You want the very best that life has to offer, from fancy cars to first class travel to million-dollar homes.  While these things are simply not in the budget for the average Joe, you can certainly have the best of everything (or a reasonable facsimile) when you sit down to eat each night.  Budget gourmet may sound a bit dicey, but I can assure you, it does not include items like pâté du Spam or canned tuna Fiorentina.  You also won’t be rushing out for foie gras or beluga caviar, but you can have your gourmet cake and eat it too if you understand how to cook for a king, even when you’re eating on a budget.

1. Meat can get pretty expensive, especially if you favor cuts like filet mignon.  However, there are ways to get the delicious meats you crave for far less cost.  The best way is to go to your local grocer and talk to the butcher (or someone in the meat department).  They usually have a markdown day to move product before the new shipment comes in, so if you frequent the store on those days, you will likely find very nice cuts at up to half the cost.  The same goes for fish. Bobby Flay’s Grilling For Life: 75 Healthier Ideas for Big Flavor from the Fire
2. Pasta will always give you a lot of bang for your buck, but how do you make mac and cheese gourmet?  There two easy tricks to making any meal gourmet.  One is to enhance the flavor, and the other is to make it more presentable.  To tackle the first, you’ll want to make your own sauce, which is simpler than it sounds.  A basic white sauce is really only butter, milk, and flour.  From there you throw in a few spices (white pepper, basil, etc.) and the cheese of your choice and voila!  Perfect gourmet sauce.  To aid the presentation, use a neater noodle like farfalle or penne, and add a few sprigs of parsley.  You can also make it sound gourmet by calling it “Pasta Béchamel” (literally, “white sauce pasta”…but the French name is a bit more exotic).  Potatoes can also benefit from such an overhaul. The Pasta Bible: The Definitive Sourcebook, with over 1,000 Illustrations
3. Salads get a modern gourmet twist by swapping out a few ingredients.  Instead of the tired old iceberg-tomato-carrot-mozzarella combo, try using spinach or baby greens (anything dark green will do), chop up a fuji or pink lady apple, throw in a few nuts (walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds), and finish it off with a soft cheese (feta, gorgonzola, or goat).  Surprisingly, these items will cost about the same as you would spend on your normal salad (plus, the nuts will keep for future use).  Then top it all off with a nice balsamic vinaigrette. Super Salads: More Than 250 Super-Easy Recipes for Super Nutrition and Super Flavor
4. Frozen dinners often call themselves gourmet, but really offer up an unhealthy dose of hypertension.  However, there are certain brands that will give you a gourmet-style meal without the steep price-tag or the fuss of cooking.  You’ll need to read the labels to make sure you’re not going to suffer an instant heart attack from the fat and sodium contents, but there are a few vendors that present a decent balance of flavor, nutrition, and price.  Try some of the offerings from Linda McCartney’s organic line (Butternut Squash Ravioli is trés yummy!), check out the store brand at Whole Foods, or peruse the selections from one of the many celebrity chefs who have parlayed Food Network success into a line of frozen meals.  Of course, microwave dinners are no substitute for fresh, but many are just as tasty with a lot less effort.
5. Dessert is one area in which going gourmet can spell a lot of time, effort, and cash.  There is a big difference, after all, between a Betty Crocker box mix and a flourless torte.  Or is there?  In fact, you can make even the cheapest, quickest cake mix gourmet by simply adding a few extras.  For starters, ditch the store-bought frosting and make a more sophisticated icing with two simple ingredients: powdered sugar and milk (although you can add a splash of vanilla for flavoring).  Then, instead of spreading the frosting, drizzle it.  Add a sprinkle of cocoa and a few fresh raspberries for a photo finish. Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More

Jamie Palovoy is a content writer for Gourmet Food where you don’t have to be rich to enjoy a gourmet meal.

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