Wolfgang Puck's WalletPop special: a great homemade meal for under $15
Filed under: Food, Saving Money
Keeping your family well fed is becoming more of a challenge each day. Not only do you have to take into account what the kids will and won't eat, what's in season, and organic versus non-organic, there's the issue of cost. And according to the Agriculture Department, your grocery bill will climb even higher as the economy starts to recover. To help, WalletPop will occasionally feature recipes from famous chefs and restaurateurs. The price tag: $15 or less to serve a family of four or more. To kick off the series, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck recommends this hearty but easy to make Southwestern Strata with sausage recipe.
Ingredients:3/4 pound bulk pork or turkey sausage, mild Italian sausage, or chorizo, casings removed
1/2 pound stale rosemary country bread or French bread, cut in 3/4-inch slices
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 cup grated pepper Jack cheese
6 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh tomato salsa for garnish
Directions:
1. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add sausage. Saute, breaking it up into bite-size chunks with a wooden spoon until cooked through and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage pieces to paper towels to drain and cool.
2. Oil a 12x10-inch baking or gratin dish. Rub the bread slices with the cut garlic and spread in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle half the cheese over the bread, top with sausage, and finish with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can prepare up to 2 hours ahead.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over bread mixture. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the top is browned and the mixture is slightly puffed. Serve with salsa on the side.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-02-2009 @ 6:10PM
Vickie said...
One entree for 4 person. Ewww... enough nutritions? Bore my tongue and appetite already. Pls try to recommend something better next time.
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11-03-2009 @ 4:57PM
Yvonne said...
good job! thanks for the recipe.
11-02-2009 @ 5:57PM
Niki said...
I'm not a novice cook but what the heck is "1 cut grated pepper jack cheese"? Is that supposed to be 1 cup?
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11-02-2009 @ 6:00PM
Niki said...
There's also no mention of mushrooms in the recipe but the picture is showing them. Hmmm.
11-02-2009 @ 7:34PM
JJ said...
YUM, boy this looks good, but where are the mushrooms in the ingredients? 1 cup? Hmmm?
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11-02-2009 @ 10:39PM
Bill said...
Those obviously aren't mushrooms, they are squirrel fetuses...duh
11-03-2009 @ 8:37AM
MJG said...
Besides mushrooms, I'm also seeing tomatoes and spinach-- not in the ingredients list. Wrong picture?
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11-02-2009 @ 10:53PM
Carole said...
It also looks like there are fresh tomato slices. Without the mushrooms and tomatoes, this dish would look very uninteresting when served, I'm afraid.
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11-02-2009 @ 11:11PM
sheila said...
I would put diced celery in this too...the salsa would be a bit much...cilantro really dominates the dish. Serve a green salad with a cut up hard-boiled egg and black olives and you have a meal.
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11-03-2009 @ 2:22AM
maryannaka said...
I would like to get the recipe for Wolfgang Puck's 'Baked Salmon'. I had it at an outside restaurant in CA & I have never been able to find it. It was the best. Thanks. Maryannaka
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11-03-2009 @ 4:15AM
Brittany said...
this doesnt look like it serves 4 ppl
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11-03-2009 @ 10:19AM
michele said...
That's a single serve of the strata, fools not the whole thing.
The tomato is part of the salsa. And what fool would add a hard boiled egg to a dish with 6 eggs already in it?
That's a perfectly nice strata for breakfast or brunch, similar to a frittata or a quiche with near the same type of ingredients and hits all food groups: Grain/Bread, Tomato/Fruit, Cheese/Dairy, Egg/Protein, what more do you want? A glass of juice would be a good addition but then your $15 meal for 4 would be $20.
If serving this for dinner, a simple green salad but that too would pump up the price a couple of dollars.
*mushrooms were probably an optional that got removed to meet the price for four servings.
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11-03-2009 @ 7:01PM
JM said...
This is a strata recipe. Strata does not cost $15.00 to make. Strata is a budget meal. Get rid of the rosemary bread, (use a store-bought loaf) and you will save at least $3.00. Inincrease eggs to 8-10 eggs . Refrigerate entire pan overnite. Also, any white cheese works (probably american also but it's asthetics) Put in a 9 X 13 pan and it will actually feed 4 people.
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