Eating out at home on a budget

We like to eat out. A lot. Recently we've cut back. Partially because I'm home more now to cook and partially because of trying cut back on spending.
Tonight I trotted down to the local Grocery Outlet, which happens to be less than two blocks from our place, to see what I could find for dinner. I usually can find frozen, uncooked shrimp for a really good deal and that's what I was holding in my mind as the starting point. See, if you go to G.O. looking for something in particular, they won't have it. Murphy's law or something like that. So, I go, knowing what they almost always have, look for that, and go from there. It's like a treasure hunt, or finding out what's behind door number 1,2,or 3. At times you can't find anything and sometimes you hit the jackpot. You just never know.
Tonight was a jackpot night. Not only did I find the shrimp, but scallops and crab claws as well. I found the major players for my quick-but-bistro style dinner. I may have paid ten bucks for the bag of shrimp, but I know that I'll get several meals out of it.

Saffron in warm water... photo by Kristin

I had all the other ingredients to make a Mediterranean seafood stew, at home.


Harissa photo... by Kristin
This is another reason why I like to keep a well stocked pantry. It's something that I don't supply all at once, I know what I use on a regular basis and just buy a little of this and that whenever I'm out. Some things like the harissa and saffron, I get when we go to my favorite Spanish market. Other times I'll see tuna or pasta or canned whatever, or dried mushrooms etc. on sale, and I'll pick some up. For now, it's all in my head--the whole inventory of my kitchen, and I usually just know what I need when.

From the kitchen window... photo by Kristin
There was the added bonus of a beautiful evening sky from the window as I was cooking...


Mediterranean seafood stew... photo by Kristin

It should come as no surprise that I started by sauteing an onion(most of my dishes start here!) along with a finely chopped carrot with fresh thyme, garlic and olive oil. After about 5 mins. I added a little dry vermouth (I sometimes use this instead of white wine) and harissa. Harissa is a spicy tomato based condiment with garlic and preserved lemon. I think it's Moroccan. I know that I looove it. When the liquid evaporated, I added some saffron that had been soaking in a little warm water,with the water and a can of San Marzano tomatoes. My hubby was still on his way home so I held it at a simmer while enjoying the spring evening and catching up on some dishes. When he arrived home, I added the shrimp(shells removed) scallops and crab claws and covered the pan. In about 8 mins. everything had cooked/heated through and I stirred in some chopped flat leaf parsley.

Our own bistro dinner... photo by the Hubby
Served with some white wine and toasted baguette, we were at our own little bistro on a pretty spring evening.

For my lil' bro or anyone else that doesn't like seafood, you can easily add some cubed chicken(you can cook it in the sauce, or add pre-cooked towards the end) or some garbanzo and/or white beans.