Innehållsförteckning för May 2019 från Easy Cook

We live in a flat, the five of us, so there’s no room for a dining table to fit everyone around. For special occasions, we pull out the drop-leaf table my late mum gave to me, but it’s a bit of a faff, so instead I put a picnic blanket on the carpet, cook up some fajitas, like the recipe on p31, and try to engage our teenage children in conversation. ‘So, kids, what did you do at school this week?’ Response: Shrug. Grunt. Ah well, I can but try. At least it keeps them off the screens. Fortunately, we do have some outdoor space, and with two bank holidays in May, it’s a great chance to carry our trays onto the terrace and feast in the sunshine. A particular…

Barbecue ham & sweetcorn pizza Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Make 2 pizza bases from a 500g pack Wright’s bread mix. Spread each with 4 tbsp barbecue sauce and top with 2 chopped ham slices, 50g sweetcorn, ball torn mozzarella and oregano leaves. Bake for 15 mins. Serves 4. Chilli chicken wings Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix 6 tbsp barbecue sauce with 1 chopped red chilli, juice1/2 lime and 2 tsp soy sauce. Pour marinade over 16 chicken wings and toss well to coat. Put the chicken on a baking tray and cook for 25-30 mins until cooked and marinade sticky. Serve with celery sticks and soured cream to dip. Serves 4.…

Healthy, low-cal and gluten-free – these herby egg pancakes will become your go-to favour ite for a quick midweek meal Monday Omelette pancakes with tomato & pepper sauce • Serves 2 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins 4 large eggs handful basil leaves FOR THE SAUCE 2 tsp rapeseed oil, plus a little extra for the pancakes 1 yellow pepper, quartered, deseeded and thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 tbsp cider vinegar 400g can chopped tomatoes wholemeal bread or salad leaves, to serve 1 First make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and fry the pepper and garlic for 5 mins to soften. Spoon in the cider vinegar and allow to sizzle away. Tip in the tomatoes, then measure in 1/3 of…

Baked polenta with spinach & goat’s cheese • Serves 4 • Prep 20 mins • Cook 20 mins 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 300g fresh spinach 500g pack ready-made polenta 1 tbsp olive oil 100g goat’s cheese, broken into chunks 1 Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and boil the kettle. In a bowl, mix the garlic and tomatoes, season, then pour into a large baking dish. Place the spinach in a colander and pour boiling water over to wilt. Rinse in cold water and squeeze out excess water. Roughly chop, season, and scatter on top of the tomatoes. 2 Slice the polenta, then overlap on top of the spinach. Drizzle with the oil and bake in the oven for 10-15 mins. Scatter over the…

The easiest way is with a swivel vegetable peeler. Break your chocolate into chunks, let it warm to room temperature (or put in the microwave for 10 secs), then peel off curls with the peeler. For more extravagant curls, melt the chocolate, then spread in thin layers over a flat surface such as an upturned baking tray or slab of marble. When the chocolate looks set, but is still slightly soft, hold a long knife at a 45-degree angle to the chocolate, then pull towards you to curl.…

Blueberry cheesecake pots • Serves 4 • Prep 8 mins • Cook 2 mins 140g blueberries 2 tbsp caster sugar 5 digestive biscuits 250g tub mascarpone 4 tbsp double cream 4 tbsp icing sugar 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1 Put the blueberries and caster sugar in a microwave-proof dish and microwave on high for 1 min. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then tip onto a plate to cool. 2 Crush the biscuits, then press into the bases of four glasses. Beat the mascarpone with the cream, icing sugar, lemon zest and juice. 3 Divide the creamy mixture between the glasses, then spoon over the saucy blueberries. Serve immediately. PER SERVING 534 kcals, fat 41g, saturates 24g, carbs 39g, sugars 27g, fibre 1g, protein 4g, salt 0.5g Norwegian cream cake…

Simple iced biscuits Decorating these biscuits will keep the kids entertained. • Makes 40-45 • Prep 30 mins • Cook 20 mins dough only 200g unsalted butter, softened 200g golden caster sugar 1 large egg 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 lemon, zested 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting TO DECORATE 8-12 coloured icing pens, or fondant icing sugar mixed with a little water and food colouring 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the butter in a bowl and beat it using an electric whisk until soft and creamy. Beat in the sugar, then the egg and vanilla or lemon, and finally the flour to make a dough. If the dough feels a bit sticky, add a little bit more flour and knead it in. 2 Cut…

Stuffed meatballs So quick and easy to prepare, these tasty mozzarella-stuffed meatballs can be whipped up on a weeknight with no fuss. • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins FOR THE MEATBALLS 500g 5%-fat minced beef 1 tsp salt ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried mixed herbs 1 medium egg yolk handful of fresh parsley, chopped 70g reduced-fat mozzarella, split into 12 equal pieces FOR THE SAUCE 400g can chopped tomatoes 50g tomato purée 1 tbsp dried oregano 1 tsp onion granules ½ tsp dried basil ½ tsp dried parsley 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped ½ tsp red wine vinegar 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Mix all…

• Strictly speaking, polenta doesn’t really become polenta until it’s made up into the Italian dish of a creamy ‘porridge’ – which can be served as is, or left to harden, then sliced to be grilled or fried later. • Although packaged as polenta in its raw ground form, it is actually ground sweetcorn made into a coarse flour that's also called cornmeal, and used by cooks the world over. • Look out for it in the supermarket, where you will find it in a variety of forms, from plain ground polenta to ‘instant’ which is fast cooking, and ready-made versions that you can slice. • The ground form adds an interesting texture to cakes and biscuits and is great for using as a crunchy coating in savoury dishes like…

‘The sign of a great cook is how well they do on a limited budget, and just how creative they can be with cheaper ingredients. With this menu, I’ve given humble but seasonal elements a chef’s touch to create three courses you can cook for a group of friends without blowing the budget. The starter and dessert can be made ahead, so you can enjoy yourself on the night, too.’ Watercress soup with bacon dumplings To turn a soup from a light lunch into a dinner party starter, it needs an interesting garnish – these bacon dumplings are just the thing. • Serves 6 • Prep 30 mins • Cook 30 mins soup only 25g butter 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 onions, finely chopped 4 large floury potatoes, cut into…

Upside-down chicken pie Mat Follas I can’t enthuse enough about the flavour of slow-roasted chicken. This takes longer than a classic pot pie, but you can prepare up to the end of step four up to two days ahead. • Serves 4 • Prep 30 mins • Cook 4 hrs 15 mins 1 free-range chicken, about 1.5kg olive oil 600ml chicken stock 20g cornflour, dissolved in a little cold water 280g frozen peas, thawed 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 5mm cubes 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 5mm cubes 3 x 500g blocks all-butter puff pastry 1 small egg, beaten, to glaze 1 Heat oven to 130C/110C fan/gas ½. Put the chicken in a flameproof roasting tin, oil and generously salt the skin, then roast for 3…

Tom Kerridge’s salt-baked beetroot with feta & pickled onions I owe a lot to salt-baking – it was one of the cooking methods that won me my first Great British Menu in 2010. You can’t eat the salt crust, but it really intensifies the natural flavour of beetroot as it steams in its own juices, and the salt crust seasons the dish as it cooks. For a nostalgic touch, I’ve paired it with pickled onions, so you get a tang of vinegar with the beetroot. • Serves 4 as a starter or side • Prep 30 mins plus 11/2 hrs chilling • Cook 21/2 hrs 4 medium beetroots, washed and leaves trimmed FOR THE SALT CRUST 6 rosemary sprigs 150g salt 500g plain flour 2 large egg whites FOR THE…

AS LITTLE AS 54P PER SERVING Salmon & horseradish burgers • Serves 4 • Prep 20 mins • Cook 8 mins uncooked burgers only 4 skinless salmon fillets or 1 large piece (about 500g) 1 tbsp creamed horseradish 1 lemon, zested, plus 2 tsp juice small handful dill, chopped 1 tbsp vegetable oil 4 tbsp mayonnaise 4 poppy seed rolls, split 85g bag watercress 25g cucumber, sliced 4 radishes, thinly sliced 1 Put the salmon, horseradish, lemon zest and half the dill in a food processor, season and blitz to a fine paste. 2 Shape the mixture into four burgers. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the burgers for 4 mins on each side until golden. 3 Meanwhile, mix the remaining dill with the mayonnaise and…

A cheap, quick and easy family supper with a secret ingredient! Boston baked beans • Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and fry 200g smoked bacon lardons for 5 mins until crisp. Add 1 sliced onion and 1 crushed garlic clove, and cook gently until soft. Stir in 1 tbsp English mustard powder, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and a 415g can baked beans. Cook for 5 mins until hot. Season and serve with grilled meat or baked potatoes. Serves 2. Sausage & bean casserole • Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish. Brown 6 good-quality pork sausages for 10-12 mins, then add 1 diced red onion, 2 chopped carrots and 2 diced celery sticks and cook until softened. Stir in 1…

Asparagus, chilli & feta farfalle Fry diced chorizo along with the garlic and chilli, if you like. • Serves 2 • Prep 5 mins • Cook 15 mins 200g farfalle 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 red chilli, finely chopped 250g asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into small pieces 1 lemon, zested and juiced handful basil leaves 30g pine nuts, toasted 50g feta, crumbled 1 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Tip in the pasta and cook for 1 min less than pack instructions. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Stir in the garlic, chilli and a pinch of salt, and fry for 1 min. Add the asparagus and lemon zest, and…

‘Cooking doesn’t have to be scary. Anyone can do it. You just have to be willing to get your hands dirty, try new things and experiment.’ Herby prawn burger with lime mayo You rarely see prawn burgers on menus but they make a great alternative to the classics. You simply mince the raw prawns by hand, then add the herbs. You’ve got loads of flavours in there, plus the richness of the prawns – then the lime comes through and smacks you in the face. Think Mexico meets Japan meets a good old American-style burger. • Serves 2 • Prep 15 mins plus 30 mins chilling • Cook 10 mins 2 spring onions, finely sliced ½ bunch coriander, leaves chopped 240g raw king prawns olive oil, for frying 100g mayonnaise…

Stem ginger ice cream • Whip 500ml double cream until stiff, then fold through 70g chopped stem ginger with 4 tbsp of its syrup and the seeds from half a vanilla pod. Freeze for 30 mins, then give a good stir and return to the freezer for about 1 hr before serving. Serves 4. Rhubarb & ginger crumble • Toss 400g sliced rhubarb with 75g caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 chopped ball stem ginger and 2 tsp cornflour . Put in a baking dish. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Rub 100g cold chopped butter into 150g plain flour and 1 tsp ground ginger to resemble rough crumbs. Stir in 50g sugar and scatter over the fruit. Bake for 35 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve with custard.…