Curry supreme at Bliss. Photos by Lilly Frances.

Just because we don’t enjoy eating a slab of steak with blood still running through it (not to mention dripping on your shirt) doesn’t mean we vegetarians should have to choose between a handful of nuts or some $40 organic tofu platter for dinner. Luckily, we live in Brooklyn, a vegetarian’s paradise where there is no shortage of restaurant choices, and where foodies come from around the world to taste our fakin’ egg and cheese sandwiches (and steal some fashion ideas). If you haven’t yet, you may consider switching over to the dark side (vegetarianism, that is) after reading about these ridiculously cheap and tasty meat-free treats. So grab $10, a date, and an extra pair of socks because these meals will be sure to knock your first pair off.

1. Tofu Teriyaki – $10 at Dao Palate
329 Flatbush Avenue (Park Slope)
Let Buddha guide you to Nirvana with this dish. You will feel one with the universe while nibbling on strips of tofu filet and broccoli in teriyaki sauce over a bed of bean sprouts & onion. Typical pan-asian cuisine served in an elegant setting, what more could a vegetarian crave?

2. Prosperity Lunch Combo – $10 at Rockin’ Raw
178 North 8 Street (Williamsburg)
Come in weekdays until 4:30 to get your tongues on this great deal. The combo includes your choice of the soup of the day or a mixed greens salad, with mint lemonade or hot tea, plus one of six go-to meals each with an unconventional twist: How about a Rosemary Rawsted Wrap with seasoned mushrooms, peppers, onions with sprouts, avocado and pumpkin-seed cheese? Just as delicious are the pizzas (with pesto, avocado, and rawmesan), the eggplant burger, the chipotle “crab cab” sandwich, the “BLT” (with zucchini bacon), and the egg salad wrap. After trying Peruvian-New Orleanian raw food, you will be inspired to broaden your horizons.

3. The Curry Supreme – $9.50 at Bliss
191 Bedford Ave (Williamsburg)
The ultimate spot for simple, healthy food. You can’t go wrong with organic tofu, brown rice and mixed vegetables sautéed with garlic and rich coconut curry sauce. Don’t forget to try Bliss’s juices. Cash only!

4. Szechuan Style Soy Seitan – $8.95 at Vegetarian Ginger
128 Montague St (Brooklyn Heights)
For those of you not familiar with veggie-lingo, seitan is the meat substitute that we feed on! When prepared just right like it is here, it gives the satisfaction and taste we crave from chicken. The spicy Kung Pao sauce, as mouth watering as it is, is only a part of the reason to try this place.  Big portions and great wait staff seal the deal; a lot of bang for your buck. With lots to choose from, this place is even great for meat eaters.  Plus, the peanut butter bomb cake is the BOMB. Still a skeptic?  I dare you to try it.

Veggie Specials Burrito at Los Pollitos.

5. Veggie Specials Burrito – $7 at Los Pollitos II
148 5th Ave (Park Slope)
Good Mexican food is a MUST for vegetarians: We need those beans! We could probably live without all that sour cream and guac, but why would we when it is SO cheap and SO delicious? Each burrito is stuffed with all the necessary ingredients: rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, cheese, lettuce, and your choice of spinach or mushrooms.  The fun, laid-back atmosphere of this joint only adds to the excitement when you find out you can add pumpkin flower to your burrito!  Don’t forget to order a margarita, from 11:30am-7pm daily, they are only $5.

What’s your favorite cheap veggie dinner in Brooklyn? Tell us in the comments!

The croustillantes de chevre at Le Gamin. Photos by Sarah Bibi.

We all know Greenpoint used to, and to an extent still does, provide a lot of space and tranquility within its warehouse-laden boundaries. The neighborhood — once home to farmland, rope factories, and lumber yards — has been keeping its rising restaurant stars mostly to itself, and it’s time we respectfully broke the silence.

The enclave best known as “Little Poland” — for its roots, current residents, and the scores of Polish restaurants lining Manhattan Avenue  — has all kinds of ethnic offerings that go beyond pierogis and goulash (though see my pick for those below). I went out to explore them while keeping a handle on my wallet. 

Sushi: Sapporo Haru: 622 Manhattan Avenue at Driggs Ave.

The sparse and cheap-looking décor at Sapporo Haru is common amongst many smaller sushi restaurants, and particularly in Greenpoint. However, the fact that this is no Sushi Samba doesn’t detract from the appeal of the deal that Sapporo Haru offers. Free unlimited hot sake with “dinner,” which apparently just means you have to order $10 worth of food. (Wasabi, another sushi place down the block, offers unlimited sake for orders of $15 and above.)

Options include the standard: rolls of sushi ($3-$5, $5+ for special rolls), edamame ($3), and sashimi (12 pieces of fish for $10) and specialty plates that make deviating from fish worthwhile. Their beef negimaki rolls ($7) are flavorful, tender and devoid of gristle (a huge peeve). The Brooklyn roll, a specialty roll constructed of deep fried mint leaf crab and spicy tuna topped with avocado, is $9.95, while for a dollar more you can get the filling and piping hot Sunshine roll, made with crab, caviar, avocado, cucumber, mayonnaise, and roll backed scallop (a SH modification). A cheap and tasty alternative to fish is the Shiitake mushroom roll for $3.50.

The service is straightforward and perfunctory, nothing fancy– but most importantly, the staff is always a few steps ahead when you realize you want your sake refilled. They also have discounted lunch specials until 5pm (two maki for $7.50, three for $10).

Mexican: Vamos al Tequila: 162 Franklin Street at Kent St.

Greenpoint’s Mexican food fans like to debate the relative merits of Vamos and Papacito’s, but my vote goes to the former.

This isn’t the cheapest Mexican joint in Greenpoint — tacos are two for $6, tamales are two for $7, and other entrees run from $12 and up. But the portions are huge and delicious and the staff (many of them related to the owner) attentive and helpful. This relatively new joint offers a free soda, juice, or horchata with whatever the specialty platter is that day, and every order comes with free chips and homemade salsa, which is biting and fresh (and free!).

I want their enchiladas verdes just thinking about them right now: the grilled, chopped chicken in a warm spinach tortilla, drizzled with cheese and a light sour cream sauce, surrounded by rice, frijoles, and punctuated by traditionally-made guacamole. Also rave-worthy are the Mexican pizza and just about any of their seafood offerings.

The kitschy banner hanging below the kitchen’s serving table and the lovingly painted emblems of Mexico on the walls assure you that this family restaurant is expecting you to feel just that — like family. Joaquina, the owner, even plays the grandmother, asking why your plate isn’t empty — for me, this just adds to the down-home charm.

Polish: Karczma: 136 Greenpoint Avenue at Manhattan Ave.

Brokelyn-ites looking to fill up their growling stomachs on a dime in Greenpoint shouldn’t miss out on the cuisine for which it is best known.

In Karczma’s farmhouse-like space, traditionally dressed waitresses in brightly colored country skirts, vests, and blouses, will make you feel like you just spent all day working on the farm and have come home to a well-deserved feast. This food is all about refueling, so come prepared, and possibly in clothing sans waistband.

Karczma doesn’t offer anything that different from most Polish restaurants, but its accessibility to English-speakers, ambiance, proximity to the subway, prices, and quality of food and service make my choice for a traditional Greenpoint chow-down.

Among the many meal options are: Hunter’s Stew ($7 served with mashed potatoes or bread), old-fashioned white borscht in bread ($3.50), a plateful of mushroom pierogies ($6), and numerous types of meat, if a new take on chicken, blood sausage, salmon, or beef goulash is your thing. And of course, the requisite kielbasa is also available many ways. Try it grilled with onions, fries, mustard, and sautéed cabbage for $7. The chicken kebab with onions and peppers, served with fries and garlic dipping sauce ($9) will satisfy your cravings for carbs, protein, vegetables, and of course, the human need for dipping sauce. During happy hour (conveniently around dinner time on Thursdays from 5-9 pm), 16 oz. of Polish beer is $3.50.

French: Le Gamin: 108 Franklin Street at Noble St.

This is a date-worthy splurge, but it’s worth a few extra bucks if you want a good steak frites ($18 for a literal platter of steak with herb butter and large sides of fries and well-dressed salad) or crepe ($9 for 3 fillings, including meat). Other good choices include the croustillantes de chevre, which are goat cheese, fig, and honey wrap-ups ($8.50), quiche Lorraine — yes, quiche, really — ($9.50), and escargot (only $6).

They have a specials menu that can steal your attention away but tends to feature more pricey entrees. The inviting ambiance — created by a brisk but friendly accented waitress, European décor and rickety wooden chairs, and the smell of pommes frites — makes you feel French and sexy, which is always a good thing. If it’s warm out, head out the cramped hallway to the back garden. It’s simple brick and stocked with wooden picnic tables, but the hanging lights add a romantic feel.

So here’s a toast to Greenpoint food: the real reason to wait for that godforsaken G train.

Photos by Ellen Knuti

No time for the Park Slope Co-op and too broke for the Grand Army farmer’s market? For my (rather limited) money, the best trick for defeating the rising cost of groceries is maxing out on curiously affordable, endlessly versatile beans and grains from Goya.

Keeping them on hand can make a huge difference in the decision to throw together something for dinner instead of ordering in Thai for the third time this week. With some onions and garlic, a can of beans can become a nutritious and filling meal that pairs easily with rice, salad or any vegetable you find in your fridge.

My favorite Goya cooking staples (all from the 9th Street Steve’s C-Town) include barley ($1.19), cornmeal ($1.49),  dried cannellini beans ($1.59), red lentils ($1.79), green split peas ($.99), yellow split peas ($.99), bulgur ($2.09), 16-bean soup mix ($1.99), quinoa ($2.99),  canned chickpeas ($1.69), and canned cannellini beans ($1.69). At my last trip to C-Town, great deals include a 20-lb bag of medium grain white rice for only $16.99, or $.85 a pound. Add that to several dozen cans of black beans, pinto beans (both $1.69) or even refried beans ($1.19) and you have lunch for months.

The cornmeal, for instance, can make enough polenta to last a week. Each night you can dress it up differently — with tomato sauce, diced meat, melted cheese or hot sauce. You can also fry some up with a little olive oil for breakfast. Barley is also an amazingly versatile grain and if you keep some cooked in your fridge, you can mix it with pretty much any vegetable or meat for a quick protein-filled meal. Try cooking it up on a Sunday evening and it will last about a week. Put it in a covered baking dish in the oven with chicken or beef broth, a little salt and pepper, diced mushrooms and onions and you’ll have a delicious casserole that makes a great side dish. Another cheap trick: eggs. Fried or poached eggs make any soup or rice dish a complete meal by adding some additional protein.

While the canned goods are quick starters, the dried legumes are where you’ll save the most money if you have the time and forethought to soak the beans overnight. For example, this below recipe for curried yellow split pea soup costs about $5 or less to make (assuming you have the spices) and serves at least six people. Give it a try along with the following recipe for hominy, an oft-overlooked ingredient that imparts a rich corn flavor to stews and soups. Do you have any Goya recipe favorites?

Curried Split Pea Soup (adapted from Robin Bellinger and Alton Brown)

1 lb yellow split peas (rinsed)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
½ tsp turmeric
Approx 2 tsp total of the following spices, using more or less of whichever you favor: cumin, ginger, garam masala, red pepper flakes or cayenne (depending on how hot you want it)
7-8 cups of water

Put the rinsed split peas into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave the peas to soak for about an hour, until they are softened. Drain water.

Add the olive oil to a large pot and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the chopped onion and carrots and cook for about five minutes, until the onion begins to soften and turn translucent. Add the minced garlic, salt, turmeric and spices, cook on high heat for about 30 seconds.  Stir in the yellow split peas and add the water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Puree with a food processor or immersion blender for a smoother soup.

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Another more off-the-beaten path and underrated staple is hominy: canned white hominy is made of dried white corn kernels that have been treated with an alkali solution and simmered until the kernels are soft. Dried hominy is ground and can be used in grits and either are suitable for making an excellent posole, a corn-based stew. Great for leftovers and as a hearty meal, this chicken posole recipe can be adapted to suit your tastes. Experiment as you like by substituting spices, making it vegetarian or even meatier, depending on what you have on hand.

Chicken Posole (adapted from the Kitchn blog weeknight recipes)
makes 6-8 servings

Broth
8 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder

Posole
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 – 1.5 pounds chicken breast
2 cans hominy

Any (or all!) of the following garnishes:
lime wedges
red or yellow onion, diced
radish, sliced thin
cabbage or lettuce, julienned
tomato, diced
queso blanco
avocado, diced

In a large pot or dutch oven, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the minced garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the salt, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, and chili powder.

Continue to simmer on the stove top until all the other ingredients are ready. Taste for seasoning. If bitter, add another teaspoon of salt. If too concentrated, add a cup of water to dilute.

To prepare the chicken, pat dry and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. In a frying pan or stove-top grill pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 minutes until underside is crispy and golden brown. Flip the chicken and continue cooking until cooked through–another 4-5 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and rest until cool enough to handle. While the chicken is cooking and cooling, prepare the garnishes and put in individual bowls.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, dice it into bite-sized cubes and add to the broth. Drain the hominy into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Add to the broth. Bring the soup to a boil to bring everything to the same temperature. Serve in soup bowls and allow guests to garnish their soups individually.

Cheesecake from Greenhouse Cafe in Bay Ridge.

Borough Prez Marty Markowitz just announced the lineup for Dine in Brooklyn, our favorite time of the year for fancy midweek dates. From March 21 – March 31, more than 200 of Brooklyn’s eateries will serve three-course dinner menus for $25, three-course lunches for $20.11 and even some “two for the price of one” deals at participating restaurants.

This year’s participants include Baci & Abbracci (Williamsburg); Benchmark (Park Slope), Bino Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens), Chip Shop (Brooklyn Heights & Park Slope), Da Nonna Rosa (Park Slope), Dougies BBQ and Grill (Kensington), Greenhouse Café (Bay Ridge), Jake’s BBQ (Carroll Gardens), Jamie-Lynn’s Kitchen (Bensonhurst), Junior’s (Downtown Brooklyn), Loreley Williamsburg, Marco Polo (Carroll Gardens), Melt (Park Slope), Miranda (Williamsburg), Nana (Park Slope), Okeanos (Park Slope), Palo Santo (Park Slope), Provence en Boite (Carroll Gardens), PT Restaurant (Williamsburg), Scottadito Osteria Toscana (Park Slope), Soigne (Park Slope), Strong Place (Cobble Hill), Waterfront Ale House (Cobble Hill) and Water Street Restaurant (DUMBO).

Offerings and seating availability vary, so call ahead. Don’t forget to tip as though your paying full price, says Markowitz. For more information on Dine in Brooklyn, visit www.visitbrooklyn.org or call 718-802-3846.

The unforgettably named STD Wines & Liquors, photo by Kelly Murphy

When I mention to people that I live in Kensington, people typically think it’s in England, no matter how long they have been in NYC. The small neighborhood stretching roughly from the Prospect Park Parade Grounds to Green-Wood Cemetery may not be the best-known Brooklyn enclave, but what Kensington may lack in Brownstoner buzz it more than makes up for in amazing ethnic food. Within a few blocks you can find authentic Indian, Middle Eastern, Polish, Mexican, Thai, Russian, Greek, and Serbian eats at Brokelyn-worthy prices. Here are some of my local favorites, all within walking distance of the F or G train to Church / McDonald. Sorry there’s no fish and chips.

Gyro King, 473 McDonald Ave. at Beverley
Open 24 hours, Gyro King offers $4 chicken gyros around the clock. If you’re not into Greek food or you find the leg of lamb on the spit behind the counter unsettling, stop by for a 50¢ bagel or muffin. Looking for a late night snack? Skip the diner; instead, ask for the $1 order of French fries, watch as the cook fills a large Styrofoam takeout container to the brim, and enjoy.
Hot Bagel, 127 Church Ave. between Beverley & E. 2nd St.
While every neighborhood has a deli with some variation of “Hot” and “Bagel” in the name, this one deserves a special mention. The service is impeccable, and you can get coffee and a bagel for less than two bucks. The best part? The bagels here truly are hot; bakery items are rotated so frequently that they’re fresh out of the oven more often than not, even at midnight.
Basmati, 221 Church Ave. at E. 3rd St.
This family-owned Bangladeshi restaurant is one of the fancier spots in the area to grab dinner, but the prices are no indication. Features include 85¢ vegetable or meat samosas and a lunch special with $4.50 kebab wraps or three (yes, three) hot food menu items for $5.99. The naan is baked fresh to your order and is to die for.
To B Thai, 126 Beverley Rd. at E. 2nd St.
While the $6.95 lunch special price isn’t remarkable, you can’t beat the five to ten minute preparation time or the consistently delicious and fresh food, always served with a smile. Try any dish with duck; you won’t be disappointed.
Old Brick Café, 507 Church Ave., between E. 5th and Ocean Parkway
Baklava and burek fans rejoice; Old Brick Café offers real Balkan food served by the owners for about $10 an entrée in this charming spot nestled on Church Avenue.
Golden Farm, 329 Church Ave. at E. 3rd St.
The Golden Farm grocery store is a perfect summation of the neighborhood of Kensington with 20+ varieties of couscous, a large selection of halal meat, loaves of handmade rye bread from Latvia, and a never ending supply of chocolate rugalech, a Jewish confection somewhere between a cookie and a pastry. Most produce is priced at less than a dollar per pound.
STD Liquors, 89 Church Ave. (between Dahill and McDonald)
The only liquor store in the heart of Kensington features discounted spirits and an unforgettable name. Bottles of wine start at $3.99, most bottom shelf liquors ring in at under $7, and the store never ceases to be well-stocked. One incredible find is the Kindzmarauli wine grown in the Republic of Georgia and sold in exquisite red clay bottles carved into the shape of a bunch of grapes or a tree trunk.
Denny’s Steak Pub, 106 Beverley Rd. at McDonald
There’s no mistaking it—this is a dive bar to rival all New York dive bars. Fun fact: no steaks (or any food, for that matter) are served here, but the pool table, the $1.75 mugs of Budweiser, and 2-for-1 happy fill the void.
Shenanigan’s, 802 Caton Ave. at E. 8th St.
While slightly less dive-y than Denny’s, Shennanigan’s is still a dive bar in true form. The crowd is motley, and while the happy hour with $2.50 well drinks only last until 7 PM, they go up to just $4 afterwards. With no other businesses in the immediate vicinity, Shenanigan’s stays under the radar, so roll here with a crowd and commandeer the whole back patio.

My favorite rice and beans dish comes from the Guyanese & Trinidadian Roti Shop in Downtown Brooklyn (144 Lawrence St.). This small restaurant can be reached immediately by exiting the Lawrence St. R train station at the Lawrence/Willioughby St. S.E. corner. The interior is painted in the warm greens and yellows of the Caribbean, and small plates of rice and peas, vegetables, plantains and stewed chicken will set you back only $5.50. If you can muster the extra expenditure, I recommend the medium sized plate of jerk chicken, rice and peas, and plantains for $9. I once lived on that hearty (and spicy) meal for two and a half days.

My second pick is the Mexican Le Fe Restaurant, directly across the street from the 36th St. train station in Sunset Park (941 Fourth Ave. at 36th Street). Possibly the best bang for few bucks, you can get a very large plate of either yellow or white rice with a cup of beans on the side for either $3 or $3.50, depending on who’s working the counter on that day. When I come here, I also get an order of maduros, fried sweet plantains, for an extra $2.50. It’s a very large platter chock full of huge, moist, glazed chunks of the fruit. I take this meal home, further slice these babies up over my rice and beans, and after dousing the concoction with hot sauce, I’m fuller than a bedbug in a Bushwick mattress. I’ve been known to stretch this meal out over a three-day period.

Another favorite: Bogota Bistro in Park Slope. Photo by Juan Hernandez.

It’s well known to all of my Twitter friends that my favorite restaurant in Brooklyn is Bogota Bistro in Park Slope (141 Fifth Ave.). Bogota Bistro’s Colombian influenced yellow rice and red beans will set you back $6, or $3 per item. If anything, the rice and beans at this establishment is more along the lines of an appetizer rather than a standalone meal, but well worth it as a side dish to go along with a couple drinks on a penny-pinching night out.

At the suggestion of a friend, I checked out the Peruvian Super Pollo Restaurant in the corner of Sunset Park (4102 Fifth Ave. at 41st St.). The yellow rice is served with tiny bits of peas and carrots, and the red beans are stewed with large bits of pork. The total price of this meal came to $3.50 and, though not my absolute favorite, it amounted to a lot of food that could be eaten in roughly two sittings. The highlight was the green hot sauce that’s served on the side.

If you’re anywhere near the Gowanus or window-shopping along the Smith Street strip, I highly recommend actually buying something at the Dominican El Nuevo Portal (217 Smith St.), namely their $2 small portion of yellow rice mixed with pigeon peas. This little meal was the perfect size for me to be comfortably full, and you really can’t beat that for the price. The larger portion of either this or the red beans with white rice costs $6, and for the size and flavors, it’s definitely worth the expenditure. The large dish could definitely suffice for two meals.

El Yayo Nuevo will fill you up for $4. Photo by Vanessa Velez.

In terms of accessibility, you can’t do any better than the “Caribbean Latina” El Yayo Nuevo (5823 Fourth Ave. at 59th St.) that literally sits at the top of the stairs descending into the 59th St. N and R lines. For $4, you get a full plate of rice and beans mixed together, infused with onions. I’m used to having the rice served separately from the beans, so that the gravy saturates the rice to my liking. Not so at this place. A cup of beans on the side would have set me back another $1.50. I was disappointed until I tried the food and loved it. The rice and beans, though cooked together, were still very moist and the portion size was large enough for leftovers.

I mentioned earlier that rice and beans is, traditionally, a low cost dish. What does it cost to make it quickly and easily on your own? At the aptly named Bravo Supermarket for Values, I found a 20 oz pop-top can of ready-to-serve beans for $1.99 and a 10 lb. bag of Goya rice for around $8. That really put the rice and beans restaurant markup into perspective. Although I loved the added touches from all of these places, instead of saving money by eating cheaply at restaurants, why not try making your own?

Buckley's in Marine Park is worth a visit, says the Daily New.

I’m still trying wrap my head around this article in the Daily News pronouncing the best food in Brooklyn. The piece nods impressively to some establishments I’ve never heard of (like Buckley’s in Marine Park), and covers the far reaches of the borough, with neighborhoods including Ocean Hill (best West Indian food) and Homecrest (cheap health food). But if the lineup sounds pretty random so far, you’re not wrong.  I agree that Tom’s Restaurant is amazing, and that Bagel Hole has great bagels. And I’m looking forward to trying Armando’s pizza in Canarsie, and I’ve been dying to go to one of those Russian clubs and now I know which one to go (Paradise Garden). But best…Spanish Flair?  Ice Cream Donuts?

Does anyone besides Peter Pan have ice cream donuts?

What’s more, the News criminally failed to mention some of my own favorite (if no less random) best-ofs. How about the Best Mexican Restaurant That Doubles As An Art Gallery: the Loading Dock (170 Tillary, between Flatbush and Gold, Downtown), or the Best Vegan Jamaican Patty: at Natural Blend (769A Washington Ave. between Sterling & St. Johns, Prospect Heights), or Best Bakery:  Almondine (85 Water St., Dumbo)
Oh and the Best Cheap Breakfast: Hero Champ in Sunset Park (948 3rd Ave. at 36th Street in Sunset Park), where an omelet with toast and home fries is $2.10.

And when you read the article, don’t get too excited about trying the Best Fried Chicken in Brooklyn at the Corn Bread Diner in Flatbush… it’s closed.

Bill moved to New York in 2007, after finishing grad school in Philadelphia. He subsisted on frozen Trader Joe’s burritos and boxed mac and cheese until a friend suggested he get a crockpot. Even though his first experiments were a series of cream-sauced, Velveeta-slicked disasters, he discovered the appeal of slow cooking. The food went a long way. “After about 4 or 5 meals, I realized I still had another 4 or 5 to go, and I did a rough calculation of what each meal was costing me,” he said. “That’s when I finally understood what crocks were all about.”

Since then, Bill’s crocks have become so good that his friends look forward to dinner invites. Lentil casserole is delicious and his red beans and rice, made with $4 worth of kielbasa from Greenpoint, is really, really good. After a night at the bar, returning to Bill’s apartment for bowls of white bean and chicken chili is the best drunk food there is.  Even his roommates steal from the crock. “They come home from the bar and they head straight to the crockpot. I know they just try to skim from the top, to stay undetected, but I can always tell.”

There is not, however, a smorgasbord of slow-cooked delicacies to choose from in Bill’s refrigerator.  He makes one of these dishes a week, and eats it for every single meal. I’m not even kidding. That’s how he affords his very social New York lifestyle.

Because I thought Bill’s thrifty ways might be inspiring to others as well, I roped him into keeping a diary of his food and outings costs for a week, and asked him to send me some of his best recipes. Try ‘em out—if you don’t have a slow cooker, they’re not very expensive, about $40, and in many cases are free. Your mom probably has an extra one.

Bill with his trusty crockpot.

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BILL’S ONE-WEEK EATING AND DRINKING LEDGER

DAY 1
Breakfast: None
Lunch: Chicken mushroom pasta, costs about $1.75 per serving
Dinner: Chicken mushroom pasta $1.75
After dinner: Drinks at Subway Bar, $15, and Legion Bar, $20

DAY 2
Breakfast: None
Lunch: Chicken mushroom pasta $1.75
Dinner: None
After dinner: Drinks at Canal Bar, $12, free drinks at Taco Competition open bar, $6 tip

DAY 3
Breakfast: None
Lunch: Paid for at internship
Dinner: Chicken mushroom pasta $1.75 (The end of the crock. Crock total cost: $14)
After dinner: BAM, A Single Man, $9 (student rate – not really a student)

DAY 4
Breakfast: None
Lunch: Paid for at internship
Dinner: Beans and rice crock (about $1.06 per meal)
After dinner: Film Forum, Red Beard, $6 (member rate

DAY 5
Breakfast: None
Lunch: Beans and rice $1.06
Dinner: Beans and rice $1.06
After dinner: Drinks at Washington Commons, $24

DAY 6
Thursday, Feb. 4
Breakfast: None
Lunch: Beans and rice $1.06
Dinner: Free, generously provided by roommate.
After dinner: Drinks at Alibi Bar, $12, drinks at Sweet Revenge, $12

DAY 7
Breakfast: None
Lunch: Beans and rice $1.06 (4 projected meals left. Total: $9.54 cost)
Dinner: Friend buys Bill 2 hot dogs in exchange for enduring the Knicks vs. Bucks game (the tickets were a gift from his brother – $0)

TOTALS
Food: $12.30
Movies: $15
Drinks: $101

[Editor's note: Please consult a medical professional before embarking on any diet plan, especially one involving skipping breakfast and spending more money on drinks than food.]

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BILL’S FAVORITE RECIPES
Always brown meats first and sautée and onions, garlic, peppers, and celery—it softens the vegetables and seals in their flavor. Otherwise, just throw everything in the crockpot and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low—or 3 to 4 hours on high.

Chicken mushroom pasta
1 pound chicken thighs (bone-in), trimmed of excess fat
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 ribs celery, diced small
6 to 8 mushrooms, sliced
1-2 onions, diced
Garlic, minced
Oregano, 1 1/2 tsp
Box of pasta, preferably a roni-esque noodle (cooked first, and added at the end)
Optional: mix in a block (cubed) of your choice of cheese in the last 20 minutes
*When finished, remove bones from chicken thighs, should be very easy to do at this point

White bean chicken chili
3-4 large cans of white beans
1 green chili (sent fresh/frozen from New Mexico if you’re lucky or can be found frozen at Trader Joe’s or canned in various markets here)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 pound chicken thighs (bone-in, again remove bones upon completion of cooking)
3-5 slices bacon, diced
8 oz button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
Cayenne, chili powder, paprika, pepper, etc. to taste
*Fry up bacon, mushroom and onions together first and add to crockpot with rest of ingredients

Red beans and rice
1 pound kielbasa, sliced
1 – 1.5 cups dry rice, cooked
3 cups water
1-pound bag of dried red beans, soaked overnight, weird looking beans picked out [Ed: a commenter notes that red beans can cause food poisoning if undercooked, which is a risk in a slow cooker. So to be on the safe side, you should soak dried kidney beans in water for at least 5 hours, pour away the water, and then boil them for an hour in fresh water before putting in the slow cooker.]
1-2 onions, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 rib celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Thyme, paprika, pepper – to taste + a bay leaf
*Stir in rice at very end

Lentil casserole
1 pound lentils
1 cup brown rice
3 cups chicken broth
1-2 onions, diced
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
Thyme, basil, oregano, salt, sage, garlic powder to taste
*Add 1-2 blocks of cheddar in the last hour

Beyond the regular menu from Executive Chef and former Top Chef contestant Mark Simmons—who recently chatted with our friends at Brooklyn Based—Melt offers a few weekly recession specials for a very friendly $9.50. You’ll find the “blackboard specials” on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights, but the budget mains are nothing but first class. (Try the fried chicken with truffle honey and fingerling potatoes and see what you think).

To win the $50 gift certificate email us at melt@brokelyn.com by Monday, noon. This one’s a random drawing, so you can write whatever you want or nothing at all in the email (though fan letters are always appreciated). But you do have to be a Brokelyn subscriber to win. Sign up here, and you’ll receive occasional emails about our unmissable stories and other great giveaways and contests.

Melt, 440 Bergen St. at Fifth Ave., 718-230-5925.