BrokeAss Gourmet

BrokeAss Gourmet

Spicy Corn Chowder

  • Prep Time 0:15
  • Cook Time 0:20
  • Estimated Cost $11.00
  • 5 Comments

Humble corn chowder seems to me to be something of a long-forgotten underdog soup. This lovely rendition features the bright flavors of chili powder and fresh scallions as well as the traditional corn, potatoes and onions. I highly recommend serving it with toasted baguette slices as fresh croutons.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 white onion, diced $0.50
  • 1 medium baking potato, scrubbed and diced $0.50
  • 4 scallions, sliced $1
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels $2
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter $1 for a stick
  • 4 tbsp flour Pantry
  • 1/2 to 1 tsp chili powder $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • 1/2 tsp cumin $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half $1 for 1/2 pint
  • salt and pepper to taste Pantry
  • 1/4 cup grated jack (or pepper jack) cheese $2

Recipe Serves 2-3

Directions

  1. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk together until a thick paste forms. Slowly add 3 1/2 cups of water, whisking constantly until a milky broth develops. Add the onions and potatoes to the broth. Increase heat to high and cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.
  2. Add the corn and most of the scallion slices (reserve a few pinches for garnish). Stir in the half-and-half and more water if necessary to bring the soup to a creamy, chowder-like consistency. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Stir in cheese until melted and fully incorporated.
  3. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions and croutons if desired.

Category: Meals

Tags: , ,

Share this Recipe: Share on Facebook • Tweet This! • Pin it on Pinterest

Salmon with Lemon-Dill Sauce

  • Prep Time 0:05
  • Cook Time 0:25
  • Estimated Cost $14.00
  • 4 Comments

This simple, refreshing preparation of salmon is good any time of year and can be paired with nearly any side dish. It is so good, in fact, that it prompted my friend James to declare that it will “tingle your taste buds like nothing else.”

Ingredients

  • 2 4-6 oz. salmon fillets $10
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt $1.50
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise Pantry
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
  • 2 lemons--1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced $1
  • 2 tsp fresh or dried dill $1.50 for 1 oz
  • salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Recipe Serves 2

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and zest, dill, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Arrange salmon fillets in a baking pan. Cover well with lemon-dill sauce. Top each piece of salmon with a few lemon slices. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until salmon is cooked to desired done-ness.

Category: Meals

Tags:

Share this Recipe: Share on Facebook • Tweet This! • Pin it on Pinterest

Sweet Chili Fresh Rolls with Tofu

  • Prep Time 0:20
  • Cook Time 0:00
  • Estimated Cost $9.00
  • 2 Comments

Whenever I bring these refreshing spring rolls to a party, I am inevitably the most popular girl there. People ooh and ahh over this complex-tasting and fancy-looking appetizer. Little do they know that it actually took me 20 minutes to pull together and cost me less than $10.

I generally buy my ingredients for this dish from Trader Joe’s, since their organic broccoli slaw is so good (and features plenty of fresh carrots), and their sweet chili sauce is so inexpensive. They don’t have the spring roll wrappers though, so head to your local whole foods store or Asian specialty market for that one.

One more thing—when you are first learning to make these, I highly suggest buying extra ingredients and practicing on a batch before you make the ones you are going to serve guests. The delicate spring roll wrappers can break easily and assembling them can be somewhat difficult at first. But don’t worry—even broken spring rolls are delicious!

Ingredients

  • 10 8" Vietnamese rice paper spring roll wrappers $1.50
  • 2 cups store-bought broccoli slaw $1.50
  • 4 oz. extra firm tofu, cut into 2" strips $1.50
  • 1/2 white onion, cut into thin strips $0.50
  • 20 large basil leaves (use sweet Thai basil if you can find it) $2
  • 1/8 cup Asian sweet chili sauce (I like the kind from Trader Joe's) $2
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil Pantry

Directions

  1. Heat the vegetable oil over high heat in a small frying pan. Fry onions for 3-4 minutes on each side or until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
  2. Gently wet a spring roll wrapper under a faucet or in a bowl of water. Remove carefully and blot lightly on a dish towel. Lay on a clean, flat, dry surface and allow to soften--about 1 minute.
  3. As the wrapper softens, arrange the ingredients in the center in the following order: 2 basil leaves topped with a small handful of broccoli slaw, topped with 1-2 strips of tofu, topped with 2-3 strips of onion, and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce.
  4. Roll up the wrappers _very_ gently, tucking in the ends, being careful not to break the wrapper. Don't worry--this takes some practice.
  5. Serve the rolls cut on the bias with more sweet chili sauce for dipping or peanut sauce. Makes 10 whole rolls.

Category: Meals

Tags: , , , , ,

Share this Recipe: Share on Facebook • Tweet This! • Pin it on Pinterest

Spicy Heirloom Tomato-Parmesan Soup

  • Prep Time 0: 10
  • Cook Time 0:20
  • Estimated Cost $13.00
  • 1 Comment

One of the all-time best things about summer is heirloom tomatoes. Though they are so delicious that they hardly need more than a sprinkle of salt, I do like to blend them into this spicy, satisfying soup. For real comfort food, serve with grilled cheese.

Ingredients

  • 6 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into 1" chunks $5
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped Pantry
  • 1/8 cup fresh basil leaves, stems removed $1
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half $1.50 for 1/2 pint
  • 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish $4
  • red pepper flakes to taste $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Recipe Serves 2

Directions

  1. Place tomatoes in a medium-sized pot and add water just to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add basil leaves and garlic. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes.
  2. Puree using immersion blender or remove from heat and blend in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return to pot. Whisk in half-and-half, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Ladle into bowls and garnish with shaved Parmesan.

Category: Meals

Tags: ,

Share this Recipe: Share on Facebook • Tweet This! • Pin it on Pinterest

Fresh Hummus with Pita Chips

  • Prep Time 0:15
  • Cook Time 0:10
  • Estimated Cost $11.00
  • 4 Comments

You haven’t tasted hummus until you’ve made it yourself. It will blow your store-bought junk out of the water. Freshly baked pita chips make it even better.

Ingredients

  • 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans $1
  • 1 small bunch parsley $1
  • 2 tbsp tahini $4 for 12 oz.
  • juice of 1 lemon $0.50
  • 4 cloves garlic Pantry
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided Pantry
  • salt and pepper to taste Pantry
  • 6 regular round pitas $3
  • 1 tsp paprika $1.50 for 1 oz.

Directions

  1. Combine the garbanzo beans, parsley, tahini, lemon, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. To make the pita chips, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the pitas into wedges (I like to try to get 8 wedges out of each pita). Spread evenly on a baking sheet and brush with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Bake for 6-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crisp. Sprinkle lightly with salt and the paprika. Serve with the hummus.

Category: Meals

Share this Recipe: Share on Facebook • Tweet This! • Pin it on Pinterest