Only £1
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Only £3
Budgets may be low at this time of year but that doesn’t have to stop you enjoying a top notch Valentine’s meal with your loved one. Making food from scratch is not only cost-effective, it shows how much you care – after all, a little bit of effort costs nothing! 
And if you choose your ingredients carefully, you can save even more money without compromising on quality. The following menu uses lots of our Good Value range alongside some top quality local ingredients to create a meal that’s delicious and easy on the wallet. Enjoy!
Menu:| Starter: Carrot & Coriander soup with home-made croutons |
Main Course: Classic Italian Lasagne with home-made garlic bread |
Dessert: Pear and blackberry crumble |
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| Good Value carrots Onions Tinned tomatoes Good Value cheddar Budgens Parmesan cheese Beef mince from Martin’s Meats |
Ground coriander 2 garlic bulbs Butter Budgens milk French bread by La Parisienne Local pears from Hayles Fruit Farm |
Blackberries Budgens ground almonds Budgens plain flour Brown sugar Local ice cream from Spot Loggins |
Starter: Carrot & Coriander soup with home-made croutons
Soup is one of the simplest and cheapest foods to prepare and the beauty about this one is that the ingredients only cost pennies! You can make delicious home-made vegetable stock by boiling leftover vegetable bits in water, with herbs. Croutons are surprisingly easy to make yourself and a great way to use up any leftover bread.
Method:
Fry an onion and 500g chopped carrots in a little olive oil. Stir in 1 teaspoon of ground coriander and cook for a minute. Add 1.2 litres of vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Simmer until tender, then purée. Reheat and serve with a garnish of fresh coriander. To make the croutons, butter some old bread, season and cut into chunks. Roast in a baking tray until golden.
Main Course: Classic Italian Lasagne with home-made garlic bread
Mince is one of the cheapest cuts of meat but is delicious when used in dishes such as lasagne. Dried pasta is simple and economical and you can use our Good Value tinned tomatoes for the Bolognese sauce and Good Value cheddar for the béchamel sauce. Homemade garlic bread tastes fantastic and takes just a few minutes to create.
Method:
Make the Bolognese sauce by frying off an onion, a carrot and 2 sticks celery in a little olive oil. Add 450g mince and brown all over. Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic, a tin of chopped tomatoes, a glug of wine (optional), 250ml stock and a spoonful of sugar.
Next make the béchamel sauce by melting 15g butter in a pan. Stir in 15g plain flour and cook for one minute, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and add 300ml milk gradually, stirring constantly. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Return to the heat and cook stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Simmer for two minutes.
Now assemble your lasagne by spooning a third of the Bologese sauce into a gratin dish. Next add a layer of béchamel sauce, cover with grated cheese (a mix of cheddar and parmesan), then finish with sheets of lasagne. Repeat this process twice more, finishing with a layer of béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 45 minutes until brown and bubbling.
To make the garlic bread, melt 175g butter in a pan. Add 6 cloves of chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Take a French baguette and slice. Brush both sides with the garlic butter and roast in an oven for 15 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
Serve with a simple green salad.
Dessert: Pear and blackberry crumble
Crumbles might be easy and economical to make but they taste so divine, which is why you often see them on the menu at exclusive restaurants! To give your crumble a little wow factor, make it in individual pots and sprinkle on a few toasted almonds to finish.
Method:
Cook 400g chopped, peeled pears in a little butter until golden brown. Add a little sugar if desired. Spoon the mixture into your individuals dishes and scatter a handful of blackberries over the top. Make your crumble topping by rubbing together 25g plain flour, 30g brown sugar, 15g ground almonds and 25g butter until you have fine breadcrumbs. Top the fruit with the crumble and finish with a few flaked almonds. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until toasted. Serve with a spoonful of good quality local ice cream.
To drink:
For top quality wine at unbelievable prices this Valentine’s Day take a look at this month’s Wine of the Month and don’t forget to use your exclusive money-off voucher!
75p off Martin’s Meat Beef Mince
Valid from Friday 3rd February 2012 until Thursday 1st March 2012
Try Martin’s Meat Beef Mince at a reduced price using your exclusive money off vouchers
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