Innehållsförteckning för February 2025 från Easy Cook

Mince is a go-to ingredient for the weekly meals I make for my family. I cook a batch, divide it up, then create a range of dishes from that base: bolognese with tomatoes and Italian herbs, or chilli with black beans, chilli powder and cumin. The kids love all the dishes, but they've become a bit samey. Thanks, then, to Miracle Mince, a marvellous cookbook from Hospitality Action, featuring recipes from chefs including James Martin, Tom Kerridge and more. It shows there's much more to mince than just beef – turn to page 48 to be inspired. And, do enjoy the rest of the issue, designed to give you warmth and comfort throughout the coldest month of the year. IN THIS ISSUE James Martin shares his brilliant meatball recipe from…

20 budget meal ideas Creamy tomato & mascarpone gnocchi This comforting dish is packed with vegetables, and can be on the table in just 25 minutes ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small broccoli, stalk and florets roughly chopped 1 red chilli, finely chopped (deseeded, if you like) 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 200g cherry tomatoes, halved 300g chilled gnocchi 25g mascarpone small handful of basil, leaves picked 1 Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat and fry the broccoli for 5 mins until golden brown. Mix in the chilli, garlic and tomatoes. Fry for a further 5 mins until the tomatoes burst. 2 Tip in the gnocchi and cook for 2-3 mins until tender and hot. Stir in the mascarpone…

Chicken & couscous ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 30 mins 1 medium courgette, chopped 1 medium carrot, chopped 1 red onion, cut into wedges 85g mushrooms, quartered handful of cherry tomatoes 2 garlic cloves 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle ½ tsp each paprika and dried chilli flakes 2 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on 50g couscous small bunch of parsley, chopped drizzle of sweet chilli sauce (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Put the veg and garlic on a baking tray. Season, drizzle with the oil, mix to coat. 2 Rub the spices into the chicken skin. Season. Drizzle over a little oil and sit among the veg. Roast for 25-30 mins until the veg starts to crisp and the chicken is cooked through. 3 About 10 mins before the end of…

Castilla beans & beef meatballs Castille and León is a region rich in pulses, and the largest producer in Spain. This recipe uses white beans from La Bañeza, which have a soft and buttery texture and hold their shape well when cooked, making them the perfect choice for a tomatoey stew to accompany beef meatballs. James Martin ■ Serves 6-8 ■ Prep 15 mins plus optional overnight soaking ■ Cook 1 hr 40 mins 100g Alubia de la Bañeza-León dried beans, or use a drained 400g can black-eyed or cannellini beans 1kg beef mince small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 100ml olive oil 100g lardo, sliced 5 tomatoes, diced 1 onion, finely sliced 500ml passata 1 tsp dried oregano 300ml red wine 200g roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and sliced crusty bread, to…

Chilli cornbread pie ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 500g beef mince 1 large onion, chopped 1 green and 1 red pepper, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp medium or hot chilli powder 1 tsp celery salt (optional) 1 tbsp tomato purée 400g can chopped tomatoes 300ml chicken stock 2 tsp brown sugar 3 tbsp chopped jalapeños (fresh or pickled), plus extra to serve small bunch of coriander, finely chopped soured cream, to serve FOR THE TOPPING 100g instant polenta 200g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 eggs 250ml whole milk 100ml natural yogurt 50g butter, melted 175g red leicester or mature cheddar, grated 1 Heat a large, non-stick pan over a medium-high heat, tip in the beef and season. Cook, breaking up the meat, until browned and crisp at the edges. 2 Add the onion,…

Classic pancakes ■ Makes 8 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 100g plain flour 2 eggs 300ml semi-skimmed milk 1 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying 1 Tip the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack in the eggs, then pour in 50ml of the milk along with the oil. Whisk from the centre, drawing the flour in. Once all the flour is incorporated, beat to a smooth, thick paste. Add a little more milk if it's too stiff to beat. 2 Add a splash more milk and whisk to loosen the batter. Still whisking, steadily pour in the remaining milk, until the batter is the consistency of single cream. 3 Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, then…

■ Makes 2 loaves (each loaf cuts into 10) ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 50 mins sunflower oil, for the tins 150ml hot black tea 175g malt extract, plus extra for glazing 85g dark muscovado sugar 300g mixed dried fruit 2 eggs, beaten 250g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda butter, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Butter 450g non-stick loaf tins and line the base and ends with strips of baking parchment. Pour the tea into a heatproof bowl with the malt extract, sugar and fruit. Stir well, then tip in the eggs. 2 Add the flour, then quickly stir in the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and pour into the prepared tins. Bake for 50 mins until firm and well risen. While still warm, brush with…

Tarts with heart Butter a 12-hole tart tin, then dust your work surface with flour. Roll out a block of shortcrust pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use a straight or fluted round cutter to stamp out 12 circles, big enough to line the holes of the tin. Dollop 1-2 tsp raspberry or blackcurrant jam into each, then cut out little pastry hearts and pop on top. Bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 15-18 mins, or until golden and the filling is starting to bubble. The jam will be very hot when the tarts come out of the oven, so cool in the tin for a few minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 12. Clever ideas to help you get a…

Cut out & keep Calzone with greens ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins plus 2 hrs rising ■ Cook 20 mins 500g strong white bread flour 1 tsp dried yeast 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle semolina, for dusting FOR THE FILLING 200g kale or cavolo nero 12 slices chorizo 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 mozzarella balls, chopped chunk of parmesan 1 Mix the flour, yeast, oil, 300ml lukewarm water and a big pinch of salt into a soft dough. Knead, lifting as you do, for 10 mins until smooth. Put in a bowl, cover and leave to rise for 2 hrs. 2 Heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Finely shred the kale or cavolo nero leaves. 3 Halve the dough and roll half into a rectangle. Layer half the chorizo over…

1 Speedy pesto & goat's cheese risotto Heat a glug of olive oil in a large saucepan and fry 200g risotto rice for 1 min. Add 350ml hot vegetable stock and cook until absorbed. Add another 350ml stock, a ladleful at a time, and cook until the rice is al dente, stirring for 20-25 mins. Add a little more water to loosen. Stir through 140g fresh pesto and 50g soft goat's cheese. Divide between two bowls and crumble over another 50g goat's cheese. Serves 2. 2 Salmon with pesto crust Mix 3 tbsp breadcrumbs with 4-6 tbsp pesto and 3 tbsp parmesan. Spread over 4 salmon fillets. Bake at 230C/210C fan/gas 8 for 10 mins. Serves 4. 3 Pesto baked chicken Cut 4 chicken breasts two-thirds of the way through the middle. Fill…

Black pepper chicken & lemon yogurt We tend to think of pepper as a seasoning rather than a spice, but this recipe proves just how much heat and flavour it can bring to a dish when you make it the star of the show. Here, we've spatchcocked the chicken for quick cooking and to give the marinade maximum coverage, but it can also be used on a standard whole chicken or budget-friendly chicken pieces. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 30 mins plus at least 1 hr marinating ■ Cook 45 mins 1 tbsp black peppercorns 5 garlic cloves, grated, plus 1 whole garlic bulb 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 lemons, 1 juiced, plus extra wedges to serve 1.5g whole chicken, spatchcocked (see tip, below right) 1 tbsp olive oil 400g Greek-style yogurt small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped…

Churros Though this is traditionally a deep-fried treat, here you simply combine the churros mixture, pipe onto a baking tray and chill – then all that's left to do is air-fry. ■ Makes 12-14 ■ Prep 10 mins plus 1 hr 10 mins chilling and cooling ■ Cook 20 mins 75g butter 20g caster sugar 125g gluten-free plain flour ¼ tsp xanthan gum 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs, beaten oil spray, for air-frying FOR THE SUGAR COATING 2 tbsp butter, melted 4 tbsp caster sugar TO SERVE caramel sauce chocolate sauce 1 Heat 250ml water in a pan with the butter and sugar until just boiling, then remove from the heat and quickly stir in the flour and xanthan gum until well combined and no lumps remain. Tip the mixture into a large bowl and leave to…

What are electric pressure cookers? Electric pressure cookers are very similar to slow cookers. They automate the cooking process, so you simply select the pressure level or cooking function you want. A timer tells you when to release the pressure. This makes them less daunting if you're new to pressure cooking or nervous of stove-top ones. They take longer to cook than stove-top models, though. Pressure cooker pulled pork ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 10 mins plus at least 1 hr marinating ■ Cook 1 hr 30 mins 3 tbsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp light brown soft sugar 1 tbsp smoked paprika ½ tsp ground cumin 2 tsp garlic granules 2 tsp onion granules 100g tomato ketchup 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1kg skinless, boneless pork shoulder 300ml apple juice fluffy white baps or jacket potatoes and coleslaw, to serve 1…

MONDAY Broken lasagne & white bean soup ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp 2 carrots, finely chopped 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp tomato purée 400g can peeled plum tomatoes 400g can cannellini beans 600ml vegetable stock 2 bay leaves 80g dried lasagne sheets, broken into bite-sized pieces 80g curly kale, roughly chopped and tough stalks removed 20g parmesan shavings or vegetarian alternative 1 Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the carrots, celery and leek for 6-8 mins, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2-3 mins more. 2 Tip the tomatoes into…

Gluten-free chicken, squash & chickpea stew A spicy harissa yogurt adds a kick to this stew, but it can also be served with just plain yogurt for little ones. ■ Serves 3-4 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 10 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 4-6 skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1-2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped 2 tbsp tomato purée 2 bay leaves 400g butternut squash, cut into 3cm chunks 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained TO SERVE 4 tbsp yogurt 2 tsp harissa toasted flaked almonds coriander leaves 1 Heat the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat and fry the chicken, skin-side down, for 8-10 mins until golden brown. Flip and fry for another 5 mins before removing to a plate. 2 Add…

Cherry bakewell sponge pudding ■ Serves 6-8 ■ Prep 20 mins plus resting ■ Cook 1 hr 2 x 425g cans pitted black cherries in syrup 6 tbsp cherry jam 200g butter, softened 200g golden caster sugar 3 eggs 50g self-raising flour 140g ground almonds 1 tsp almond extract 50g flaked almonds icing sugar, for dusting custard or cream, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Tip the syrup from the cherries and the jam into a saucepan. Boil for 10-15 mins until the liquid has reduced by half and is thick and syrupy, then add the cherries to the pan. Pour into a roughly 18 x 25cm baking dish and set aside. 2 In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, almonds, almond extract and a pinch of salt together using an electric…