I feel vaguely apologetic at having to confess I've been in Waitrose again but listen, I've got a new theory. Which is that no supermarket has a monopoly on bargains, even Lidl. All have really sharp offers these days. All have lines that are overpriced. You've just got to keep your wits about you wherever you shop.Anyway the bargain I spotted on this visit was pork 'osso buco'for £3.99 a kilo - about half the price veal osso buco would have been. The amount above (apologies to visiting veggies) was just £3.45, pretty good for more than enough meat for 4. It was free-range too.
I cooked it up with some onion, carrot, celery and fresh tomatoes I happened to have lying around, added a glass of white wine and some stock and chucked in some frozen peas at the end, an inauthentic touch that balanced the acidity of the tomatoes nicely and did away with the need for a gremolata, the finely chopped mixture of parsley, garlic and lemon rind you normally sprinkle over the dish
It was really very tasty although I'm not sure that those flavours don't work slightly better with veal. I think I'd try something a bit fruitier and spicier another time - maybe with apricots or prunes. Or cook it with onions, apples, cider and a touch of thyme or sage. Assuming I go back to Waitrose, of course ;-)
Don't feel embarassed or guilty about patronising Waitrose. It is not as nearly as expensive as people make out, if you are careful in your shopping, and a lot of the goods are really good quality. There is such a thing as false economy - it's far more frugal to buy a small amount of better quality fare and eke it out than go for cheap but barely edible.
ReplyDeleteThe pork osso bucco lookes lovely. I never have been a pork fan ( although love it when its been converted into bacon, ham etc ) but recently enjoyed pork loin at a hotel on holiday recently, so I am much more open to cooking with it now :)
Thanks for those kind words, greenlady. I agree with you about the quality of food in Waitrose but it is expensive, no doubt about it and you really have to exercise iron self-control not to tot up an outsize food bill. Even shopping at my local organic butcher is generally cheaper though he hasn't yet come up with the pork osso buco idea.
ReplyDeleteDo give it a go. I particularly like the idea of partnering it with cider and apples and maybe a bit of bacon too. I think that would make a quite excellent supper.