Cheap, filling and calorie reduced Grünkohl meal

There had been a bit of a discussion on the Wildfood board about making meals below 2 pounds about 3 Euros, as I was aiming to make Grünkohl that day and was not as I would normally do using all fresh ingredients ( car was at the workshop). I decided to put my frugality to the test.

This will give you 8 portions of 500g of Grünkohl and potatoes, 100g of Kasseler and approx. 35g of bauch (smoked cured pork belly).

So I had bought the day before at Lidl (pronounced Leedl for the UK  advertising agencies):

824 g piece of Kasseler  (pure flesh no fat)

300g of smoked cured belly

I had in my store cupboard:

200g of onions ( peeled and roughly diced)

1 fat clove of garlic peeled, crushed and finely diced)

660g Bio Grünkohl from a jar

12.5g Freeze dried soup vegetables (Aldi-Portland)

500g of small potatoes (about 24)

1 tablespoon of duck or goose fat (I always have a jar or two in the fridge)

1 litre of vegetable stock (2 knorr stock pots in a litre of boiling water)

First soften the onions and garlic without taken on colour in the duck/goose fat (or oil if you don’t have any duck or goose fat).

Melt the goose fat 

add the diced onions

add the garlic

Make up your stock and add the freeze dried vegetables to the stock allowing it to stand for a few minutes.

Pour the Grünkohl into a large pan, and add the onions and then the stock/vegetable mixture. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

Slide in the belly pork and kasseler. 

Remove the meat from the pot and set aside covered for later.

Now add the peeled potatoes, mine were floury  local ones, but any will do, though the floury ones do thicken the broth. (you may require more liquid, then add another 500 ml of boiling water).

Lid on and cook at a rolling simmer until the potatoes are cooked.

Slice the Kasseler into 100 g pieces (I sliced into 50 g slices and added 2 to each plate it looks more), and the belly into 8 even pieces.

Return to the pot to warm through or portion for the freezer.

We had it that evening and I took a portion up to our neighbour. I divided the rest into 5 equal portions and froze for another day.

The total cost was €9.91 making it €1.24 per portion, so well within the limit. For those that are watching their weight or even on a diet the meal came in at 348 K/cal.

So you can make a filling meal for far less than €3 and if you are on a 5/2 fasting diet it is perfect for the fast day. You can even have a portion at lunch and another in the evening and still be below 700K/cal.