Last week, I shared my personal ideas about how to stick to your resolution to eat more healthfully. Today, I want to add some food-related thoughts on that other popular New Year’s resolution: saving money.
Even in the most extravagant restaurants, smart cooks always think economically. A chef learns from his or her apprentice days to make use of everything–turning bones and trimmings into flavorful stock and broth, for example, or transforming day-old bread into crumbs that coat fried foods or add body and flavor to stuffing.
I’ve also learned that, cooked the right way, even humble ingredients can become food fit for royalty. It has always surprised me how excited guests get over simply prepared pastas. And I fondly remember how much the late great movie director Billy Wilder, a fellow Austrian native whom I was proud to call a friend, favored my versions of rustic, economical dishes from our homeland, including potato-filled dumplings and a particular dessert made from a few beaten eggs and some sugar.
When you cook smartly with humble ingredients, you’ll also save enough money to splurge on a small touch of extravagance, whether it be a few slices of smoked salmon to toss with pasta in a cream sauce, or a handful of luscious berries to garnish a modest dessert.
A perfect example of these principles is my recipe for spaghettini with broccoli and goat cheese, an ideal weeknight main course. It begins with pasta, which you can find at a great price anywhere; just be sure to look for a brand made with 100-percent durum semolina, the type of flavorful, hard-textured wheat flour used in classic Italian pastas.
For the sauce’s concentrated broth, start with homemade chicken stock or use a good-quality canned brand, choosing one that’s not very salty, since you’ll be reducing its volume.
Broccoli, of course, is affordable on anybody’s budget and, even if it’s not your favorite vegetable, you’re likely to find this recipe a revelation.
That leaves the goat cheese. While it may cost slightly more than some other cheeses, a little has a big impact on this recipe’s rich, tangy flavor. And it’s carried in the cheese section of many well-stocked markets, where you’ll find outstanding domestic brands among the imported French varieties. Choose a fresh, creamy goat cheese, usually sold in small log shapes with the look and consistency of cream cheese; drier aged goat cheeses will be too salty for this dish.
So add the ingredients to your next thrifty shopping list, and get ready to enjoy a great meal at a bargain price.
Spaghettini with broccoli and goat cheese
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound tiny broccoli florets, about 2 cups
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus 4-6 sprigs
Freshly ground pepper
1 box (16 ounces) spaghettini or other thin dried pasta strands
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts, see note
1. Heat broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium pot; cook until liquid reduces by half, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat a large pot filled with water and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and broccoli; cook until bright green and crispy, about 1 minute. Add the reduced broth; heat to a boil. Add goat cheese, butter, the thyme leaves and pepper to taste. Whisk together until the cheese melts. Remove from heat; cover. Keep warm.
3. Add pasta and salt to the boiling water; cook until tender but still slightly chewy, following package instructions. Drain; rinse under hot running water.
4. Add pasta to the sauce; toss with tongs to distribute sauce and broccoli evenly. Divide pasta among warm serving plates. Garnish each serving with a sprig of thyme and some of the toasted pine nuts.
Note: To toast pine nuts, cook in small skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and light golden, about 2 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
435 calories, 35% of calories from fat, 17 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 55 g carbohydrates, 16 g protein, 579 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
