Innehållsförteckning för June 2019 från Easy Cook

As the long school summer holidays approach, my head goes into a whirl of forward planning on how best to keep our three kids fed while me and their mum are at work. Fortunately, they’re old enough (and careful enough) to be able to turn on the oven and bung in something that I’ve prepped – and there’s nothing more convenient than a one-pot. As we say in our collection of 10 summer one-pots (p46): ‘Why use three pans when you can use just one?’. Planning ahead is a must for many of us. I spend my Saturdays shopping, then batch-cooking: it reduces waste and also ensures you don’t buy spur-of-the-moment ingredients you’ll only use once, a philosophy shared by Chris Bavin, co-presenter of BBC shows Eat Well For Less…

Rainbow pizzas Using ready-made pizza bases makes this super quick. Or buy pizza-base mix and follow the instructions to make your own. • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins 2 plain pizza bases 6 tbsp passata 400g mixed red and yellow tomatoes, sliced 75g Tenderstem broccoli, stems finely sliced 8 green olives, pitted and halved (optional) 150g mozzarella cherries (bocconcini) 2 tbsp fresh pesto (vegetarian vesrions are available) handful fresh basil leaves, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160Cfan/gas 4. Put each pizza base on a baking sheet and spread each with half of the passata. Arrange the tomatoes on the top in rings or wedges of colour and add the broccoli and the olives, if using. Squish the mozzarella cherries a little before dotting…

“Without planning, you’re likely to buy ingredients that you don’t use, or you’ll discover you’re missing key ingredients. Plan your week’s meals before you go to the shops – and try to get the whole family on board to avoid disagreements later on.” Sweet potato with rocket & blue cheese If you want to get ahead for the following evening, roast the sweet potatoes and leave them to cool before popping them in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just heat them up in the oven for 10 mins with the cheese and rocket as in step 2, and they’re ready to serve. • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 30 mins 1.25kg sweet potatoes, cut into wedges 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp chilli flakes 2…

Triple-cooked chips take a bit more work, but they’re well worth the extra effort – golden and crispy on the outside, wonderfully light and fluffy on the inside Best of British burgers with triple-cooked chips • Serves 4 • Prep 25 mins • Cook 40 mins FOR THE CHIPS 4 large potatoes such as Maris Piper, cut into chunky chips 2 litres vegetable oil, for frying FOR THE BURGERS 500g beef mince 4 shallots, finely chopped 2 tsp English mustard 1 large egg yolk 25g breadcrumbs 1 tbsp vegetable oil TO SERVE 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon 4 large sesame seed buns, halved 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 large handful lamb’s lettuce 2 vine tomatoes, sliced lengthways 8 slices red leicester 2 gherkins, sliced lengthways coleslaw, to serve (optional) 1…

TOMMI’S KITCHEN MUST-HAVES “Travelling in Spain opened my eyes to the simplicity and beauty of their food. Spanish home cooking is down-to-earth, using gutsy, top-quality ingredients to create delicious, rustic dishes. Here are just a few to get you started” ❶CHICKPEAS My favourite pulse. Not only are they packed with good things, like protein and fibre, they also have a lovely nutty flavour. They make wonderful stews, vegetarian or otherwise, and are an essential ingredient for salads or whizzed up in sauces, purées and soups. ❷CHORIZO The Spanish have a great love affair with the pig, and chorizo is perhaps their best-known pork product. This hearty sausage, flavoured with paprika, comes either cured, like salami, and needs no further cooking, or as cooking chorizo, which is sold raw and is…

Prawns with chilli & garlic Gamberi con peperoncino e aglio I can remember watching my dad make this recipe, and being fascinated by the grey prawns turning pink as they cooked. They tasted so good that I even sucked the juices from the heads. It’s a messy dish to eat – you will have napkins covered in pink once you have finished – but so worth it. • Serves 4-6 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 7-8 mins 3 tbsp olive oil 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp chilli flakes 28 raw large king prawns, with shells on 300ml dry white wine 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley 1 Put the oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry over a medium heat for 2-3 mins.…

Mary’s cherry trifle There’s nothing quite like a classic trifle for a celebration, but I’ve added a few extras to make this one really special. The crunchy almond biscuit nuggets, homemade custard, and a good splash of cherry liqueur or brandy turn this into trifle worthy of any occasion. I went for cherries because they’re a classic British fruit that are in season now. You can, of course, use ready-made custard, but I do think that learning to make your own custard is a good skill, and you’ll feel proud of yourself! • Serves 8 • Prep 35 mins plus 3 hrs chilling • Cook 30 mins 450g cherries, reserve a few cherries for the top and stone the rest 340g jar cherry jam or conserve 450g madeira cake, cut…

Vegetable fried rice • Cook a bag of stir-fry veg in sunflower oil with a small pack of chopped pancetta for 1 -2 mins until softening, then add a 250g pouch cooked long-grain rice and warm through. Crack in 2 eggs and stir through 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce. Serves 2. Jamaican rice & beans • Heat a dash of oil and stir-fry a few chopped spring onions with some fresh thyme over a high heat. Add a 250g pouch cooked coconut rice with a drained 210g can kidney beans, then toss well adding a dash of water, if required. Serve as it is or as a side to jerk chicken. Serves 2. Harissa salmon with roast vegetable rice • Mix 1 tsp harissa into 2 tbsp yogurt, then spread over…

Easy Thai prawn curry • Serves 4 • Prep 5 mins • Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tsp grated ginger 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste 400g can chopped tomatoes 50g sachet coconut cream 2 x 200g packs raw peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen coriander, chopped, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Tip in the onion and ginger and fry for a few mins until softened. Stir in the curry paste, then cook for 1 min more. Add the chopped tomatoes and coconut cream. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins, adding a little boiling water if the mixture is too thick. 2 Tip in the prawns, then cook for 5-10 mins more,…

When you get gooseberries just right, they’re a rollercoaster of flavours – sharp at one end of the scale, and sweet at the other Gooseberry pie This pie really benefits from homemade pastry and there’s enough here to freeze for making a second dessert. The pie is best served hot, but not at a volcanic temperature, so cool a little before serving. • Serves 6 • Prep 30 mins plus chilling • Cook 40 mins unbaked 250g unsalted butter, softened 140g icing sugar 5 egg yolks 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting FOR THE FILLING 900g gooseberries about 200g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 2 tbsp port (optional) 1 To make the pastry, mix the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl, then tip in 4 of…

Artichoke paella You can pick up jars of artichoke hearts in the supermarket. I always think they feel a little bit special and exotic, so make the perfect star ingredient for creating a stunning vegan paella. • Serves 1 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 30 mins olive oil, for frying ½ onion, diced 1 garlic clove, sliced ½ red pepper, roughly sliced handful arborio rice pinch turmeric ½ vegetable stock cube small handful frozen peas few pieces artichoke heart from a jar 1 Heat a splash of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onion over a medium heat for a few mins until softened, then add the garlic and fry for a few more mins. Just before the garlic starts to brown, add the…

Try to buy British strawberries when they are in season They’ll usually be fresher as they won’t have travelled as far, you’ll be supporting local farmers and there may be some unusual varieties to try, too. Visiting a nearby pick-your-own farm is a fun way to buy perfectly ripe strawberries – look online to see what’s available in your area. Rustic strawberry tart • Serves 8 • Prep 45 mins plus chilling • Cook 50 mins FOR THE PASTRY 600g strawberries, hulled and sliced 2 tsp cornflour 2 tsp golden caster sugar 4 tbsp strawberry jam, sieved 140g cold butter, cut into cubes 225g plain flour, plus extra 25g fine polenta (you could use cornmeal or semolina), plus extra for dusting and sprinkling 2 tbsp golden caster sugar 2 medium…

Poached peaches with basil & vanilla • Put 2 split and scraped vanilla pods (reserving the seeds) and 100g sugar in a saucepan with 200ml water and bring to the boil. Add 8 basil leaves and 4 halved and stoned peaches. Poach for 2-3 mins until just tender, then cover and leave to cool in the syrup. Pour in 200ml sparkling wine and set aside. Beat the reserved seeds with 100ml mascarpone and 100ml whipping cream to soft peaks. Serve the peaches with the syrup, cream and basil leaves. Serves 4. Vanilla cheesecake • Line a 23cm loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment. Put 250g digestive biscuits in a food bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer to a bowl and mix with 100g melted butter, then press firmly into…

One-pan chicken bake • Serves 2 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 40 mins 350g (about 4) boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets 6 larger new or salad potatoes, halved ½ lemon, cut into wedges 6 large garlic cloves, skins left on 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced few thyme sprigs 2 tbsp olive oil 25g pitted black olives 250g pack small or cherry tomatoes 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the chicken, potatoes, lemon, garlic, pepper and thyme onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with the oil, season to taste, then roast for 30 mins. 2 Add the olives and tomatoes to the pan, then roast for 10 mins more or until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Serve with salad and crusty bread. PER SERVING 483…

Monday Hot smoked salmon with new potatoes & watercress • Serves 2 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 tbsp white wine or rice wine vinegar 200g baby new potatoes or Jersey Royals, halved if large 2 tbsp buttermilk 1½ tbsp low-fat mayonnaise 1 tbsp creamed horseradish 100g fine green beans, trimmed 1 small sweet red apple, cored and sliced 2 hot smoked salmon fillets (about 300g), skin removed and broken into pieces 100g watercress, roughly chopped 1 In a large bowl, toss together the onion with half of the white wine vinegar and some salt. Set aside. 2 Boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water until tender. Drain well and put back in the pan to steam-dry for a…

❶ Elderflower vinaigrette • Shake or mix 2 tbsp elderflower cordial with 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, the zest and juice of 1 large lemon and 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Toss through a chicken salad with seasonal veg, such as garden peas and sugar snaps, asparagus and lettuce with a few radishes for crunch. ❷ Soy & ginger dressing • Finely grate 1 garlic clove and mix with ½ tsp shredded ginger. Stir in 1 tsp soy sauce or tamarind paste and 2 tsp lemon juice with 2 tsp water. Spoon over ripe avocado, or toss through crisp lettuce and shredded raw carrot. Good with Asian salads made with noodles, too. ❸ Anchovy dressing • Tip 50g anchovies into a blender with 50ml olive oil, 1 garlic clove…

Tom Kerridge’s chicken Provençal with olives & artichokes • Serves 5-6 • Prep 15 mins plus at least a few hrs marinating • Cook 2 hrs plus resting 2.5kg chicken, jointed (or the same weight in legs and thighs) 8 garlic cloves, sliced 200ml white wine 4 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp thyme leaves 10 ripe plum tomatoes, halved 1 tbsp tomato pure´e ½ tsp herbes de Provence 1 tbsp fennel seeds 500ml chicken stock 1 celery stick, finely diced 15 button or silverskin onions, or small shallots, peeled 285g jar chargrilled artichoke hearts, drained 100g pitted green olives 1 Put the chicken in a large bowl and add the garlic, wine, 2 tbsp oil and the thyme. Season with 2 tbsp flaky salt and mix well until completely coated.…

Twice-baked goat’s cheese soufflés with apple & walnut salad Don’t be scared, these fabulous soufflés are not as nerve-wracking to cook and serve as traditional ones, and they can be prepared ahead. • Serves 6 • Prep 30-35 mins plus chilling • Cook 45 mins 100g unsalted butter 100g plain flour 600ml full-fat milk, warmed 2 tbsp grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves 4 large eggs, separated, plus 1 egg white (reserve the yolk) 175g rindless goat’s cheese or vegetarian option, crumbled FOR THE PARMESAN GLAZE 50ml double cream 25g grated parmesan 1 large egg yolk (from the extra egg, above) FOR THE APPLE & WALNUT SALAD handful mixed baby salad leaves handful rocket 1 red apple, cut into matchsticks 1 tbsp…

Pavlova cake with berries & cream Putting a cake on every table at a garden party is a popular twist at the moment, so make as many of these as you need. As well as being a gorgeous centrepiece, this doubles as dessert. • Serves 12 • Prep 1 hr plus cooling • Cook 2 hrs 9 large egg whites 600g caster sugar 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tbsp white wine or malt vinegar TO ASSEMBLE & SERVE 400ml double cream 75g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 2 tsp vanilla extract 250g mixed berries, plus extra to garnish 1 Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Draw 1 x 20cm, 1 x 16cm and 1 x 12cm circles on baking parchment. Flip the parchment over (so the pen is underneath) and…