Innehållsförteckning för October 2024 från Easy Cook

Packing the freezer with delicious, homecooked dishes is a good way to get ahead on busy weeknights. Turn to page 52 to find 10 meals you can batch-cook and stash away for those times you need them most. And, as the nights draw in, gather friends for a special meal, like our Chinese-inspired menu that's sure to impress (p62). This month also means it's nearly Halloween, and kids will love our spooktacular spread on page 82. Plus, learn how to decorate your table with a jack o'lantern on page 22, then use the leftover pumpkin to make a warming soup – it's scarily good! IN THIS ISSUE ✹ Claire Thomson gets creative with seasonal veg for a comforting family lunch (p68). ✹ Jon Watts shares recipes that are packed with…

20 budget dinner ideas Tamarind prawn curry ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 red chilli, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 tsp each ground turmeric, cumin seeds and ground coriander 400g can cherry tomatoes 1-2 tbsp tamarind paste 250g peeled raw king prawns 250g cooked basmati rice handful of coriander leaves, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5-8 mins until light golden. Stir in the chilli, garlic and ginger, and fry for another minute before adding the spices. Tip in the cherry tomatoes, swill the can out with a splash of water and stir that into the pan as well. 2 Simmer for 5 mins until the tomatoes burst and…

Sweet chilli meatballs Tasty pork meatballs cooked with a sweet but spiced sauce. Sweet chilli has a universal appeal because it's tangy but not too hot, plus a lot of people will already have it stashed in the kitchen cupboard. The meatballs go well with rice and vegetables, such as pak choi. ■ Serves 2-3 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 500g pork mince 1 egg, lightly beaten 40g breadcrumbs ½ bunch of spring onions, sliced, plus extra to serve 3 limes, zested 1-2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil sesame seeds, to serve FOR THE SAUCE 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 15g ginger, peeled and finely chopped 3 tbsp soy sauce 6 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 3 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 Put the pork in a large bowl with the egg, breadcrumbs, spring onions, lime zest and ½tsp…

What better way to bookend the week than a massive family stomp on a Sunday, returning home to Sunday lunch? It has a different tempo to it, more tranquil than the midweek rush, pots and pans flying at a rate of knots to get everyone fed as they whizz in and out of the door. Sunday afternoon is a time to stick the radio on and enjoy cooking this meal. Quite apart from the magnificence of this roasted pumpkin, if you aren't all garlic-buttering your roast potatoes from here on in, it will be very surprising! This feast is a tribute to really beautiful vegetable cookery. Pumpkin stuffed with sage, chestnuts & sunflower seeds ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 45 mins-1 hr 2 × 1kg squash…

SPICED HONEY DRIZZLE CAKE Butter a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Beat 100g softened butter and 100g light brown sugar together using an electric whisk until creamy. Whisk in 100g honey, 1 egg, 100ml milk, 1 tsp ground mixed spice, ½ tsp ground ginger and a pinch of salt (don't worry if it curdles slightly, it will become a loose batter) Fold in 150g self-raising flour. Tip into the tin and bake at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 45 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then cool fully on a wire rack. Melt 25g butter and honey together in a small pan. Cool until thickened, then drizzle over the top of the cake. Leave to set…

■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 5 mins 100g frozen raspberries 1 orange, ½ sliced, ½ juiced 150g porridge oats 100ml milk 1 small banana, peeled and sliced 2 tbsp smooth almond butter 1 tbsp goji berries 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 Tip half the raspberries and all the orange juice into a pan. Simmer until the raspberries are soft, about 5 mins. 2 Meanwhile, stir the oats, milk and 450ml water together in a pan over a low heat until creamy. Spoon into bowls and top with the raspberry compote, remaining raspberries, the orange slices, banana slices, almond butter, goji berries and chia seeds. PER SERVING 533 kcals, fat 19g, saturates 3g, carbs 66g, sugars 14g, fibre 13g, protein 17g, salt 0.1g…

Christmas is coming… …and if you want to gift jars of homemade preserves this year, now's the time to make them – it will allow plenty of time for them to mellow. If you've been saving jars throughout the year, you should have a decent stash – check the lids before adding your preserves, as you'll need coated ones that are resistant to vinegar and acid. Find out how to sterilise jars at: goodfood.com Boxing Day piccalilli ■ Makes 5 × 500ml jars ■ Prep 20 mins plus overnight salting ■ Cook 15 mins 2 small cauliflowers, cut into small florets 400g silverskin or pearl onions 600g courgettes, cut into 2cm chunks 6 firm pears, cored and cut into 2cm chunks 100g salt 1.7 litres cider vinegar finger-length piece of ginger, peeled and grated 2 tbsp…

Cut out & keep BLT tart ■ Serves 4-6 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 40 mins 320g sheet shortcrust pastry 4 heaped tbsp onion chutney 100g half-fat crème fraîche 100g mature cheddar, grated 2 medium eggs 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 6 slices of prosciutto handful of lamb's lettuce or rocket 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Unroll the pastry onto the sheet, then spread over the chutney, leaving a border of about 1cm. Fold the edges in and roughly pinch at the corners to make a raised border. 2 Whisk the crème fraîche, cheese, eggs and some seasoning together in a bowl, then pour into the middle of the tart, easing it out towards the edges using the back of a spoon. Top with the tomatoes, cut-side…

Haddock with cannellini beans ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 25 mins 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 small garlic clove, grated 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 small lemon, zested and juiced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 skinless haddock fillet 2 artichokes from a can, drained and halved 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Combine the beans, garlic, parsley and half the lemon zest and juice in a bowl. Stir through 1 tbsp oil and season. Lightly crush the beans, keeping some whole. 2 Cut out a large square of baking parchment, spoon the beans into the centre and top with the fish, scattering the artichokes around it. Drizzle over the remaining oil and lemon juice. Season. Bring both sides of the parchment up, fold together, then twist the…

5 rules of freezing 1 Label everything Clearly label containers with the date on which the food was frozen, how many portions there are, and what it could be used in. 2 Air-free zone Ever defrosted something, then discovered a weird skin on it? That's freezer burn, and it comes from exposing frozen items to cold air. To avoid this, fill containers fully before covering, or push all the air out of freezer bags before closing. 3 Freeze at its best You get out what you put in – if something is on the turn, freezing it won't change that. So, if you're not going to eat something for a few of days, freeze it right away, rather than watch it deteriorate before freezing. 4 Freeze from cold, not hot…

John's menu for eight ■ Slow-roast shoulder of pork with apple sauce ■ Turnip, potato & mustard gratin ■ Chicory salad with blue cheese dressing ■ Crunchy coleslaw ■ Pears with chocolate sauce Slow-roast shoulder of pork The secret of slow-roasting is to get the fat to melt away, but keep the meat tender. Extra flavour comes from the marinade. You have to start the preparation the day before, but it's worth it. The potatoes act as a trivet for the pork and soak up all the cooking juices. They end up slightly crisp and delicious, with the flavour of a roast potato that has been squashed into gravy. ■ Serves 8 ■ Prep 5 mins plus overnight marinating and resting ■ Cook 4 hrs 30 mins 3kg piece of…

Why choose an air-fryer? Air-fryers have surged in popularity over the past couple of years. Their compact size and ability to heat up quickly means they're typically more energy-efficient than a standard oven for cooking smaller quantities, which could reduce your fuel bill as well as save you time. Air-fryer Bramley apple crumble You can enhance the flavour by adding dried berries, cherries or sultanas, if you like. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 600g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon or ginger 2 tbsp caster sugar 2 tbsp dried berries, cherries or sultanas (optional) FOR THE CRUMBLE 100g butter 150g plain flour 75g demerara sugar 2 tbsp porridge oats cream, custard or vanilla ice cream, to serve 1 Heat the air-fryer to 180C. Put the…

MONDAY ■ Low fat ■ 2 of 5-a-day ■ Good source of potassium Sweet potato & rosemary soup with garlic toasts ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 2 tsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing 1 large onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves 750g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 1 litre vegetable stock 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked 8 slices bread (ciabatta works well) 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion until soft. Crush 2 garlic cloves and add to the onion. Fry for 1 min more. Stir in the sweet potato, cover with the stock and bring to the boil. Add half the rosemary leaves to the pan and simmer for 10 mins until the potato is soft. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oven…

Home-cooked menu for four ‘Hot & sour broth with prawns ‘Roast duck with pancakes ‘Duck & spring onion noodles and radish & carrot salad ‘Lychee & ginger sorbet Hot & sour broth with prawns ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 5 mins 3 tbsp rice or white wine vinegar 500ml chicken stock 1 tbsp soy sauce 1-2 tbsp sugar thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 2 small hot red chillies, thinly sliced 3 spring onions, thinly sliced 300g small raw peeled prawns 1 Put the vinegar, stock, soy sauce, sugar (start with 1 tbsp and add the second at the end if you want the soup sweeter), ginger, chillies and spring onions in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. 2 Cook for 1 min, then add the prawns to heat through. Serve…