Can you believe it’s August already? Wimbledon is over (but strawberries are still in season) and the summer holidays are in full swing. True to form, here are our picks of the cheap and tasty recipes you can have a go with this month. Each one features at least one ingredient that’s currently in season, too, for extra taste and budget appeal!
Artichoke and aubergine rice (from BBC Good Food)
Image courtesy of BBC Good Food
Is August the month where everything in season begins with an A? You’d think so from this recipe. The stars of the show are artichokes and aubergines, which are both at the height of their season during August. This tasty rice dish packs a serious flavour punch, but is kind to your wallet at the same time. Serve it up for dinner, then have the leftovers for lunch the next day!
What you’ll need
- 60ml olive oil
- 2 aubergines, cut into chunks
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- small pack parsley, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 400g paella rice
- 1½ vegetable stock cubes
- 350g artichokes, chargrilled
- 2 lemons: 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges to serve
How to make it
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the aubergines until nicely coloured on all sides (add another tbsp of oil if the aubergine begins catching too much), then remove and set aside.
Add the rest of the oil to the pan and lightly fry the onion for 2-3 mins or until softened. Throw in the garlic and parsley stalks, cook for a few mins more, then stir in the spices and rice until everything is well coated.
Add half the stock and cook, uncovered, over a medium heat for 20 mins, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan
Nestle the aubergine and artichokes into the mixture, pour over the rest of the stock and cook for 20 more minutes or until the rice is cooked through, then take off the heat.
Finely chop the parsley leaves, then, along with the lemon juice stir through the pan of food and season well. Bring the whole pan to the table and spoon into bowls, with the lemon wedges on the side.
Pea and sweetcorn fritters (from My Fussy Eater)
Image courtesy of My Fussy Eater
Peas and sweetcorn are a classic combo to get some veggies into even the fussiest of eaters. Put them in a fritter, add in that they’re both in season, and that’s a cheap, tasty recipe if ever we saw one. These fritters make a great meal, or a delicious side – take your pick!
What you’ll need
- 100g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- An egg
- 100ml milk
- 100g each of peas and sweetcorn – fresh or frozen, your choice!
- A spring onion, chopped
- Oil, for frying
How to make it
Pop the flour, baking powder, egg and milk in a bowl and mix well until you have a smooth batter.
Stir in the peas, sweetcorn and spring onion and make sure they’re all well-combined into the batter.
Heat the oil in a large, flat-based frying pan. Add a heaped spoon of batter to the pan and cook for five minutes on each side until cooked through and golden brown. Depending on the size of your pan, you may be able to cook a few fritters at once. You should get eight fritters out of this mixture.
Once cooked, serve immediately! Natural yoghurt or creme fraiche make an excellent dip, just saying…
Slow cooked summer beef casserole (from Kitchen Sanctuary)
Image courtesy of Kitchen Sanctuary
Did you know beef had a season? Neither did we! But, apparently, the best beef is available during the late summer, and its season kicks off in August. Something else that has a summer season is a good old slow-cooked casserole. Typically a warming winter dish, this lighter version from Kitchen Sanctuary is perfect to throw on while you spend a day out in the sunshine, then tuck into come sunset.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil
- 600g braising steak
- 2 tablespoons of plain flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 330ml ale
- 300ml beef stock
- 1 each of red and green peppers, chopped
- A courgette, chopped into chunks
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- Couscous, to serve
How to make it
Add the beef, flour and salt and pepper to a freezer bag, and give it a good shake to coat the beef in the flour mixture.
Heat a little olive oil in a pan and fry the floury beef in it for 6-8 minutes until browned all over.
At the same time, turn your slow cooker on at a medium heat and add the beef stock. Once the beef is ready, add that to the cooker, then add the garlic and ale. Pop the lid on, and leave for about six hours.
Once your time is up, lift the lid and add the peppers and courgette. Stir through well, then pop the lid back on for 5 minutes. This will make sure the veggies are hot, but still crunchy.
Serve topped with parmesan and some lovely fluffy couscous.
Crusted trout with minted lemon broad beans (from Delicious)
Image courtesy of Delicious
Trout is a fish we often overlook. After all, salmon’s so much more common! But, the two are pretty interchangeable and similarly priced. Plus, if you’re not a big fan of salmon, the milder flavour of a trout fillet might be right up your street. Give this light, summery and seasonal fish dish a whirl this August.
What you’ll need
- 50g olives, pitted
- 60g breadsticks
- A small handful of coriander
- 1 tablespoon of plain flour
- An egg
- 4 trout fillets, around 125g each
- 400g frozen broad beans (or fresh, since they’re in season too!)
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon of fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of fat free natural yoghurt
- Boiled new potatoes, to serve
How to make it
First things first, preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/ gas 6.
In a food processor, whizz the olives, breadsticks and coriander to crumbs. Spread out onto a plate.
On another plate, spread the flour out. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and beat lightly. Turn each trout fillet in the flour, shake off the excess, then coat in the egg and finally the crumb mixture. Put on a non-stick baking tray and bake for 12 minutes, until cooked.
While the trout is in the oven, cook the beans in a pan of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, until tender. Drain, slip out of their skins, then mix with the lemon zest and juice, mint and yogurt.
Divide the potatoes between plates, top with the trout and beans. Enjoy!
Raspberry and blueberry crumble (from Delia Online)
Image courtesy of Delia Online
One of our favourite things about this time of year is the sheer quantity of berries coming into season. Who doesn’t love fresh berries straight from the bush?! A crumble might seem like a winter-y choice of dessert, but trust us, with a splash of chilled cream as Delia suggests, it’s a perfect summer pud, too.
What you’ll need
400g each of blueberries and raspberries
1 tablespoon of caster sugar
110g whole almonds, skin on
75g butter, chilled
175g self-raising flour
110g demerara sugar
Pouring cream, to serve
How to make it
First, let’s get the oven on. Pre-heat it to 180 degrees.
Next, in a shallow baking dish, spread out the fruit and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
In a food processor, whizz up the almonds, butter, demerara sugar and flour until it looks like crumbs. Be careful not to over-mix it – you don’t want a doughy crumble!
Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit in an even layer, spreading it right up to the edges of the dish. Then, pat it down firmly using your hands, and run a fork over the surface to make grooves in the top.
Pop the crumble in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the topping is crisp and golden.
Serve with a generous pour of cream, custard or ice cream – your choice!
