Innehållsförteckning för April 2016 från Easy Cook

All recipes tested Easy-to-buy ingredients 30 mins to the table or less Weeknight inspiration No tricky techniques or expensive equipment Cheeseburgers • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 10 mins • £1.67 a portion • 723 kcals, 44g fat, 18g sat. fat, 19g sugar burgers only 450g beef mince (ideally 15-20% fat)2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp chipotle paste5 tbsp tomato ketchup2 tbsp mayonnaise8 cheddar or Red Leicester slices TO SERVE 4 large soft brioche buns or burger buns,halved4 thick leaves iceberg lettuces4 thick slices beefsteak tomatoes4 very thin slices red onions16 Bread & butter pickles (see recipe,right) or 2 gherkins, thinly sliced 1 Put the meat and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and season with black pepper and 1 generous tsp salt. Mix together well, then shape the…

WE LOVE THIS Hoisin chicken Heat the grill to high. Mix 200g cooked chicken with 2 tbsp hoisin sauce so that it’s coated, then spread out onto an ovenproof dish and grill until sizzling. Warm 2 four tortillas under the grill or according to pack instructions. Spread the tortillas with a further 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, then use to wrap up the chicken with ¼ shredded cucumber, 4 spring onions, shredded, and a handful watercress. Cut in half and enjoy while still warm. Serves 1. Spinach, carrot & houmous Spread 2 heaped tbsp reduced-fat houmous over a seeded wrap. Top with a large handful spinach, ½ grated carrot and ½ spring onion, sliced. Squeeze over some lemon juice, then roll and halve to serve. Serves 1. Coronation chicken Slice 1…

Be a morning person! Eating low-GI, complex carbohydrates alongside a helping of protein at the start of the day will give your body all it needs in terms of energy and kick-start your metabolism ENERGISING BREAKFAST Spinach & smoked salmon egg muffins • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins • £2.46 a portion • 626 kcals, 51g fat, 28g sat. fat, 3g sugar 1 tbsp white wine vinegar4 of the freshest eggs you can get300g spinach25g butter, for frying and spreading2 muffins, split4 long slices good-quality smokedsalmon FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE 2 egg yolks140g butter, meltedjuice ½ lemonpinch cayenne pepper 1 To make the hollandaise, sit a large bowl over a pan of hot water and whisk the egg yolks with 2 tbsp hot…

Wine Atlas Catarratto (£4.97, Asda) This bargain Italian white has notes of lime and fresh herbs. It’s light enough to go with the sides, but the lemony notes match the lamb well too. Sainsbury's Rose Cava 75cl (£5.50) If you fancy something with a little fzz, this will ft the bill. Delicately fruity, its slight acidity cuts through the lamb nicely. It's Easter – a great time to break open some fzz! Kalander Red (£7, Morrisons) This blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Cinsault grapes produce a bold red with smoky aromas and ripe red cherry fruit. Great with the bean stew.…

MAKE Hot cross buns • Makes 12 • Prep 45 mins plus rising and proving • Cook 15 mins • 23p a bun • 242 kcals, 6g fat, 3g sat. fat, 14g sugar 450g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting 2 x 7g sachets easy-blend yeast 50g caster sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp mixed spice ¼ tsp grated nutmeg 100g currants 150ml warm milk 1 egg, beaten 50g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing oil, for greasing TO DECORATE 4 tbsp plain flour 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, 1 tsp salt with the spices and dried fruit. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, 50ml warm water, the beaten egg and the melted butter.…

Fishcake fingers • Makes 8 • Prep 30 mins • Cook 40 mins • 85p per fish finger • Fish fingers 275 kcals, 12g fat, 2g sat. fat, 1g sugar • Mayonnaise 96 kcals, 9g fat, 1g sat. fat, 1g sugar YOU’LL NEED Large saucepan Slotted spoon Colander 1 small and 2 large mixing bowls Potato masher Wooden spoon Small and large shallow dishes Whisk Frying pan Kitchen paper Spatula Lemon juicer Plastic spoon 800g floury potatoes 2 skinless salmon fillets (about 250g) cut into chunks 3 smoked mackerel fillets (about 140g) zest 1 lemon, saving juice to serve plain flour, for dusting 3 eggs 100g dried breadcrumbs 3 tbsp sunflower oil, plus more if needed TO SERVE 6 tbsp mayonnaise lemon juice, from above 1 small garlic clove, chopped…

Seasonal food ideas News snippets Kitchen must-haves Cake of the moment If you saw Nadiya Hussain's showstopping anti-gravity cake on the Bake Off last year and wished there was an easy way to make it, this is the answer. This kit includes a base plate, two supporting rods and corner piece. Cover them in melted chocolate and stick on your decorations and you can have cake worthy of a Hollywood handshake! Anti-gravity pouring cake kit (£9.98, Lakeland) Our favourite chocolate eggs... Bag our top 5 gifts for Easter Cut those bills Want to save money? Simply plan before you go shopping Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin love teaching us how to eat well for less. Here are their simple tips... • Don’t overbuy Obvious, right? Check your cupboards before you…

Prawn pad Thai • Serves 2 • Prep 15 mins • Cook 40 mins • £1.42 a portion 250g dried rice stick noodles4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil2 garlic cloves, sliced24 prawns, peeled and de-veined125g firm tofu, diced2 eggs, lightly beaten4 spring onions, trimmed and cut into2.5-cm lengths1 tbsp dried shrimp125g beansprouts, plus extra to serve2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander FOR THE SAUCE 2 tbsp palm sugar, ground2 tbsp fish sauce2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice1 tbsp tamarind water (see recipe, below)2 tsp light soy sauce TO SERVE crushed peanuts, a pinch of cayennepepper, coriander leaves and limewedges (from 1 lime) 1 Soak the noodles in a bowlful of hot water for 20–30 mins until softened. Drain well, pat dry with a clean kitchen cloth and set aside in a…

Foil-poached salmon with dill & avocado mayo • Serves 10 • Prep 20 mins plus cooling • Cook 2 hrs • £3.91 a portion • 612 kcals, 47g fat, 8g sat. fat, 1g sugar 3½ kg whole salmon (ask the fish counterto clean and gut it)olive oil, for greasing1 small onion, very thinly sliced4 bay leaves20g pack dill6 tbsp dry white wine3 ripe avocados200ml mayonnaisezest and juice 1 large lemon½ cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced TO SERVE bunch watercress, lemon wedges, thickcucumber slices, fresh dill (optional) 1 Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Put the salmon on a large sheet of oiled extra-wide foil (this will stop it from sticking later). Put the onion, bay leaves and half the dill in the body cavity, spoon over the wine, season with…

Which chocolate? Always look for the cocoa percentage to best suit your recipe. This is how to pick the right chocolate for your bakes: • MILK These must have a minimum of 20% cocoa solids – however, one with 30% for a creamy fnish and a decent chocolate favour. • DARK A bar of standard dark chocolate has only 36% cocoa solids and is really sweet, so look for one labelled ‘Belgian’ as this will be about 50%, which is great for cakes and cookies as it’s not too bitter. Use chocolate labelled 70% for rich fondants. • WHITE Free of cocoa solids, white chocolate relies on good-quality cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and vanilla. We fnd that the economy brands melt the best, so don't be put off by…

Rhubarb ripple semi-freddo • Serves 10 • Prep 20 mins plus 3 hrs freezing • Cook 15 mins • 47p a portion • 286 kcals, 18g fat, 11g sat. fat, 26g sugar 200g rhubarb, chopped 100g caster sugar 3 tbsp ginger cordial (we used Belvoir) 4 eggs, separated 100g icing sugar 300ml pot double cream 50g ready-made meringues, broken 25g crystallised ginger, to serve 1 Line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Put the chopped rhubarb in a medium-sized saucepan with the caster sugar, ginger cordial and 2 tbsp water. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 10-15 mins or until the rhubarb is soft but still holds its shape. Pour into a heatproof jug and leave to cool. 2 In a large bowl, whisk the egg…

‘The filling can be made up to a day ahead and chilled, but prepare the pastry just before baking’ Filo-crusted smoked haddock, cheese & leek pie • Serves 6 • Prep 20 mins plus cooling • Cook 1 hr 10 mins • £3.57 a portion • 821 kcals, 49g fat, 28g sat. fat, 9g sugar 600ml whole milk 3 bay leaves 1 tbsp white peppercorns 650g good-quality smoked haddock fillets 1 tbsp olive oil 75g butter, plus extra for frying 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, grated 2 large leeks, halved and finely sliced 75g plain flour 1 tbsp English mustard powder juice 1 lemon 175g strong cheddar, diced FOR THE FILO CRUST 140g butter 6 garlic cloves, grated 400g filo pastry small bunch chives, finely snipped 1 Bring…

We’re following… Instagram accounts that make us very hungry Beautiful photography and bakes @sheddenfora We love seeing what ex- Great British Bake Off contestant Flora is up to. Expect pretty landscapes and amazing bakes. Flora says: ‘I love baking soft hot cross buns for Easter. Cranberry and ginger is a favourite but I like to mix it up and experiment each year. For breakfast? It has to be a stack of pancakes.’ Try this: Banana pancakes Dairy-free breakfasts @nourishingjessica Award-winning blogger Jessica will have you creating the most delicious dairy-free creations. Jessica says: ‘I love porridge or eggs for breakfast; both are so versatile and quick to make. All of my recipes were created while I was at university on a narrow budget, so they’re affordable, too!’ Try this: Porridge…

Sweetcorn pancakes with fried eggs & chorizo salsa • Serves 2 • Prep 15 mins • Cook 30 mins • £1.85 a portion • 875 kcals, 37g fat, 12g sat. fat, 11g sugar 140g chorizo, sliced1 red pepper, sliced4-6 tbsp mild salsa FOR THE PANCAKES 140g plain flour50g fine polenta or cornmeal2 tsp baking powder125ml milk4 large eggs140g frozen sweetcorn, orfrom a can, drainedsmall handful coriander,chopped, plus a few leavesto serve (optional)1 tbsp vegetable oil, forfrying 1 For the pancakes, put the flour, polenta, baking powder, milk and 2 of the eggs in a food processor with a good pinch of salt and whizz together. Add the sweetcorn and coriander and briefly pulse until just combined. 2 Put the oven on a low heat to keep the pancakes warm as…

Sharing chicken salad • Serves 10 • Prep 25 mins • Cook 2 hrs 30 mins • 96p a portion • 639 kcals, 52g fat, 12g sat. fat, 7g sugar 1 large chicken (about 2¼ kg/5lb)1 tsp turmeric2 tsp ground ginger2 tsp ground cumin2 tsp ground cinnamon3 tbsp sunflower oil500g Greek yogurt4 tbsp mayonnaise¼ tsp cayenne pepper4 tsp pomegranate molasses or balsamicglaze, plus extra to serve2 green-skinned apples, cored and diced200g toasted walnut pieces100g pomegranate seedsbunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Sit the chicken in a large roasting tin. Mix together the turmeric, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon and oil, then brush all over the chicken, making sure all of the spiced oil is used. Season well. Pour 250ml water into…

You can’t beat sharing a tasty one-pot dinner with friends and family. Wonderfully hearty, they taste great, they’re fast and simple to make and you can just pop the dish in the middle of the table, so everyone can help themselves. Perfect! Bisto Made Simple Hob Top Chicken & Wild Mushroom is a concentrated paste made with herbs, seasonings and real meat juices that adds a rich, deep flavour to those everyday meals. It’s the taste of homemade made easy. Hob Top Chicken & Wild Mushroom • Makes 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 35 mins 500g chicken breast, diced1 medium onion, chopped1 tbsp olive oil400g chestnut mushrooms, slicedBisto Made Simple Hob Top Chicken & Wild Mushroom200ml semi-skimmed milk 1 Fry the chicken and onions in the oil for…

Chocolate teacakes • Makes 6 • Prep 1 hr plus chilling • Cook 15-18 mins • 49p a teacake 35g caster sugar 80g plain flour 15g cocoa powder 65g soft butter 2 tbsp milk 250g dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa solids), chopped FOR THE FILLING 2 large egg whites 125g caster sugar ¼ tsp cream of tartar 1 tsp orange blossom water (or a few drops of peppermint extract) 1 First make the biscuit base. Put the sugar, flour, cocoa and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blitz. Add the butter and blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Finally, add the milk and pulse until it forms a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 mins. 2 Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface…

What inspired you to write your first cookbook? It was losing my little girl, Natasha, at 3 months that led me to change direction into the feld of nutrition. I was very lucky that I got pregnant within a year and had Nicholas, but I felt quite vulnerable when he didn’t eat properly. The only books I could fnd for children had quite bland recipes, and I was convinced he would prefer favourful food. And I was right – he started eating better and I started sharing recipes with the other mums at my son’s playschool. Fast forward 2 years and I had written my frst book, the Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner. It took a while to convince anyone to publish it, but now I’ve published a 25th…

Spice-rubbed pork ribs with chipotle honey glaze • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 1 hr 40 mins • £1.05 a portion • 403 kcals, 21g fat, 8g sat. fat, 25g sugar 4 short racks baby back or other pork ribs (about 1kg) FOR THE SPICE RUB 1 tbsp mustard powder 1 tbsp ancho chilli powder 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo 1 tbsp soft brown sugar FOR THE CHIPOTLE GLAZE 3 tbsp chipotle 1 tbsp cider vinegar 4 tbsp clear honey 2 tbsp ketchup 1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Add the spice rub ingredients to a small bowl with seasoning. Rub into meaty side of ribs. Place in a single layer in a shallow baking tray. Pour 125ml water into the bottom of tray, cover with…

‘Eat these tarts straight from the oven while the centres are still gooey’ Warm chocolate & macadamia nut tarts • Makes 4 • Prep 30 mins plus chilling • Cook 30 mins • £1.83 a tart • 1,015 kcals, 69g fat, 22g sat. fat, 56g sugar 375g pack sweet pastry 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 2 tbsp double cream 1 tbsp Disaronno or brandy (optional) 2 large eggs, plus 1 yolk 50g caster sugar 85g macadamia nuts, chopped icing sugar, to decorate 1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin and line 4 tartlet cases (about 10 x 3cm). Trim the excess off by rolling a rolling pin over the top of the cases to make a neat edge.…