Help from PH chefs required!
Discussion
Basically, I have to cook for five people (my family) every Monday from now on, and was wondering if any of you fine people can provide a simple recipe for someone who can barely prepare an edible bacon sandwich.
- No ready meals or that crap, has to be prepared from scratch.
- I have a ten pound budget to spend on the food.
- No ready meals or that crap, has to be prepared from scratch.
- I have a ten pound budget to spend on the food.
Learn to make a simple bolognaise style base, peel and chop 4 onions, fry mince (one of those 500g packets is perfect) and onions in a large frying pan/casserole dish/wok/etc. When brown add a few tins of chopped tomatoes. You can then adapt this, for example adding garlic (whilst frying), herbs (those packets of italian herbs are good), worcestershire sauce or red wine.
You can then make spaghetti bolognaise and:
Shepherd's Pie/Cottage Pie - Peal 10 or so medium sized potatoes and boil (chop up smaller to reduce the cooking time). When soft mash and spread on top of the bolognaise in an oven dish. Bake in the oven on medium for 20 minutes.
Lasagna - Layer bolognaise, lasagna sheets and a bechamel sauce (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Sauce-or-Bechamel-Sauce-40046) and bake in the oven as above.
You can then make spaghetti bolognaise and:
Shepherd's Pie/Cottage Pie - Peal 10 or so medium sized potatoes and boil (chop up smaller to reduce the cooking time). When soft mash and spread on top of the bolognaise in an oven dish. Bake in the oven on medium for 20 minutes.
Lasagna - Layer bolognaise, lasagna sheets and a bechamel sauce (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Sauce-or-Bechamel-Sauce-40046) and bake in the oven as above.
Pork in a Maderia sauce with rice...
Can all be cooked in the time it takes to cook the rice.
Put rice on (60g per person)
Slice onions and fry once soft add Mushrooms from pan once both soft.
Add pork (you can use absolutely any pork.. whatevers the cheapest) once fully cooked add back in onions and mushroom mix and make sure all hot.
Add Maderia (can use sherry but tends to overpower) reduce to that pan is almost dry BUT do not burn the pan.
Remvoe from heat and add cream.
Serve putting pork on bed of rice and pour over sauce.
For come colour you could cook Carrots or Brocolli.
Can all be cooked in the time it takes to cook the rice.
Put rice on (60g per person)
Slice onions and fry once soft add Mushrooms from pan once both soft.
Add pork (you can use absolutely any pork.. whatevers the cheapest) once fully cooked add back in onions and mushroom mix and make sure all hot.
Add Maderia (can use sherry but tends to overpower) reduce to that pan is almost dry BUT do not burn the pan.
Remvoe from heat and add cream.
Serve putting pork on bed of rice and pour over sauce.
For come colour you could cook Carrots or Brocolli.
Beaten to the lasagna suggestion. Damnation!
Well, you can get a decent 1.5kg chicken for £7 (free range, don't bother with the organic) and feed five- potatoes and vegetables are cheap. And, it is easy, despite what you may think now. If you freeze the carcass you'll get stock every other chicken with only a little effort.
Pasta is dead easy, and many sauces can be made from scratch in the same time. As examples, Carbonara or Blue Cheese, and Bolognese (Ragu) lends itself very well to cooking a stock-pot full and freezing.
This Cassoulet (ish) is near trivial and delicious. Don't pick the pan up after you've put it in the oven!
Well, you can get a decent 1.5kg chicken for £7 (free range, don't bother with the organic) and feed five- potatoes and vegetables are cheap. And, it is easy, despite what you may think now. If you freeze the carcass you'll get stock every other chicken with only a little effort.
Pasta is dead easy, and many sauces can be made from scratch in the same time. As examples, Carbonara or Blue Cheese, and Bolognese (Ragu) lends itself very well to cooking a stock-pot full and freezing.
This Cassoulet (ish) is near trivial and delicious. Don't pick the pan up after you've put it in the oven!
Chilli is always good, from a packet mix, you can't go wrong. I will add a beef Oxo and a vegetable Oxo, and some Worcestershire sauce to the mince as it's frying off, with lots of salt & pepper seasoning. Then add a few dried red chillies too, for extra heat. At the end, add a couple of teaspoons of cocoa powder, or some chocolate to melt in. It's not really real chilli, especially using a packet mix, but whatever it is, it's good.
Edited by Balmoral Green on Sunday 22 November 19:02
Ok
This is a family favourite, tastes lush, and can be cooked in 40 minutes. Also useful as it is pretty standard cupboard ingredients.
I have written it as I cook it - hopefully it reads and makes sense.
Cheap and highly adaptable.
I have tried to scale the recipe up to do 5 people.
BJM's Italian(esque) sausage and tomato pasta
1.5 onion
2 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tub tomato puree
3 cloves of garlic
olive oil.
1 packet basil
parmesan (optional)
pasta (shape - your choice)
6-8 decent sausages - Toulouse works nice.
Put the sausages in the oven, cook for 20 mins on gas mark 6, turn and cook for a further 15-20 at gas mark 4 - check they are cooked, remove and allow to cool. Once cool, cut them into 1.5 cm circles.
Whilst the sausages are cooking, cut the garlic up as fine as you can. Likewise dice the onion.
Put a large pot on a gentle heat with enough olive oil that it just visible on the pan floor whilst cooking the onion and garlic. You may need to adjust as you sweat down the onions and garlic. They are done when translucent.
Increase the heat to 3/4, and add one and a half tablespoon of tomato puree, and cook it off for 2-3 minutes. Basically just keep stirring the pot all the time during this period.
Now add the tins of tomatoes and add 40 ml of water. Bring up to the boil and then simmer. At this point, cut up and add a 3 tablespoons of chopped basil.
It is around this point you want to get the kettle on, and start making your desired pasta. (You will need to adjust when you put it on, based on your choice of shape - slightly). I always add a splash of olive oil into my pasta water - and make sure it is well salted. Never add pasta till the water is properly boiling.
It will take ten to fifteen minutes to simmer down to a good sauce consistency. Once your happy, add the sausages circles... another tablespoon of chopped basil, season well with cracked pepper and salt, reheat and you are done.
Sprinkle over more fresh chopped basil and grated parmesan if desired.
Another easy win in making burgers ... takes minutes to do and everyone can build their own bun.
Likewise chips - never buy oven bake etc ... make your own - so simple and so much tastier. If you would like further recipes ask :-)
This is a family favourite, tastes lush, and can be cooked in 40 minutes. Also useful as it is pretty standard cupboard ingredients.
I have written it as I cook it - hopefully it reads and makes sense.
Cheap and highly adaptable.
I have tried to scale the recipe up to do 5 people.
BJM's Italian(esque) sausage and tomato pasta
1.5 onion
2 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tub tomato puree
3 cloves of garlic
olive oil.
1 packet basil
parmesan (optional)
pasta (shape - your choice)
6-8 decent sausages - Toulouse works nice.
Put the sausages in the oven, cook for 20 mins on gas mark 6, turn and cook for a further 15-20 at gas mark 4 - check they are cooked, remove and allow to cool. Once cool, cut them into 1.5 cm circles.
Whilst the sausages are cooking, cut the garlic up as fine as you can. Likewise dice the onion.
Put a large pot on a gentle heat with enough olive oil that it just visible on the pan floor whilst cooking the onion and garlic. You may need to adjust as you sweat down the onions and garlic. They are done when translucent.
Increase the heat to 3/4, and add one and a half tablespoon of tomato puree, and cook it off for 2-3 minutes. Basically just keep stirring the pot all the time during this period.
Now add the tins of tomatoes and add 40 ml of water. Bring up to the boil and then simmer. At this point, cut up and add a 3 tablespoons of chopped basil.
It is around this point you want to get the kettle on, and start making your desired pasta. (You will need to adjust when you put it on, based on your choice of shape - slightly). I always add a splash of olive oil into my pasta water - and make sure it is well salted. Never add pasta till the water is properly boiling.
It will take ten to fifteen minutes to simmer down to a good sauce consistency. Once your happy, add the sausages circles... another tablespoon of chopped basil, season well with cracked pepper and salt, reheat and you are done.
Sprinkle over more fresh chopped basil and grated parmesan if desired.
Another easy win in making burgers ... takes minutes to do and everyone can build their own bun.
Likewise chips - never buy oven bake etc ... make your own - so simple and so much tastier. If you would like further recipes ask :-)
Balmoral Green said:
Chilli is always good...
No, not when you get it all out of packets it isn't! 
For five people:
Brown 600g mince in batches, taking it out as you go.
Finely chop, then gently fry two medium onions until soft.
Grind/Mortar/bash up 4tsp cumin seeds, 2tsp coriander seeds, 4tsp Cayenne and a bit of rock salt. Add.
Now, 2 tins kidney beans, rinsed, 2 tins tomato, and the browned mince (and any juices).
Simmer gently for 40 mins, and see how it tastes.
Adjust if you want.
Simmer for another hour.
Serve with rice if you are feeling healthy, or add a chunk of dark chocolate to the bowl and/or grated cheese and serve with Doritos, or serve with Tortillas, sour cream, and salad.
grumbledoak said:
Balmoral Green said:
Chilli is always good...
No, not when you get it all out of packets it isn't! For five people:
Brown 600g mince in batches, taking it out as you go.
Finely chop, then gently fry two medium onions until soft.
Grind/Mortar/bash up 4tsp cumin seeds, 2tsp coriander seeds, 4tsp Cayenne and a bit of rock salt. Add.
Now, 2 tins kidney beans, rinsed, 2 tins tomato, and the browned mince (and any juices).
Simmer gently for 40 mins, and see how it tastes.
Adjust if you want.
Simmer for another hour.
Serve with rice if you are feeling healthy, or add a chunk of dark chocolate to the bowl and/or grated cheese and serve with Doritos, or serve with Tortillas, sour cream, and salad.
That's my tea sorted what are you having?
grumbledoak said:
Balmoral Green said:
Chilli is always good...
No, not when you get it all out of packets it isn't! For five people:
Brown 600g mince in batches, taking it out as you go.
Finely chop, then gently fry two medium onions until soft.
Grind/Mortar/bash up 4tsp cumin seeds, 2tsp coriander seeds, 4tsp Cayenne and a bit of rock salt. Add.
Now, 2 tins kidney beans, rinsed, 2 tins tomato, and the browned mince (and any juices).
Simmer gently for 40 mins, and see how it tastes.
Adjust if you want.
Simmer for another hour.
Serve with rice if you are feeling healthy, or add a chunk of dark chocolate to the bowl and/or grated cheese and serve with Doritos, or serve with Tortillas, sour cream, and salad.
Shaw Tarse said:
Allow to cool/mature overnight.
Another dish that does well when made in a massive pot and left/frozen!Balmoral Green said:
That's exactly the same as the packet mix, it's just they did the grinding for you
No argument here, but I'd feel dirty recommending packet sauces when doing it from scratch is so easy. This is a recipe I have named Sausagey Pasta. It has sausages & pasta 
If you have the wine already it'll easily come under budget.
Ingredients:
- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 chilli's, chopped
- 2 packs of chipolata sausages, chopped into 1-2 cm pieces
- little bit of white wine (hopefully you'll have at home that you can cadge and not have to pay out of budget. Worst case scenario, £3.50 on a cheapy pinot grigio will suffice.
- Pack of Penne/Rigatoni/largeish tubular pasta
- Parsley, chopped
Stick a big pan of water on the hob and get it boiling
Put a good slosh of oil (preferable olive) in a pan and chuck in the tinned toms. Cook on pretty high heat for 5 minutes so it is bubbling away.
After 5 mins, turn the heat down a bit, put in the garlic and chilli and cook for a couple of minutes.
By now the water will be boiling so put in the pasta and cook for 10-12 mins (if it is the usual dried stuff)
After you have put in the pasta, put 1/2 glass of wine in the pan with the tomatoes, give it a stir and add the sausages.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add to the tomato & sausage sauce. Usually I find it's easier to mix it in the pan that you cooked the pasta in.
Last but not least, plate it up and sprinkle with parsley.
If you have the wine already it'll easily come under budget.
Ingredients:
- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 chilli's, chopped
- 2 packs of chipolata sausages, chopped into 1-2 cm pieces
- little bit of white wine (hopefully you'll have at home that you can cadge and not have to pay out of budget. Worst case scenario, £3.50 on a cheapy pinot grigio will suffice.
- Pack of Penne/Rigatoni/largeish tubular pasta
- Parsley, chopped
Stick a big pan of water on the hob and get it boiling
Put a good slosh of oil (preferable olive) in a pan and chuck in the tinned toms. Cook on pretty high heat for 5 minutes so it is bubbling away.
After 5 mins, turn the heat down a bit, put in the garlic and chilli and cook for a couple of minutes.
By now the water will be boiling so put in the pasta and cook for 10-12 mins (if it is the usual dried stuff)
After you have put in the pasta, put 1/2 glass of wine in the pan with the tomatoes, give it a stir and add the sausages.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add to the tomato & sausage sauce. Usually I find it's easier to mix it in the pan that you cooked the pasta in.
Last but not least, plate it up and sprinkle with parsley.
Balmoral Green said:
grumbledoak said:
Balmoral Green said:
Chilli is always good...
No, not when you get it all out of packets it isn't! For five people:
Brown 600g mince in batches, taking it out as you go.
Finely chop, then gently fry two medium onions until soft.
Grind/Mortar/bash up 4tsp cumin seeds, 2tsp coriander seeds, 4tsp Cayenne and a bit of rock salt. Add.
Now, 2 tins kidney beans, rinsed, 2 tins tomato, and the browned mince (and any juices).
Simmer gently for 40 mins, and see how it tastes.
Adjust if you want.
Simmer for another hour.
Serve with rice if you are feeling healthy, or add a chunk of dark chocolate to the bowl and/or grated cheese and serve with Doritos, or serve with Tortillas, sour cream, and salad.
Spicy Pasta bake:
1 onion
1 carrot
1 stick of celery
Few cloves of garlic
2 fresh chillis
1 carton of passata
Penne pasta (enough for 5)
Cheddar
Chorizo
Pancetta
Mushrooms
Sounds like a lot of ingreds but you can tailor it. For example, sometimes I don't bother with the mushrooms or celery etc (if I haven't got them in the cupboard).
Method:
Fry the chorizo & pancetta in a little bit of olive oil until starting to crisp up in a big old casserole pot (i use a le creuset one - that way it's a one pot dish - minimal washing up).
Sweat the grated/finely chopped celery & carrot with the chopped onion and garlic in the same pot
Finely slice the chilli and fry off with the above - add mushrooms at this stage too
Fry off for a few minutes.
Add the passata and bring to simmering point
Season to taste
Boil the pasta until just before the point (ie, still ever so slightly to hard to eat easily)
Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well
Grate the cheese over the top and chuck it in a medium oven for 20 mins.
So easy but very very tasty.
1 onion
1 carrot
1 stick of celery
Few cloves of garlic
2 fresh chillis
1 carton of passata
Penne pasta (enough for 5)
Cheddar
Chorizo
Pancetta
Mushrooms
Sounds like a lot of ingreds but you can tailor it. For example, sometimes I don't bother with the mushrooms or celery etc (if I haven't got them in the cupboard).
Method:
Fry the chorizo & pancetta in a little bit of olive oil until starting to crisp up in a big old casserole pot (i use a le creuset one - that way it's a one pot dish - minimal washing up).
Sweat the grated/finely chopped celery & carrot with the chopped onion and garlic in the same pot
Finely slice the chilli and fry off with the above - add mushrooms at this stage too
Fry off for a few minutes.
Add the passata and bring to simmering point
Season to taste
Boil the pasta until just before the point (ie, still ever so slightly to hard to eat easily)
Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well
Grate the cheese over the top and chuck it in a medium oven for 20 mins.
So easy but very very tasty.
Jacket potatoes? just have some grated cheddar, creme fraiche, and burger relish on the table for people to top their own. serve with some salad for health points.
Thai using a packet curry paste and a tin of coconut milk is super-easy and cheap too. just fry the paste, add the cocconut milk and water/stock, and when simmering add thinly sliced chicken, then veg. serve over rice.
Thai using a packet curry paste and a tin of coconut milk is super-easy and cheap too. just fry the paste, add the cocconut milk and water/stock, and when simmering add thinly sliced chicken, then veg. serve over rice.
Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff