Innehållsförteckning för September 2019 från Easy Cook

When I was a student (at roughly the same time as the motor car was invented), the staple diet of the friends I shared digs with was beans on toast, beans on baked potatoes, beans mixed with pasta, beans with sausages, and beans on beans. The recipe for jacket potatoes with home-baked beans on this page certainly brings back some aromatic memories! Students have come a long way since then, caring about health and nutrition, experimenting with flavours and, of course, showcasing their creations on social media. Hopefully, our feature on p48 will tick all of these boxes and provide some inspiration for undergraduates. Back-to-reality-after-holidays is very much a theme throughout this month's issue. It can be hard to find the energy to cook alongside the unpacking and washing, so…

One-pan prawn pad Thai • Serves 4 • Prep 25 mins • Cook 10 mins 200g rice noodles 200g raw, peeled prawns 1 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger 2 tbsp sunflower oil 4 eggs, beaten 100g beansprouts 4 baby bok choi or 1 small young cabbage, shredded 6 spring onions, thinly sliced 1 tsp soy sauce sweet chilli sauce and prawn crackers, to serve 1 Pour a kettleful of boiling water over the noodles and cover for 10 mins. Meanwhile, mix together the prawns and ginger. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan and stir-fry the gingery prawns over a high heat for 2 mins until pink. Tip into a bowl. Return the pan to the heat and add another tbsp oil. When hot, pour in…

Monday Chicken & vegetable stew with wholemeal couscous • Serves 2 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 30 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks 1 small onion, sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed pinch each paprika and saffron 50g baby sweetcorn, halved 50g asparagus tips 50g peas 50g cherry tomatoes, halved 150ml chicken stock 140g wholemeal couscous 1 Heat the oil in a pan, cook the chicken for 5-6 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon. Add onion and cook for 2-3 mins before adding the garlic, paprika, saffron, sweetcorn, asparagus, peas and tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 mins more. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the stock, then cover and simmer for 15 mins. 2 Meanwhile, cook the couscous following pack instructions. Fluff…

Roasted sweet potato & carrot soup • Serves 4 • Prep 15 mins • Cook 35 mins 500g sweet potatoes, cut into chunks 300g carrots, cut into chunks 3 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 litre vegetable stock 100ml créme frai^che, plus extra to serve 1 Heat the oven to 220C/200Cfan/gas 7 and put the potatoes and carrots in a large roasting tin. Drizzle over 2 tbsp oil and season well. Roast for 25-30 mins until caramelised and tender. 2 Meanwhile, put the remaining oil in a large, deep pan and fry the onions over a medium-low heat for 10 mins until just softened. Add the garlic and stir for 1 min, then pour in the stock. Simmer for 5-10 mins until the onions…

Avocado on toast with chorizo & fried egg • Serves 1 • Prep 5 mins • Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 50g chorizo, sliced into chunks 1 small ripe avocado, stoned and peeled squeeze lemon or lime, fresh or bottled handful coriander, chopped 1 large egg 2 thick-cut slices wholemeal or ciabatta bread 1 Heat a large frying pan, add the pumpkin seeds and toast for a few mins until they crack and pop, then tip out into a bowl and set aside. Add the chorizo and cook for 5 mins until it releases some of its oils and becomes crisp. Meanwhile, roughly mash the avocado with the lime juice, half the coriander and a pinch of salt. 2 Heat a griddle pan and cook the bread for…

Pan-fried venison with blackberry sauce Blackberries are delicious in savoury sauces, and this version is the perfect match for richly flavoured venison. Like steak, venison can be eaten rare. • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 2 thick venison steaks or 4 medallions 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 150ml beef stock 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly 1 garlic clove, crushed 85g blackberries 1 Heat the oil in a pan and cook the venison for 5 mins. Turn and cook for 3-5 mins more, or until done to your liking (5-6 mins on each side will be well done). Transfer to a plate to rest. 2 Put the balsamic vinegar in the pan with the stock, redcurrant jelly and garlic. Cook, stirring, over a high…

Frosted courgette & lemon cake This luscious cake is lemony and light, with an extra citrus kick from the lemon syrup drizzled over the sponges. • Serves 12 • Prep 20 mins plus cooling • Cook 25 mins drizzled sponges only 250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin 3 unwaxed lemons, zested, 2 juiced 200g golden caster sugar 3 eggs 2 medium courgettes, coarsely grated (you’ll need 300g) 1 tsp poppy seeds, plus extra to decorate 1 tsp vanilla extract 100g self-raising flour 100g plain wholemeal flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 85g icing sugar 200g full-fat cream cheese 4 tbsp lemon curd (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Beat two-thirds of the zest, 200g…

• Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 1 hr 30 mins Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Scrub 4 baking potatoes and pat dry, then prick all over with a fork. Bake on the oven shelf for 1 hr-1 hr 30 mins, until tender. After 30 mins, heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a pan and gently cook 1 diced carrot and 1 diced celery stalk for 10 mins until softened. Add 400g can drained haricot beans, 2 chopped tomatoes and 1 tsp paprika and cook for a further 5 mins until the tomatoes are soft. Stir in 100ml water and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Cook for a further 5 mins, then cover and keep warm. Split open the potatoes and spoon in the beans. Scatter with…

Lunchbox pasta salad You can use pasta shapes or small pasta to make this. If your children are small, they may find spearing large pasta onto forks easier than spooning up small pieces, so pack the appropriate implement. • Take to school in a lunchbox. Pack with a freezer block or frozen water bottle on warm days. • Serves 4 • Prep 15 mins • Cook 11 mins if using cheese or egg 400g pasta 4-5 tbsp fresh pesto 1 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp Greek yogurt 1/2 lemon, juiced 200g mixed cooked veg such as peas, green beans, or courgette (chop the beans and courgette into small pieces) 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered 200g cooked chicken, ham, prawns, hard-boiled egg or cheese 1 Cook the pasta following pack instructions until al…

MASTER RECIPE Bolognese sauce  This quantity makes enough for four portions of Bolognese to serve with pasta or to use in one of the recipes on pages 42-43. • Serves 4 • Prep 25-30 mins • Cook 1 hr 1 onion 1 carrot 1 celery stick 2 tbsp olive oil 500g pack lean minced beef small glass milk 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes large glass white wine 2 tbsp tomato purée STEP 1 Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the vegetables and fry for 5 mins until the softened and lightly coloured. Stir the several times to ensure they don’t catch or stick to the base of the pan. STEP 2 Tip in the beef, breaking it up with a…

1 Berry bircher This make-ahead breakfast with oats and frozen berries will keep you full until lunch. If you’re eating on the run, make it in jars for an easy takeaway! • Makes 2 • Prep 5 mins plus overnight chilling • No cook 70g porridge oats 2 tbsp golden linseeds (optional) 2 ripe bananas 140g frozen raspberries 175g natural bio yogurt 1 Tip the oats and seeds (if using) into a bowl and pour over 200ml boiling water. Stir well. Add the bananas and three-quarters of the raspberries, mash together, then cover and chill overnight. 2 The next day, layer the raspberry oats into two tumblers or jars with the yogurt, then top with the reserved raspberries and serve. This will keep in the fridge for up to two…

Moroccan meatballs with eggs • Serves 4 • Prep 40 mins • Cook 30 mins 1 onion, finely chopped 3 tbsp olive oil 50g fresh breadcrumbs 250g pack lean lamb mince ½ tsp ground cinnamon 5 eggs 2 garlic cloves, sliced 1 courgette, thickly sliced 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 2 tsp honey ½/-1 tsp ras el hanout spice mix 20g bunch coriander, mostly chopped 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 Fry the onion in 1 tbsp oil until soft, then allow to cool. Mix with the breadcrumbs, mince, cinnamon, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp salt and lots of pepper, then shape into about 24 meatballs with wet hands. Fry in the remaining oil in a shallow pan for about 8 mins, moving them round until evenly browned. Lift…

• Wild blackberries are a popular fruit for foraging, and are smaller than the cultivated variety, often with a sharper flavour. If picking your own, avoid any that grow on busy roadsides, and wash them briefly in cold water to remove any dust or bugs before eating. Wild berries are best eaten or cooked on the day they’re picked. • At the supermarket, choose plump, dark berries that are dry and fairly firm. Also check the bottom of packs to make sure that there aren’t any mushy ones lurking. • Blackberries go well with creamy desserts, apples and pears, and game meats, such as venison.…

GO GREEK • Blitz 100g pitted black and green olives with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp dried oregano to form a paste. Coat 2 cooked sweetcorn cobs in the paste and crumble over 2 tbsp feta, 1 tbsp diced tomatoes and a handful of chopped parsley. Serves 2. HOT, HOT, HOT • Rub 4 cooked sweetcorn cobs with 2 tbsp peri peri seasoning and 30g butter. Cook in a smoking-hot griddle pan until charred on all sides. Drizzle over 1 tbsp chilli oil and 2 tbsp chopped coriander. Serves 4. GOLDEN & GARLICKY • Heat 50g unsalted butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until it starts to turn brown. Add 2 large crushed garlic cloves and swirl until golden. Brush the garlic butter over 2…

You’re unlikely to go wrong, but here are some tips if you run into problems Mince forms large clumps This happens if you don't fry the meat long enough initially. You should fry it until the grains are separate before adding the milk. You can rectify it by pressing the clumps against the side of the pan using a wooden spoon to break them up. The sauce is too thin This may happen if you use poor-quality canned tomatoes; adding a little extra tomato purée and simmering the sauce for a few extra minutes with the lid off will help. Also, use a large, wide pan, as a smaller pan will crowd the sauce and it won't reduce and thicken so easily. A lack of flavour Mince always needs a…

Hoisin wraps Heat the grill to high. Mix 200g cooked turkey or chicken, cut into strips, with 2 tbsp hoisin sauce so that it’s coated, then spread out onto an ovenproof dish and grill until sizzling. Warm the 2 flour tortillas under the grill or according to pack instructions. Spread the tortillas with 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, then use to wrap up the turkey or chicken with ¼ chopped cucumber, 4 shredded spring onions and a good handful of watercress. Cut in half and enjoy while still warm. Serves 2. Chicken pesto wrap Mix together 1 cooked chicken breast, shredded, 2 tbsp soured cream, yogurt or mayonnaise with 2 tsp pesto. Season. Lay a slice of cheese on 2 flour tortillas, then divide the chicken mixture between them. Sprinkle with…

Pasta with pesto & fresh herbs If you're tempted to cheat and not make the pesto in step one – make sure you buy a fresh, chilled tub from the supermarket rather than a jar. • Serves 5-6 • Prep 5 mins • Cook 15 mins 500g bag pasta shapes 100g bag baby spinach 50g walnuts, chopped 50g bag wild rocket small handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves torn into finger tip-size pieces small handful sage, leaves torn into fingertip-size pieces small handful chives, snipped some basil and tarragon, if you have any, torn into pieces 4 tbsp good-quality olive oil 100g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated FOR THE PESTO 50g toasted pine nuts 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped handful basil handful flat-leaf parsley 50ml olive oil 1 Pound the pesto ingredients…

Been blackberry picking and have too many to eat in one go? You can freeze them of course, but here some other wonderful ways to enjoy them. Blackberry compote Try this on porridge, or use to make the ice cream and pavlova, below. • Whizz 500g blackberries with 100g golden caster sugar, the juice of1/2 lemon and a pinch ground cinnamon in a food processor until smooth. Sieve, discard the seeds, then stir in 250g blackberries. Use within two days or freeze. Serves 8-10. Cheat’s blackberry ripple ice cream • Swirl1/2 batch blackberry compote (above) through a softened 500ml tub vanilla ice cream. Return to the freezer for at least two hrs, then serve. Serves 4. Speedy blackberry pavlovas • Whip 300ml double cream and swirl through 2-3 tbsps thick…

Almond butter (right) • Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Spread 300g skin-on almonds on a baking tray and roast for 10 mins. Remove and allow to cool. Put into a food processor and whizz for 12 mins, stopping every so often to scrape the sides down, and finish with a good drizzle of honey. Delicious spread over malt loaf or bread. Will keep in the fridge for three weeks. Makes a 300g jar. Tropical fruit & nut tubs • Mix together 50g dried chopped mango, 50g dried chopped pineapple, 50g dried prunes, 75g Brazil nuts and a handful dried coconut shavings. Keep stored in airtight containers. Serves 4. Spiced roasted nuts • Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Put 1 tsp rapeseed oil in a…