Having whinged lately about being unable to find value smoked salmon pieces in the supermarkets. What did I find in Sainsbugs today? Yes! So I got four of them to stash away.
I was in there to get a couple of things for the U3A group I run, on budget cookery, what else!
We had a lovely chatty, lively afternoon. I demonstrated how to make fresh pasta using an egg and 100g of flour. Then we made lasagna to an authentic Italian recipe. While that was cooking in the oven, we made a tomato sauce for pasta, with fresh basil, and having tasted that, I added some value soft cheese to show how you can vary the taste.
We then made some carbonara, Sainsbugs had value cooking bacon too today, which they don’t always.
I tried some of the Tom Yum sauce today. All I had to do was put 100g of the sauce in a pan, add 300ml water, a few shreds of chicken and a few mushrooms from a jar. It was RED HOT. I wanted Tom Kha anyway, so added quite a bit of dried coconut milk. It was still very hot, but right on the edge of what I would like. So a very flavoursome bowl of soup for lunch. I have added some leftover beans and greens to the leftovers and I shall have those for lunch tomorrow.
No leftovers from the cooking this afternoon. The participants like to contribute the cost of the ingredients, so I insist they take home what we make. Today we made 6 portions of lasagna, enough pasta sauce for 4 and carbonara for 2 or 3. Total contribution for each of the 5 taking part? 73p. Amazing what can be done with so little isn’t it.
You raise an interesting point re the fish. I buy most of my meat from a local butcher who sources it from a local abattoir. But I must admit, I don’t give as much thought to the husbandry of fish as I do to poultry and mammals.
I had a look at the pack and it said it is Scottish salmon raised to RSPCA standards, but I don’t think those standards are that brilliant.
Even wild fish, when caught in nets are not given a humane death. Then there is drag net fishing, the sustainable list and air miles. There are many issues to balance when considering our own conscience.
When recipe testing I buy the meat available in the supermarket, if the plan has meat in it.
There are so many delicious foods available in the UK, I’m constantly homesick and jealous – especially for the smoked salmon leftovers. Where I live, our supermarkets only supply the expensive stuff – of course – they want to make a profit!
Thank you for your regular blogs – I really enjoy them and often try out your frugal (and not so frugal) suggestions. Do please keep up the good work.
The problem with “value” meat and fish is that the animals had only a poor value life! I’m all for making a bargain, but not at the expense of innocent animals! From reading your blog I know you can afford “good meat” now. Don’t be someone who is so bargain-hungry that she would ignore the welfare of the animals she eats.
As a vegetarian living in the country, it is hard for me to see how the animals raised for “value meat” live. I hear them scream when I walk the dog in the evening, bored to death of standing in one place all their lives. Please don’t make me miserable by supporting this! I LOVE to see happy cows on green pastures and I’m always willing to see more!
Sorry about the preaching, but I just had to when the tiny pool your value fish lived, or rather, existed in, flashed right before my eyes! You save so much money because you are a capable cook, and you don’t need this cheap crap to make your savings! The magic is in the cooking, not in cheap ingredients! I love how Jack Monroe bought very little meat when she was down and out, because she was determined to only buy the best (for the animals)!