Indholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2024 i Easy Cook

The sun is out, the sky is blue, there's not a cloud to spoil the view (copyright Buddy Holly)… well, let's hope that's the case! You never can tell with the good old British summertime. But, let's not be gloomy: in this very special bumper issue of Easy Cook, we've got all your holiday desires covered, with some exceptional recipes to take summer to new heights, like effortless traybakes (p70), banging BBQ ideas (p60), a relaxed menu for six (p66), plus our step-by-step guide to the most extraordinary ice cream pie (p80). Make the most of this summer! See you in September. IN THIS ISSUE •Rukmini Iyer creates three easy but flavoursome plant-based dishes (p48). •Dr Chintal Patel serves up wonderfully spiced dinners (p82). •Ed Smith shares breakfast and brunch…

22 low -cost meals Chorizo hash with poached egg ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 ■ Cook 25 mins 300g new potatoes, quartered 2 tbsp olive oil 40g chorizo, cut into strips 1 red chilli, finely chopped ½ small bunch of parsley, chopped 2 eggs, poached 1 Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain and leave to cool. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the potatoes, turning over until golden and crisp. Add the chorizo and chilli, and fry for another 3-4 mins until the chorizo is crisp. Season, then stir through the parsley. 2 Serve the potatoes topped with the poached eggs. PER SERVING 349 kcals, fat 22g, saturates 5g, carbs 25g, fibre 2g, protein 14g, salt 0.5g Satay chicken with radish & mint salad ■ Serves 2 ■…

Choosing a juicer There are two types of juicer: masticating and centrifugal. ■ Masticating juicers ‘chew’ the fruit and vegetables into a pulp without using a blade, then push it through filters to extract the juice. They are usually slower than machines with blades, but as they incorporate less oxygen, the juice has a longer nutritional shelf life and clearer appearance. They also cope well with leafy greens, as well as hard and soft fruits. ■ Centrifugal juicers shred the fruit and vegetables using a spinning blade, which flings out fibre and collects the juice. They are faster and noisier than masticating machines. While they blitz hard fruit and root vegetables well, they're not suited to leafy greens, which can get stuck in the blades. These juicers tend to be…

MONDAY Ham, pea & polenta cakes ■ Serves 3 ■ Prep 20 mins plus chilling ■ Cook 25 mins uncooked 140g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 140g floury potatoes (such as King Edward), chopped 100g frozen peas, defrosted 100g shredded ham hock handful of mint leaves, chopped 1 lemon, zested 3 spring onions, thinly sliced 6 tbsp fine polenta or 4 tbsp gluten-free plain flour pinch of cayenne pepper, plus a pinch to serve 3 eggs, plus 1 egg white 2 tbsp vegetable oil crème fraîche and dressed rocket leaves, to serve 1 Put all the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-15 mins or until very tender. Drain well and mash, taste for seasoning, then set aside to cool. 2 Tip the mash into a large bowl along…

1 Prawn chowder Melt a knob of butter in a pan and cook 4 chopped spring onions, 200g sweetcorn and 1 large potato, peeled and chopped, for a few minutes. Add 750ml vegetable stock and simmer until the potato is tender. Add 150g small cooked prawns, shelled, and 4 tbsp double cream, and cook for about 2 mins until the prawns are heated through. Stir in a handful of chopped parsley. Serves 2. 2 Baked prawns with sherry & garlic Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Divide 300g raw king prawns, shelled, between two ovenproof dishes. Top each with a pinch of chilli flakes, 1 thinly sliced garlic clove, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp dry sherry. Bake for 6-8 mins until the prawns are pink and sizzling. Scatter…

Greek salad & flatbreads Cooking flatbreads on the barbecue gives them a smoky flavour. Serve with dips, salad, meat or halloumi. ■ Makes 6 flatbreads ■ Prep 25 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 300g Greek-style yogurt ½ cucumber, deseeded and chopped 200g cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 red onion, chopped 150g feta, crumbled 100g pitted Kalamata olives, sliced small handful of parsley, chopped small handful of mint, leaves picked and chopped 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 Combine the flour, yogurt and 1 tsp salt in a bowl until the mixture clumps together into a dough. Tip onto a floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Divide into six equal pieces, then roll each one out into a rough oval, about the thickness of a £1 coin. Cover…

Malted milk & caramel ice-cream pie Leave both the ice creams in the fridge for 10 minutes before using them so they're easier to spoon into the pie. ■ Serves 8 ■ Prep 50 mins plus resting and at least 3 hrs freezing ■ Cook 5 mins butter, for the tin 500ml chocolate ice cream 200g Maltesers, roughly broken up 1 tbsp malted milk powder 500ml vanilla ice cream FOR THE BASE 250g chocolate malted milk biscuits 100g Maltesers 100g butter, melted FOR THE CARAMEL 30g butter, diced 150g light brown soft sugar 180ml double cream splash of milk (optional) 1 Butter the base of a 22cm loosebottomed, deep tart tin and line with baking parchment. For the base, put the biscuits and Maltesers in a food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin. 2 Tip the…

Galette complète My favoured filler is the dependable trio of egg, ham and cheese. Elevation comes from using the very best ingredients you can. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins plus at least 1 hr chilling ■ Cook 25 mins 20g butter for the pan, plus 4 knobs of butter (1 for each galette) 100g comté or gruyère, coarsely grated 4 medium eggs 4 slices cooked ham, cut into thirds FOR THE BATTER 2 medium eggs 100g buckwheat flour 1 Whisk the batter ingredients with 220ml water until thoroughly combined. For best results, chill for at least 1 hr, but ideally overnight. 2 Put a 24-25cm non-stick, low-sided frying pan over a medium-high heat (it needs to be a high enough temperature to prompt bubbles to form the moment the batter is spread…

Children love making these – and eating them. If your children are very young, melt the chocolate yourself so all they have to do is dip and decorate. ■Serves 4 ■Prep 20 mins ■Cook 4 mins 100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 400g strawberries 30g white chocolate, roughly chopped (optional) 1 Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water, and stir until smooth. Or, do this in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Transfer to a small bowl. 2 Line a baking tray or board with baking parchment. Hold the strawberries by the stem or leaves and dip partway into the melted chocolate. Tap off any excess, then put the dipped strawberries on the parchment to set. 3 If you…

Courgette & parmesan tart ■ Serves 4 Prep ■ 15 mins plus chilling ■ Cook 50 mins 375g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry 3 courgettes, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, sliced olive oil, for drizzling 4 tbsp mascarpone 50g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Unroll the pastry onto a baking sheet and score a border 2cm in from the edge. 2 Toss the courgettes and garlic with some olive oil and seasoning. Mix the mascarpone with half the parmesan, and spread over the pastry inside the border. Arrange the courgettes in overlapping rows. 3 Bake for 15 mins, then scatter with the remaining parmesan. Bake for another 15-20 mins. PER SERVING 566 kcals, fat 45g, saturates 19g, carbs 30g, fibre 2g, protein 12g, salt 1.2g Warm tomato,…

1 Easy make-ahead breakfast Chocolate overnights oats Get ahead for the next day with these fun jars of breakfast oats that are quick to throw together and taste delicious topped with fresh berries. ■ Makes 2 ■ Prep 15 mins plus overnight chilling ■ No cook 80g porridge oats 4 tbsp natural yogurt 2 tsp cocoa powder 2 tsp honey or maple syrup, plus a drizzle 300ml milk raspberries, to serve 1 Divide the porridge oats between two jam jars or small bowls, and add the yogurt, cocoa powder and honey. 2 Pour 150ml milk into each jar or bowl, and stir until all the ingredients are combined and the mixture turns a chocolate brown colour. Drizzle over more honey, if you like, and top with raspberries. Chill overnight, then serve for breakfast the…

Pea, tarragon & soft cheese tart This simple puff pastry tart is nice enough to make when friends come over, but easy enough that you could make it for a quick weeknight dinner. Just unroll your puff pastry, top with a mixture of quickly cooked frozen peas, eggs and crème fraîche, scatter over your cheese and voilà: an easy quiche-adjacent meal. I love the background complexity from adding fresh tarragon, but if you don't have it or aren't keen on the flavour, just let the soft cheese do the herb heavy-lifting for the dish. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 30 mins 250g frozen peas, defrosted 2 tarragon sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped 4 eggs 100g full-fat crème fraîche 1 lemon, zested and juiced 320g sheet all-butter ready-rolled puff pastry 150g garlic…

There's nothing worse than inviting friends over, then feeling too stressed to enjoy the occasion yourself. So, this menu is designed to be hassle-free, with as much made in advance as possible. If you want to graze on some nibbles before the meal, we have a few suggestions – or take it easy and simply go to a good deli and buy something. optional nibbles* • Aubergine dip • Marinated olives • Roasted peppers with goat's cheese Menu for six • Slow roast porchetta • Bean, pea & hazelnut salad •Potato salad with yogurt Dijon dressing • Zuccotto with orange & chocolate *Serve these with crudités and toasted pittas or crusty bread Optional nibbles Aubergine dip ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 25 mins 1 large or…

Fish tacos with mango salsa This is an easy taco recipe for a midweek meal. I've used salmon as it's a great source of omega-3 heart fatty acids, but you can switch it up for any firm white fish. My top tip would be to make extra of the spice seasoning so you can use it in other dishes. There really is no need to buy expensive spice blends if you can make your own. If you don't have thyme or oregano in your cupboard, use dried mixed herbs instead. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 1 small mango, stoned and finely chopped 1 small red onion, finely chopped ½ cucumber, finely chopped 25g coriander, chopped 2 limes, 1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced, to decorate (optional) 560g skinless salmon…

MARSHMALLOW & STRAWBERRY KEBABS ■ Alternately thread 5 large marshmallows and 4 hulled strawberries each onto four metal skewers. Carefully hold over a campfire (or gas stove), turning slowly until the marshmallows are toasted. Stir a pinch of salt into ½ x 397g can Nestlé Carnation Caramel and drizzle over the skewer. Sprinkle over toasted chopped hazelnuts or crumbled biscuits. Cool for at least 1 min before eating. Serves 4. BBQ BANOFFEE SPLITS ■ Combine 40g softened butter, 50g light brown soft sugar and ½ tsp vanilla extract. Split 6 small, ripe, unpeeled bananas along the curved side and spoon the butter mixture into the split. Wrap each one in foil. Cook on the ashen coals of a barbecue for 15 mins, turning halfway through. Scatter over some chopped pecans.…

MEAL STRETCHER Who fancies spicy chicken and salad on Sunday? Keep some of the chicken back and we've a great idea for the leftovers too. Spiced yogurt roast chicken ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 40 mins 1 whole chicken (about 1.5kg) 4 baking potatoes 1 tsp cumin seeds pinch of chilli flakes 2 tbsp olive oil FOR THE COATING small piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 green chilli, finely chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 lemon, zested and juiced 100g natural yogurt green salad or coleslaw, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Mix the coating ingredients and season. Put the chicken in a roasting tin. Rub the coating on the skin. Put the lemon halves…

Cut out & keep Creamy salmon & chive bows ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 10 mins 350g farfalle 200g light soft cheese squeeze of lemon juice 145g gravadlax, torn into pieces, or smoked salmon trimmings bunch of chives, snipped 1 Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Tip the cooked pasta back into the saucepan. Add the soft cheese, lemon juice and gravadlax. Season with black pepper and mix well. Add a little of the reserved cooking water to create a creamy sauce, then heat everything through over a low heat. 2 Add most of the chives to the pan, stir well, then divide the pasta mixture between four bowls. Serve straightaway with the remaining chives scattered over the top. PER SERVING…

Hot & sour chicken soup ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 5 mins ½-1 red chilli, shredded (deseeded, if you like) 1 shallot, peeled and quartered 250ml chicken stock 1 tbsp rice or cider vinegar ½ tbsp soy sauce 3 bunches of spring onions, sliced 2-3 cooked chicken slices ¼ bunch of coriander, roughly chopped 50g rice vermicelli, cooked (optional) 1 Put the chilli, shallot and stock in a pan, bring to a simmer and cook for 3 mins. Add the vinegar and soy sauce. Taste and add more vinegar, if you like. 2 Tip in the spring onions and cook for 1 min more, then add the chicken and cook for another minute to warm through. Stir in the coriander and spoon over the noodles, if using, to serve. PER SERVING 250 kcals, fat…

Barbecue beef burgers The classic beef burger is a must-have at any barbecue. Pack a small piece of blue cheese in the centre to make it a little more special, and serve with your favourite accompaniments. ■ Makes 4 ■ Prep 10 mins plus chilling ■ Cook 15 mins 400g beef mince 1 banana shallot, peeled and finely chopped 1 tbsp strong horseradish sauce 1 tsp dried mixed herbs 1 large garlic clove, finely grated 40g blue cheese (optional) 2 tsp vegetable oil 4 burger buns, split iceberg lettuce leaves, tomato slices and relish, to serve 1 Tip the beef mince, shallots, horseradish sauce, herbs and garlic into a bowl, and season well with salt and black pepper. Combine well using your hands, squeezing the mixture through your fingers repeatedly to help it bind together. 2 Divide the…

WEEKEND CHERRIES Little Black Forest cakes Chocolate and cherries are perfect partners. These cute cakes are a lovely afternoon treat or way to end a meal, and you can bake the sponge up to two days ahead. ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 30 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 12 mins 25g butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for the tin 5 eggs 140g caster sugar 25g cocoa powder 100g self-raising flour 250g cherries 284ml double cream 4 tbsp kirsch 25g dark chocolate, grated 1 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter a roughly 30 x 35cm swiss roll tin and line with baking parchment. Whisk the eggs and sugar together using an electric whisk for about 5-6 mins until thick and pale, and the mixture leaves a trail when the beaters are lifted out. 2 Sift the…