Paul Clerehugh, Chef/Proprietor, The Crooked Billet, Stoke Row. 01491 681048
Frugal Food
AFTER stretching both waistlines & wallets over Christmas, January is time to rein it in a bit. New year, new you & all that.
With last month’s indulgence, I’m up for some healthy, budget friendly cooking. Frugal food! Frugality is the new rock ‘n’ roll. Give me a bottle of plonk & a hearty stew any day.
Dry January — no way. Cold, wet, grey, muddy & skint. If there’s ever a month for a glass of red, it’s January. I’ll do dry February 15th – March 15th, ready for a Guinness on St Patrick’s Day, 17th March.
Henley’s residents (you lot!) doing dry January will certainly make running pubs a frugal affair, along with November, killer budget — difficult times for independent pubs & restaurants.
I’m doing a series of frugal food cookery demos next month, demonstrating that inexpensive ingredients cooked with love & passion are just as delicious as their costly cousins. Crooked Billet frugal food cookery demos, February 10, 11 & 12.
My grandma taught me how to cook on a budget. Scrimping & rationing through the war, nothing wasted. These days, 30% of the nation’s weekly supermarket shop ends up in the bin. Sitting at Nana Clerehugh’s kitchen table stirring jam into rice pudding, I was introduced to the principles of thrifty home economics.
She had a sharp eye for the discounted dented tin of York ham, or squashed Battenburg at the grocers. Even took a punt on the tin with no label at the church ‘bring & buy’. Delighted on saving a penny on food, vice like grip on her purse, handbag full of vouchers from magazines.
In her day, olive oil came from the chemist, kept in the bathroom cabinet — she cooked with butter & dripping. Butler wrappers saved, rolled up with an elastic band in the fridge. Aluminium foil was re-used. Always a cup of dripping in the fridge, contained in the teacup with the broken handle. Dripping spread on thick sour dough toast, cornichons & a pinch of sea salt, sublime.
Frugal ingredients vs posh ingredients, to my mind, crab is more delicious than lobster. Shepherd’s pie with a smack of HP sauce, more moreish than a rack of lamb. Mackerel with baked gooseberries equally gastronomic as halibut hollandaise. I’d prefer oxtail stew & buttery mash to steak bearnaise. Apple crumble & custard trumps passion fruit soufflé.
Sky are filming my Crooked Billet frugal food cookery demos February 10-12 — come along & heckle. Join me for lunch afterwards.
Crooked Billet
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 600g quality minced lamb (not too fatty)
• 250g onions, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp GF flour
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 150ml red wine
• Good shake of Worcestershire sauce
• 500ml beef/veal/pork/lamb stock
• Salt & freshly ground pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying
Method
– Mash from 3 large King Edwards, old-fashioned hand masher, plenty of butter, easier to spread over mince if piping hot.
– Preheat oven to 200°C.
– Season the mince, heat some vegetable oil in a heavy based frying pan.
– Cook mince in small quantities, drain in sieve, remove fat. Same pan, heat more oil, gently fry onion, garlic & thyme until soft. Add meat, dust with GF flour, add tomato purée. Fry for 3 minutes, continuously stirring.
– Slowly add wine, stock & Worcestershire sauce. Bring to simmer for 30 minutes until liquid evaporates. Check seasoning. Put meat into sufficiently large serving dish.
– Spread or pipe mash over. Bake in pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes until buttery mash is golden.
– Houses of Parliament (HP) sauce, perfect accompaniment.
Paul Clerehugh is chef proprietor of The Crooked Billet, Stoke Row
01491 681048