GOOD AND CHEAP RECIPES - CHARRED SUMMER SALAD

CHARRED SUMMER SALAD

One of the early supporters of this book, Gina, can’t eat gluten and wanted more Mexican-inspired options. I designed this spicy summer salad for her, topped with popcorn for a crunch like croutons. Use smaller zucchini, and save the big ones for muffins. If you own a grill, use it instead of the broiler!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 cobs corn
• 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 oz cotija or feta, crumbled
• 1 cup popcorn , popped

DRESSING

• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper

RECIPE

1. Chop off both ends of the zucchini, then slice each into four long sticks. 
2. Shuck the corn. Lay the zucchini and corn on a baking tray, then rub them with oil, making sure they’re well coated. 
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Broil (or barbecue) for 2 to 5 minutes, depending on how powerful your broiler is. 
5. Turn the corn over to make sure it cooks evenly. The zucchini should start to blacken in some spots. This is good! Broil for another 2 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly charred.
6. Mix the dressing in a large bowl. Taste it and adjust.
7. Chop the zucchini into bite-sized pieces and slice the corn kernels from the cob. 
8. Transfer the vegetables into the bowl with the dressing. 
9. Add the crumbled cotija or feta and mix. 
10. Sprinkle popcorn over top, then dust with a little extra chili powder, salt, and pepper.

FROM GOOD AND CHEAP BOOK

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GOOD AND CHEAP RECIPES - BROCCOLI APPLE SALAD

BROCCOLI APPLE SALAD

The bitterness of broccoli is delicious next to the sweet tartness of apples. Plenty of crunch, too!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large crown and stem of broccoli
• 2 apples

DRESSING

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

ALTERNATE DRESSING

• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
• salt and pepper

RECIPE

1. Slice the stem of the broccoli into 1/8” discs. If you can’t get them that thin, don’t worry, but the thinner the better if you have the patience! 
2. Once you reach the crown of the broccoli, cut each of the florets off and slice each of them as thinly
3. as you can as well. 
4. Set the broccoli in a bowl. Halve and core the apples, then place the apples flat side down on your cutting board to make them easier to slice. Slice the apples into 1/8” pieces as well, then dump them into the same bowl.
5. Choose either of the dressing options and prepare it by simply mixing the ingredients together in a small bowl. 
6. Taste it and season with more salt and pepper to match your preferences.
7. Pour the dressing over the bowl of vegetables and mix it all together.
8. If you put a plate in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving the salad, it’ll stay crisp slightly longer. For the best presentation, pile the salad as high and tight as you can manage

FROM GOOD AND CHEAP RECIPES

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GOOD AND CHEAP - Spicy Panzanella

A former classmate, George, likes salads with a little kick. (As you can maybe tell, I do too!)
For inspiration, I turned to panzanella, a classic Italian bread-and-tomato salad. The Italians are true masters of making leftovers delicious. Here, old hard bread soaks up tomato juice and dressing for a super flavorful and filling salad.
You can toss in any vegetable or fruit so long as it’s juicy. Bell peppers or carrots won’t work so well, but peaches, grapes, and zucchini all do. If you don’t like spicy salads as much as George and I do, feel free to replace the jalapeño with garlic or shallot.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small field cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 
• salt and pepper
• 4 slices day-old bread

DRESSING

• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

ADDITIONS

• fresh herbs
• peaches, nectarines, or plums
• red onion, finely chopped
• zucchini or summer squash
• olives
• grapes

RECIPE

1. If you’re using field cucumbers—usually much less expensive than English cucumbers—peel them roughly to remove the tough skin.
2. Keep about 2 tablespoons of chopped tomatoes aside to use in the dressing, but throw the rest of the tomatoes and all the cucumbers into a large bowl. 
3. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; the salt helps draw out the juices. Toss the vegetables quickly.
4. Place a small saucepan on medium heat with a few drops of olive oil. Sauté the jalapeño for about a minute, then add the remaining tomato and a tablespoon of water. Cook for another 2 minutes, until the tomato juices release.
5. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. 
6. Once the water has evaporated, turn off the stovetop and dump the jalapeño-tomato mixture on your cutting board. 
7. Chop it very finely, then throw it back into the pan—with no heat—along with the lime juice and olive oil.
8. Taste it and add more salt and pepper as needed. You’ve got dressing!
9. Chop or tear the bread into bite-sized pieces, then toast it in a skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally until the bread chunks are toasty on all sides. 
10. Alternatively, just toast full slices of bread in a toaster and tear them up afterwards, or skip the toasting entirely if the bread is already super-hard.
11. Mix the bread and vegetables with the dressing.
12. Taste and adjust salt and pepper once more.
13. Let it sit for a few minutes so that the bread can soak up the juices, then serve!

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Cold (and Spicy?) Asian Noodles

On a hot day, this is all I want to eat. Cold but spicy food is refreshing and delicious in the summer. If you have some spice oil on hand, be sure to add it. It’s amazing in this.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz dried spaghetti, soba, or any Asian noodles
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 cucumber, finely chopped
• salt and pepper

ADDITIONS

• spice oil
• peanut sauce
• grated carrot
• shredded cabbage
• bean sprouts
• hard-boiled egg
• chopped tomato

RECIPE

1. Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions.
2. Rinse them under cold water and put them in a colander to drain.
3. Put the noodles in a bowl and add the soy sauce, spice oil if you have it, scallions, and cucumber (and any other additions). 
4. Mix it all together with a fork or a tongs. Taste it and add salt and pepper or more spice oil as needed.
5. Let the noodles sit in the fridge for about an hour if you can. The flavors will mingle and become more intense. 
6. Think of this as a recipe that you can really make your own.
7. Use whatever sauce or dressing you like and whatever vegetables you have around, or just a few scallions.

FROM GOOD AND CHEAP 

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GOOD AND CHEAP RECIPES - BEET AND CHICKPEA SALAD

 BEET AND CHICKPEA SALAD 

This dish is spicy, crunchy, and almost certainly the pinkest salad you’ll ever eat! Don’t be scared.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 to 3 beets, peeled and grated
• 1 cup chickpeas, cooked or canned
• 3 tbsp peanuts

DRESSING

• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp chili sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

RECIPE

1. Peel the raw beets, removing the stems if necessary, then shred the beets with a box grater. 
2. Place the beets in a bowl along with the chickpeas and nuts.
3. Mix up the dressing ingredients in another small bowl and stir to combine.
4. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to
5. your liking.
6. Add the dressing to the other bowl and mix up all the ingredients. 
7. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so that the flavors can soak into the vegetables and the beet juices can mingle with the dressing.

FROM GOOD AND CHEAP BOOK

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GOOD AND CHEAP RECIPES - TACO SALAD

This salad is a great use for leftover beans (or pulled pork)—crunchy, fresh, yet satisfying enough to be a whole meal. I like to make taco salad in a week where I’ve made a large batch of beans and I’m craving something fresh.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup beans, pulled pork, or ground beef
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup corn, canned or fresh
• 2-3 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 cup tortilla chips, roughly crushed
• sharp cheddar or queso fresco, for sprinkling

DRESSING

• ¼ cup sour cream or yogurt
• juice of one lime
• salt and pepper

ADDITIONS

• cucumber
• jalapeno
• bell peppers
• grated carrots
• salsa 

RECIPE

1. Mix up the dressing and taste it. 
2. Adjust the salt, pepper, and lime to your liking.
3. Mix the other ingredients in a large bowl. 
4. Pour the dressing over just before serving and toss to coat the salad evenly. 
5. Eat immediately, maybe with a few extra tortilla chips on the side.

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Ever-Popular Potato Salad

I developed this salad because I’m not a big fan of mayonnaise-based potato salads. This is really the simplest thing: just potatoes in a regular vinaigrette. You can add all kinds of extras to it to make it more festive, but people always rave about the salad as is. The secret is that potatoes actually have really nice flavor— all you have to do is season them properly. Let potatoes be potatoes, no need to hide ’em!
If you have leftover roasted potatoes or other root vegetables, the same idea works great. Just skip the cooking part and go straight to the dressing.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, lime juice, or vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• scallions
• addi t ions
• fresh dill, chopped
• fresh parsley, chopped
• paprika
• fresh chillies, finely chopped
• pickles, finely chopped

RECIPE

1. Smaller potatoes are best, but whatever you’ve got will be fine! If you’re using very large potatoes, chop them into halves or quarters to speed up the cooking—or dice them into bite-sized pieces if you’re really in a hurry. Otherwise, keep the potatoes whole.
2. Cover the potatoes with water in a large pot with a lid. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down to medium and set the lid askew so that steam can escape.
3. After about 25 minutes, try piercing the largest potato with a fork. If the fork pierces the potato easily, it’s fully cooked. If not, boil for 5 more minutes. It’s fine if they’re a little overcooked, but undercooked potatoes are awful.
4. Drain the water. 
5. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle safely (but still warm), roughly chop them into bitesized pieces, if you haven’t already.
6. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, citrus juice or vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk it briskly until the liquid is blended. If you don’t have a whisk, simply whip with a fork.
7. Throw the potatoes into the bowl and stir to coat them in the dressing. Add a generous amount of salt as you stir. Potatoes are very bland without salt!
8. Then let them marinate for 10 minutes.
9. Chop a handful of scallions and sprinkle them over top. Toss the salad once more, then taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and vinegar as you see fit.
10. This keeps very well and travels nicely to a picnic or potluck. Have fun!

FROM GOOD AND CHEAP BOOK

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Good and Cheap Recipes - Broiled Eggplant Salad

Even if you aren’t a big eggplant fan,
you might enjoy this despite yourself.
Broiled eggplant has a crunchy and
meaty texture, and the tahini dressing
makes the salad rich and creamy.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium eggplant, sliced into circles
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp tahini
 sprinkle of chili flakes (optional)
 fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)
 salt and pepper

RECIPE

Turn on your oven’s broiler. Arrange
the slices of eggplant on a baking sheet,
then place them under the broiler for
about 3 minutes. Watch them carefully.
Once they begin to blacken, remove
them from the oven and flip the slices
over. Repeat the process on the other
side. Once your eggplant is nicely
charred, chop it into bite-sized pieces.
In a bowl, mix the tahini, lemon juice,
and chili flakes (if using), plus plenty of
salt and pepper. Add the eggplant and
stir it around. Add more salt or lemon
juice according to your taste, then top it
with dill if available, and serve!

FROM GOOD AND CHEAP BOOK

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