Good cheap-cuts recipe for dinner party

[Jezabelle]

Having friends for dinner at the weekend, there'll just be 4 of us, but we are properly struggling for money at the mo. Thought I might make a recipe using cheap cuts of meat. We know a great, (very reasonable) butcher. I have a slow cooker and am happy to make more than we need and use it up in the week.

Oh and cheap quick pudding recipes would be good too please!

TIA

[wrenster]

I have the best recipe ever for you (if you like beef!). It's beef brisket done in the slow cooker with a sweet, spicy sauce cooked with peppers/mange tout/mini sweet corn.

You slow cook it and then shred it into the sauce and then either serve with rice or noodles, or both. I have cooked it lots of time for guests and everyone asks for the recipe!

The recipe calls for a big piece of brisket, but I use about 900g or so with the same amount of sauce for 4 people and it's perfect - joint should be around £6-7 ish. I'll just try and link the recipe now - hope you like it!

[wrenster]

mummymishaps.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/slow-cooker-chinese-style-roast-beef.html?m=1

Hope that works!

[Jezabelle]

Thanks wrenster. Only worry is that all the veg look quite pricey. Is something I'll definitely do one day. Anymore ideas please?

[Back2Two]

Lamb tagine

It's a great recipe and I always use lamb neck (or you could use lamb scrag) I know that doesn't sound so nice but the meat is tender and lovely. Serve with rice, couscous or bread and maybe some salad?

The expensive bits would be the dried apricots and the spice mix. You don't need the pomegranate seeds really.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I love Cassoulets and there's a nice recipe from the Hairy Bikers here which I made recently, substituting the chicken with belly pork. Traditional french peasant dish containing various beans which keeps the price right down. Dead trendy....

[notso]

Jamie Olivers slow cooked pork shoulder is my cheap but impressive dish.
I fed 15 for about £10 of meat and £100 on booze on Christmas eve, I did a big dish of braised red cabbage with apple, a big dish of leeks in slightly cheesy white sauce, and roast and mashed potatoes.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

I do a pork stew using pig cheek, it is from a Genaro Contaldo book. It is really delicious, and I serve it with little pork sausages and a crusty loaf of bread if we have visitors.

[TheSurgeonsMate]

I made sussex pond pudding last night. I don't usually eat steamed puddings and I thought it was pretty cool - if your guests don't usually eat steamed puddings it could be a bit of a show stopper.

It wasn't too hard to make, and all done in the afternoon and then left to steam. Ingredients were flour, suet, sugar, butter (quite a bit of butter), golden syrup and a lemon. I think you'd find a recipe that didn't call for golden syrup if you looked.

[TheMoreItSnows]

I did this t'other night for 4 with a breast of lamb (v cheap cut). It was delicious....

[TheMoreItSnows]

I did this t'other night for 4 with a breast of lamb (v cheap cut). It was delicious....

[TheMoreItSnows]

I did this t'other night for 4 with a breast of lamb (v cheap cut). It was delicious.....

[TheMoreItSnows]

I did this t'other night for 4 with a breast of lamb (v cheap cut). It was delicious.....

[TheMoreItSnows]

Sorry - don't know what happened there!

[Back2Two]

Mmm, some lovely ideas here. Love the look of the cassoulet cogito and the pearl barley and lamb looks great too!

[Jezabelle]

Sooo many fab ideas here. Thanks! I love the look of the Lamb Tagine Back2two and the one you linked to TheMoreItSnows sounds deliscious too. Will definitely cook both at some point, haven't decided which to make on Saturday. Have still to Google the ones not linked.