According to the Energy Saving Trust, around 20% of the average household’s energy bill is consumed in the kitchen.
So with energy prices soaring, perhaps it’s time to look at alternative ways to cook?
The burden of rising energy costs can be eased by making filling, tasty family meals using inexpensive ingredients.
Recipes using hobs, microwaves, slow cookers, pressure cookers and air fryers consume significantly less energy than a conventional oven.
The first recipe is from Opies for a money-saving fish cake and is on the table in 40 minutes. The cost per serving is £1.93.
As for the second, it is for butternut squash soup from U:Me. It is a lovely, creamy dish – perfect to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.
For more Cooking on a Budget recipes, check out our recipe archive.
Budget fishcake with pea smash
(Makes 2)
Ingredients
For the fishcake:
- 2 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 400g frozen peas
- Salt
- 2 x 120g tins sardines
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 4 spring onions, finely chopped
- Handful parsley, chopped
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten
- 50g breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread, toasted and into crumbs)
- 3 Opies Sliced Lemons
For the tartare sauce:
- 50ml mayonnaise
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp Opies Capers, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Opies Cocktail Gherkins, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Opies Cocktail Onions, finely chopped
Method
- Peel the potatoes and cut into large, uniform-sized chunks. Place in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Cook until soft, drain and mash until smooth, using a little milk if needed. Allow to cool.
- Fry half your chopped onion in a little butter until soft, add the peas and cover with salted water and boil until soft. Drain and mash until coarse.
- Drain the sardines and add to a mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mustard, spring onions, parsley, egg and breadcrumbs. Add the mashed potato, season well and mix until well combined. Shape into four patties and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Mix together the mayonnaise, Opies Capers, Opies Cocktail Onions, Opies Cocktail Gherkins with the remaining onion and lemon. Season.
- Heat a tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan and add the patties, cooking until golden brown on each side.
- Serve over the peas, with tartare sauce and Opies Sliced Lemons.
Butternut squash soup with Stilton croutons
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 1kg butternut squash
- 3 tbsp U:Me Vegetable & Olive Oil blend
- 2 shallots peeled and thinly sliced
- 75g unsalted butter
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 150ml double cream
- ½ tsp mild chilli powder
- Sea salt and black pepper
For the Stilton croutons:
- 2 tbsp U:Me Vegetable & Olive Oil blend
- 100g Stilton cheese, crumbled
- 1 baguette
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160 Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4.
- Peel and de-seed the butternut squash (keeping the seeds) and dice into cubes. Place the squash into a mixing bowl, pour over 2 tbsp of the U:Me oil, season generously and mix well. Tip into a baking dish and roast for 45-50 minutes until softened and starting to take on some colour.
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp U:Me oil and butter over medium heat and gently sweat the shallots with some seasoning until translucent, add the stock, bring to a simmer and cook for five minutes.
- Transfer to a blender with the cooked squash, cream and blend until smooth, pass through a fine sieve and season to taste. Keep warm.
- Wash the reserved seeds, removing any leftover squash. Plate into the bowl, add the chilli powder, U:Me oil and seasoning, mix well and place on a baking sheet and roast for eight minutes.
For the croutons:
- Cut the baguette into eight, 2cm-thick rounds and cover both sides with the U:Me oil, place on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
- Add the crumbled Stilton to each round and place back in the oven for five minutes to melt.
- Serve the soup in bowls, add two croutons and a sprinkle of squash seeds.
