Gourmet-style cuisine on a tight budget
WITH the credit crunch continuing to hit food budgets, Italian food has come into its own.
Traditionally based on authentic peasant food, Italian cuisine is not only wholesome and nourishing but easy and quick to prepare.
Simple ingredients carefully combined together can transform the most basic meal into a gourmet creation, which will appeal to adults and youngsters alike.
We spoke to Damon MacGowan, head chef at San Carlo restaurant in Temple Street, Birmingham, for some mouth-watering ideas – and he suggested the following chicken and vegetarian dishes that won’t break the bank.
Chicken Pollo Rustico
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (ask your butcher to remove the legs and breasts and retain the carcass). Cut the legs between the thigh and the drumstick.
2 onions peeled and sliced
2 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced
4 large potatoes cut into 2 inch dice
1oz parsley
1oz of flour seasoned with salt and pepper
Method
Place the chicken carcass into two litres of cold water with the onion peelings and the parsley stalks.
Boil for one hour. Pass through a sieve and dispose of the solids, retaining the liquid.
Place the chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks in the seasoned flour and cover. Pan fry the chicken until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes) and then place in a casserole pot.
Add the sliced onion, garlic and potatoes to the same frying pan for 2 minutes and then add to the casserole pot.
Pour over the chicken stock, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put the lid on the pot and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200ºC for 1½ to 1¾ hours. Once cooked, sprinkle over the chopped parsley and serve.
Vegetarian Tagliolini Ligure
Serves 4
Ingredients
200g/1 packet of fine green beans – cooked al dente and split length ways
12 to 16 new potatoes – boiled, peeled and sliced
100g of pesto
500g of tagliolini or fine, long egg pasta
add Parmesan shavings
Method
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil
Place the potatoes and beans in a frying pan on a low heat. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Once the vegetables are warmed through add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes
Add the pesto to the potatoes and beans
Drain the pasta, add to the frying pan and toss well
Serve sprinkled with fresh parmesan shavings
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