Goulash is the quintessential Hungarian one-pot dish. Flavoursome, filling and frugal this superb recipe has long been one of my favourites. Even so, the addition of ox cheek manages somehow to raise the level of goulash above any previous rendition. This is the paprika-based pinnacle.
There are certain things in life that one considers to be truly delightful – they are different for us all. For me, a strong cup of 11 oz colombian whole bean coffee coupled with a crunchy biscuit or flaky pastry, preferably of Italian extraction, is one such delight. However, since moving away from my favourite coffee shop in Aberystwyth, obtaining such a treat has proved a little trickier. Happily, almond biscotti, the traditional Italian biscuit, are jolly simple to make – so there are no excuses not to follow this frugal recipe!
Invariably simple to produce and devastatingly delicious, pesto is almost certainly the last word in quick, easy and frugal meals. Of course, it has applications outside the world of fusilli (basil pesto is, for instance, a rather delicious addition to soup), but that’s where its heart shall forever rest. For example, take this roasted red pepper pesto – in order for one’s pasta to obtain a satisfactory demise, all one need do is roast some fruit along with a little garlic, blitz it up with a few added extras and yell “Bob’s my uncle” at the top of one’s lungs. You’ll be glad to hear that the last step is not, and hopefully never will be, obligatory.
Visit Germany at this time of year, particularly the Rheinland, and you’re certain to run into one of the world-famous German markets. There you’ll encounter all manner of German sausage, bratwurst, and sweet breads such as Stollen. However, there is one other commodity that no German market would be complete without; glühwein, or mulled wine.
One of the most satisfying characteristics of the German markets is witnessing hoards of people shuffling about in their winter attire, sipping at the rim of a piping hot cup of glühwein (mulled wine). If it’s that feeling you’re after then you need look no further, for you have found just the recipe!
Bolognese is one of those dishes that food bloggers rarely write about, probably because everyone already has their own recipe, as though it is an integral part of inherited human knowledge. However, the public at large still seem to buy jars of the damn stuff or develop poor imitations of what this classic dish should be – this recipe cometh to set the record straight. A good Bolognese recipe, frugal or otherwise, is just as important as any other… Oh look, here’s one now!