Innehållsförteckning för May 2025 från Easy Cook

Two bank holidays beckon, which gives us two opportunities for relaxing in the kitchen, prepping for the outdoors and sharing with family and friends. Turn to page 48 for all the inspiration you need to have brilliantly bangin’ bank holidays. Celebration vol au vents, ploughman’s sausage rolls and butterflied leg of lamb all get my vote – this is perfect food for your garden or roof terrace. But, if you want to take your lunch further afield, pack up a picnic with our terrifically transportable sweet and savoury bakes and salads – discover all the recipes and our tips on page 70. Fingers crossed the weather behaves itself! IN THIS ISSUE ✹ Chetna Makan makes peanut lime salad for a bank holiday spread (p53). ✹ John Torode makes recipes inspired…

17 low-cost meal options Steak & aubergine salad ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 2 tbsp flour 1 aubergine, halved lengthways and cut into thin slices 3½ tbsp olive oil 1 sirloin steak 100g lamb’s lettuce 50g feta, cut into cubes FOR THE DRESSING 1 green chilli, halved and chopped ½ lemon, juiced ½ small bunch of coriander, plus extra leaves to serve ½ small bunch of mint, plus extra leaves to serve 1 Season the flour, then use it to dust the aubergine slices. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan until shimmering and fry the aubergine slices for a few minutes on each side until collapsing and soft, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Turn up the heat, season the steak, then fry in the same pan for…

Cut out & keep Bulgur wheat, feta & broccoli salad A good source of fibre, bulgur wheat helps to make this dish more substantial. ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins plus soaking ■ Cook 5 mins 75g bulgur wheat 125g long-stemmed broccoli 1 lemon, juiced olive oil, for drizzling ½ garlic clove, crushed 100g feta or vegetarian alternative 2 tomatoes, diced 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, tip in the bulgur, remove from the heat, cover and soak for 15 mins. Drain well. 2 Meanwhile, bring another pan of salted water to the boil and cook the broccoli for 1-2 mins until just tender but still bright green. 3 Toss the bulgar wheat with the broccoli and the other ingredients, then season.…

Mango chutney & cheese naan toastie ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 10 mins 50g mature cheddar, grated 50g hard mozzarella, grated 3 spring onions, thinly sliced 1 small green chilli, finely chopped ½ tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp coriander, chopped 1 large round garlic naan 1 tbsp mango chutney, plus extra to serve 10g butter 1 Combine the cheeses, spring onions, chilli, cumin seeds and coriander in a bowl. 2 Cut the naan in half down the centre. Spread one half with the chutney, top with the cheese mixture, then cover with the other half. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until starting to foam. Fry one side of the naan sandwich for 4-5 mins until golden brown, pressing down to seal. Flip and repeat until both sides are…

Courgette, potato & feta slice ■ Serves 8 ■ Prep 25 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 1 hr 350g new potatoes, thinly sliced 4 courgettes (about 900g), trimmed and thinly sliced 3 tbsp olive oil 200g feta, crumbled small bunch of mint, leaves picked and chopped 8 eggs, beaten 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Tip the potato and courgette slices into a large bowl and toss with the oil and some seasoning. Arrange in a single layer on two baking trays and roast for 25 mins until lightly golden, stirring halfway through until evenly browned. 2 Line a 20 × 30cm baking tin with a large sheet of baking parchment, ensuring there are no tears or cuts (so the egg won’t leak through). Layer the vegetables on the parchment, scattering most…

Popcorn squares Melt 300g marshmallows in a pan over a low heat, stirring continuously. Add 140g plain popcorn, 200g roughly chopped pretzels and a handful of raisins. Pour into a 23 × 33cm tin lined with baking parchment and chill until set. Cut into squares using a sharp knife. Makes 12. Rocky road Melt 150g butter, 3 tbsp golden syrup and 200g each dark and milk chocolate in a small pan over a low heat until combined. Tip into a large bowl and cool for 10 mins. Line a 20cm brownie tin with baking parchment. Put 2 honeycomb bars in a bowl and bash to small pieces using a rolling pin. Tip into the bowl of cooled chocolate along with a handful each of mini marshmallows and raisins and 200g…

■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 10 mins 2 skinless chicken breasts 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for frying the halloumi, if needed 4 tbsp piri-piri or other mild chilli sauce, plus extra for drizzling ½ lemon, juiced 4 burger buns, split 250g block lighter halloumi, sliced into 8 pieces ¼ small white cabbage, finely sliced 2 tbsp mayonnaise 4 tbsp hummus or tzatziki handful of rocket, or 4-8 soft lettuce leaves 2 large roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and sliced 1 Put the chicken breasts between two pieces of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin until 1cm thick. Cut each breast into two even pieces. 2 Heat two frying pans over a mediumhigh heat, heating the oil in one. Fry the chicken in the oiled pan for 3-4 mins on each…

Diluted with sparkling water, elderflower cordial is a refreshing drink throughout the summer – or use a dash in recipes like gooseberry fool. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT Foraging for elderflowers From May to early July, you’ll find elderflowers growing in gardens, woodlands, fields, hedgerows and even wasteland. The exact timing depends on where you live, but generally, the blossoming of the common elder marks the beginning of summer. The small, star-shaped flowers appear in large, flat-topped clusters. They have a heady, sweet, muscat-like aroma and delicate flavour, which comes from the pollen. The flowers are widely used for making cordial, but there are plenty of other ways to make use of this sweet, edible flower in your kitchen (see opposite). • Pick flowers on a dry, warm day at the start…

MONDAY Chicken escalope with sweet & sour leeks Caramelisation from charring (like the leeks in this recipe) makes vegetables taste sweeter, and cooking poultry in this way helps keep it juicy. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins plus resting and marinating ■ Cook 20 mins 4 skinless chicken breasts 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp 320g baby leeks, trimmed 2½ tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp honey 480g jar roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped steamed greens, to serve 1 Put the chicken between two sheets of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin until 1cm thick. Transfer to a baking dish. 2 Crush the garlic and rosemary using a pestle and mortar. Add 1 tbsp oil. Stir. Spoon this over…

One-pot paneer curry pie We’ve combined two classic dishes into one here – and what could be more comforting than a curry in pie form? The delicious filling is packed with creamy paneer, tender vegetables and aromatic spices, all topped with a crisp puff pastry lid sprinkled with nigella seeds. This hearty pie is perfect for feeding a crowd, so invite friends and family round at the weekend and serve up a slice or two with rice or green vegetables alongside. ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 25 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 30 mins plus cooling and resting 2 tbsp vegetable oil 440g paneer, cut into 2cm cubes 4 tbsp ghee or butter 2 large onions, finely sliced 2 large garlic cloves, crushed thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated ½ tsp hot chilli powder 2…

Rhubarb & custard cake ■ Serves 10 ■ 10 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 1 hr 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for the tin  175g caster sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 250g self-raising flour ½ tsp baking powder 100ml soured cream 200g rhubarb, cut into lengths FOR THE CUSTARD 1 tbsp custard powder 30g caster sugar 120ml milk FOR THE CRUMBLE  75g plain flour 35g caster sugar 50g unsalted butter 1 First, make the custard. Put the custard powder and sugar in a pan and whisk to combine. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Warm over a medium heat, whisking continuously until the custard thickens and starts to bubble. Scrape the custard into a bowl, press a sheet of baking parchment on the surface and chill until cold. 2 To make the crumble, combine the flour, sugar and…

BBQ halloumi fajita skewers ■ Serves 4-6 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 20-25 mins 3 peppers (any colour), cut into wedges 2 large red onions, cut into wedges 2 x 250g blocks of halloumi, halved then cut into quarters 2 tbsp olive oil 2 ripe avocados, peeled, halved and stoned 1 large lime, juiced 8 soft tortilla wraps small bunch of coriander, leaves picked 120g soured cream chipotle chilli sauce, to serve (optional) FOR THE SPICE MIX 1 ½ tbsp smoked paprika 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp garlic powder YOU'LL ALSO NEED 4 metal skewers 1 Combine all the ingredients for the spice mix. Light the barbecue and wait until the coals are ashen. 2 Put the peppers, onions and halloumi in a bowl, drizzle over the oil, sprinkle over the spice mix…

Butter beans in harissa & tahini sauce with dill & preserved lemon Slow cookers are great for dried beans as they can simmer away for hours until tender, retain their shape and texture and don’t require the pre-soaking. If you can get hold of giant butter beans, do use those, otherwise, use the regular size. The tahini is stirred through for the last half hour, just to prevent it from splitting. This dish can be served with bulgur wheat or couscous, both of which take only minutes to put together. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 8 hrs 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, sliced 2 tsp sumac 2 tsp dried mint 200g dried butter beans (regular or giant), rinsed 2 preserved lemons, pith removed and rind sliced 1…

“You can make your own curry paste, or simply buy a good-quality one, like Mae Ploy – the recipe will work well whichever one you choose to use.” Thai-inspired prawn & squash curry ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 40 mins 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 sachet creamed coconut, grated 2 tbsp red or green Thai curry paste 1 tbsp palm or demerara sugar 1 tbsp fish sauce 6 lime leaves, torn 2 lemongrass stalks, bashed 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into large chunks 400ml can coconut milk 24 raw prawns, shells removed but tails left on small bunch of coriander, leaves picked 100g ready-to-eat beansprouts 1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Tip in the coconut and cook for 3 mins until starting to toast, then add the curry paste and fry,…

Raspberry buns These classic buns are a cross between a biscuit and a scone, and they’re perfect for rainy day baking. I make these with my homemade raspberry jam and they taste gorgeous! They’re perfect for winding down with a cup of tea after a long day. ■ Serves 12 ■ Prep 15 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 15 mins 275g self-raising flour 100g unsalted butter 100g caster sugar 2 eggs 6 tsp raspberry jam 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Put the flour and butter in a large bowl and rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar. 2 Tip in the eggs and mix until the dough comes together. Divide into 12 pieces…