Australian Women's Weekly Money-saving Meals: Easy, Delicious Low-cost Family Food

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SOUPS, STEWS, AND SLOW-COOKED FAVORITES

Simple to make and richly flavored, from hearty stews and chill-busting soups to meltingly tender slow-cooked classics, these meals satisfy your comfort food cravings.

Soups, stews, and slow-cooked favorites | CONTENTS

Chunky minestrone with Halloumi

Rich beef stew

Spinach and paneer curry

Spicy stewed lamb and chickpeas

Autumn chicken fricassee with buttermilk biscuits

Thai green pork curry

Bacon, potato, and chicken chowder

Pork and cider stew with mushrooms

Grains and mashed potatoes

Chicken and leek stew

Braised ginger mango pork belly

Hearty pork and chorizo soup

Slow-cooked pork with fennel and beans

Indonesian-style chicken stew

Lamb korma

Chicken wonton noodle soup

Chicken gumbo

Creamy rosemary and mustard chicken

Pork adobo

Hungarian goulash soup

Chicken tagine with dates and honey

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Chunky minestrone with Halloumi

Double batch | prep + cook time 2 hours + overnight standing | serves 8

Hearty and nutritious, this soup is ideal for whipping up and chilling or freezing half to have on hand for another day. The vegetables and dried beans used in the recipe are entirely flexible—just swap them, weight for weight, according to season and preference.

You will need to start this recipe a day ahead

²/3 cup (130g) dried red kidney beans

¹/3 cup (65g) buckinis (see tips)

¹/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, divided

1 cup (350g) chopped leeks (white parts only)

8 oz (225g) smoked bacon, coarsely chopped

³/4 cup (180g) coarsely chopped carrot

1 cup (200g) coarsely chopped celery

2 cups (500g) finely chopped parsnips

1 lb (450g) sweet potatoes, coarsely chopped

2 large zucchini (300g), diced

2 (15 oz/425g) cans diced tomatoes

3 vegetable stock bouillon cubes (30g), crumbled (see tips)

1 bay leaf

salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 oz (225g) Halloumi cheese, thickly sliced (see tips)

¹/2 cup (125ml) pesto

1 The day before cooking the minestrone, put the kidney beans and buckinis in separate medium bowls with enough cold water in each to cover. Allow to stand overnight. Then drain the kidney beans and buckinis separately; rinse under cold water.

2 Put the kidney beans in a pot of boiling water; return to a boil. Boil for 30 to 40 minutes or until the beans are tender and no longer hard in the center. Reduce the heat to medium; simmer for 10 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Set aside until needed.

3 Heat half of the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat; cook the leeks and bacon, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the leeks are softened. Add the carrot and celery; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the parsnips, sweet potatoes, zucchini, diced tomatoes, bouillon cubes, 6 ³ / 4 cups (1.85 liters) water, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low; cook, covered, for 30 minutes.

4 Stir in the buckinis; cook, covered, for a further 15 minutes or until the buckinis are tender. Remove the lid, and add the kidney beans to the soup; cook, uncovered, for a further 5 minutes or until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5 Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; cook the Halloumi, in batches, until browned on both sides.

6 Serve half of the minestrone topped with the Halloumi (see tips ) and a drizzle of pesto. Transfer the remaining minestrone to an airtight container; allow to cool, then store until needed (see tips ).

tips

• Buckinis, also known as activated buckwheat groats, are nutritionally dense and great in soups.

• Bouillon cubes are handy alternatives to stock and easy to keep in your pantry. You can also use the equivalent of a concentrated stock base from a jar.

• The Halloumi is enough for 4 portions of soup. Cook up some more when you reheat the leftovers.

• You can refrigerate the minestrone for up to 3 days. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge, then reheat in a microwave.

Chunky minestrone with Halloumi

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Rich beef stew

double batch | prep + cook time 2 hours 45 minutes | serves 8

One of the more economical cuts of beef, feather blade is cut from the shoulder. It’s full of flavor, and it really benefits from long, slow braising and roasting. You don’t need to use an expensive wine; just a good-quality one you would happily drink, or use beer or cider instead.

3¹/2 lb (1.7kg) beef shoulder, trimmed of excess fat

¹/4 cup (40g) all-purpose flour

¹/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, divided

8 shallots, peeled, root ends intact

1 cup (240g) thickly sliced carrots

¹/4 cup (100g) thickly sliced celery

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp thyme leaves, plus extra to serve

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup (250ml) red wine or cider

2 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar

2 beef bouillon cubes (20g), crumbled

2 oz (60g) dark chocolate (70% cocoa), finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

2 Cut the beef into 2-inch (5cm) pieces. Put the beef and flour in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat the beef evenly in the flour, shaking off any excess flour.

3 Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 6-quart (5.75 liter) Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed ovenproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. Cook half of the beef, turning, for 5 minutes or until well browned. Transfer the beef to a large bowl. Repeat with another 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining beef; transfer to the same bowl.

4 Reduce the heat to medium; add the remaining olive oil, shallots, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomato paste; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the mixture looks almost dry. Add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with the spoon to deglaze. Bring to a boil; simmer for 2 minutes.

5 Return the beef to the Dutch oven; stir in the bouillon cubes and 4 cups (1 liter) water. Cover the surface of the dish with a large piece of parchment paper trimmed to fit, ensuring the mixture is completely covered; cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer the dish to the oven; bake, stirring occasionally, for 1 ¹ / 2 hours. Remove the lid and parchment paper; cook for a further 30 minutes or until the beef is tender. Stir in the chocolate until melted.

6 Serve half of the beef topped with extra thyme. Transfer the remaining beef to an airtight container; allow to cool, then store until needed (see tips ).

TIPS

• Serve with Garlicky Beans with Pine Nuts and creamy mashed potatoes.

• You can refrigerate the beef stew for up to 3 days. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge, then reheat in a microwave.

Rich beef stew

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Spinach and paneer curry

Vegetarian | prep + cook time 35 minutes | serves 4

Paneer is a good protein and calcium option for those on a vegetarian diet, while spinach is rich in calcium, potassium, and folate. This no-waste recipe, echoing the Indian classic sag paneer, uses an entire bunch of cilantro including the leaves and stems.

³/4 cup (150g) brown rice

4 tsp olive oil, divided

¹/2 cup (150g) thinly sliced onion

1 tbsp ginger paste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 bunch of cilantro (100g), leaves separated, coarsely chopped

1 long green chile, thinly sliced, divided

4 cups (120g) baby spinach

8 oz (225g) paneer, cut into 1-in (2.5cm) cubes

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp ground cumin

1 (15 oz/425g) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed

¹/3 cup (95g) plain yogurt

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

1 Cook the rice according to the package directions. Drain; cover to keep warm.

2 Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the ginger, garlic, cilantro stems, and half of the green chile; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the spinach; cook for 1 minute or until just wilted.

3 Transfer the spinach mixture to a food processor with the cilantro leaves; pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside until needed.

4 Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the paneer; cook, turning, for 2 minutes. Add the garam masala and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.

5 Return the spinach mixture to the pan, then add the chickpeas and yogurt. Remove from the heat; stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6 Divide the brown rice and paneer mixture evenly among 4 serving bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining chile; serve with the lemon wedges for squeezing over.

TIP

Paneer (or panir) is a fresh, unripened cow’s milk cheese similar to pressed ricotta. It has a crumbly texture and mild flavor and is usually available in the refrigerated section of major grocery stores, as well as at some health food shops.

Spinach and paneer curry

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Spicy stewed lamb and chickpeas

Double batch | prep + cook time 2 hours 40 minutes | serves 8

Lamb necks aren’t a common cut in the United States, but they can be an economical option if your butcher or meat counter has them in stock. Like oxtail, they need a long, slow simmer to cook down the tissues and bring out the best flavor. This version can easily use canned tomatoes in place of fresh and yields a rich sauce you’ll want to sop up with bread.

1 tbsp olive oil, divided

4¹/2 lb (2kg) lamb neck chops, trimmed of excess fat (see tips)

1 cup (300g) coarsely chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 long red chiles, seeded, finely chopped

3 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp garam masala

2 cinnamon sticks

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

4 cups (1 liter) beef stock

1 (15 oz/425g) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed

¹/2 lb (480g) tomatoes, quartered

salt and freshly ground black pepper

fresh herbs of choice such as mint, rosemary, or flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

2 Heat half of the olive oil in a 6-quart (5.75 liter) Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed ovenproof roasting pan over high heat. Cook the lamb in batches, turning, for 3 minutes or until browned all over; transfer each batch to a large heatproof bowl.

3 Heat the remaining olive oil in the Dutch oven; cook the onions, stirring, for 3 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic, ginger, chiles, cumin, garam masala, and cinnamon; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the flour; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Gradually add the beef stock, stirring to combine.

4 Return the lamb to the Dutch oven with the chickpeas; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer to the oven; cook for 1 hour. Add the tomatoes, then return to the oven; cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 1 hour or until the lamb is tender and the tomatoes soften.

5 Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve half of the lamb casserole topped with