I love going out to eat, in theory. But so many times it falls short, because the food I buy is very overpriced for something that doesn't even taste as good as food I can make at home myself for a fraction of the price. For that reason, I have started to make myself homemade versions of restaurant food. If you'd like to do that too, here's some ideas for such foods, shared by a reader.
Are you and your significant other craving for some of your favorite restaurant dishes but are both unwilling to pay the exorbitant prices that come attached to them? Well, why pay for such overpriced dishes when you can recreate them in the comfort of your own home? You can also adjust the ingredients that you add to your dishes to make them healthier. So channel your inner Gordon Ramsay and treat the process as quality time spent with your partner or your family. Without further ado, here are some of the top fancy foods which you can try that are extremely easy to follow in your own kitchen.
Risotto
Paella
If you enjoy Spanish cuisine, then the Paella is probably not new to you. A fun and festive dish that is best shared, its incredibly long and burdensome ingredients list that consists of seafood, sausage, meat, seasonings, vegetables, and more may drive some home cooks away from making it. However, there are plenty of recipes online that require lesser ingredients and tweaks to it, allowing you to make this tasty dish in under an hour.
Galette
A galette is a perfect way to end off a hearty meal with a bang. A pastry that consists of some seasonal fruit like summer berries or fall apples warped in a thin later of crispy brown dough, and drizzled with a touch of vanilla bean-yogurt sauce over top. Though the fancy-schmancy name may fool you, a galette is actually a lot easier to make than pie — you barely even need a recipe! Simply roll out your dough, stuff your filling in the middle and send it into the oven for a nice bake. As an upgrade from your usual apple pie, your guests will be absolutely mind-blown. What’s more, if you’re a huge fan of yogurt and would like to add a little more of it rather than using it as a sauce, there is a range of yogurt makers available so be sure to do your research before finding the right one to make this delicacy!
Spanakopita
Stuffed with spinach and feta, this crispy phyllo dough snack makes for the perfect party snack that all your guests will love. Though the dish is relatively simple to make, what sets the better quality Spanakopita apart from the rest would have to be the crumbly, paper-thin sheets that dry out easily, and can be rather hard to achieve. However, master this, and your perfectly created dish could be the jaw-dropper of your party. If you want something simpler but minus the hassle, you could try Spanakopita Tart recipes that are readily available online.
Lobster
Lobster dishes essentially scream elegance, and it is definitely a dish worth splurging on for any special occasion. Imagine cooking a lobster dish in the comfort of your own home, achieving the same quality and taste but yet saving about half the price. Sounds tempting, doesn’t it? Though lobsters are incredibly hard to crack open, with just a little strength and the right tools, breaking a lobster is actually easier than you think. However, if you want to skip out on that and take the easier route, you can opt for buying the succulent tail meat in stores. With your award-winning lobster dish, coupled with a few elegantly-plated side dishes, get ready to wow your partner and impress her with your romantic candlelight dinner at home.
Hanger Steak
The rich juices of a rib-eye steak are to die for, while the tender and flavourful beef tenderloin pack a punch. Combine the both of them together and you’ll get the best of both worlds — hanger steak. Though it is a less common cut than the usual ribeye or tenderloin, the hanger steak is actually surprisingly easy to cook. An exquisite dish to recreate, it only requires you to master a show-stopping seasoning or sauce to complement the meat, since it is already full of flavor. Complement it with a few sides of a tangy garden salad or a creamy mashed potato and voila — you’ll have yourself a five-star meal cooked with overflowing love.
Scotch Egg
Scotch eggs are definitely a favorite when it comes to picnic food in the UK or a classic brunch go-to. This simple yet elegant dish comprises of a hard-boiled egg wedged in sausage, then breaded and deep-fried to a crispy brown consistency. Though it requires you to boil and deep-fry the egg at a precise duration, it is actually rather simple to make. Top it off with some leafy greens at the bottom and you’re good to go. Be sure not to overcook the eggs since it requires a two-step high-heat process of boiling and deep-drying, and overcooking them will lose the slight runniness to a dry yolk core. With just a few simple steps that require not much work, you will be able to recreate Breakfast at Tiffany’s right at home.
Who says that you can’t enjoy the top-notch restaurant dishes without paying for them in full? With the multitude of recipes on the Internet at your fingertips, it is now easier than ever to recreate your favorite dishes in your very own kitchen. Why not spruce up your dinner a little by preparing a three-course meal for your significant other, taking a break from the mundane microwavable food and three-minute recipes that both of you are sick of. With some of the best restaurant-grade dishes that are easily made, you can now take date night back to your own home!