Cost-saving recipes that are flavourful and easy to whip up
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Try these recipes for (clockwise from left) gochujang buttered noodles, garlicky chicken thighs and spiced, seared ground beef.
PHOTOS: JAMES RANSOM, MARK WEINBERG, RYAN LIEBE/NYTIMES
Emily Weinstein
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UNITED STATES – “Respect the rotisserie chicken.” A reader wrote to me recently with that gem of a sentence.
I had asked for cost-saving strategies in these dizzyingly expensive times. Readers replied en masse, with fascinating e-mails that detailed their grocery-shopping and cooking habits and shared a glimpse into their lives, whether they are in Alaska, Australia or somewhere in between.
Some are buying in bulk and going to the store less often. But others are doing the exact opposite, shopping more often and buying less in each go. That way, they buy only what they need at that moment and avoid food waste from ignored groceries – the most expensive choice of all.
Among the readers are those who are committing to cleaning out whatever is in the fridge at least one night a week; choosing ground meat over larger cuts or eating less meat altogether; and eating beans and freezing ingredients and leftovers. And, of course, some are respecting the rotisserie chicken, one of the best dinner shortcuts out there.
The best cost-saving advice of all: Eat out less and cook more. The three recipes below are meant to give you budget-friendly options that are interesting and delicious.
Gochujang Buttered Noodles by Eric Kim
Gochujang Buttered Noodles is a dish you can quickly whip up.
PHOTO: JAMES RANSOM/NYTIMES
These garlicky, buttery noodles are perfect for a quick yet stellar pantry meal. A packet of fresh or even instant ramen speeds up the meal preparation. Honey and sherry vinegar round out gochujang’s deep heat into a mellowness that is at once sweet, savoury and tangy. The brick-red butter sauce, emulsified with a splash of the pasta cooking water, coats spaghetti here, but you can use whatever noodles you like.
Ingredients
450g spaghetti or other long pasta
6 Tbs unsalted butter
12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
¼ cup gochujang paste (not sauce; see tip below)
¼ cup honey
¼ cup sherry vinegar or rice vinegar
Finely chopped cilantro or thinly sliced scallions (optional)
Method
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot.
2. While the pasta cooks, melt 4 Tbs of the butter in a skillet over medium-low. Add the garlic and season generously with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to soften but not brown for one to three minutes.
3. Stir in the gochujang, honey and vinegar, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reduces significantly for three to four minutes. When you drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan, it should leave behind a trail that stays put for about three seconds. Remove from the heat.
4. Transfer the sauce to the pot with the spaghetti and add the remaining 2 Tbs of butter. Stir vigorously until the butter melts. Add splashes of the pasta cooking water, as needed, to thin out the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with the cilantro or scallions (if using) and serve immediately.
Serves four
Tip: Be sure to buy plain gochujang paste, not gochujang sauce, which often includes additives like vinegar and sugar. To easily measure out gochujang, swipe the inside of a measuring cup with a little neutral oil, which will get it to slip right out.
Smashed Beef Kebab With Cucumber Yogurt by Zaynab Issa
Serve warmed pita or white rice together with this dish of spiced, seared ground beef and yogurt.
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE/NYTIMES
This quick skillet dinner of spiced, seared ground beef over cooling yogurt combines elements of two Persian classics: kebab koobideh (grilled kebabs) and mast-o-khiar (cucumber yogurt). The creamy yogurt base keeps close to the original, while the ground beef is hard-seared on one side like a scallop for a crisp texture. Walnuts and raisins, traditionally toppings for mast-o-khiar, get toasted in the beef fat, adding crunch and sweetness to balance the savoury meat and tangy yogurt.
Ingredients
2 cups full-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt
2 mini cucumbers, grated on the large holes of a box grater
3 Tbs finely chopped mint, plus mint leaves for serving
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
450g ground beef, preferably 80 per cent lean) or ground lamb
1 small yellow onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater (see tip below)
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup walnut halves or pieces, or both (see tip below)
2 Tbs raisins or dried cranberries
Pomegranate molasses, optional, for serving
Warmed pita or white rice, for serving
Method
1. Add the yogurt, cucumbers, chopped mint and garlic to a medium bowl. Mix well to combine. Chill until ready to serve.
2. Add the beef, onion, turmeric, 1 tsp of salt and lots of black pepper to a second medium bowl and mix well to combine.
3. Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (or other large heavy-bottomed pan) over medium-high. Once the skillet is very hot, divide beef into large, irregular chunks by using two spoons or your hands and drop into the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until charred and crisp on the underside and browned at least halfway up the sides for six to eight minutes.
4. Using a wooden spoon, toss the meat, breaking up very large pieces. Add the walnuts and raisins and continue to cook, stirring often, until the meat is cooked to desired doneness and the walnuts are toasted, for two to three minutes more.
5. Remove the yogurt from the fridge and season with the remaining 1 tsp of salt. Spread the yogurt on the bottom of a serving platter and top with the crispy meat. Finish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, if using, and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with warmed pita or rice.
Serves four
Tip: To minimise eye irritation while grating, use a chilled onion. Also, two tablespoons of pistachios or pine nuts can be substituted for the walnuts.
Garlicky Chicken Thighs With Scallion And Lime by Alison Roman
This dish of garlicky chicken thighs comes with a rich, citrusy sauce.
PHOTO: MARK WEINBERG/NYTIMES
These tangy chicken thighs are a weeknight alternative to a long, weekend braise. They may not fall entirely off the bone, but the quick simmer in a rich, citrusy sauce yields an impossibly tender thigh that you would not get with a simple sear. Serve with rice, whole grains or with hunks of crusty bread for mopping up the leftover sauce.
Ingredients
680g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbs canola oil
1 bunch scallions
1 head garlic, unpeeled and halved crosswise
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated
2 Tbs fresh lime juice, plus 1 lime
1 Tbs low-sodium soya sauce
Method
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or large, high-sided skillet over medium heat.
3. Add chicken, skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, until chicken is crisped and the fat has begun to render, for eight to 10 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip chicken skin-side up. Cook until golden brown for four to six minutes.
4. Meanwhile, thinly slice two scallions and set aside.
5. Add both halves of the head of garlic, cut side down, and remaining whole scallions to the pot and season with salt and pepper, tossing to coat in the chicken fat. Cook until scallions are lightly blistered and browned, for about three minutes. Add grated garlic and stir a minute or two, but do not brown.
6. Add lime juice, soya sauce and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and partly cover. Cook until chicken is completely tender and nearly falling apart on the underside and liquid is reduced by three-quarters for 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the halved head of garlic.
7. Scatter sliced scallion over chicken and using a Microplane grater or zester, zest lime over. Cut lime into quarters and serve alongside.
Serves four
NYTIMES
