BrokeAss Gourmet

BrokeAss Gourmet

Chicken Congee

  • Prep Time 0:15
  • Cook Time 1:45
  • Estimated Cost $14.00
  • 4 Comments

When I asked my friend James what I should make for dinner last night he said “porridge!” I was amused, both because I thought he was suggesting I make oatmeal for dinner and because when I hear “porridge” I think of Oliver Twist and Goldilocks. Upon further explanation I understood that he was actually referring to rice congee, a savory rice-based comfort food popular in many Asian countries.

Ingredients

  • 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts $6
  • 8 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry $4
  • 1 small piece ginger, minced $1
  • 6 scallions, sliced $1
  • 1 small bunch cilantro $1
  • 1/2 tsp salt Pantry
  • 1 cup long-grain rice $1

Recipe Serves 2 very generously

Directions

  1. Bring chicken and water to a boil over high heat in a medium pot. Add wine, ginger, half of the scallions, and salt and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes, or until breast meat is fully cooked. Remove chicken breasts from pot with tongs or a fork. Allow cool and remove bones and skin. Return bones and skin to the stock and continue to cook at a low simmer for an additional hour.
  2. Cool breast meat completely and shred using either a fork or your hands. Chill shreds, covered, and bring to room temperature before serving.
  3. Use a strainer to strain the stock and discard solids. Return stock to cleaned pot and add rice. Bring to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered until consistency of oatmeal, about 1 3/4 hours, stirring frequently during last 1/2 hour of cooking.
  4. Season congee with more salt. Serve topped with shredded chicken, remaining scallions and cilantro.

Category: Meals

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Meyer Lemon Pad Thai

  • Prep Time 0:15
  • Cook Time 0:25
  • Estimated Cost $17.00
  • 4 Comments

I could not have been happier on Monday morning when my boss presented me with an enormous pile of Meyer lemons from the tree at his house. Meyer lemons have an intoxicatingly delicious fragrance and a flavor like regular lemon but sweeter and more complex and lend themselves well to many different cuisines. Thai food is known for balancing sweet, sour, spicy and salty and Meyer lemons fit in perfectly.

Ingredients

  • 2 Meyer lemons (1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges) $1
  • 14 oz. flat rice noodles $1.50
  • 2 carrots, grated $0.50
  • 1 small white onion, sliced thinly $0.50
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped $1
  • 1 small bunch mint, chopped $1
  • 4 scallions, sliced $1
  • 2 cups mung bean sprouts $1
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil Pantry
  • 2 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces $3
  • 1/4 cup peanuts, crushed $1
  • 2 eggs, scrambled $1.50 for 6
  • 3 tbsp peanut butter Pantry
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
  • 1 small piece ginger, peeled and minced $1
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce Pantry
  • 7 oz. (1/2 can) coconut milk $1.50
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar Pantry
  • Asian chili sauce to taste $1.50 for 6 oz

Directions

  1. Cook the rice noodles according to directions in boiling water. Rinse and drain. Set aside.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil over high heat in a large frying pan. Cook the chicken and onions together for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the chicken is fully cooked when cut in half. Crack the eggs into the pan and scramble them with a spatula. Continue to move them around as they cook and spread them throughout the pan. Add the cooked noodles and reduce heat to medium. Add the beansprouts and carrots and toss well.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, chili sauce, lemon juice and 1/2 cup warm water. Pour over the noodles, chicken, eggs and onions and toss to coat.
  4. To serve, heap a pile of the pad thai onto a plate or bowl. Top with the fresh herbs, scallions, ground peanuts and more chili sauce if desired. Garnish each plate or bowl with a Meyer lemon wedge.

Category: Meals

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Shrimp Fajitas

  • Prep Time 0:15
  • Cook Time 0:15
  • Estimated Cost $16.50
  • 15 Comments

I know those handy-dandy spice fajita seasoning packets seem like a great deal, but don’t bother. First of all, they’re full of far more sodium than you’d ever actually want to eat. Secondly, for a one time purchase of a little chili powder and cumin you can make fajitas over and over again. I like to switch up the protein—chicken, skirt steak and even tempeh are all great choices.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb medium shrimp, tails removed $8
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil Pantry
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1" strips $0.50
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1" strips $0.50
  • 1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1" chunks $1
  • 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced $1
  • 1 cup broccoli florets $1
  • 2 tsp chili powder $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • 2 tsp cumin $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • 1 tsp salt Pantry
  • 2 tsp freshly ground pepper Pantry
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
  • 6 fajita-sized flour tortillas $1.50

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Wrap the tortillas tightly in foil and place in the warm oven.
  2. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet (or other heavy skillet) over high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the peppers, broccoli, and mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until the onions begin soften.
  3. While the vegetables cook, combine the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk together with 1/4 cup water. Set aside.
  4. Add the shrimp to the fajita pan and pour the spice mixture over the entire contents of the pan. Cook just until the shrimp turn pink.
  5. Pull the tortillas out of the oven, take them out of the foil and wrap in a clean dish towel or napkin. Serve the fajitas in the pan so they stay warm and wrap the vegetable-shrimp mixture in hot tortillas at the table. Also delicious with guacamole or sour cream.

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There's No Place Like Home: Chicken Soup with Dumplings

  • Prep Time 0:30
  • Cook Time 2:00
  • Estimated Cost $17.00
  • 17 Comments

When my kids were little and I was getting my doctorate in psychology, there wasn’t much money or time for cooking. Inexpensive dishes that could be prepared in advance ruled the day and chicken soup with dumplings totally fits that bill. It is inexpensive (especially if you buy the chicken when it is onsale for 79 c/lb and keep in the freezer just for this dish), easy to make, and there is no better comfort food in the world. Wonderful spices like fresh thyme, rosemary and dill are bonus and make this homey dish truly gourmet. (And listen up you creative kids: Gabi loved making “mastodon” skeletons out of the leftover chicken bones!)

Ingredients

  • 1 stewing chicken (about 5 pounds) $4
  • 12 cups water
  • 2 8 oz cans low sodium chicken broth $2
  • 2 rib celery and leaves sliced $1
  • 2 carrots sliced into coins $0.50
  • 1 onion, chopped $1
  • 1 clove garlic, minced Pantry
  • 1 tsp fresh or dried thyme leaves $1
  • 2 bay leaves $1
  • 15-20 whole peppercorns Pantry
  • 1 cup sifted flour Pantry
  • 1 tsp baking powder Pantry
  • 2 tbs fresh rosemary chopped $1
  • 1 tsp dried dill (or fresh if you have it) $1
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt Pantry
  • 1 tbsp butter or shortening $1
  • 1 small bunch parsley, minced and divided in half $1
  • 1 egg $1.50 for 6
  • 3 tablespoons milk $1

Recipe Serves 4 generously with leftovers

Directions

  1. Rinse chicken and remove giblets and any extra fat. Chop onion, garlic, celery and carrots and place in the bottom of a large soup pot. Add thyme, bay leaves, half of the parsley, and peppercorns. Place chicken on top of vegetables and spices and add water and low sodium chicken broth. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 1.5 hours. Remove chicken and let cool. When cool, remove skin and bones and shred chicken meat and return to pot. Your chicken soup is done and ready for the dumplings!
  2. Prepare dumpling batter: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut shortening/butter into flour mixture; add rosemary, dill, and the remaining parsley. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and milk; add to dry mixture and stir with fork until well blended. Bring chicken soup to a very low boil and drop dumplings by teaspoonfuls onto chicken soup. Turn soup down to a simmer and cover and steam for 10 minutes, and then simmer 10 minutes more with lid off until dumplings are fluffy and done inside. Delicious, BrokeAss cheap and your family and friends will thank you for it! Leftovers are awesome the next day.

Category: Meals

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Shish Kabobs Over Thai Coconut Risotto

  • Prep Time 0:15
  • Cook Time 0:30
  • Estimated Cost $13.50
  • 15 Comments

One day I had a real hankering for coconut rice but only Italian arborio rice on hand. I got to thinking and I realized that there was no reason I couldn’t substitute coconut milk for the stock or cream used in regular risotto. The resulting dish was a smooth, creamy and vegan risotto that cost me no more than a few dollars and thoroughly impressed my friends. The tofu can be switched out for chicken, beef or shrimp when you’re dining with carnivores.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup arborio rice $3
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided Pantry
  • 1 14-oz can coconut milk $1.50
  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut $1
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped $1
  • juice and zest of 1 lime $0.50
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced Pantry
  • 4 scallions, sliced $1
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes $1.50 for 1 oz.
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" cubes $1.50
  • 6 oz. tofu, cut into 1" cubes $1.50
  • 1 cup broccoli florets $1
  • soy sauce Pantry

Recipe Serves 2

Directions

  1. Heat one tbsp of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until soft. Add the rice and allow to toast lightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the shredded coconut and red pepper flakes. Slowly stir in 3 cups water, 1/2 cup at a time until fully absorbed (this will take about 20 minutes). Add the coconut milk slowly (1/2 cup at a time) until fully absorbed. When the rice is soft and the consistency is creamy, stir in the lime juice and zest, 1/2 of the cilantro and 1/2 of the scallions (reserve the rest for garnish). Cover the risotto and keep over the lowest flame until ready to serve.
  2. To prepare the shish kabobs, skewer the broccoli florets, tofu, and red peppers in whatever order you like on 6 wooden or metal skewers. Drizzle with a little soy sauce. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a grill pan or a heavy skillet over high heat. Set the skewers in the hot pan and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
  3. To serve, divide the risotto between 2 plates and serve the skewers atop the risotto. Garnish with the remaining scallions and cilantro.

Category: Meals

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