Tremblant Lifestyle

You know, call me a culinary snob, but when I think of gourmet dining, McMuffins and Hamburger Helper aren’t the first delicacies that spring to mind. However, when I went searching for gourmet recipes on a budget, this is exactly what I found. If, like me, your ideas about haute cuisine don’t include At Home Microwave McMuffins or 42 ways to use a box of macaroni and cheese, read on. If, on the other hand, these sound exactly like what you’re looking for, Google is your friend and “gourmet recipes on a budget” (no quotes) is your way in.

I’m by no means a gourmet chef, but one thing I’ve noticed never fails to impress is when you serve meat stuffed with something. The upsurge of the turducken - a turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with chicken - is nothing new. Medieval and Roman chefs were also proud meatpackers, but the recipes I’m offering today are a little easier on the wallet than a three meat entree.

Start off with either turkey or chicken breasts, and try and buy fairly thick specimens. You could also use pork tenderloin. I buy whatever is on sale, and usually one of these three will be.

Now, for the stuffing. Pressed for time? Wrap a piece of ham around a mozzarella cheese stick and jam that inside. Want some green goodness? Chuck some spinach in a food processor and chop it up, and then add some feta cheese and a few sun-dried tomatoes. No kissing in the cards? Combine garlic, parsley and butter. Or, scoop some ready-made pesto inside.

Place the breast or tenderloin flat on the cutting board and slice the side about 1/3 of the way down. Now wriggle your knife blade inside so you’re hollowing out a cavity for the stuffing. Keep flipping the meat over to check you’re not getting too close on either side.

Time to get messy. Pick up your stuffing and push it inside with your fingers, filling up the inside of the meat so it bulges with deliciousness. Grind some fresh salt and black pepper over the result.

Toss your meat into a frying pan drizzled with extra virgin olive oil until it is lightly browned, and then bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, depending on meat thickness. You can use a meat thermometer to check when it’s finished, but I usually just cheat and slice my own portion open to check no pinkness remains but it’s still juicy.

Serve with a mixed green salad (available cheaply from your salad section) and either whole wheat noodles or one of Uncle Ben’s cheapo but gourmet rice packages.

After trying this once or twice, you’ll soon get the hang of stuffing and be able to whip this up in no time. You can also experiment with different stuffing combinations - your favorite cheese, or herbs and spices you’d like to try. It takes me less than 30 minutes to prepare this meal, and it’s cheaper and tastier and healthier than many restaurant offerings.

Some helpful budget tips:

• Buy meat in bulk when it’s on sale and freeze it.
• Grow your own herbs. Fresh herbs always add a touch of gourmet to any dish, but are expensive bought a package at a time. Your own garden is easy to start and will boost your cooking beyond belief.
• If you lack a garden to grow herbs, consider getting a place with a balcony to grow stuff off of. Check your real estate listings for balconies.
• Stay out of the grocery aisles. It’s better for your waistline and your wallet. The aisles contain processed and packaged foods, much of which is junk food. If you save your money for the edges - fresh produce, meat, fish and dairy - you’ll get more bang for your buck nutritionally, and also avoid all the added sugar and salt of processed offerings.