Top chefs offer $10 recipes to feed family of four

John Flack. Photo / Doug Sherring

Times might be tight but there's no excuse for an unhealthy diet.

The Herald on Sunday asked four top chefs to provide a recession-busting recipe to feed a family of four for under $10.

John Flackhead chef at Mikano, Mechanics Bay

Bean soup, Siennese style

2 cups dried cannellini beans

2 red onions

1 handful of Italian flat-leaved parsley

1 large celery stalk

2 cloves garlic peeled

1 tsp of rosemary leaves

4 tomatoes, fresh or canned and drained

50g pancetta or streaky bacon

half tspn dried tarragon

quarter cup olive oil

1 small savoy cabbage

4 thick slices sourdough bread

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Coarsely chop one onion, parsley, celery, garlic, and rosemary. Put in soup pot with dried beans and cover with plenty of cold water. Simmer until beans are tender, about one and a half hours. This is your stock.

Meanwhile saute the other onion, finely chopped, with the pancetta over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and tarragon and simmer for another 10 minutes. Set aside.

Cut the cabbage into quarters then into strips. When the beans are ready transfer half to bowl with a slotted spoon then puree the rest with the stock. Return puree to soup pot. Add cabbage and more cold water if it is too thick and simmer for 25 minutes.

Add the tomato/pancetta mix and the reserved beans and simmer for 5 minutes.

Toast the bread, put one slice in each large soup bowl, ladle over the hot soup and let stand for 5 minutes. Top with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Scott Smithhead chef, Andiamo, Herne Bay.

Slow roasted lamb neck chops

750g lamb neck chops

3 tbsp fruit chutney - anything in your fridge

2.5cm ginger, grated

3 cloves minced garlic

1 onion, roughly diced

2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

2 medium parsnips, roughly chopped

2 medium potatoes, roughly chopped

1 420g can diced tomato

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

1 cube beef stock

2 tbsp plain flour

400ml water

1 cup rice

Coat chops in flour, salt and pepper and brown in hot lightly-oiled pan. Remove chops to baking dish. Saute onion, garlic and ginger in pan and add to baking dish with salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients except peas and corn.

Cover with foil and bake at 180C for 2 hours. Add peas and corn. Cover and bake for 10 more mins. Serve with rice.

Paul Jobin Herald on Sunday food writer and freelance chef.

Sweet Thai crispy beef and steamed rice

2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

500g lean beef such as topside, thinly shredded

100ml vegetable oil

50ml sesame oil

one and a half cup raw sugar

Handful mint leaves, roughly chopped.

Handful coriander stems and leaves, roughly chopped.

120ml fish sauce

2 lemons, juiced

Deep fry red onion and garlic in not-too-hot oil until golden, draining on absorbent paper. Place all ingredients into a bowl, mix and infuse in fridge for two hours. Drain liquor and reserve. In a hot smoking wok, fry beef in batches quickly, keeping it raw in the middle. Return to liquor. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Stephen Wardhead chef, O'Connell St Bistro, Auckland City.

Braised chicken drumsticks with curried rice and cucumber coriander salad.

1kg chicken drumsticks

2 tbsp curry powder

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

300g basmati rice

800ml water with a little powdered chicken stock mixed in.

Toss chicken in bowl with curry powder, salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-based pot with lid until hot. Sear chicken until sealed then remove on to plate.

Add onion and garlic to pot and cook until soft. Add rice and stir for one minute.

Return chicken to pot in a single layer and pour over chicken stock. Put on lid and place in oven for about 45 minutes or until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid and chicken is cooked through. Serve with salad and a tablespoon of natural yoghurt if desired.

Cucumber and coriander salad

half telegraph cucumber (diced)

10g picked coriander

Dressing

2 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 pinches brown sugar

Mix lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar. Toss with cucumber and coriander.