mixture until well combined
5. Add warm pancetta/bacon. Toss well.
6. Thin sauce with additional cream, if necessary. Serve immediately with more Parmesan cheese as a garnish.

(Alternative: substitute parmesan with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano - more expensive)

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