Saturday, September 17, 2011

Living on a Food Stamp Budget Part 2 Day 5


Coffee with cream .34
Grapes .70

Not a complete breakfast by any means. Have I told you that this has been a mad busy week and I am eating for speed; during the day anyway.

Lunch was cabbage soup and a Vietnamese baguette with a sausage. I pulled the soup from the freezer and had a lot of it...delicious.
Sausage .99
Soup 1.24
Bread .25
Total 2.48
Once I total my week I think this indulgence will be okay.

Today's recipe: Spaghetti with chicken livers

There is a Tuscan dish made with spaghetti, pancetta, chicken liver and cream. I was not in the mood for anything creamy so I made my own version and it was incredibly delicious.  Serves 4

8 ounces spaghetti .76
1 lb chicken livers .99
4 bunches green onions 1.00
4 cups Swiss chard finely chopped 1.69
1 head of garlic chopped .25
Olive oil
Splash of pasta water, stock or white wine if you have it.
Garnish of parsley or basil if you have it.

Put your water on to boil. Clean your liver in water and cut off any fatty or spongy bits. Section into bite sized pieces.

Salt your liver and put a splash of olive oil into the pan. When the oil is very hot sear the outside of the liver (Do NOT overcook) they should still be rare inside. Remove and lower heat, add another splash of oil and the chopped garlic, saute very low while the pasta cooks.

Drain pasta and turn the heat up on the garlic, Toss in the chard and the pasta and toss. Add a splash of water, wine or stock and then the chopped scallion and the chicken liver. Toss together and serve with a bit of garnish if you have it.

This along with the cabbage soup gave me close to a home run for my daily nutrition. Chicken liver is an inexpensive protein source that is loaded in a good way. As for $$ 1.17 per serving.

2 comments:

Karen said...

I am curious about this cabbage soup. Can you share a bit more about what is in it?

Karl said...

Karen,

I am working on a cabbage soup recipe for publication. I have made so many variations with whatever was on hand but I am culling the best to come up with a proper recipe.