Innehållsförteckning för February 2021 från Easy Cook

It’s been a tough start to 2021 for families. We’ve had our three teenagers at home, including one from university, doing online lessons in their bedrooms. As much as they’re doing their bit to stay focused, the one thing they can’t control is their appetites. Boy, do they eat a lot! On the hour, every hour. A relentless opening of the fridge and shovelling the contents into their mouths. It’s hard to keep up, but I do my best thanks to the brilliance of the cooks who create our recipes. In this issue, you’ll find ideas for perfect prep-ahead pies, to fantastic money-saving meals from the One Pound Chef, Miguel Barclay. Cooking and eating together are two of the things that give us joy, especially now. I hope we can…

Paprika pork sliders with quince aïoli & fennel slaw ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins plus resting ■ Cook 30 mins 1 tbsp hot smoked paprika (reduce to ½ tbsp if you don’t like it too hot) 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 ½ tbsp olive oil 400g pork tenderloin, trimmed of sinew 1 fennel bulb, quartered then finely sliced ½ red onion, very finely sliced 3 sweet pickled cucumbers, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp pickle juice 2 tbsp membrillo quince paste 5 tbsp mayonnaise 12 mini burger buns or rolls, halved 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the paprika, 2 of the garlic cloves, 11/2 tbsp oil and some seasoning. Rub all over the pork, then place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Roast…

Meat-free Monday Veggie pittas with pick & mix sides ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 30 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE koftas only 2 onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed one-calorie cooking spray, for frying 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained 100g fresh brown breadcrumbs 1 large egg 2 tsp each ground cumin and coriander 1 lemon, zested and 1 tbsp juice, plus extra wedges to serve 85g baby spinach toasted pitta breads, to serve 175g fat-free yogurt, to serve pickled chillies (optional), to serve FOR THE CARROT & TOMATO SALAD 200g carrots, coarsely grated 200g tomatoes, diced ½ red onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1 Cook the onions and garlic with a few sprays of the cooking spray and a splash of water…

Lemon-spiced chicken with chickpeas ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 15 mins FREEEZABLE 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half 1 tsp each ground coriander and ground cumin 1 lemon, zested and juiced 400g can chickpeas, drained 200ml chicken stock 250g spinach 1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and gently fry the onion for 5 mins. Turn up the heat, add the chicken, and fry for 3 mins more until the chicken is golden. 2 Stir in the spices and lemon zest, fry for 1 min more, then tip in the chickpeas and stock. Simmer, covered, for 5 mins. Season, then tip in spinach and re-cover. Leave to…

Sriracha lo mein Lo mein is cooked ever so slightly differently to chow mein. Chow mein is stir-fried until the noodles are crispy, whereas lo mein is stir-fried with a sauce so they remain soft. Sriracha works really well with vegetables and noodles. ■ Serves 2 VEGETARIAN 3 tbsp sriracha 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp sugar 2 fresh noodle nests 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 red pepper, cut into strips 8 baby corn, halved lengthways 175g beansprouts 1 Combine the sriracha, soy sauce and sugar and set aside. Put the noodles in a bowl, cover with warm water and stir gently to loosen, then drain and set aside. 2 Heat a wok over a medium-high heat with the oil, and fry the pepper and baby corn for 1 min.…

SCENTED TEA GIN ■ Put 1 tbsp loose earl grey tea in a large jug. Pour over a 700ml bottle gin and stir for about 45 seconds. Strain through a tea strainer, then strain again through muslin to remove all trace of the leaves. Pour back into the gin bottle to store - it will keep for a couple of months. Serve shaken with, or over, ice. Makes 1 bottle. EARL GREY SORBET ■ Bring 500ml black earl grey tea, 150g golden caster sugar and 150g liquid glucose to the boil in a pan. When the sugar and glucose have dissolved, strain into a jug and leave to cool completely. Pour into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen, then transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze. Serves 2.…

READY IN JUST 20 MINS ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins plus standing ■ Cook 15 mins 9 tbsp tomato ketchup 3 tbsp malt vinegar 4 tbsp dark muscovado sugar 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 skinless and boneless chicken breast, cut into chunks 1 small onion, roughly chopped 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into chunks 227g can pineapple pieces in juice, drained 100g sugar snap peas, roughly sliced handful of salted, roasted cashew nuts (optional) 1 In a large microwaveable dish, mix the ketchup, vinegar, sugar and garlic thoroughly with the chicken, onion and peppers. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 8-10 mins until the chicken is starting to cook and the sauce is sizzling. 2 Stir in the pineapple pieces and sugar snap peas and return to the…

Easy pancakes, two ways This basic pancake mix can be used to make sweet or savoury pancakes, with enough for a main course and dessert for a family of four. Rest the batter for at least 30 mins before cooking. ■ Makes 8 large pancakes ■ Prep 5 mins plus resting ■ Cook 20 mins VEGETARIAN 175g plain flour 3 large eggs 450ml milk sunflower oil, for frying 1 Weigh out the flour into a large jug or bowl. Crack in the eggs, add half the milk and a pinch of salt, and whisk to a smooth, thick batter. Add the remaining milk and whisk again. Leave to rest for at least 30 mins. Will keep chilled for up to a day. 2 Heat a large non-stick crepe or frying…

Buttered peas & leeks ■ Serves 4 Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 30 mins VEGETARIYAN 15g butter 1 tbsp olive oil 2 leeks, very finely sliced 200ml vegetable or chicken stock 225g frozen peas 2 spring onions, finely sliced 1 Heat the butter and oil in a pan and gently soften the leeks for 15–20 mins until meltingly soft. Stir in the stock, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins. 2 Stir in the peas and spring onions for 3–5 mins more, until the peas are defrosted and cooked through, then season and serve. PER SERVING 107 kcals, fat 6g, saturates 2g, carbs 8g, sugars 4g, fibre 5g, protein 5g, salt 0.2g KNOW YOUR LEEKS ■ Look for leeks with a firm, unblemished white lower…

YOUR MENU Bloody mary pepper prawns * Stout-braised steak with stacked chips & dressed watercress * Vanilla panna cottas with quick strawberry sauce Bloody mary pepper prawns ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 10 mins 3 tbsp olive oil 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 fat garlic clove, thinly sliced ½ tsp celery seeds 14-16 large raw king prawns, heads removed but tail left on, deveined 2 tsp cornflour ¼ tsp each cayenne pepper and black pepper 50ml vodka 100ml passata 3 tbsp tomato ketchup few shakes of hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it celery leaves and sticks, and crusty bread, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, and fry the shallot for 1-2 mins until softened. Add the…

White rabbit biscuits ■ Makes 30-35 biscuits, or 15 bunnies ■ Prep 1 hr 10 mins plus cooling and drying ■ Cook 45 mins 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 280g caster sugar 1 egg ¼ tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp cream of tartar FOR THE ICING 600g icing sugar pink food colouring gel 170g desiccated coconut 15 mini marshmallows YOU WILL ALSO NEED 1 x rabbit-head-shaped cutter 1 x 7cm round cutter 1 x 3cm round cutter 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly rub the butter and flour together until the mix looks like fresh breadcrumbs. Whisk the sugar and egg together in another in a bowl until well combined, then add to the flour mixture. Add the vanilla,…

Oat & chia porridge ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins plus overnight soaking ■ Cook 4 mins VEGETARIAN 150g porridge oats 50g milled seeds with flax and chia 400ml dairy, almond or oat milk (see right) 200g coconut yogurt 40g flaked almonds, toasted 2 pink grapefruit or large oranges, peeled, segmented and chopped 1 Put the oats and seeds in a bowl, cover with 800ml water, and leave to soak overnight. 2 Tip the soaked oat mix into a pan with 200ml milk. Heat, stirring, until bubbling and thick. Divide between bowls and top with the remaining milk, the yogurt, almonds and grapefruit. PER SERVING 370 kcals, fat 19g, saturates 6g, carbs 34g, sugars 1g, fibre 8g, protein 11g, salt 0.2g HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN OAT MILK ■…

Cheesy leek & potato pie ■ Serves 4–6 ■ Prep 35 mins plus resting and chilling ■ Cook 1 hr 10 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE uncooked 500g waxy potatoes, cut into 5mm slices 1 tbsp olive oil 1 bay leaf 1 tbsp butter 2 leeks, halved and cut into ½ cm slices 1 onion, chopped grating of nutmeg 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 20g parmesan or veggie alternative, grated 20g mature cheddar 250g melting cheese, like doux de montagne or reblochon, sliced FOR THE PASTRY 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 140g cold butter, plus extra for the dish 2 tsp vodka 2–4 tbsp iced water 1 egg, beaten, to glaze 1 To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a large bowl and add 1 tsp sea…

“Who can resist hearty dishes like roast pork or Lancashire hotpot? Trends come and go, but proper home-cooked food will never go out of style” Sticky slow-roast belly of pork ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 3½ hrs 1.3kg piece pork belly, boned, rind left on and scored 2 tsp sunflower oil 1 tsp white peppercorns, crushed 3 large onions, sliced 2-3 tbsp clear honey 2 tsp ground cumin 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lay the pork, skin-side up, on a rack in a roasting tin. Drizzle over a little oil, then lightly press on the crushed peppercorns and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt. Cook for 1 hr. Remove from the oven and baste with the…

Tom Kerridge’s maple-glazed duck with orange & watercress Duck legs are one of those ingredients that everyone seems to love butno one cooks for themselves. They make the perfect main course as they’re already portioned and they don’t dry out if you cook them ahead and reheat them. ◼ Serves 8 (easily halved) ◼ Prep 35 mins ◼ Cook 1 hr 30 mins 8 duck legs FOR THE GLAZE 5 tbsp soy sauce 5 tbsp maple syrup 3 tbsp honey 3 tbsp orange juice 1 cinnamon stick large piece of ginger, finely grated FOR THE DRESSING 3 tbsp runny honey 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp soy sauce 3 tbsp orange juice 100ml chicken stock 2 tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed oil 200g watercress, to serve 4 oranges, peeled and segmented,…