Innehållsförteckning för Issue 102 från Easy Cook

My sons don’t get to see their granddad as much as he – or they – would like. We live in London; he lives in Manchester. It’s the price of modern living. But whenever we do visit, there are a number of rituals we like to follow: 1. We go to the pub and talk rubbish 2. We play pool – and my sons always win 3. I cook my dad something new As a man of a certain generation (he’s 80 this year), he finds ‘exotic’ food a challenge. He lives alone after my mum died seven years ago – his staple diet now being meat ‘n’ two veg – so I like to cook him meals that go beyond his comfort zone. I’m delighted to say that he…

Emily Apple Crisps Great for the kids’ lunchbox, these on-the-go snacks count towards your 5-a-day. 89p for small bag, Holland & Barrett and Ocado Lyons Coffee Bags In a hurry? Make a vÕÃÛvÀii›w›ÌiÀ›V›vvii› with these handy bags. £2.60, Tesco and Morrisons Nutri-Brex A gluten-free cereal is a bit more expensive than your usual brand, but you get a lot for your money. £3.79 for 24, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda Waitrose 1 Raspberry & Rose Eclairs Pack some of these into your picnic bag. £2.50, Waitrose Carrot, Ginger & Turmeric Hummus Perfect with veg sticks for healthy snacking. £3, chicp.co.uk…

Cheesy onion pizza • Serves 2 • Prep 5 mins • Cook 15 mins • £1.10 a portion • 355 kcals, 15g fat, 6g sat. fat, 8g sugar 2 red onions, sliced 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 30cm ready-made pizza base 100g log goat’s cheese, sliced 1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp oil. Cook the onions with the lid on for 10 mins, stirring every now and again, until soft and caramelised. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Season well. 2 Put the pizza base on a baking sheet. Spoon the caramelised onions over the base and top with slices of goat’s cheese. Bake in the oven for 5-8 mins, until the goat’s cheese has melted and the…

Roasted veg & couscous salad • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 40 mins • £1.15 a portion • 399 kcals, 18g fat, 2g sat. fat, 14g sugar 1 red & yellow pepper, halved & deseeded ½ a butternut squash 2 courgettes, thickly sliced 4 garlic cloves, leave skin on 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 red onion, thickly sliced 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp harissa paste 50g whole blanched almonds 250g couscous 300ml hot vegetable stock zest and juice 1 lemon 20g pack mint, roughly chopped 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut peppers and squash into bite-size pieces (leave skin on squash). Tip all the veg into a baking tray, add garlic, 2 tbsp oil and seasoning. Mix and roast for 20 mins.…

Hot salami & courgette flatbread •  Serves 1 (easily doubled)• Prep 5 mins• Cook 12 mins• £1.03 a portion• 355 kcals, 19g fat, 7g sat. fat, 5g sugar 1 small courgette, thinly sliced 2 tsp olive oil pinch dried oregano or picked fresh oregano leaves 1 flatbread or Mediterranean wrap 2 tbsp chilli & tomato pasta sauce 2 slices salami, cut into strips 25g Emmental, grated 1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and place a griddle pan over a high heat. Toss the courgette slices in a bowl with the olive oil, oregano and seasoning. Lay the courgette slices on the griddle and cook for a few mins each side until just tender. 2 Place the flatbread on a baking sheet and spread with the pasta sauce. Arrange the courgette slices on top,…

Base curry sauce • Serves 8–10• Prep 30 mins• Cook 1 hr 100ml rapeseed oil 800g Spanish onions, roughly chopped 25g carrot, peeled and chopped 25g cabbage, chopped 40g red pepper, deseeded and diced 40g green pepper, deseeded and diced 150g tomatoes, diced 5 cloves garlic, grated thumb-sized piece ginger, grated 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground fenugreek 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 1 Heat the rapeseed oil in large sauce pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the chopped onions, carrot, cabbage, diced red pepper and green pepper, and stir them all up to coat with the oil. Add the remaining ingredients and again stir it all to combine. 2 Pour in just enough water to cover and simmer…

• Greek olive oil is often full bodied and fruity, and, like oils from Spain or Italy, Ài}›››>››ÌÞ›>vviVÌÛ›ÌÛy>Û›ÕÀ°››››››i›Ì››ÃÌ›V›› up with a couple; a fruity oil for salads, LÀi> › ›««››}›>› › À›ââ›››}››ÛiÀ›wÛ›>› › vegetables, and a more peppery one for barbecuing and roasting lamb with lemon and oregano. • Olives are an essential part of a meze along with a glass of ouzo. Kalamata are the king of olives, but look out for more unusual varieties, too. I also like Tsakistes, a cracked green olive to use in seafood stews. • Lemons – no kitchen should be without them, and I love the classic lemon and olive oil dressing. Mix the juice of one lemon to 6 tbsp olive oil and drizzle over vÀiÛ›Þ›}À›››i ›wÛ]›Ûi}›>› ›Ü››Ìi ›}Àii›Ã°› • Cinnamon is…

Doughnut muffins • Serves 12 • Prep 20 mins • Cook 18 mins • 20p a portion • 229 kcals, 11g fat, 6g sat. fat, 18g sugar 140g golden caster sugar, plus 200g extra for dusting 200g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 100ml natural yogurt 2 large eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 140g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 12 tsp seedless raspberry jam 1 Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin. Put 140g sugar, flour and bicarb in a bowl and mix to combine. In a jug, whisk together the yogurt, eggs and vanilla. Tip the jug contents and melted butter into the dry ingredients and quickly fold with a metal spoon to combine. 2 Divide two-thirds of the mixture between…

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Lamb & fennel spaghetti Bolognese   • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 30 mins • £1.81 a portion • 665 kcals, 25g fat, 9g sat. fat, 10g sugar 2 tbsp olive oil 500g pack lean minced lamb 2 fennel bulbs, core removed, chopped ››ICTNKE›ENQXGU›››PGN[›EJQRRGF› ››VDUR››PGN[›EJQRRGF› TQUGOCT[› 2 x 400g cans peeled plum tomatoes 10 olives, halved 350g dried spaghetti (or gluten-free alternative) grated parmesan and green salad, to serve (optional) 1 In a medium saucepan, heat a little of the olive oil. Add the lamb mince, season and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain off and discard any excess fat. 2 Add the remaining oil, the fennel, garlic, rosemary and some seasoning, then cook for about 8 mins until…

Courgette & lemon pappardelle with pine nuts ‘This fresh, lemony pasta tastes like summer in a bowl, even when it’s cold outside. The grassy flavour of courgette meets the crisp bites of toasted pine nuts, all brought together by addictively slippery pappardelle ribbons.’ •  Serves 2• Prep 5 mins• Cook 10 mins 200g dried pappardelle (egg-free) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 2 medium courgettes, grated 1 tbsp pine nuts 2 unwaxed lemons 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil handful of fresh basil leaves 1 Cook the pappardelle in a large saucepan of boiling water over a high-medium heat for 10 mins until al dente then drain. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the…

Tandoori-style chicken ‘Most people love tandoori chicken. There are no tricks except a long marinating time so that the flavours can seep deep into the flesh and the chicken becomes really juicy.’ •  Serves 4• Prep 45 mins plus marinating• Cook 25 mins FOR THE CHICKEN 8 skinless chicken thighs, legs, or both a slice of unsalted butter, melted a little smoked paprika 1 tsp chaat masala 1 tsp ground fenugreek FOR THE MARINADE 2½ tbsp lemon juice, plus wedges to serve 1 rounded tsp salt 120g full-fat plain yogurt 4 fat garlic cloves 1 Indian green ginger chilli, deseeded (optional) 1 tbsp peeled root ginger, roughly chopped 1½–2 tsp paprika 1 rounded tsp ground cumin 1 rounded tsp garam masala 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 Slash each piece of chicken 3…

Honey-mustard parsnip & potato bake • Serves 6 • Prep 35 mins • Cook 1 hr • 58p a portion • 502 kcals, 16g fat, 9g sat. fat, 19g sugar 800g potatoes like Desirée, cut into 2.5cm cubes 800g parsnips, cut into 2.5cm cubes 85g butter 85g plain flour 600ml milk 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp clear honey 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 85g fresh white bread, whizzed to crumbs 25g grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Tip in the potatoes and parsnips, bring back to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Gently drain so they don’t rough up too much, then tip into a baking dish. 2 Melt the butter in a big saucepan, then stir in…

Alex loves leftovers! ‘Thanks to being married to a baker, we always have brioche in the cupboard, so this is my take on a bread and butter pudding.’ Alex Hollywood White chocolate & raspberry brioche pudding • Serves 4–6 • Prep 20 mins • Cook 25-30 mins 3 large eggs 300ml double cream 300ml crème fraîche 100ml milk 1 tbsp caster sugar a little vanilla extract 1 x 600g brioche loaf 120g white chocolate buttons around 300g raspberries 1 Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Lightly whisk the eggs, cream, crème fraîche, milk, sugar and vanilla together. 2 Cut the brioche into 2cm chunks and scatter half into a buttered 30 x 20cm ovenproof dish along with half the chocolate buttons and raspberries. Repeat this once more. 3 Pour…

Meet Miguel ››››››Ài››v›>››› >›Ì››V›iv›Ì›>››>›V›iv° Instead of adding ingredients to make a dish stand out, I actually Ì>›i›››}Ài ›i›ÌÛ>Ü>Þ›>› ›w› › shortcuts. And this was how One Pound Meals started. I challenged myself to make a paella for £1, posted the dish on Instagram and the rest is history. I started working to a £1 budget, and found that my unique approach to cooking became a bigger part of the dishes I was creating. As I stripped back dishes even further, recipes became even easier. My recipes got healthier, too – pre-prepared and processed foods were too expensive, so everything had to be made from scratch. This is how you can take simple ingredients and create mouthwatering dishes on a budget. ‘Oven-fried’ chicken & slaw ‘By using the secret ingredient of…

Vegan banana & peanut butter cupcakes •  Makes 16• Prep 25 mins• Cook 20 mins• 27p a cake• 295 kcals, 14g fat, 3g sat. fat, 28g sugar 240g self-raising flour 140g golden caster sugar 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 240g egg-free mayonnaise 2 large or 3 small ripe bananas, mashed 1 tsp vanilla extract 25g vegan dark chocolate chips FOR THE ICING 80g vegan margarine 250g vegan icing sugar 25ml almond milk 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter 1 Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Line muffin tins with 16 cases. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, › tsp salt and bicarbonate of soda. In a second bowl or a jug, mix the mayonnaise, mashed bananas and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spoon until just combined…

These golden, battered prawns with pakora dipping sauce will make a delicious Saturday night starter Prawn butterfly •  Makes 8–10• Prep 20 mins• Cook 15 mins 8–10 unpeeled raw large prawns, de-veined, head and shell removed with tail intact 4 tbsp chickpea flour 2 tbsp rice flour 1 tbsp baking powder ½ tsp cumin seeds, roasted 1 tbsp Spice mix (see recipe, above) 1 tsp chilli powder, or to taste rapeseed oil, for deep-frying 1 Using a sharp knife, make a shallow incision into the back to butterfly each prawn and remove the black or clear vein. Place cling film over the butterflied prawns and lightly pound them flat with a mallet. 2 For the batter, mix the flours, baking powder, cumin, Spice mix and chilli powder together in a bowl.…

Chicken Kiev quesadilla • Serves 2• Prep 5 mins• Cook 10 mins• 85p a portion• 413 kcals, 28g fat, 15g sat. fat, 2g sugar 1 large wrap or wheat tortilla 4 tbsp garlic & herb soft cheese (we used Boursin) 50g cheddar, grated 1 spring onion, cut in half then sliced lengthways into thick strips ½ lemon, zested ½ small pack flat-leaf parsley, chopped 100g cooked chicken thigh meat, chopped into bite-sized pieces 1 tbsp panko breadcrumbs 1 Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Spread half the wrap with 2 tbsp soft cheese and put in the pan. Cover the other half with the cheddar, then top with the spring onion, lemon zest, parsley and chicken. Scatter over the panko and dot the remaining soft cheese over. 2 Fold the soft-cheese-spread side…

St Clement’s curd muffins • Makes 9 • Prep 20 mins plus cooling • Cook 15-20 mins • 18p a portion • 215 kcals, 3g fat, 1g sat. fat, 24g sugar 200g plain flour 140g white caster sugar, plus 1½ tbsp 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda finely grated zest and juice of 1 small orange (about 85ml juice) 1 tbsp sunflower oil ½ tsp vanilla extract 150g pot plain yogurt 1 large egg 9 tsp lemon curd 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a muffin tin with 9 paper cases. Tip the flour, 140g sugar, the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, and mix together with a fork. 2 Stir together ½ tsp orange zest and 1½ tbsp sugar…

Surprise piñata football cake • Serves 24 • Prep 2 hrs • Cook 1 hr 30 mins • 97p a slice • 564 kcals, 25g fat, 15g sat. fat, 71g sugar sponges only FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE 200g unsalted butter 200g soft light brown sugar 4 large eggs 150g self-raising flour 50g cocoa powder, sieved 1 tbsp milk FOR THE MINT CAKE 200g unsalted butter 200g caster sugar 4 large eggs 200g self-raising flour ½ tsp peppermint extract about ½ - 1 tsp green food colouring paste FOR ICING & DECORATION 150g unsalted butter, softened 300g icing sugar, sieved 300g chocolate balls or foil-covered chocolate footballs (available online) 4 tbsp sieved apricot jam, warmed 500g green ready-to-roll icing 350 g white ready-to-roll icing 100g black ready-to-roll icing a little…

Childhood meal It would have to be Mum’s special chicken curry. Ingredient Onions. I use them in most of my dishes. Breakfast Scrambled eggs and wholemeal toast with Marmite and fresh ginger, and a cardamom chai. Lunch Dim Sum. Dinner My desert island dinner would be a crab curry but, in reality, a plate of well-prepared vegetables would be ideal as I prefer small, light dinners. Pudding Indian Ras Malai (spongey y>Ì›>› ›››}›Ì›¼V>›iý››> i››v›vÀiÛ› «>›iiÀ›Ã›>›i ››››>›››}›Ì›Þ›y>Û›ÕÀi › milk liquor), or dark chocolate cake. Four-ingredient recipe I love crispy okra. To make it, you all you need is okra, }À>››y›ÕÀ]› chaat masala (a blend of spices) and oil. Fond memory My friends and I eating our fridge leftovers after a night out in our late teens. Book I found my mother’s…