GOURMET MEALS FOR $5 OR UNDER: MEAL 19 OF 25

WILD PACIFIC COD ON DIRTY RICE 
& BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

Total Cost: $3.65/serving

Total Preparation Time:  1 hr 10 min

While some dread turning forty, my husband, seemingly unfazed by another milestone, packed a few clothes, a handful of toiletries and traveled to Campbell River, BC to celebrate. Home to 32,000 people and the third largest city on Vancouver Island, it draws men and women from all over the country to experience world-class salmon fishing. 

Intrigued by the prospect of incorporating fresh Pacific seafood into my next affordable meal, I agreed to stay behind and look after Marcus for four days. Luckily, time flew by as we cooked, played and managed the household in anticipation of our fisherman's return home. Despite a lighter catch, he reported to be pleased with the experience he shared with two of his best friends and upon his arrival Monday evening, I was presented with the gift of freshly harvested cod and salmon.

The next day, I began by pre-cooking wild rice for 15 minutes. Encased in hard husk, it adds fibre to every meal and diversifies its texture to make up for longer preparation time. Once individual shells cracked, I added a cup of basmati rice and let the mix cook for 15 more minutes, stirring frequently enough to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)*
½ cup	97	Wild rice	1.95/100g	1.89
1 cup	222	Basmati rice	0.40/100g	0.89
TOTAL				2.78*	0.70

*Makes 4 servings 

As soon as wild rice was on the stove, it was time to prepare the ingredients for vegetable purée. Quickly, I peeled and cut into cubes butternut squash, sliced a medium-sized carrot and diced half an onion, setting some of it aside to be used with rice and other vegetables. Encouraged by Julie & Julia, I placed a tablespoon of softened unsalted butter, followed by the vegetable mix and spices, on the bottom of a pot, and cooked on high for 5 minutes or until slightly browned.

To sautée the vegetables, I reduced the heat to low, added 2 tablespoons of chicken broth and a teaspoon of orange blossom honey for enhanced flavour and covered with a lid for a total of 10 minutes. Having roasted a whole chicken the night before, I collected a small container of broth and placed it in the fridge overnight. Once chilled, the liquid gelatinized and lipids rose to the surface to form a solid layer. Given the fact that I already used butter to brown vegetables, I discarded the fat and only used gelatinized broth.

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST  ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)*
N/A	329	Butternut squash	0.97/lb	0.70
1	92	Carrot	0.88/lb	0.18
½	70	Onion	2.97/3lb	0.15
N/A	24	Butter	5.99/lb	0.32
1 tsp	7	Honey**	14.00/kg	0.10
		Salt & spices		0.10
TOTAL				1.55*	0.39

*Makes 4 servings
**Orange blossom honey

While waiting for the vegetables and rice to cook, I minced Bell peppers and mushrooms to be stir-fried with cooked rice in a separate frying pan. 

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)*
N/A	28	Red pepper	2.98/lb	0.18
N/A	28	Yellow pepper	2.98/lb	0.18
4	93	White mushrooms	2.89/lb	0.59
N/A	21	Dill	1.48/bunch (135g)	0.23
TOTAL				1.18*	0.30

*Makes 4 servings

It is worth mentioning that while most of the ingredients used are rather inexpensive, they work in unison to enhance the visual presentation and flavour of the meal, combating the widespread notion that healthful eating is not only uneconomical but also bland.

The bulk of the meal cooked, it was time to bake cod. I pre-heated the oven to 425°F, wrapped the fish slightly sprinkled with oregano and lemon juice in a sheet of aluminum foil, placed it in a shallow pan and baked it for 25 minutes. Had there been one or two fillets, they would have cooked through more quickly; however, I had five or six sizable pieces placed on top of each other, and that delayed the process somewhat.

MEASURE	WEIGHT (g)	INGREDIENT	COST PER PACKAGE ($)	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)
N/A	120	Cod	18.90/kg	2.27	2.27
TOTAL				2.27	2.27

The time delay offered the opportunity to blend squash, which I accomplished in seconds in my Magic Bullet, adding just enough water to reach a desired consistency.

As the time came to arrange the meal ingredients, I wished I had deep plates and food styling forms. Secondary only to taste, presentation is paramount in ensuring the ultimate enjoyment of every meal, not to mention its proper digestion. Visual creatures, we tend to eat with our eyes first, and an elegantly arranged dish launches the initial digestive processes prior to it being physically consumed. However, I had to make peace with the dishware available and used a soup/salad bowl to stack the ingredients.

As a result, the fragrant sweet butternut squash purée lay hidden underneath dirty rice- a pleasant surprise to discover as one drowns his fork in anticipation of a good affordable meal.

	TOTAL COST ($)	COST PER SERVING ($)
GRAND TOTAL	7.78	3.65