Every week, YOU magazine column The Canny Cook gives you a super-simple, four-ingredient dish that works out at less than £5 per portion. Here, for Mail Plus subscribers, we’ve gathered three favourites together, from an elegant fish dish to a warming soup. Enjoy!
It’s Mother’s Day, which has got me thinking about the food my mum and I eat together. We don’t live in the same country, so meals with just the two of us are few and far between. But when I do get the opportunity to cook, we tend to share quite humble, unfussy food.
In winter, I’ll often make a steaming pot of coconut red-lentil dhal when my mum is coming round. I’ve shared the recipe on these pages before (find it on mailplus.co.uk). It’s an enduring staple in my house – mildly spiced, made in one pan and perfect for freezing. It needs little more than basmati rice and a dollop of mango chutney for a decisively comforting meal.
In warmer weather it tends to be a low-key pasta, usually beginning with slivers of garlic gently coloured in extra virgin olive oil. Halved cherry tomatoes and a good pinch of salt are added to the pan for a couple of minutes, then al dente spaghetti is tossed in, perhaps with some chopped parsley. It ends up piled on to plates with a cloud of parmesan.
Mum and I like sharing humble, unfussy food
Plaice is the fish we eat together, too. In fact I only ever eat plaice with my mum, which is a shame because it’s lovely, delicate and requires little effort. You can simply bake, fry or grill it with some butter, lemon and capers for a restaurant-worthy meal along with some new potatoes and steamed greens.
Method
4 plaice fillets, £9; 1kg new potatoes, £1.20
4 tbsp nonpareille capers, £1.90; 1 lemon, 30p
Cut any larger potatoes in half and put in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer briskly for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain and very lightly crush with a masher or fork. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high (about 260C). Arrange the plaice fillets, skin-side down, on a large foil-lined oven tray. Season and dot about 20g of butter over each fillet, then scatter each with 1 tbsp capers. Arrange the potatoes around the fish. Pop under the grill (about two-thirds of the way up) for 6-8 minutes until the fish is cooked through and the potatoes are golden and crisp in places.
Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon over everything, then serve with some steamed greens and extra lemon wedges. Some chopped parsley goes nicely, if you have it.
LAST WEEK’S RECIPE: Chipotle, black bean and sweet potato stew
I love a good podcast. I listen to them while I’m driving, walking and cooking and there’s a range of genres that I enjoy.
I’ll often find myself immersed in a true crime series or be working my way through past episodes of Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail, but unsurprisingly a lot of my favourite podcasts are about food.
The Food Programme is a classic that I appreciate for its knowledge and breadth of subjects. For something more light-hearted there’s Off Menu, in which guests are interviewed about their dream meals.
Then, for health and nutrition, I think the Zoe podcast is great. The nutrition world has become a noisy space in recent years and I’ve often felt unsure about where to go to get good advice. Zoe is science-led and looks at the latest research on areas like gut health and good dietary practices.
There’s also a great website (zoe.com) if you’re interested in particular topics like cholesterol or blood sugar levels.
One of the clearest messages I’ve taken from listening to Zoe is that we should be eating a variety of coloured plant-based foods. They all contain fibre (essential for feeding our gut microbiome) and the range in colour guarantees an array of polyphenols and antioxidants.
I think this week’s recipe, with black beans (a great source of fibre), sweet potato and avocado, would get a thumbs-up. It’s delicious too!
METHOD
400g can black beans in water, 49p; 400g sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), 36p
1 large ripe avocado, 89p; 1 tbsp chipotle paste, £1.55
Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil over a medium-high heat in a large frying pan/ saute pan or shallow casserole for which you have a lid.
Add 1 diced red or white onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves with a pinch of salt and fry for 5-6 minutes until soft.
Scrub the sweet potatoes clean, but don’t peel as the skin has lots of fibre, then cut into 1c,-2cm dice. Add to the pan with another pinch of salt and fry, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes or until the onion and garlic are golden and the potatoes are taking on some colour.
Stir in the chipotle paste and fry for a minute, then add the rinsed and drained beans and 150ml chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid.
Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are cooked through. You may need to add a touch more liquid, or you may want to take off the lid and reduce a little end. It should be saucy but not too wet.
Serve with rice or in tacos, with the avocados sliced over the top. Some lime juice and chopped coriander go nicely, too.
Hot butternut squash noodle soup
My cupboard is currently home to five different types of noodles: straight-to-wok thick udon, delicate rice vermicelli, gluten-free buckwheat soba, dried egg noodles and instant ramen for speedy suppers.
Noodles make easy, cheap and comforting dinners, so I’m all for having a variety of textures and flavours to hand.
In my house, the ‘noodle bowl’ is the top-rated weeknight meal. It can take many different forms, but fundamentally involves a bowl of cooked noodles topped with protein (perhaps soy-grilled salmon or traybaked soy and chilli chicken), green veg and a quick pickle (usually cucumber).
Perhaps there’s some avocado too, then a handful of toasted sesame seeds, sliced spring onions or (shop-bought) crispy onions for a finishing flourish. It’s wholesome, universally enjoyed and doesn’t require much effort.
Noodles make easy, cheap and comforting dinners
Just be careful not to overcook the noodles. They all have different cooking times, so follow the pack instructions but err on the side of caution, simmering for a minute less than suggested and checking to see if they’re ready.
Once done, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, shake dry and toss with a little toasted sesame oil (or any flavourless oil) to prevent sticking, then put in bowls. You can also prepare your noodles like this for the recipe here, pouring the hot soup over them when ready to serve.
1 medium butternut squash (about 800g), £1.20; 100g medium egg noodles, £2.50
1-2 tbsp red curry paste, £1.20; 1 lime 24p
METHOD
Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a large saucepan. Add 1 chopped onion and a pinch of salt and fry for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, deseed and roughly chop the squash (you want about 650g prepared weight).
Add the squash to the pan and fry for another 4-5 minutes, then add the curry paste and fry for another minute. Add 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until the squash is soft. (You could swap some of the stock for coconut milk).
Blend the soup (or crush in the pan using a masher) with the juice of 1 lime. Return the soup to the pan if needed. Roughly break up the noodles in your hands and add to the pan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until they’re soft (alternatively, pre-cook the noodles as per the instructions). Serve each bowl with a topping of fresh chopped coriander and a little coconut yogurt, if liked.
Do you have a great recipe for eating well and cutting food bills? Email [email protected]. If we print it here, we’ll send you a bottle of champagne.
This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. Prices taken from Sainsbury’s and correct at time of going to press.
Illustrations: Ellie Allen-Eslor
