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Gourmet Eats on the Cheap

Chef Roger Greene’s favorite money-saving and ethnic markets

By Anthony Ponce

| Tuesday, Apr 21, 2009 | Updated 6:45 PM CST

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The James Beard Foundation Awards will be held May 4th in New York.

Everyone in their right mind loves food. But when a nice meal out just isn't in the cards (or the bank), where can you turn? Chef Roger Greene shared the below list of his favorite money-saving markets that have the best ingredients for great, gourmet home cooking.

SEAFOOD:

Sea World, 1130 W Argyle St. - For lobster, Dungeness crabs, tilapia, catfish
L. Isaacson and Stein Fish, 800 W Fulton Market - Excellent fresh fish, very reduced prices. Just a few days ago fresh Halibut that smelled only of the sea was easily $10/pound cheaper than at the fancy fish stores further north.

PRODUCE:

Stanley’s Fruit Market, 1558 N Elston Ave.
Andy’s Fruit Ranch, 4733 N Kedzie
HarvesTime, 2632 W. Lawrence Ave.

MEXICAN/SOUTH AMERICAN INGREDIENTS:

Guanajuato, 3140 N California Ave.
El Mercado Food Mart, 3767 N Southport Ave. - Grass-fed meat at reasonable prices, products from Argentina and South America.

MIDDLE EASTERN INGREDIENTS:

Al Khayyam, 4738 N Kedzie - Terrific fresh pita bread, inexpensive spices.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN CUISINE:

Tai Nam Food Market, 4925 N Broadway - Noodles, shrimp, everything you need for Vietnamese and Thai cooking.
Sun Wah Bar-B-Que, 1134 W Argyle - Peking Duck, BBQ Pork, cheaper than buying a raw duck. Good for use in stir fry, very inexpensive.

I’m sure there are many that I have missed, but I have explored all of these and each one is a culinary adventure and a money-saver.

- Roger Greene, ‘Dinner Is Solved’ Personal Chef

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Gourmet Eats on the Cheap