BBC Easy Cook 2015-80

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easycook never-fail chocolate cake’ Bake Off’s Jo Wheatley

Singapore noodles

Chilli chicken pizza

Fish burgers

It’s spring at last New season’s ISSUE 80 APRIL 2015

10 simple

From the BBC

kitchen

& tasty soups

recipes to inspire you

Happy Easter!

Bank holiday menus ● No-fuss buffet dishes ●

One-pan paella page 51

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Make our hot cross bun ring

tter bu

d honey ice

easycook From the BBC

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Super-tasty bolognese

General enquiries BBC Easy Cook, Immediate Media Company London Ltd, Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT EDITORIAL

EDITOR SARAH GILES Assistant Editor Sarah Sysum Art Editor Gareth Glynne Jones Chief Sub-Editor Barbara Baker Thanks to Todd Slaughter & Jill Tipping PUBLISHING

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Advertising Director Jason Elson (020 7150 5030) Group Head Display and Classifed Catherine Nicolson Senior Display Sales Executive Rosie Bee Classifed Sales Executive Lloyd Meeks Inserts Harry Rowland Group Head, Partnerships Nicola Shubrook Senior Partnerships Executive Charlie Farr Partnerships Executive Abigail Snelling MARKETING & READER OFFERS

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Head of Production Lifestyle, Youth & Children’s and Repro Koli Pickersgill Production Manager, Food & Pre-School Kate Gristwood Senior Production Coordinator Leanda Holloway Senior Reprographic Technician Darren McCubbin Reprographic Technician Jonathan Shaw Head of Ad Services Sharon Thompson Senior Ad Services Coordinator Sarah Barker SYNDICATION

Director of International Licensing & Syndication Tim Hudson MANAGEMENT Chairman Stephen Alexander CEO Tom Bureau BBC WORLDWIDE, UK PUBLISHING Director of UK Publishing Nicholas Brett Head of UK Publishing Chris Kerwin UK Publishing Coordinator Eva Abramik [email protected] http://www.bbcworldwide.com/uk--anz/ukpublishing.aspx We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the prices displayed in BBC Easy Cook magazine. However, they can vary once we go to print. Please check with the appropriate retailers for full details. Nutritional analysis includes listed ingredients only and excludes optional ingredients such as salt, and serving suggestions.

Welcome

... to the April issue of BBC Easy Cook. We’re celebrating the start of spring with some lovely recipes this month, including two delicious Easter meals for you to enjoy – a super-easy roast chicken lunch (page 40) and a simple but special roast lamb menu from James Martin (page 64). When we put together each issue of BBC Easy Cook, we always try to include as many quick tricks to make food taste extra-special as we can. One of our favourites is marinading the mince for a bolognese sauce in red wine overnight (pictured above). It takes seconds to prepare the night before – and makes a huge difference to the fnished dish: pour a glass of red wine over 500g beef mince, cover and leave in the fridge overnight. Next day, dry-fry the mince until browned all over and set aside. Fry 1 chopped onion and 4 chopped carrots until soft, then add 2 sliced courgettes, 85g button mushrooms and a crushed clove of garlic to the pan and fry for a few mins more. Add a 400g can of chopped tomatoes, 200ml hot beef stock and the mince, bring to the boil then simmer for 15 mins (or up to 45 mins if you have time). Serves 4, with pasta. Happy Easter - and happy cooking!

© Immediate Media Company London Limited, 2015

The BBC Easy Cook team is here to help you get healthy, nutritious, good-value meals on the table as quickly as possible. When we’re planning what to include in each issue, there are four key words we always bear in mind:

EASY: you will never need complicated techniques or special equipment to make our recipes.

QUICK: most of our recipes can be on the table in half an hour or less. Some take a little longer than that in the oven, but we always keep the prep times to a minimum.

VALUE: to help you keep

Sarah Giles, Editor PS Don’t miss the next issue of BBC Easy Cook, on sale 1st April.

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If you’re cooking in a hurry, look out for the colour-coded timing circles on our 20 Quick Weeknight Meals, starting on page 6 BBC Easy Cook magazine is owned by BBC Worldwide and produced on its behalf by Immediate Media Company Limited. BBC Worldwide’s profits are returned to the BBC and help fund new BBC programmes.

Our promise

From the BBC

kitchen

What’s so good about our recipes is that they’ve all been tested in the kitchens of our sister title, BBC Good Food magazine. So they’re easy, super-tasty and quick to make – and you can also be sure that they’ll work perfectly every time.

down the cost of your shopping bill, we make the most of good-value, seasonal produce; we keep the number of ingredients in a recipe to a minimum, and we show you how to use up leftovers. Look out for our stamp – it shows where the cost per person for a main meal recipe comes in at under £1.

LEARN: whether you’re a beginner cook or just too busy to spend ages in the kitchen, we’ll show you lots of clever shortcuts and essential skills to help speed things up.

BBC Easy Cook

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Contents ISSUE 80 APRIL 2015

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Delicious meals to enjoy with family and friends

36 ONE-PAN FAMILY MEALS Including a yummy sausage pasta bake

38 SERVE A BANK HOLIDAY FEAST Wow your guests with our help-yourself platters

40 SPECIAL EASTER LUNCH

Foolproof recipes for perfect results every time

SPEEDY MEALS

42 GREAT SIDE SALADS … all with a citrussy twist

43 GO SEASONAL! Recipes for purple-sprouting broccoli and rhubarb

Weeknight suppers for a month – ready in just half an hour

46 TAKE A PACK OF CHICORY

6 20 FAST MEALS

Don’t miss our tasty idea for pork belly

Weeknight suppers for a month – in 30 minutes or less

26 SATURDAY SNACK Beans on toast – with a Tex Mex twist

48 FABULOUS PUDDINGS

Delicious, warming and filling meals or snacks

Chocolate pudding, coffee panna cotta and a new way with cherry bakewell

32 MICROWAVE CAKES – IN A MUG!

51 TWIST ON PAELLA

How to make a cake in just a few minutes

Bursting with flavour

28 10 EASY SOUPS

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Our Italian-style roast chicken is delicious and simple to make

BBC Easy Cook

To make our delicious cover recipe, turn to page 51

James Martin's delicious roast lamb, page 66

TV COOKS GET BAKING Sweet and savoury ideas you’ll want to make again and again

52 BAKE-AHEAD TREATS Including an unusual caramelised carrot cake

54 SAVOURY BAKES Try our twist on Danish pastries

56 DELICIOUS AND DAIRY-FREE Fantastic brownies, plus Easter cupcakes

58 EASTER SPECIAL Three new ideas for hot cross buns

60 FOR THE BISCUIT TIN Salted caramel and peanut butter slices

COOKS’ EXTRAS 50 OUR EASTER GIFT GUIDE Bunnies, eggs and, of course, chocolate!

78 EASY EXTRAS Three packed pages of ideas, tips, products & more

74 LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS… and how to use them up

81 THE EASY COOK INTERVIEW Rachel Khoo shares her thoughts

Recipes from your favourite BBC cooks

64 JAMES MARTIN Herb-crusted lamb, rhubarb crumble trifle, plus a great starter

68 JOHN TORODE Two brilliant pasta dishes you’ll want to try

70 MARCUS WAREING Try his salt and pepper prawns, plus a gorgeous lemon posset

72 JO WHEATLEY No-fail chocolate cake with an unusual icing

73 FRANCES QUINN Irresistible Easter nest topped with chocolate mini eggs – children will love it!

EASY COOK COOKERY SCHOOL

REGULARS 3 WELCOME 30 SUBSCRIBE!

76 HOW TO MAKE BAGELS

BBC Easy Cook direct to your door

Why not give them a go this weekend?

Big savings on cutlery

62 GREAT READER OFFER 82 INDEX BBC Easy Cook

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A whole month of tasty recipes – all ready in 30 minutes or less

quick 20 weeknight meals

Ravioli with artichokes, leek & lemon

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Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 20 minutes l £2.55 a portion l 513 kcals, 31g fat, 13g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

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280g jar artichokes, drained and chopped (reserve 1 tbsp oil) 1 large leek, fnely sliced 1 clove of garlic, crushed 3 tbsp soft cheese fnely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon 250g pack spinach & ricotta ravioli 1 Make the sauce Heat the oil from the artichokes in a large pan, then add the leek and garlic. Fry for 5 minutes over a medium heat until the leek is soft. Stir in the artichokes, soft cheese and lemon rind, then heat through. Season to taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice. 2 Cook the pasta Meanwhile, cook the ravioli according to pack instructions. Drain, add to the pan with the artichokes and soft cheese, and toss through to serve.

theeasyway Serve topped with the rocket and a grating of parmesan, if you like

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SPEEDY MEALS Couscous, quinoa or a mixture of grains would also be delicious in this recipe. For a protein-packed alternative, try using two cans of drained green lentils

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Halloumi with bulghar and chickpea salad l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £1.14 a portion l 531 kcals, 27g fat, 12g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

5 tbsp olive oil fnely grated rind and juice of 2 limes 1 tsp sweet paprika 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 70g bag rocket

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200g bulghar wheat 250g pack halloumi, cut into 8 slices

1 Cook the bulghar and fry the cheese Cook the bulghar wheat according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, in a non-stick pan,

fry the halloumi in 2 tbsp oil for 3-4 mins on each side until golden and starting to crisp. 2 Assemble the salad Mix together the lime rind and juice, paprika and remaining olive oil, and stir this through the bulghar wheat using a fork. Toss in the chickpeas and rocket, and serve with the fried halloumi slices. BBC Easy Cook

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SPEEDY MEALS

Singapore noodles l l

theeasyway Serve the noodles topped with the duck

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Serves 2 (easily multiplied) l Ready in 20 mins l £4.42 a portion 563 kcals, 23g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds 1 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns, 2 duck breasts, fat scored 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp clear honey 2 nests fne egg noodles 1 tbsp vegetable oil 4 spring onions (whites chopped, greens shredded) 1 red chilli, fnely chopped ½ tsp mild curry powder 1 egg 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 Cook the duck Turn oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Rub

the coriander and peppercorns over the duck and fry them, skin-side down, in an ovenproof frying pan for 5 mins until the skin is browned. Drain off the fat, turn the duck over, add the soy and honey and fry for 1 minute. Put in the oven for 10 mins, then leave to rest for 5 mins and slice. 2 Stir-fry the noodles Cook the noodles according to pack instructions. Heat the oil in a wok, then add the spring onions, chilli and curry powder and stir-fry for 1 min. Add the egg and fry until scrambled. Toss in the noodles and soy sauce and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Lamb lollipops l l

theeasyway This recipe works really well with pork too

Serves 4 l Ready in 20 minutes l £4.29 a portion 355 kcals, 22g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 clove of garlic, crushed juice of ½ lemon (use the other half for the Minty Mash, see box right) 1 small red chilli, fnely chopped a splash of olive oil 12 lamb cutlets (well trimmed and meat fattened out slightly) 1 Marinate the meat Mix the garlic, lemon juice, chilli

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Serves 2 (easily multiplied) l Ready in 20 minutes l £2.29 a portion 386 kcals, 10g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 Cook the chicken Fry the onion in the oil for 3 minutes until soft, but not BBC Easy Cook

2 Grill the meat Heat a griddle pan and cook the lamb for 2-3 minutes on each side for thinner chops or 3-4 minutes on each side for thicker chops.

Chicken and chickpea casserole 1 onion, fnely sliced 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 chicken breast, cut into chunks 150ml red wine 150ml vegetable stock 2 tbsp tomato ketchup ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 large handfuls of spinach

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and olive oil together. Put the lamb cutlets in a dish and pour over the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes in the fridge (or longer if you have time).

browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the chicken and cook until browned all over. 2 Add the wine Pour the wine into the pan, bring to the boil, then bubble until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in the stock, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and chickpeas, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Season. Stir in the spinach just before serving.

Serve with... Minty mash Tip 300g podded and skinned broad beans into a food processor with 1½ tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, and the juice of ½ lemon. Whizz to a chunky purée, then tip into a pan and heat through. Stir through a small pack of roughly chopped mint and 1 tbsp olive oil. Serves 4.

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BBC Easy Cook

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theeasyway Tahini

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is a paste made from ground sesame seeds – fnd it in the special ingredients aisle

Spiced lamb l

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 30 minutes l £2.22 a portion l 646 kcals, 36g fat, 10g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

2½ tbsp olive oil 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 red chilli, deseeded and fnely chopped 100g bulghar wheat 1 tbsp tahini paste juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp Greek-style yogurt 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp ground coriander 200g lamb mince 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 spring onions, fnely sliced a small bunch of fat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 Soften the onion Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Tip in the onions and cook for 15 minutes until caramelised – 5 minutes before the onions are cooked, add 2 cloves of the garlic and the chilli. Remove from the pan and set side. 2 Cook the wheat Cook the bulghar wheat according to pack instructions, then drain thoroughly. Mix the tahini, 1 tbsp of the lemon juice, the remaining garlic, yogurt and seasoning together, and thin with 1-2 tbsp of water. 3 Fry the mince In the onion pan, heat the remaining oil. Add the cumin seeds and coriander and fry for 1 minute. Add the mince and fry for 5 minutes until cooked through. Tip in the onion mixture and heat through. 4 Add the tomatoes Stir the tomatoes, spring onions, parsley, remaining lemon juice and seasoning into the bulghar wheat, then spread it out on a serving dish. Top with the lamb mince and a drizzle of yogurt dressing.

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SPEEDY MEALS

Fish and mussel stew l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £3.63 a portion l 323 kcals, 5g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

1 tsp vegetable oil 2 unsmoked bacon medallions or turkey rashers, chopped 1 litre hot fsh stock a generous pinch of saffron 1 large carrot, fnely diced 1 celery stick, fnely chopped 2 leeks, thinly sliced 350g tomatoes, chopped 400g can cannellini beans, drained 265g pack skinless sustainable fsh fllets (such as haddock or cod), cut into chunks 350g fresh mussels, scrubbed and beards removed 2 tbsp chopped parsley

theeasyway Saffron gives this stew a lovely colour, but it will still be delicious without it

1 Soften the carrots and celery Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan with a lid. Add the bacon or turkey and stir-fry over a high heat for 1 minute. Pour in the stock, then stir in the saffron, carrot, celery and leeks. Cover and cook for 10 mins on a medium heat. 2 Add the beans Add the tomatoes and beans to the pan, and cook for 10 mins more until the veg is tender. The consistency will be quite brothy – if you prefer a thicker texture, use a hand blender and purée a little soup in the pan to thicken it. 3 Cook the fsh Stir in the fsh and mussels, cover and cook for 5 minutes more until the fsh is just cooked and the mussels open. Take some of the mussels out of their shells. Stir through the parsley, then ladle into bowls.

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BBC Easy Cook 11

SPEEDY MEALS

Chinese pork l l

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) l Ready in 20 mins l £1.43 a portion 311 kcals, 12g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 tbsp vegetable oil 350g pork fllet, diced 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp clear honey juice of ½ lime a dash of sweet chilli sauce ½ tsp cornfour (mixed with 1 tbsp water)

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1 Stir-fry the pork Heat the oil in a wok, then add

the pork and stir-fry for 2-3 mins. Mix the soy, honey, lime juice and chilli sauce with the cornfour mixture. Add to the pork, stir and cook until thickened. 2 Finish and serve Serve the pork sprinkled with crispy seaweed (see left) and toasted sesame seeds, and with a side dish of boiled rice.

Crispy sea bass l l

How to make... Crispy seaweed Even in restaurants, 'seaweed' is often actually finely shredded cabbage. Thinly slice ¼ savoy cabbage, then deep-fry in vegetable oil until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper, then toss in a mixture of sugar and salt.

theeasyway Serve with a scattering of parmesan

Serves 4 l Ready in 30 minutes l £2.22 a portion 380 kcals, 31g fat, 17g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 tbsp white wine vinegar 5 black peppercorns ¼ tsp coriander seeds (optional) 1 pink grapefruit 100g unsalted butter 2 large egg yolks 1 tbsp double cream 4 x 100g sea bass fllets (defrosted if frozen) 2 tsp oil

yolks into a food processor with a pinch of salt. Strain the reduced vinegar on top, then discard the peppercorns and coriander seeds. Add 1 tsp grapefruit juice, then whizz for a few seconds.

2 Prepare the grapefruit Segment the grapefruit and put the segments onto kitchen paper. Squeeze the juice from the shell.

5 Cook the fsh Slash, then season the fsh. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Heat the oil, then fry the fsh skin-side down, for 4-5 mins, until almost cooked and the skin is crisp. Cook for 30 seconds on the other side.

4 Make the sauce With the motor running, pour in about 1 tbsp butter and the cream. Gradually add the rest of the butter, allowing it to fully emulsify 1 Flavour the vinegar after each addition to make a thick, Put the vinegar, peppercorns and smooth sauce. Keep the butter coriander seeds (if using) into warm on the hob in between a small pan with 1 tbsp water. pours. Add 1 tsp more grapefruit Simmer until reduced to 1 tsp, then juice to loosen, then season. Stir in remove from the heat. If it reduces the grapefruit segments and break too much, add a splash of water. it up a little. Keep the sauce warm.

3 Blitz the eggs Melt the butter in a small pan and keep it warm. Put the egg

Aubergine, chilli and bacon pasta l l

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Serves 4 l Ready in 30 minutes l 437 kcals, 15g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion

2 tbsp olive oil 1 large aubergine, cut into small cubes 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 red chilli, fnely chopped 2 x 400g chopped tomatoes 300g pasta

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89p a portion Not suitable for freezing

1 Make the dish Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the aubergine and cook for 8 mins, until soft. Add the bacon and fry until cooked, adding the garlic and chilli for the fnal minute. Tip in the tomatoes and cook for 10 mins until thickened. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Drain well, then stir through the sauce.

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Serve the fish with the hollandaise on a bed of steamed Tenderstem broccoli

BBC Easy Cook 13

SPEEDY MEALS Chilli chicken and sweetcorn pizza l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £2.33 a portion l 494 kcals, 13g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

100g barbecue sauce 1-2 tbsp chipotle paste (or more if you like it spicy) 2 large ready-made pizza bases 175g mozzarella, grated (ready-grated is fne) 200g can sweetcorn, drained 300g jar red peppers, drained and torn into slices 200g cooked sliced chicken 1 Top the pizzas Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7. Mix the barbecue and chipotle sauce in a bowl. Put the pizza bases on 2 large baking trays and spread over the sauce. Scatter the mozzarella over the pizzas, then top with the sweetcorn, peppers and chicken. 2 Cook the pizzas Bake for 20 minutes, swapping the trays over halfway through cooking, until the cheese has melted and the pizza is piping hot.

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scatter with chopped coriander and sliced green chillies, if you like it extra spicy.

Spicy Moroccan eggs l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £1.34 a portion l 242 kcals, 10g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

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2 tsp vegetable oil 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced 3 cloves of garlic, sliced 1 tbsp rose harissa 1 tsp ground coriander 150ml vegetable stock 400g can chickpeas 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes 2 courgettes, fnely diced 200g bag of baby spinach 4 tbsp chopped coriander 4 large eggs

1 Make the sauce Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan, and fry the onion and garlic for about 8 minutes, stirring every now and then, until starting to turn golden. Add the harissa and ground coriander, stir well, then pour in the stock and chickpeas with their liquid. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then mash about one-third of the chickpeas to thicken the stock a little. 2 Add the tomatoes and courgettes Tip the tomatoes and courgettes into the pan, and cook gently for 10 minutes, until the courgettes are tender. Fold in the spinach so that it wilts into the pan. 3 Break in the eggs Stir in the chopped coriander, then make 4 hollows in the mixture and break in the eggs. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, then take off the heat for 2 minutes before serving.

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BBC Easy Cook 15

SPEEDY MEALS Bacon and sausage grill l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £2.93 a portion l 618 kcals, 37g fat, 11g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

4 rashers lean unsmoked back bacon 4 portobello mushrooms 12 cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp olive oil 2 slices granary or wholegrain bread, cut on the diagonal 2 pork sausages 2 eggs a few drops of cider vinegar 1 Get the grill hot Lay the bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes on a foil-lined tray. Brush the tops of the mushrooms with 1 tbsp of the oil and both sides of the bread with the remaining oil. Set aside. Heat the grill to very hot. Lay the sausages on a small, foil-lined tray. Grill for about 10 minutes until cooked, turning occasionally.

2 Poach the eggs Meanwhile, three-quarters fll a small pan, and a wide, deep pan with water. Bring both to the boil. Lower an egg into the small pan and remove after 30 seconds. Crack the egg into a cup. Add vinegar to the larger pan then, using a wire whisk, swirl the water around to create a whirlpool. Remove the whisk and slowly tip the egg into the centre of the whirlpool. When the water comes back to the boil, remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for 3 minutes, then remove the egg. Put in a bowl of warm water while you cook the other egg. 3 Griddle the bacon and veg Meanwhile heat a griddle pan to very hot. Put the tomatoes, bacon and mushrooms under the grill for 3-4 minutes without turning. At the same time, lay the bread on the griddle pan, cook until crisp, about 1 minute each side. Drain everything on kitchen paper. 4 Serve Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and drain briefy on kitchen paper. Arrange everything on a plate.

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theeasyway You can cook both eggs up to an hour ahead, leave in a bowl of iced water, then reheat for 1½ mins in simmering water before serving 16 BBC Easy Cook

La Madeleine Bonne Maman. A traditional French recipe with fresh eggs and butter. Lovingly baked, individually wrapped, delicious to eat.

Available in supermarkets nationwide

SPEEDY MEALS

Sausage burgers with spicy tomato sauce l

theeasyway The spicy sauce is great with pasta too

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Serves 2 (easily multiplied) l Ready in 20 mins l £1.81 a portion 650 kcals, 36g fat, 12g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing

2 cloves of garlic, chopped ½ red chilli, chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 200g canned chopped tomatoes 2 pork sausages, skins removed 25g chorizo, chopped 6 sage leaves, chopped 2 slices ciabatta, toasted 2 slices of goat’s cheese 1 Make the sauce Fry the garlic and chilli in 1 tbsp of the oil for 1 min. Add the tomatoes, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Season.

2 Shape the burgers Meanwhile, in a bowl, mash the sausage meat, chorizo, sage and some black pepper until well mixed. Using wet hands, shape the mixture into small burgers. 3 Fry the burgers Heat the remaining oil in a pan and fry the burgers on a medium heat for 4-5 mins on each side, until golden and cooked through. Put the toast on a baking tray, top each with a burger and a slice of goat’s cheese. Grill for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Serve with the sauce. Burgers and sauce can be frozen separately.

Pilchard puttanesca l

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theeasyway Rinsing the rice frst (until the water runs clear) stop the rice grains from sticking together

Serves 4 l Ready in 20 minutes l 510 kcals, 19g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion

300g spaghetti 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, fnely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 red chilli, deseeded and fnely chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 425g can pilchards in tomato sauce 70g pack dried black olives with herbs, chopped shaved parmesan, to serve 1 Cook the fsh and pasta Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Heat the oil

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91p a portion Not suitable for freezing

in a non-stick frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and chilli for 3-4 mins to soften. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min, then add the pilchards with their sauce. Cook, breaking up the fsh with a wooden spoon, add the olives and cook for 3-4 mins. 2 Mix everything together Drain the pasta and add to the pan with 2-3 tbsp of the cooking water. Toss everything together well, then divide between plates and serve scattered with the shaved parmesan.

Broad bean and dill pilaf l

Serves 4 l Ready in 30 mins l 60p a portion 12g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

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300g basmati rice 50g butter, plus extra to serve 1 onion, fnely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 500ml vegetable stock 400g frozen broad beans, defrosted a small pack of dill, chopped 1 Cook the rice Rinse the rice, then soak in warm water for 5 mins and drain well. Heat the butter in a pan and sizzle the onion and garlic for

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435 kcals,

8-10 mins until softened, but not coloured. Stir in the rice and pour in the stock. Cover, bring to the boil, then turn the heat to a minimum and cook for 10 mins. 2 Add the beans Lift the lid, and quickly scatter over the beans, then replace the lid. Turn up the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Add the dill, stir the rice, and serve with extra butter melting through.

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If you can’t find dried olives, you can either add some fresh, stoned, chopped olives at the end of cooking, or leave them out altogether if you prefer

BBC Easy Cook 19

SPEEDY MEALS Crispy sesame fsh burger l

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 30 minutes l £2.76 a burger l 706 kcals, 34g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 ripe avocado juice of 1 lime a small pack of coriander, chopped 2 tbsp light mayonnaise 2 burger buns (split and toasted)

250g sustainable white fsh fllets, such as cod, haddock or pollock 2 tbsp plain four 1 egg, beaten 4 tbsp dried breadcrumbs 2 tbsp sesame seeds vegetable oil, for frying

1 Coat the fsh Cut the fsh into 4 chunky fngers. Put the four in a bowl with some seasoning, put the egg in another bowl, and the breadcrumbs and sesame seeds in a third bowl. Dust the fsh fngers in four, then dip in egg and then coat in breadcrumbs. Chill for 10 mins.

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golden and cooked through, adding a drizzle more oil if the pan looks too dry. 3 Prepare the avocado Meanwhile, stone, peel and slice the avocado, squeeze over a little of the lime juice to prevent it from turning brown, then mix the remaining lime juice and coriander into the mayonnaise. 4 Assemble the burgers To serve, spread a little mayo over the base of each bun, top with 2 fsh fngers, a few slices of avocado and the bun lid.

2 Fry the fsh Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan and cook the fsh fngers for 3-4 mins on each side, until

theeasyway Serve any leftover mayo on the side as a dip

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theeasyway You can use 30

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any small pasta shape for this – look out for economy packs of pasta in the supermarket

Creamy tomato, courgette & prawn pasta l l

Serves 4 l Ready in 30 minutes l £1.81 a portion 533 kcals, 8g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced 2 large (or 400g) baby courgettes, sliced 400g orecchiette pasta 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes a good pinch of sugar 200g raw prawns, peeled 100g half-fat crème fraiche small pack basil (leaves only, torn) 1 Cook the courgettes Heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic and sizzle for a few

mins, then add the courgettes and cook for a few mins more until starting to soften. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, sugar and seasoning to the pan, and simmer, lid off, for 10 mins. 2 Finish the dish Add the prawns to the sauce and bubble until they just turn pink. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce with the crème fraiche. Simmer for another 1-2 mins, then add the basil and serve.

Seared steak with pepper caponata l

Serves 2 (easily multiplied)

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Ready in 30 mins

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£4.63 a portion

l 269 kcals, 10g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Caponata suitable for freezing

200g extra-lean fllet steaks 140g fresh spinach FOR THE CAPONATA

1-cal oil spray 1 red onion, halved and sliced 2 cloves of garlic, sliced 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 celery sticks, sliced 1 orange pepper, deseeded, quartered and sliced 25g pitted black kalamata olives, halved (about 8) 1 tbsp capers ½ tsp dried oregano 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 Make the caponata Spray a large, non-stick pan with 3 sprays of oil, and add the onion

and garlic. Cover and cook for 5 mins to brown, stirring halfway. Tip in the tomatoes and a can of water, then stir in all the other caponata ingredients. Cover the pan and simmer until soft. 2 Fry the steaks Heat a griddle or small non-stick frying pan. Grind black pepper over the steak and sear on both sides until cooked to your liking (about 5-6 mins). Leave to rest while you wilt the spinach in a covered pan on a low heat. To serve, spoon the caponata onto 2 serving plates, top with the spinach, then slice the beef and arrange on top.

Spiced chicken & pineapple salad l l

10

mins

theeasyway This is lovely with ready-cooked, flavoured chicken breasts – sweet chilli and BBQ flavours are ideal 22 BBC Easy Cook

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) l Ready in 10 mins l £2.07 a portion 176 kcals, 2g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

227g can pineapple in juice about 140g cooked, sliced chicken breast 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced 90g bag mixed leaves a small bunch of coriander, leaves only a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 Make the salad Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice (if in rings, chop into chunks). Mix with the chicken, onion, leaves, coriander and tomatoes, and divide between 2 plates. 2 Make the dressing Whisk together 2 tbsp of the pineapple juice, the chilli, vinegar and sweet chilli sauce with some seasoning, and toss through the salad before serving.

SPEEDY MEALS 30

mins

For a posh lunch, bake some ready-made garlic bread slices and spoon the pepper caponata over the top BBC Easy Cook 23

Maltesers® fridge squares

Bake

l Makes 16 l Prep 35 mins plus 3hr chill time

YOURSELVES For Red Nose Day this year, be inspired by Maltesers and bake yourselves silly – make some cakes and hold a bake sale to raise money for Comic Relief If bathing in baked beans or shaving your hair for the Red Nose Day madness doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, you can still delve into the wacky antics and do your bit by organising a bake sale choc-full of yummy cakes. It’s a great way to show off your cooking prowess, and the kids can get involved too. There’s no better way to get creative in the kitchen than to start with an inspiring ingredient. This year Maltesers has paired up with Red Nose Day, and they are encouraging the nation to get baking for a

silly

great cause. This deliciously light chocolate is so versatile, you’ll be able to create a range of tempting baked treats. Better still, Maltesers is helping to raise £1 million for Comic Relief with its specially designed Red Nose Day packs. Buy one of these and you can increase the feelgood factor, since 5p will be donated from every pack sold. So whether you bake to share with friends, raise a smile on colleagues’ faces or contribute to a bake sale, your cakes will also support the charity that works tirelessly to free the world from poverty. Just go to maltesers.co.uk for some simple and tasty recipe ideas. Or why not try these scrumptious fridge squares – perfect for every occasion. Bake with Maltesers this Red Nose Day – visit maltesers.co.uk

GET READY FOR YOUR BAKE SALE WITH MALTESERS Whether you do it at work, at school, or your local community centre, organising a bake sale is easy, as Maltesers has created a Bake Yourselves Silly pack to help you get it off to a great start. Follow these easy steps for a top sale: • Download the Bake Yourselves Silly pack from maltesers.co.uk. • Get your friends and family to join in on the fun. • Have a look at the tasty recipes on maltesers.co.uk to get inspiration. • Buy your ingredients – including Maltesers or Teasers to add extra deliciousness to your cakes. • Bake yourselves silly! • Use the downloadable pack to add pizzazz. There are flags to decorate your cakes with, rosettes to award the yummiest and silliest, a stencil to help you add an icing sugar smiley face to creations and a table talker to help you advertise your sale.

For the cake: 140g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 140g milk chocolate, broken into pieces 80g butter 75g clear honey 150g digestive biscuits 100g Maltesers® For the topping: 50g milk chocolate, broken into chunks

1. Melt the mixture Line a 18cm square tin with parchment paper and set aside. Melt the plain and milk chocolate, butter and honey together in a small pan over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Add the biscuits and chill Meanwhile place the digestives in a plastic bag and crush pieces with a rolling pin. Gently stir the biscuits into chocolate mixture, then add the Maltesers® into the mixture and spoon into the prepared tin, ensuring the surface is level. Chill for two hours.

3. Top it all off For the topping, place the milk chocolate pieces in a bowl set over a pan of hot water and leave until melted. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe squiggles across the cake. Leave to cool and chill for about 1 hour until set. Cut into squares and serve.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

SERVE UP SOME SILLINESS Why not do some baking for this Red Nose Day on Friday 13 March, and hold your own bake sale to help raise even more funds. It will give you the chance to spoil your friends, family and work mates with lovely cake, but it also means Comic Relief can use the money you raise to help people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and across Africa. Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland).

5p from every pack goes straight to Comic Relief

SPEEDY MEALS

The beans make a great topper for jacket potatoes, or try them in tortillas instead

Saturday

snack Tex-Mex beans on toast l

Serves 1 l Ready in 25 minutes l £1.47 a portion l 598 kcals, 25g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 spring onions, white and green parts separated, both fnely sliced 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp mild chilli powder 1 tbsp brown or barbecue sauce 400g can black beans, drained and rinsed 2 slices of your favourite bread 1 small ripe avocado a few squeezes of lemon or lime juice a large spoonful of natural yogurt 26 BBC Easy Cook

This makes a substantial, weekend brunch for one, but it can easily stretch to serve two if you are feeling less greedy!

1 Make the tomato sauce Tip the tomatoes, spring onion whites, spices and brown sauce into a pan. Bring to a simmer and bubble for 10 minutes. 2 Add the beans Stir in the beans with some seasoning and heat through for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the bread, then peel and chop half the avocado into large dice and mix with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. 3 Finish and serve Squash the remaining avocado over one piece of toast, and sandwich with the other. Put on a plate and top with the hot chilli beans, the avocado and a spoonful of yogurt. Scatter with the spring onion greens to serve.

Try this too... Homemade tortillas Put 50g each of plain and wholemeal flours into a mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt, a drizzle of oil and 2 tbsp water. Bring the mixture together to form a dough (add more water if it's too dry). Knead for a minute until smooth and elastic then set aside for 5-10 mins. On a floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 and roll out each piece into a very thin circle. Cook the tortillas (one at a time) in a dry, heavy-based frying pan on a medium/high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly golden and cooked through. Serves 2.

In this month’s issue

ON SALE NOW! Free with March 2015 issue

Make Easter special

• Chocolate hot cross buns • Greek slow-roast lamb

Mother’s Day treats • Special high tea menu • Top tea rooms

Let’s do

brunch

40

delicious recipes

Baked eggs with chilli beans

PLUS FREE recipe book inside

Bank Holiday dishes to share • Tom Kerridge’s fish pie • Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake

Salted caramel brownies

SPEEDY MEALS

Quick & easy

soups

All these recipes make enough for two bowls, but it’s easy to increase the quantities to serve more Pesto minestrone

Spiced carrot

Cook 1 chopped onion in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add 100g frozen mixed vegetables, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 400g can drained cannellini beans, 50g pasta shells and 600ml vegetable stock. Simmer for 8 minutes. Swirl in some green pesto to serve.

Soften ½ onion and 500g diced carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil for 12 mins. Add 600ml vegetable stock, the grated rind and juice of 1 orange and 1 tsp ground cumin. Simmer for 10 minutes, cool a little, then liquidise. Reheat and serve topped with a spoonful of natural yogurt.

Rich red pepper Asian prawn noodle

Put 6 halved, deseeded red peppers and 2 cloves of garlic under the grill until charred. Seal the peppers in a bag for 5 minutes, then slip off the skins. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin. Blend everything in a food processor with 50g breadcrumbs, 600ml vegetable stock and 1 tsp paprika. Heat through to serve.

Creamy chowder

Adding beans to soup is a good way to turn it into a filling main meal

Soften 1 chopped onion and 250g diced potato in 1 tbsp sunflower oil for 8 minutes. Pour over 600ml milk and 150ml vegetable stock and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add 2 skinless smoked haddock fillets cut into large chunks. Poach for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley to serve.

Quick onion Cook 4 sliced onions in 25g butter and 1 tbsp olive oil until soft and well browned (about 20 mins). Add 1 tsp dijon mustard and 2 x 400g cans beef consommé and simmer for 5 mins. Pour into bowls and top with slices of melted cheese on toast.

Speedy mushroom Cook 1 chopped clove of garlic, 1 chopped onion and 500g quartered mushrooms in 1 tbsp olive oil for 10 mins. Add 600ml vegetable stock and a handful of chopped parsley and simmer for 10 minutes. Liquidise 28 BBC Easy Cook

Fry 1 tbsp curry paste for 1 minute. Stir in 400ml can coconut milk and 500ml fish stock. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add a 150g pack cooked prawns and heat through. Meanwhile, soak 100g rice noodles according to pack instructions. Tip into bowls, then pour over the soup and top with a few beansprouts and coriander leaves.

Rustic leek & potato the soup, then reheat. Serve with a swirl of cream.

Curried parsnip and apple

Cook 1 chopped onion in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft. Add 1 crushed clove of garlic, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp ground cumin. Cook for about 1 minute, then add 400g diced parsnips and 600ml vegetable stock and cook until soft. Liquidise the soup, grate in 1 small bramley apple, simmer for 3 minutes and serve piping hot.

Moroccan chicken Fry 2 sliced chicken breasts for 5 minutes. Add 1 crushed clove of garlic and ½ tsp chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 600ml vegetable stock, 400g can tomatoes with olives and a 400g can drained chickpeas. Simmer for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Soften 2 chopped leeks for 8 minutes in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add 2 tsp chopped sage, 500g diced potato and 600ml vegetable stock. Simmer for 15 minutes and serve with crusty bread.

Tasty toppings Ring the changes with these ideas: • Fry 2 chopped rashers smoked streaky bacon in olive oil and sprinkle over the Speedy Mushroom Soup, left. • Fry a 70g pack of pancetta, shredded, until crisp, mix with 25g toasted pine nuts, and sprinkle over the Curried Parsnip And Apple Soup, left. • In a deep frying pan, bring 250ml milk and a bay leaf to the boil. Lower to a gentle simmer, add 1 natural smoked haddock fillet, cover with baking paper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Flake the fish over the Rustic Leek And Potato Soup, above.

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BBC Easy Cook 31

Cakes in amug

All recipes tested in a 1000w microwave

No need for lots of different cake tins with these recipes – just use a mug or a tea cup! They’re perfect for a midweek pud (or as a birthday treat for someone) Birthday bonanza l Makes

1 l Takes 15 mins, plus cooling time l £1.26 a portion l Not suitable for freezing 2 tbsp soft butter 1 egg 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk 2 tsp vanilla extract 3 tbsp caster sugar 4 tbsp self-raising four a pinch of salt 1 tbsp coloured sprinkles TO DECORATE

1 tsp icing sugar 50g pink ready-to-roll icing 1 tbsp raspberry jam (or use another favour if you prefer) 3 tbsp royal icing 1 tbsp coloured sprinkles cake candle 1 Make the cake Put the butter in a mug and microwave for 10-20 seconds until melted. Add the egg, milk and vanilla to the mug and beat with a fork until fully combined. Add the caster sugar, four and salt and beat again until very smooth. Grease or line a 350ml cup with cling flm, then pour in the cake batter and fold through the coloured sprinkles. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds on full power (100%). Turn the cake out onto a plate, remove the cling flm and leave to cool completely. 32 BBC Easy Cook

2 Ice the cake Dust the work surface with the icing sugar and then roll out the pink icing to a size large enough to cover the entire sponge. When the cake is cold, spread the jam over the sponge and then lay over the icing, smoothing down with the palm of your hand as you go and trimming off any excess around the bottom with a sharp knife. 3 Decorate the cake Mix the royal icing with ½ tsp water to make an icing the consistency of thick custard. Spoon this icing over the centre of the cake, allowing it to trickle down the sides before it sets. Decorate with coloured sprinkles and add a candle.

Coffee & walnut cake l Makes

1 10 minutes, plus cooling time l £1.14 a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Takes

2 tbsp soft butter 2 tsp instant coffee granules (mixed with 1 tbsp hot water) 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 tbsp golden caster sugar 4 tbsp self-raising four a pinch of salt 1 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped TO DECORATE

2 tbsp double cream ½ tbsp ready-made caramel sauce 1 walnut half

SPEEDY MEALS Coke float l Makes

1 10 minutes, plus cooling time l 99p a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Takes

2 tbsp soft butter 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1 egg 2 tbsp cola 3 tbsp golden caster sugar 4 tbsp self-raising four pinch of salt TO DECORATE

2 tsp soft butter ½ tsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp icing sugar 1 tsp cola 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream 1 tbsp fzzy cola bottle sweets (optional) 1 Make the cake Put the butter in a 350ml mug and microwave on full power (100%) for 10-20 seconds until melted. Add the cocoa and then stir again until smooth. Add the egg, cola and sugar and beat with a fork. Add the four and salt and beat until smooth. Microwave for 2 minutes on full power (100%). Cool.

theeasyway Top the Coke Float with ice cream and drizzle with the icing. Finish with fzzy cola sweets (optional) These recipes are adapted from Mug Cakes by Mima Sinclair, £8.99, Kyle Books. BBC Easy Cook readers can buy it for just £8.54, with free p&p. Call 01326 569444 or visit www.sparkledirect.com

2 Make the icing Mix the butter, cocoa powder, icing sugar and cola in a mug. Microwave on full power (100%) for 10-15 seconds until melted.

Ready in minutes

1 Microwave the cake mixture Put the butter in a 350ml mug and microwave on full power (100%) for 10-20 seconds until melted. Add the coffee mixture, egg, vanilla and sugar to the mug and beat with a fork until thoroughly combined. Add the four and salt and beat again until smooth, then fold through the walnut pieces. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute 45 seconds on full power (100%). Leave to cool. 2 Make the icing Meanwhile, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold through the caramel sauce. Spoon over the cooled sponge and top with the walnut half.

These would be a hit at a kids' party (you could even make them during the party)

theeasyway You can replace the double cream in the icing with mascarpone BBC Easy Cook 33

One-dish wonders

Cooking everything in a single dish or casserole makes for no-stress, no-mess meals on busy weekends

Sausage pasta bake l Serves

4 35 minutes, plus 30 mins in the oven l £1.81 a portion l 689 kcals, 37g fat, 17g sat. fat a portion fat a l Not suitable for freezing l Takes

1 small butternut squash (peeled, seeds discarded, fesh cut into small cubes) 2 tsp olive oil a small pack of sage (leaves only, roughly chopped) 8 sausages a good grating of nutmeg 350g pasta shells 50g butter 50g plain four 850ml milk 50g grated parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling 125g ball mozzarella, drained and chopped 1 Fry the sausages Put the squash in a microwaveable bowl with 1 tbsp water. Cook in the microwave on full power (100%) for 10 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the sage leaves and sizzle for 1 minute. Remove the sausages from their skins and divide into small balls. Add to the pan and fry until browned. Add half the squash and set aside. Mash the remaining squash with any liquid from the bowl, the nutmeg and some seasoning. 2 Make the sauce Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan, then add the four and stir to a smooth paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, then gradually mix in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Add the mashed squash, the parmesan and plenty of seasoning. Add 3-4 tbsp of the sauce to the sausage mixture to loosen it a little. 3 Bake Spread the remaining squash sauce over the base of a large, shallow baking dish. Drain the pasta, but keep a little liquid in the pan to stop the shells from sticking together. Remove any broken bits of pasta out of the pan and scatter these over the sauce. Line up the shells on top, pushing them down into the sauce so that only the tops of the shells are poking out. Fill each shell with the sausage mixture. Scatter with the mozzarella and grate over some extra parmesan Bake for 30 minutes, or until piping hot and golden brown.

36 BBC Easy Cook

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Macaroni cheese with bacon l Serves

4 25 mins, plus 20 minutes in the oven l £1.75 a portion l 886 kcals, 60g fat, 34g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing l Takes

50g pine nuts 4 slices pancetta or bacon, chopped 400g macaroni or other short pasta 300ml double cream 200ml crème fraiche 200g mature cheddar, grated 2 tsp dijon mustard

Pork casserole l Serves

4 l Takes 20 minutes, plus 2 hours in the oven l £1.88 a portion l 680 kcals, 45g fat, 16g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing

1 Toast the pine nuts and crisp the bacon Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan, for 2-3 mins, then tip onto a plate. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook until crisp.

2 Cook the pasta Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to pack instructions, until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. 3 Make the cheese sauce Meanwhile, put the double cream, crème fraiche and half the cheddar into a pan, stir together and gently heat until the cheese has melted. Take off the heat, stir in the mustard and some seasoning to taste. 4 Bake Tip the drained pasta into a large baking dish and stir in the cheese sauce, adding some of the reserved pasta cooking water if it looks a little dry. Sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts and cooked pancetta, and then scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.

1 tbsp olive oil 700g skinless, boneless pork belly, cut into large bite-sized chunks 100g cooking chorizo, thinly sliced 1 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, fnely chopped 1 tsp fennel seeds a small pinch of dried chilli fakes 2 cloves of garlic 4 bay leaves (use fresh if you have any) 1 thyme sprig a large pinch of golden caster sugar 1 tbsp tomato purée 50ml red wine vinegar 400g can chopped tomatoes 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed a small pack of parsley, chopped 1 Brown the meat then simmer Turn oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Heat the oil in a fameproof, lidded casserole dish and brown the pork on all sides (about 10 mins), in batches if necessary. Scoop the pork out, set aside, then add the chorizo and sizzle for 1 minute. Add the vegetables, fennel seeds, chilli fakes, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cook for 5 mins, until the vegetables start to colour. Stir in the sugar, tomato purée and the vinegar and bubble for 1 min. Tip in the tomatoes and a can of water. Stir in the pork and juices, season and bring to a simmer. 2 Bake Cover the dish with a lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash more water. Remove from the oven, stir in the chickpeas and cook for 15 minutes more. Remove again, leave to cool slightly, then stir in the parsley.

Gruyère works well in place of the cheddar too BBC Easy Cook 37

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Makes a great starter too Serve with Rose Fizz: Mix 500ml peach juice and ½ tsp rose water in a jug. Divide between 8 glasses, then top up with prosecco (you’ll need a 750ml bottle). Makes 8

Help-yourself platters These easy buffet-style platters are ideal for a Bank Holiday get-together

Minty beetroot dip with chilli pitta crisps l Serves

8 in 15 minutes l 37p a portion l 256 kcals, 5g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Ready

250g vacuum-packed cooked beetroot (drained and coarsely grated) ½ small cucumber, halved (seeds scooped out, cut into small chunks) 250ml Greek yogurt 1 small clove of garlic, very fnely grated or crushed ½ large bunch of mint (leaves only, fnely chopped), plus some small leaves to serve 1 tsp golden caster sugar 38 BBC Easy Cook

FOR THE PITTA CRISPS

pack of 6 pitta breads, each cut into 6 small triangles 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little to serve 1 tsp chilli fakes

Honey and cumin chicken & aubergine skewers l Serves

8 in 30 minutes l £1.04 a portion l 236 kcals, 9g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Ready

1 Make the dip Put the beetroot, most of the cucumber, the yogurt, garlic, mint, sugar and some seasoning in a large bowl, and mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Can be made up to 1 day ahead. 2 Bake the pitta crisps and serve Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7. On a large baking tray, toss together the pitta triangles, oil and chilli fakes. Bake for 10-15 mins, turning halfway, until really crisp. Stir the dip, then spoon onto a plate. Scatter with the reserved cucumber and mint, and drizzle with oil. Serve with the pitta crisps.

6 chicken breasts, sliced into long, thin strips 2 large aubergines, cut into 3cm cubes FOR THE MARINADE

3 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp ground cumin 4 tbsp clear honey, plus 2 tbsp for drizzling 2 tbsp olive oil fnely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Orange and feta giant couscous salad l Serves

8 in 30 minutes l £1.18 a portion l 335 kcals, 15g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Ready

300g giant couscous 3 oranges juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp harissa 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground coriander 2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced 2 x 200g packs feta, broken into chunks a small bunch of mint (leaves picked and chopped) a small bunch of coriander, chopped 100g bag of baby spinach

Super-tasty feast

1 Cook the couscous Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the couscous and cook according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, fnely grate the rind of 1 orange, then squeeze it. Peel the skin and white pith from the other two with a sharp knife and release the segments from between the membranes, catching any juice, and set aside. 2 Flavour the couscous Drain the cooked couscous, then put into a bowl with the orange rind and juice. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, harissa, spices, and seasoning. Leave to cool, stirring often to prevent it from sticking together. Can now be chilled for up to 24 hours.

3 Cook the aubergine skewers Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7. Thread the aubergine onto 16 skewers, (4-5 chunks per skewer), and then put on 2 parchment-lined trays. Bake for 15 mins, or until tender and golden, turning the skewers and swapping the trays halfway through cooking. 1 Marinate the chicken Mix the marinade ingredients and some seasoning in a large bowl, then tip half into another bowl. Add the chicken to 1 bowl and the aubergine to the other. Leave to marinate for up to 24 hours. 2 Soak the skewers Pre-soak wooden skewers in warm water for 20 minutes. (You will need about 32 skewers and each skewer must be able to ft inside a griddle pan or frying pan.)

4 Cook the chicken skewers Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan or a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Thread the chicken pieces onto the remaining skewers. Cook the chicken skewers in batches, turning regularly to prevent the honey burning. When nicely charred, but not cooked through, transfer to a baking tray. Remove the aubergine skewers from the oven and drizzle both the chicken and the aubergine skewers with the remaining honey. Put all the skewers into the oven for 5 mins, until the chicken is cooked and sticky.

3 Add the orange Add the onions, feta, mint, coriander, spinach and the reserved orange segments to the couscous. Gently toss. Serve at room temperature.

Serve the skewers with... Homemade dukkah Toast 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 2 tsp each of cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan until aromatic. Meanwhile, whizz 50g unsalted shelled pistachios until finely chopped, but still with some texture, then transfer to a bowl. Tip the toasted seeds and spices into the processor and blitz again until finely chopped, then add these to the pistachios, along with 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp crushed black pepper and a good pinch of salt. Mix, then set aside until ready to serve. Serves 8.

BBC Easy Cook 39

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

Spring dinner for four

This Italian-inspired roast chicken couldn’t be easier, but the result is really special – perfect for Easter

A fabulous feast that’s simple to make

40 BBC Easy Cook

Lemon roast chicken l

Serves 4 Takes 10 minutes, plus 1 hour 30 minutes in the oven and resting time l £2.89 a portion l 890 kcals, 57g fat, 24g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

Serve the compote in a dish alongside the panna cotta

20g bunch of rosemary 45g butter 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 lemon (rind fnely grated and lemon then halved) ½ small red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1.8kg whole chicken 4 medium carrots 1 Flavour the chicken Turn oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/ gas 5. Very fnely chop 2 sprigs of the rosemary and mix with 2 tbsp of the butter, the garlic, grated lemon rind and chilli. Gently lift the skin away from the breast of the chicken and press the butter underneath on both sides. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the chicken and then stuff the lemon halves inside the cavity of the chicken. 2 Roast the chicken Put the chicken on a wire rack along with the carrots in a medium roasting tin. Season, then scatter with the remaining rosemary leaves. Roast the chicken for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear, then remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve it on a board with the carrots and a bowl of the roasting juices.

Serve on the side... Quick Italian salad Toss 4 large handfuls of crisp salad leaves with a few peppadew peppers, drained from a jar, and some sliced black olives. Top with 4 tbsp toasted pine nuts and dress with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Serves 4.

Speedy salsa verde Chop 2 handfuls of flat-leaf parsley leaves. Mix with 2 tbsp capers, 2 finely sliced shallots, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little seasoning. Serves 4.

theeasyway If you like anchovies, mash a couple and add them to the butter you stuff under the chicken skin (step 1)

Artichoke and potato mash Panna cotta with apricots l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £2.03 a portion l 520 kcals, 30g fat, 17g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

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600g large red potatoes, chopped into 2.5cm chunks 60g butter 4 tbsp milk 2 tbsp chopped fat-leaf parsley 400g can artichoke hearts, drained & sliced 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1½ level tsp powdered gelatine 250ml soya milk fnely grated rind of ½ lemon 1 tsp vanilla paste a splash of rum 1 tbsp caster sugar

1 Boil and mash the potatoes Put the potatoes in a large pan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes or until tender, then drain. Return to pan and add the butter, milk and seasoning. Mash until light and fuffy. Stir in the parsley. 2 Add the artichokes Meanwhile, pat the artichoke slices dry with kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Cook the garlic for 1 minute, then add the artichoke hearts and some seasoning. Cook for 5 mins until golden and crisp. Mash the artichokes into the potatoes (reserve a few for the top) and warm through until hot. Serve the mash with the reserved artichokes on top.

Serves 4 Takes 30 mins, plus cooling and setting time l £1.32 a portion l 146 kcals, 2g fat, 0g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

FOR THE COMPOTE

175g ripe apricots, halved and stoned 25g caster sugar 1 Make the panna cotta Sprinkle the gelatine onto 1½ tbsp water and soak for 5 minutes. Put the soya milk, grated lemon rind, vanilla, sugar and rum into a pan. Heat until the liquid just comes to the boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine. Cool for 10 minutes. Strain the milk mixture, then divide between 4 ramekins. Cover and refrigerate until set (about 1½ hours). 2 Make the compote Meanwhile, put the sugar and 75ml water into a pan, then heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the apricots and cook gently until the apricots are soft (10-15 mins). Leave to cool. BBC Easy Cook 41

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

Citrussy side salads

These three healthy recipes are really zesty and versatile plus quick to make l

Warm lemony courgette salad

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Zingy rice salad Serves 3 Ready in 30 minutes l £1.16 a portion l 476 kcals, 17g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 250g wild rice 1 tbsp olive oil finely grated rind and juice of 2 limes 4 spring onions, chopped 75g cashews, toasted a large pack of coriander, chopped 1 Cook the rice and assemble the salad Cook the rice according to pack instructions, then run under cold water. Drain. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice and rind to make a dressing. Tip the onions, cashews, coriander and rice into a bowl, and toss with the dressing.

Carrot, orange and avocado salad l

Serves 4 Ready in 10 minutes l 97p a portion l 203 kcals, 17g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

Serves 2 Ready in 15 minutes l 66p a portion l 71 kcals, 6g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

2 courgettes 1 tbsp olive oil finely grated rind of 1 lemon, plus a squeeze of juice 1 clove of garlic, crushed ¼ small pack basil, roughly torn 1 Fry the courgettes and assemble Use a vegetable peeler to slice the courgettes into wide strips (discard the central part). Heat the oil in a frying pan, and fry the lemon rind and garlic on a medium heat for 1 min. Add the courgettes and cook, stirring, for 1-2 mins until softened. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and toss the basil through to serve.

3 oranges (2 segmented, plus the finely grated rind and juice of 1) 3 carrots (halved lengthways and sliced with a peeler) 70g bag of rocket 2 avocados, stoned, peeled and sliced 1 tbsp olive oil 1 Make the salad Put the orange segments (from 2 oranges) in a bowl with the carrots, rocket and avocados. Whisk together the orange juice, rind and oil Toss through the salad, and season.

42 BBC Easy Cook

Lovely fresh favours

Inspired by Gardeners’ World

Seasonal ideas

Purple-sprouting broccoli and rhubarb are at their best so transform them into delicious dinners and perfect puds Broccoli pasta l

Serves 2 l Ready in 25 minutes l £1.83 a portion l 624 kcals, 27g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

200g pasta shapes 4 tbsp olive oil 6 anchovy fllets in oil, chopped (reserve 1 tbsp oil) 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, thinly sliced fnely grated rind of 1 lemon, plus juice of ½ 50g fresh breadcrumbs 200g purple-sprouting broccoli

the anchovies and lemon juice, and cook for 1-2 mins more, until the anchovies melt into the sauce. Put the remaining olive oil, breadcrumbs and lemon rind in another frying pan, stir, and cook until crisp.

1 Cook the pasta Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the oil from the anchovies in a frying pan. Add the garlic and chilli, and sizzle for 3-4 minutes until the garlic is just starting to turn golden. Add

2 Add the garlic and anchovies When the pasta has 4-5 mins to go, add the broccoli to the pan. When cooked, drain, (reserve a cup of the pasta water), then add to the frying pan with the garlic and anchovies. Cook over a low heat for 2 mins, adding a splash of pasta water if needed.

Turn over for four more great ideas

theeasyway Season, then serve in pasta bowls with the lemony crumbs sprinkled over BBC Easy Cook 43

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Japanese greens with sticky rice Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Takes 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooking l £3.38 a portion l 552 kcals, 14g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 Mix the sauce Stir the brown miso paste, mirin, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, grated ginger and chilli together with 1 tbsp water. Set aside.

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2 Cook the rice Bring a large pan of water to the boil with the caster sugar and ½ tsp salt. Add the rice and cook according to pack instructions, or until just cooked. Drain well and return to the pan. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and sesame oil, then cover and set aside to keep warm.

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1 tbsp caster sugar 140g sushi rice 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp sunfower oil 250g purple-sprouting broccoli 90g pack baby pak choi 6 spring onions, halved lengthways FOR THE SAUCE

2 tbsp brown miso paste 1 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp soft brown sugar 2 tsp fnely grated ginger 1 red chilli, deseeded and diced

3 Stir-fry the broccoli Heat the sunfower oil in a wok until very hot, then toss in the broccoli and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until almost tender, adding splashes of water occasionally to create steam. Cut each pak choi in half lengthways and add in the spring onions. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then stir in the sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Delicious and easy Rhubarb & orange slump l

Serves 4 Takes 20 minutes, plus 30 mins in the oven l £2.19 a portion l 536 kcals, 22g fat, 12g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

900g rhubarb, chopped into 3cm slices fnely grated rind and juice of 2 medium oranges 140g caster sugar 200g self-raising four 85g butter, cut into pieces 150ml milk 2 tbsp faked almonds 1 Simmer the fruit Turn oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/ gas 5. Put the rhubarb in a pan with the orange juice and 50g of the sugar. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then cover and cook for a few minutes until the rhubarb is softened but still holding its shape (about 5 minutes). Tip into a 1.5-litre gratin dish. 2 Make the topping and bake Put the four, orange rind and remaining sugar in a bowl, add the butter, then rub in with your fngertips until the mixture resembles fne breadcrumbs. Stir in the milk to make a soft dough. Drop 8 spoonfuls of mixture over the rhubarb and scatter with the almonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and golden.

theeasyway Spread the rice over 2 plates, divide over the stir-fry and serve immediately

44 BBC Easy Cook

Another quick idea Ginger slump Make the Rhubarb and Orange Slump, as above, but add 3 very finely sliced balls of stem ginger (from a jar), together with 1 tsp of the juice and mix with the cooked rhubarb in step 1, above.

This is lovely served warm with clotted cream or a spoonful of mascarpone

Rhubarb & orange cake l

Serves 10 l Takes 35 minutes, plus 1 hour 15 minutes in the oven l 64p a portion l 445 kcals, 26g fat, 13g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 400g rhubarb, thickly sliced 280g golden caster sugar 225g butter, softened fnely grated rind and juice 1 orange 225g self-raising four 100g pack ground almonds 1 tsp baking powder

3 medium eggs a small handful of faked almonds icing sugar, for dusting 1 Prepare the rhubarb Tip the rhubarb into a bowl and sprinkle over 50g of the sugar. Stir so the rhubarb is covered, then set aside for 30 mins to draw out some of the juices. Meanwhile, grease and line the base and sides of a 23cm-round, loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment and turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. 2 Make the cake batter Tip the remaining sugar, the butter, orange rind

and juice into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until well blended. Add the four, almonds, baking powder and eggs, then beat again until smooth. Fold in the rhubarb and any juices. Spoon into the tin and level the top. 3 Bake Sprinkle with the faked almonds, then bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour-1 hour 15 mins until risen and golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover with foil if the cake starts to brown too much. Remove from the oven, then leave the cake in the tin for 15 mins before removing. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with a little icing sugar to serve. BBC Easy Cook 45

Take a pack of

chicory The beauty of chicory is that it requires very little prep. If you haven’t used it before, try one of these tasty ideas

Thai salad l Serves

4 in 25 minutes l £3.97 a portion l 105 kcals, 1g fat, 0g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Ready

4 tbsp roughly chopped coriander, plus extra to fnish 2 tbsp roughly chopped mint 1 red and 1 green chicory (or 2 of one colour)

Any leftover salad makes a great filling for wraps the next day

FOR THE DRESSING

2 tbsp fsh sauce 4 tsp caster sugar 4 tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes) 1 small red chilli, fnely chopped (remove ribs and most of the seeds for a milder taste)

1 Marinate the prawns Mix together all the dressing ingredients. Put the prawns in a shallow dish, scatter over the cucumber, pour over 2 tbsp of the dressing and leave to marinate while you prepare the salad. (Can be made 6 hours ahead and refrigerated.)

FOR THE SALAD

24 cooked tiger prawns, shelled 6cm-piece cucumber, very thinly sliced 2 eating apples 2 spring onions 46 BBC Easy Cook

2 Make the salad Core and slice the apples very thinly and put into a large bowl. Finely chop the spring onions and mix with the apples. Scatter over

the chopped herbs, pour over most of the remaining dressing and gently toss together with your hands. 3 Finish and serve Trim the ends from the chicory and separate the leaves. Arrange the leaves on plates and pile everything up on top, fnishing with the prawns. Top with a scattering of coriander and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Slow-roasted pork belly and braised chicory l Serves

6 15 minutes, plus 3½ hours in the oven, and resting time l £2.08 a portion l 620 kcals, 45g fat, 17g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Takes

2kg pork belly piece, skin scored 4 tsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing 6 heads chicory (red or white or both) 3 cloves of garlic, halved 4 thyme sprigs 300ml cider 1 tbsp dijon mustard 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 Cook the meat Turn the oven to its highest temperature. Lay the pork on a board, skin-side up. Rub the skin with a little oil, then season with crushed pepper and a sprinkling of

coarse sea salt. Put the pork in shallow roasting tin, skin-side up (the skin should be higher than the edge of the tin). Cook the pork for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4 and roast for 1 hour more, or until it is cooked through and the skin has crackled. 2 Add the chicory Meanwhile, halve the chicory lengthways. When the pork has roasted for 1 hour, remove from the oven and use a pair of tongs to lift it onto a chopping board. Pour off the excess fat. Put the chicory in the tray, cut-side up. Scatter over the garlic and thyme and pour over the cider. Drizzle with olive oil, blob on the mustard and sprinkle with sugar. Put the pork on top and cook for 2 hours more. 3 Rest the meat Lift the pork off the chicory and transfer it to a board. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Shaved pear, cheese & bresaola salad l Serves

4 in 15 minutes l £2.27 a portion l 436 kcals, 33g fat, 10g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Ready

100g walnut halves 2 pears 2 heads red chicory, broken into leaves 100g bresaola (thinly sliced, cured beef) 140g dolcelatte, sliced 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil FOR THE DRESSING

2 tbsp red wine or port 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp golden caster sugar 1 Make the dressing Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Put the walnuts onto a baking tray and toast for 5 minutes, or until dark golden. Leave to cool. Put the wine or port in a small pan with the vinegar and sugar. Boil for 3 minutes or until slightly syrupy (it will thicken as it cools), then take off the heat and set aside. 2 Assemble the salad When ready to serve, shave thin slices from the pears using a large, sharp knife, mandolin or potato peeler. Mix them lightly together with the leaves, bresaola, cheese and nuts on a large platter. Season the dressing, then drizzle it over the salad, followed by the oil.

theeasyway Carve into thick slices and serve with the chicory and the delicious juices spooned over BBC Easy Cook 47

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

Something for the

weekend A scrumptious pudding is the perfect way to finish a family meal, so make one of these and turn Sunday lunch into something really special

Cherry bakewell sponge pudding l

Serves 6 Takes 20 mins, plus 45 mins in the oven l £1.11 a portion l 549 kcals, 36g fat, 15g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

3 large eggs 50g self-raising four 140g ground almonds 1 tsp almond extract 50g faked almonds

2 x 425g cans pitted black cherries, in syrup (drain the syrup and reserve) 6 tbsp cherry jam 200g butter, softened 200g golden caster sugar

1 Make the cherry flling Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Tip the syrup from the cherries into a pan, together with the cherry jam. Boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half and is thick and syrupy, and then add

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48 BBC Easy Cook

the cherries to the pan. Pour into a baking dish, roughly 18 x 25cm, then set aside. 2 Make the batter and bake In a bowl, mix the butter, sugar, eggs, four, ground almonds, almond extract and a pinch of salt with an electric whisk until combined. Spoon the sponge mixture over the cherries and gently spread to a smooth layer. Scatter over the faked almonds, then bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the sponge layer comes out clean.

Chocolate pud with chocolate sauce l

Serves 8 Takes 20 minutes, plus 30 mins in the oven l 53p a portion l 572 kcals, 23g fat, 13g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

100g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 250g self-raising four 140g golden caster sugar 50g cocoa 1 tsp baking powder 3 large eggs 200ml Irish cream liqueur, plus extra to serve (optional) 50ml milk 100g milk chocolate, roughly chopped icing sugar, for dusting (if using) single cream, to serve FOR THE SAUCE

200g light muscovado sugar 25g cocoa 1 Make the pudding batter Grease a 2-litre baking dish and turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Put the kettle on. Put the four, caster sugar, cocoa, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, liqueur (optional) and milk, then pour onto the dry ingredients and mix together until smooth. Stir in the chocolate and scrape everything into the baking dish. 2 Make the sauce Mix 300ml boiling water from the kettle with the sugar and cocoa, then pour all over the pudding batter (it will look strange!). Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes until the surface looks frm, risen and crisp. Dust with icing sugar, if you like.

Panna cotta is usually made with double cream – our lighter version drastically reduces the fat and calories

Coffee panna cotta l

Serves 4 l Takes 15 mins, plus infusing, cooling and chilling time l 56p a portion l 270 kcals, 19g fat, 12g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 125ml whipping cream 50g golden caster sugar ½ vanilla pod, slit lengthways 2 small gelatine leaves (each 12 x 6cm) 2 tsp instant coffee granules 250g full-fat Greek yogurt 150ml buttermilk sifted cocoa powder, for dusting

Serve with cream

1 Flavour the cream Put the cream and sugar in a small pan. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla pod, then add the pod. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 5 mins. 2 Soften the gelatine Meanwhile, lay the gelatine leaves in a

shallow dish and pour over enough cold water to cover them. Soak for 4-5 minutes. 3 Add the gelatine to the cream Remove the gelatine leaves from the water, squeeze well to remove any excess water, then stir the leaves into the cream until dissolved. Stir in the coffee granules until they are also dissolved. Leave the mixture to go cold, stirring occasionally. Keep checking so that you can catch it before it starts to set – you want it to stay runny. 4 Finish making the coffee custard Discard the vanilla pod. Beat the yogurt and buttermilk together in a large bowl, then gradually beat in the cold coffee mixture. Transfer it to a jug, then pour into 4 small (150ml) pudding moulds. Chill for 4-5 hours. 5 Turn out the puds To serve, dip each mould into a bowl of very hot water (to just below the rim) for a few seconds, then turn each dessert out onto a small plate. Re-dip if they don’t slide out the frst time. Serve dusted lightly with cocoa. BBC Easy Cook 49

COOKS’ EXTRAS Egg Collecting Tin, £8.95, Annabel James, 0845 548 0210

Easter gifts Choose from our selection of Easter treats as presents for family or just for yourself!

Looking for something a bit different? Try one of these yummy treats: Chick Bar Sponge Cake, £15; Flower Cupcake, £1.20 each; Chick Cupcake, £1.20, Waitrose

easycook favo urite

The Great Egg Hunt Plate, Pack of 12, £4.50, Talking Tables, amazon.co.uk

Give the table an Easter theme: Easter Egg Table Mat And Coaster, £1 each, Poundland

Hopping down to the shops in search of something a bit different? Harry Hopalot White Chocolate Egg, £4, Thorntons 50 BBC Easy Cook

Bright Egg Cosy, £4.50, The Contemporary Home, 02392 469400

He’s almost too cute to eat! Chocolate Duck, £3.99, www.ocado.com

Hot Cross Bun Pralines, £5.99, Lakeland

Easter Cookie Cutters, £8.50, White Stuff

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

A twist on

paella

Saffron is a traditional paella ingredient but it’s expensive so you could replace it with 1 tsp turmeric – it will still taste fantastic

Put a new spin on the classic Spanish rice one-pot by adding peas and broad beans and a variety of fresh herbs – it’s really delicious

Spring chicken paella l

Serves 4 l Takes 20 minutes, plus 55 mins cooking time l £2.32 a portion l 660 kcals, 20g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 6 chicken thighs, skin-on 2 tbsp plain four 3 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, fnely chopped 3 cloves of garlic, fnely sliced 400g paella rice 1 tsp sweet paprika 2 good pinches of saffron

fnely grated rind and juice of 2 lemons 1½ litres chicken stock 200g fresh or frozen peas and broad beans (weight after podding & skinning) ½ small bunch of dill, chopped ½ small bunch of mint, chopped ½ small bunch of parsley, chopped

2 Start cooking the rice Meanwhile, add the remaining oil, onions and garlic to the frying pan and cook gently until soft (10-15 mins). Stir in the rice, paprika, saffron and lemon rind, add the stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes on a medium heat until the rice is nearly cooked.

1 Cook the chicken Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Season the chicken well and dust all over with the four. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, lidded frying pan. Fry the chicken until golden brown all over, then transfer it to a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

3 Add the veg Add the peas, broad beans and the juice of 1 lemon until the rice and veg are both just cooked through. Stir through the herbs and as much of the remaining lemon juice as it needs, and some seasoning. Return the chicken thighs to the pan, cover, and cook for 5 minutes more. BBC Easy Cook 51

GET BAKING

Bake ahead These treats can all be made in advance and frozen, ready to whip out when family and friends come over

To make an orange version, use orange rind in place of lemon

Lemon and poppyseed cupcakes l

Makes 12 (easily doubled) Takes 40 minutes, plus 22 minutes in the oven, and cooling time l 39p each l 529 kcals, 30g fat, 18g sat. fat each l Suitable for freezing (un-iced) l

225g self-raising four 175g golden caster sugar grated rind of 2 lemons 1 tbsp poppy seeds, toasted 3 eggs 100g natural yogurt 175g butter, melted and cooled a little FOR THE ICING

225g butter, softened 400g icing sugar, sifted juice of 1 lemon

52 BBC Easy Cook

a few drops of yellow food colouring icing fowers or yellow sprinkles, to decorate 1 Bake the cakes Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffn tin with cupcake or muffn cases. Mix the four, sugar, lemon rind and poppy seeds together in a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs into the yogurt and tip it into the dry ingredients with the melted butter. Mix with a wooden spoon or whisk until lump-free and divide between the cases. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a skewer poked in comes out clean – the cakes will be quite pale on top. Cool for 5 mins in the tin, then lift onto a wire rack to fnish cooling.

2 Make the icing Beat the softened butter until really soft in a large bowl, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and lemon juice. Stir in enough food colouring for a pale lemon colour, then spoon the icing into a piping bag with a large star nozzle. 3 Ice the cakes Ice each cake in turn, holding the piping bag almost upright with the nozzle about 1cm from the surface of the cake. Pipe one spiral of icing around the edge, then pause to break the fow before moving the nozzle towards the centre slightly and piping a second, smaller spiral that continues until there are no gaps in the centre. Slightly ‘dot’ the nozzle into the icing as you stop squeezing to fnish neatly. Decorate with the fowers or sprinkles.

Coconut & mango sponge l

Cuts into 12 squares Takes 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes in the oven, and cooling time l 34p a square l 360 kcals, 22g fat, 14g sat. fat a square l Suitable for freezing l

425g can sliced mangoes in syrup, drained 200g butter, softened 225g golden caster sugar 4 large eggs 200g self-raising four 50g desiccated coconut, plus 3 tbsp for sprinkling 140g Greek-style coconut yogurt 1 Get everything ready Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with 2 strips of criss-crossed baking parchment. Dry the mango pieces on kitchen paper, then chop into 3cm pieces and set aside. 2 Make the sponge Put the butter and sugar into a bowl, and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a spatula to fold through the four and coconut, then the mango pieces and yogurt. Scrape the mixture into your tin and smooth over the surface, then sprinkle with a little extra coconut. Bake for 30 minutes, until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack.

Carrot cake l

Serves 12 l Takes 30 minutes, plus 50 minutes in the oven, and cooling time l 26p a portion l 359 kcals, 16g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing 200g light soft brown sugar, plus 3 tbsp 150ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing 100g natural yogurt 3 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract fnely grated rind and juice of 3 oranges, plus the juice of 2 (reserve juice of the third for the carrots, below) 300g self-raising four 1 tbsp mixed spice 1 tsp ground cinnamon 250g coarsely grated carrots crème fraiche, to serve (optional) FOR THE CARAMELISED CARROTS

225-250g small or baby carrots, peeled and halved lengthways juice of 1 orange (see above) 25g butter 4 tbsp light soft brown sugar

Lovely served warm too

1 Caramelise the carrots Put the carrots in a pan so they sit in a single layer. Add the juice of 1 orange, the butter,

sugar and enough water to cover the tops of the carrots by just 1cm. Bring to the boil, then cook until the water has almost evaporated and the carrots are left in a sticky syrup – reduce the heat if the liquid looks more syrupy, and go a little slower at the end so the carrots don’t catch. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead.) 2 Arrange the carrots in the tin Turn oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Grease a 23cm cake tin. Lift the candied carrots from the pan and syrup, and arrange in the base of the tin, cut-side down. Keep the pan and syrup for later. 3 Bake the cake Whisk together the 200g brown sugar, the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and rind from 2 of the oranges. Mix the four, mixed spice, cinnamon and grated carrot in a big mixing bowl. Stir in the whisked mixture until smooth, then spoon over the carrots in the tin – be careful not to dislodge them too much. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes. 4 Make the syrup Meanwhile, add the orange juice to the syrup pan with the 3 tbsp brown sugar. Simmer together until slightly reduced, then stir in the remaining rind. Turn the cake out onto a plate and spoon over the syrup.

theeasyway Eat just warm with more yogurt or crème fraiche BBC Easy Cook 53

h t i w s y a New w

pastry Give pastries a ‘bakeover’ by swapping sweet fillings for savoury Mushroom, ricotta and rocket tart l

Serves 4 Takes 15 mins, plus 20 mins in the oven l 95p a portion l 461 kcals, 32g fat, 14g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry 2 tbsp olive oil 525g mushrooms (halved or quartered) 2 cloves of garlic (1 fnely sliced, 1 crushed) 250g tub ricotta a good grating of nutmeg ¼ small pack parsley (leaves only, roughly chopped) 50g rocket 1 Make the pastry base Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7 and put a baking sheet inside. Unroll the pastry onto a piece of baking parchment and score a border around the pastry about 1.5cm in from the edge. Put the pastry (still on the parchment) on the baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Make sure you drain any excess liquid from the mushrooms before adding to the tart

2 Cook the mushrooms Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, lidded pan and cook the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and add the sliced garlic, then cook for 1 minute or so more to get rid of any excess liquid.

3 Add the topping Mix the crushed garlic with the ricotta and nutmeg, then season well. Remove the pastry from the oven and carefully push down the risen centre. Spread over the ricotta mixture, then spoon on the mushrooms and garlic. Bake for 5 minutes, then scatter over the parsley and rocket to serve. 54 BBC Easy Cook

GET BAKING theeasyway These are best served warm – they’re great with gherkins and a glass of beer!

Savoury Danish l

Makes 8 l Takes 25 minutes, plus 20 minutes in the oven, and freezing time l 99p each l 532 kcals, 38g fat, 20g sat. fat each l Not suitable for freezing 200g butter 500g bag of white bread mix 1 egg, beaten to glaze FOR THE FILLING

200g butternut squash, diced 6 rashers streaky bacon (cooked until crispy, then roughly chopped) 200g Danish blue cheese 2 tsp caraway (or fennel) seeds 50g walnuts, roughly chopped 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 cooked beetroots (not in vinegar), diced 25g spinach leaves, chopped 1 Freeze the butter Wrap the butter in foil and freeze for 45 minutes. 2 Make the bread dough Tip the bread mix into a bowl and coarsely grate in the butter (hold the butter with the foil to stop it slipping and keep dipping the end in the four to stop it sticking to the grater too much). Use a cutlery knife to stir the butter into the four, then add 300ml cold water and stir to a dough. 3 Microwave the squash Put the squash in a microwaveable bowl with a little water, cover with cling flm, poke one hole in, and microwave on full power (100%) until just

cooked (check after 2 minutes and at 2 minute intervals until it’s ready). Drain off any liquid. 4 Assemble the pastries Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Roll out the dough as thinly as you can, to a rectangle with longest side measuring 25cm. Scatter over all the flling ingredients, spreading as evenly as you can, leaving a small gap along one of the longest sides, brush this edge with a little beaten egg. Season, then roll up tightly from the opposite side and pinch to seal. Use a sharp, foured knife to cut the roll into 8 slices. 5 Bake Dust a baking sheet with more four and put the slices, cut-side up, with gaps in between. Brush the tops with more egg and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and risen. BBC Easy Cook 55

GET BAKING

DAIRY-FREE

&delicious These simple bakes are suitable for anyone who can’t eat dairy – but everyone else will love them too!

Lovely served warm too Cherry & almond brownies l

Makes 12 l Takes 20 minutes, plus 45 mins in the oven l 47p each l 296 kcals, 15g fat, 5g sat. fat each l Suitable for freezing 80g dairy-free margarine, plus extra for greasing 2 tbsp ground faxseed 120g dark dairy-free chocolate ½ tsp coffee granules 125g self-raising four 70g ground almonds 50g cocoa powder 56 BBC Easy Cook

¼ tsp baking powder 250g golden caster sugar 1½ tsp vanilla extract 70g glacé cherries (rinsed and halved) 1 Turn the oven on Turn oven to fan 150C/conventional 170C/ gas 3½. Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. Mix the faxseed with 6 tbsp water and set aside for at least 5 minutes. 2 Melt the chocolate and margarine In a pan, melt the chocolate, coffee and margarine with 60ml water on a low heat. Leave to cool slightly.

3 Make and bake the brownies Put the four, almonds, cocoa, baking powder and ¼ tsp salt in a bowl and stir until quite smooth and lump-free. Using a hand whisk, mix the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture, and beat well until smooth and glossy, ensuring all the sugar is well dissolved. Stir in the faxseed mixture and then stir in the vanilla extract, the cherries and the four and cocoa mixture. It will now be very thick. Stir until well combined and spoon into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean with moist crumbs. Leave to cool in the tin completely, then cut into squares.

Easter cupcakes l

Makes 18 l Takes 30 mins, plus 22 mins in the oven l 21p each l 340 kcals, 15g fat, 4g sat. fat each l Suitable for freezing (un-iced) FOR THE CUPCAKES

100g dark dairy-free chocolate 100g dairy-free margarine 1 tsp coffee granules (or the fnely grated rind of 1 orange) 140g plain four ½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp xanthan gum 25g cocoa powder 225g caster sugar

2 heaped tbsp egg-free mayonnaise 4 tsp olive oil 4 tbsp dairy-free yogurt (such as soya) FOR THE ICING

150g dairy-free margarine 500g icing sugar 50ml dairy-free milk (such as soya/ rice/oat) 1 pack dairy-free chocolate eggs 50g cocoa powder and a little food colouring (optional) 1 Melt the chocolate Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Line an 18-hole muffn tin with muffn cases. Put the chocolate, margarine, coffee (or orange rind), and 85ml water in a pan and heat gently until melted together.

2 Sift the four Sift the four, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, xanthan gum and cocoa together into a bowl, then add the sugar. In another bowl, combine the mayo, oil and yogurt. 3 Bake the cake Tip the chocolate mixture and the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well until combined. Divide between the cases and bake for 22 mins, until the cakes are risen and spring back when pressed. 4 Make the icing Mix the margarine, icing sugar and milk substitute until fuffy, then spread over cakes and top with the chocolate eggs (or see our idea below).

theeasyway To get the decoration you can see in the picture, colour two-thirds of the icing with food colourings and spread over each cake. Add 50g cocoa powder to the remaining icing and use this to spoon ‘nests’ onto the cakes, then fll the nests with chocolate eggs

BBC Easy Cook 57

Inspired by The Great British Bake Off

Hot cross buns with a twist Inspired by The Great British Bake Off ‘masterclasses’, where a new slant is put on a classic, we’ve given these Easter favourites a makeover Hot cross bun cupcakes l

Makes 12 l Takes 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes in the oven, and cooling time l 41p each l 360 kcals, 22g fat, 11g sat. fat each l Suitable for freezing (un-iced) 1 tbsp lemon juice 100ml whole milk 175g unsalted butter 175g self-raising four ½ tsp baking powder 175g light soft brown sugar 2 tsp mixed spice 100g ground almonds 3 large eggs, beaten (at room temperature) fnely grated rind of ¾ orange 100g raisins or sultanas (or a mix of both) 1 eating apple, peeled then grated 58 BBC Easy Cook

1 tbsp apricot jam (warmed with a splash of water) FOR THE SPICED BUTTERCREAM

fnely grated rind of ¼ orange 50g full-fat soft cheese 50g icing sugar 25g butter, softened ¼ tsp mixed spice 1 Melt the butter Mix the lemon juice and milk in a large jug and set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Melt the butter in a pan and use a little of the butter to grease a 12-hole muffn tin. 2 Make the cake batter Put the four, baking powder, sugar, spice, almonds and a pinch of salt into a large bowl, then sift through it with your fngers to squash

any lumps of sugar. Beat the eggs, orange rind and melted butter into the thickened milk. Pour this into the dry ingredients, then beat with a balloon whisk until evenly mixed. 3 Bake the buns Stir in the dried fruit and apple, scoop the mixture into the tin (use an ice cream scoop to make it easier, if you like) and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden and well risen. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove to a rack to cool completely. 4 Pipe the buttercream crosses When the buns are cold, cut a cross from the top of each one using a serrated knife, then brush the tops with the apricot jam. Beat all the ingredients for the spiced buttercream together until creamy and pale and use to pipe crosses into the indents you’ve made in the buns.

GET BAKING Hot cross bun ring with spiced honey butter l

Makes 1 ring (with 11 buns) Takes 45 minutes, plus 25 minutes in the oven, and rising and proving time l 32p a portion l 409 kcals, 14g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing l

Savoury hot cross buns

300ml whole milk fnely grated rind of 1 orange 50g butter, cubed 500g strong white bread four, plus 140g for the crosses, and extra for dusting 1 tsp cinnamon 85g golden caster sugar 7g sachet fast-action yeast 1 large egg, beaten, plus 1 egg to glaze oil, for greasing 100g dried mixed fruit

l

FOR THE SPICED BUTTER

l

200g salted butter, softened 1½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger 4 tbsp clear honey

Makes 12 Takes 40 minutes, plus 25 minutes in the oven, and rising and proving time l 37p each l 176 kcals, 7g fat, 2g sat. fat each l Suitable for freezing 700g strong bread four (plus 5 tbsp extra) 3 x 7g sachets fast-action dried yeast 500ml whole milk, warmed 140g mature cheddar, grated 75g grated parmesan 1 Make the dough Mix the 700g four, yeast and 2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Mix with a wooden spoon, then your hands, to a soft dough. Knead for 10 mins, then put back in the bowl. Lightly cover with oiled cling flm and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size (about 30 minutes). 2 Shape the buns Dust a large, fat baking sheet with four. Tip the dough onto a lightly foured surface, knead in most of the cheddar, then shape into 12 round buns and arrange on the sheet with a 2-3cm gap between each. Loosely cover with another sheet of lightly oiled cling flm and leave to prove until nearly doubled in size. 3 Make the crosses Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Mix the extra 5 tbsp four with the parmesan and 5 tbsp water. Spoon into a disposable piping bag and pipe crosses on the buns. Scatter with the remaining cheddar and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

theeasyway Store any leftover spiced honey butter in the fridge and use to spread on toast

1 Make the milk mixture Warm the milk and orange rind in a pan until steaming. Remove from the heat and add the butter, swirling the pan until the butter has melted and the milk has cooled a little. 2 Mix the dough Mix the four, cinnamon, sugar, yeast and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Pour in the milk mixture and the beaten egg, and mix with a wooden spoon until it clumps together. Tip out onto a work surface and knead until smooth and elastic (it should bounce back when pressed with your fnger). Transfer to a clean oiled bowl, cover with cling flm and leave to rise for 2 hours, or until doubled in size. 3 Add the fruit Dust a large baking tray with four, and tip the dough back onto the work surface.

Knead again to knock out any air bubbles. Add the dried fruit and knead again. Divide the dough into 11 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Arrange the balls on your tray in a ring, leaving a small gap between each. Cover loosely with a piece of cling flm and leave somewhere warm to prove for 1 hour more, or until doubled in size. 4 Decorate the buns Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Brush the buns with a little beaten egg. Mix the remaining four with enough water to make a thick paste, then transfer to a piping bag ftted with a small round nozzle (or use a sandwich bag and snip off one corner). Use the paste to pipe crosses over the buns. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden and cooked. 5 Make the spiced honey butter Put the butter, spices and honey in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. When the buns are cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes on the baking tray. Serve the bun ring warm with the butter in the centre for spreading. The buns will keep for up to 3 days in a tin, or freeze for up to 3 months.

GET BAKING

For the biscuit tin This takes a little effort but is really worth it, and nicer than anything you can buy Salted caramel & peanut butter billionaire’s slice l

Cuts into 20 slices Takes 45 minutes, plus 25 mins in the oven, and 6 hours chilling l 39p a slice l 502 kcals, 31g fat, 16g sat. fat a slice l Not suitable for freezing l

FOR THE BASE

225g butter, chopped into cubes (plus a little extra for greasing) 140g unsalted peanuts, toasted and cooled 225g plain four 50g cornfour 85g golden caster sugar

We used a 20 x 30cm tin with a slide-out bottom. This makes it much easier to remove the slice from the tin

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER LAYER

140g butter 225g smooth peanut butter 140g icing sugar FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL LAYER

2 x 397g cans Carnation Caramel 1½ tsp faky sea salt or ½ tsp fne sea salt FOR THE TOPPING

3 x 100g bars dark chocolate, broken into small pieces 140g soft dairy toffees 3 tbsp milk ½ tsp faky sea salt 1 Make and bake the shortbread base Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm rectangular cake tin with baking parchment. Whizz the ingredients for the base in a food processor until it starts to clump together – don’t worry if the peanuts are still a little chunky. Tip onto a work surface and knead briefy to bring together. Press the dough evenly into the base of the tin. Bake for 25 minutes until golden, then set aside. 2 Make the peanut butter layer Melt the butter and peanut butter in a small pan and mix until smooth. Sieve the icing sugar into 60 BBC Easy Cook

a bowl, pour in the hot butter mixture, stir to combine, then pour over the base and smooth out with a spatula. Chill for 2 hours, until set.

a pan of barely simmering water. Meanwhile, put the toffees and the milk in a small pan and gently heat, until they eventually turn into a runny sauce.

3 Make the caramel layer Put the caramel and salt in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer vigorously for 2-3 minutes, whisking continuously, until the colour darkens a shade or two and the caramel thickens slightly. Leave to cool for 20 minutes, then pour onto the peanut butter layer. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

5 Add the topping Remove the tin from the fridge and pour the chocolate over the salted caramel layer, tipping the tin to spread the chocolate over the surface. Use a spoon to quickly drizzle the caramel over the chocolate in a thin loopy pattern. If the toffee starts to get too thick, add a splash more milk and put it back on the heat until runny. Sprinkle over the sea salt and put the tin back in the fridge to chill for 2 hours before slicing.

4 Melt the toffees Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over

HOME COOKING SERIES

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS Delivery within 28 days to UK Mainland only. Offer ends 30th April 2015. *Please add £3.95 p&p. Delivery is to UK mainland only, some exclusions may apply. Please call for postage quote outside this area. If you are not completely satisfied with your product please call our customer services on 01483 204417 and we will advise you of the best way to return the goods. **Calls cost 5p per minute from a BT landline plus network charges; cost from other networks may vary. Orders returned within 14 days in perfect condition will receive a no quibble money back guarantee (less p&p). Contract for supply of goods is with JEM Marketing, JEM House, Littlemead, Cranleigh, GU6 8ND. DATA PROTECTION BBC Worldwide Limited and Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of BBC Easy Cook) would love to keep you informed by post or telephone of their special offers and promotions. Please state at time of ordering if you do not wish to receive these from BBC Worldwide Limited or Immediate Media Company Limited.

62 BBC Easy Cook

44-piece set just £54.99 (rrp £114), plus £3.95 p&p 6 x Table Knives 6 x Table Forks 6 x Dessert Knives 6 x Dessert Forks 6 x Dessert Spoons 6 x Soup Spoons 6 x Teaspoons 2 x Serving Spoons 24-piece set just £29.99 (rrp £56), plus £3.95 p&p 6 x Table Knives 6 x Table Forks 6 x Dessert Spoons 6 x Teaspoons

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James Martin

John Torode

Marcus Wareing

Jo Wheatley

Frances Quinn

TV cooks

13 delicious ideas from your favourite BBC chefs

Easy recipes clever tips, shortcuts and ideas

Easter nests, page 73

BBC Easy Cook 63

TV COOKS

Saturday KitchenÕs

JamesÕ EASTER LUNCH

James Martin

‘Spring is one of my favourite times of year and my menu, with its lovely fresh flavours and a fruity pud, is a celebration of all the new season can offer ’

James is the presenter of Saturday Kitchen

Smoked trout & radish

This version remoulade tartines Serves 8 of remoulade Ready in 25 minutes contains apple £1.07 a portion kcals, 12g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion which gives it a fresh, 270 Not suitable for freezing zingy taste. It goes 200g hot-smoked trout fillets well with smoked 16 small slices brown bread, lightly toasted salmon too a handful of pea shoots, to serve l l l l l

FOR THE REMOULADE

4 tbsp mayonnaise 4 tbsp crème fraiche 1½ tbsp dijon mustard 1 heaped tbsp capers, roughly chopped finely grated rind of ½ lemon and 2 tsp juice 2 heaped tbsp finely chopped dill, plus extra to serve (about 5 sprigs) 85g celeriac, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks ½ green apple, cut into fine matchsticks 100g radishes, coarsely grated 1 Make the remoulade In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, crème fraiche, mustard, capers, lemon rind and juice, and the dill. Add the celeriac, apple, radishes and some seasoning, then stir well. 2 Assemble the tartines Flake the trout into large pieces. Arrange the toasts on a platter, top each slice with a few spoonfuls of the remoulade and some trout. Scatter over a little dill and some pea shoots.

You can make the remoulade up to 2 hours ahead, then top the tartines at the last minute 64 BBC Easy Cook

Turn the page for James’ delicious herb-crusted roast lamb

BBC Easy Cook 65

TV COOKS Herb-crusted lamb l

Serves 8 l Takes 25 minutes, plus 2 hours in the oven l £2.79 a portion l 564 kcals, 27g fat, 11g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 2.25kg leg of lamb 3 small cloves of garlic, sliced 2 onions, cut into chunks 1 carrot, cut into chunks 2 tbsp dijon mustard FOR THE CRUST

175g white breadcrumbs a small bunch of parsley, fnely chopped a small bunch of mint, fnely chopped 5 rosemary sprigs, leaves fnely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 3½ tbsp olive oil FOR THE GRAVY

2 tbsp plain four 400ml red wine 1 litre lamb or beef stock 1-2 tsp dijon mustard a knob of butter 1 Start roasting the meat Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7. Use a sharp knife to make little slits all over the lamb, then insert a slice of garlic into

each. Tip the onions and carrot into a large, flameproof roasting tin, put the lamb on top and season. Pour 250ml water into the base of the tin and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. 2 Add the crust Meanwhile, mix the crust ingredients with some seasoning. Remove the lamb from the oven and turn down the heat to fan 170C/ conventional 190C/gas 5. Brush the lamb all over with the mustard, then pack on the crust in a thick layer. Return the lamb to the oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. Add more water to the base of the tin if it dries out. 3 Rest the meat and make the gravy Remove the lamb from the tin, cover lightly with foil and leave to rest for 30-40 minutes. Reserve any bits of crust that have fallen into the pan. Put the roasting tin of vegetables directly on the heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then add the wine, scraping any flour from the bottom of the tin. Bubble for 1 minute, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Stir in a little of the reserved crust (this will help to make a thicker gravy). Strain the gravy into a pan, discarding the vegetables. Add mustard to taste and stir in the butter. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Serve the lamb with James’ tasty side dishes Spring greens with bacon Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add 700g shredded spring greens and cook for 5 mins, until tender. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan, add 8 chopped rashers smoked streaky bacon and cook until crisp. Tip in the greens and warm through. Grate over a little nutmeg and season. Serves 8.

Brown butter new potatoes Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add 2kg halved new potatoes and 4 bay leaves, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10-12 mins, until just tender. Drain the potatoes and leave to steam in a colander. Return the pan to the heat, add 140g butter and melt gently until it turns a nutty brown colour. Remove from the heat, stir through the potatoes and bay leaves. Heat a roasting tin in the oven, tip in the potatoes and season well. Roast for 30-35 minutes until golden and crisp, turning and basting halfway through. Transfer to a dish and pour over any buttery juices from the tin. Serves 8.

Lemon and thyme carrots Put 1kg baby carrots in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, mix 2½ tbsp rapeseed oil with 1½ tsp clear honey, the finely grated of ½ lemon, the juice of 1 lemon, and the leaves from 5 thyme sprigs. Drain the carrots and return to the pan. Drizzle over the dressing, season well, toss to coat, then transfer to a serving dish. Serves 8. 66 BBC Easy Cook

Rhubarb crumble trife l

Serves 8 Takes 30 minutes, plus 1 hour 5 minutes cooking, and cooling time l £1.76 a portion l 580 kcals, 38g fat, 23g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

FOR THE POACHED RHUBARB

800g rhubarb, cut into 5cm pieces 100g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp for the whipped cream pared rind and juice of ½ orange a few splashes of grenadine (optional, but it will give the rhubarb a lovely pink colour) FOR THE TRIFLE

75ml Disaronno liqueur juice of 2 oranges (about 150ml) 8 trife sponges 140g mascarpone 500g pot vanilla custard 600ml pot double cream FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING

25g butter, softened 50g plain four 25g demerara sugar 25g whole almonds, roughly chopped 50g jumbo oats

If you have any crumble left over, try it sprinkled over canned fruit for a quick pud

1 Roast the rhubarb Turn oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/ gas 5. Arrange the rhubarb pieces in a large roasting tin. Sprinkle over the sugar, orange rind and juice, grenadine (if using), and 150ml water. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Scoop the rhubarb out of the tin into a sieve and reserve any juices, then leave to cool completely. Tip the rest of the liquid into a pan, along with the reserved juices, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until reduced and syrupy. Leave to cool completely. 2 Make the crumble topping Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine crumbs, then stir through the demerara sugar, almonds and oats. Tip onto a baking tray lined with parchment and bake for 15 minutes, shaking the tray every so often, until golden brown, then cool. 3 Assemble the trife Mix the Disaronno and orange juice together in a shallow dish. Dip each sponge into the liquid, leaving it for about 15 seconds on each side, then arrange them in the base of a large trifle dish. Tip the mascarpone into a bowl and whisk until soft and smooth, then add

the custard, a little at a time, and mix until combined. Arrange half the rhubarb pieces on top of the sponges, discarding the orange rind. Drizzle over 2 tbsp of the rhubarb syrup and top with half the custard mixture. Follow with another layer of rhubarb, 1 tbsp of the syrup, and the remaining custard. 4 Add the topping Whip the cream and 2 tbsp sugar to soft peaks and spoon over the custard. Drizzle over the remaining rhubarb syrup, along with a scattering of the crumble topping.

James’ top tips to get ahead • Make the crumble topping for the trifle up to three days ahead and store in an airtight container. • Poach the rhubarb and make the rhubarb syrup the day before, then chill it overnight. • Make the custard up to 3 hours ahead and chill in the fridge.

BBC Easy Cook 67

TV COOKS

MasterChef’s

John Torode

Proving that there’s a pasta dish for every occasion, John whips up two of his favourites – and they’re both perfect for a special dinner at the weekend

John is a judge on MasterChef

‘To get the best result, take your time cooking the sauce and buy ripe, soft tomatoes, or good-quality canned ones,’ says John

Tomato & sausage rigatoni l

Serves 4 l Takes 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooking l £1.42 a portion l 937 kcals, 53g fat, 12g sat. fat a portion l Sauce is suitable for freezing 100ml olive oil 1 onion, fnely chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 900g fresh tomatoes, chopped 400g pork sausages 1 tsp fennel seeds 400g rigatoni a handful of chopped basil

68 BBC Easy Cook

1 Soften the onion Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and season well, then cook for 2 minutes more until the onion is soft. 2 Cook the tomatoes Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are soft and pulpy. 3 Add the sausages Split open the sausages, then squeeze out

the meat. Tip into a separate frying pan (you shouldn’t need to add oil). Cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the sausage meat with a wooden spoon. Stir in the fennel seeds and cook for 5 mins more until the meat is golden and cooked through. Pour over the tomato sauce and leave to simmer gently while you prepare the pasta. 4 Cook the pasta Cook the rigatoni according to pack instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water, then return to the pan. Pour over the sauce and mix well. Stir in a little of the cooking water if needed. Sprinkle with the basil, stir through and serve straight away.

Lobster lasagne l

Serves 6 l Takes 45 minutes, plus 3 hours 35 minutes cooking l £4.78 a portion l 584 kcals, 26g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 2 cooked lobsters, each about 750g 9 sheets fresh lasagne, each cut into 2 squares a handful of chives FOR THE BISQUE

100ml vegetable oil 2 large onions, coarsely chopped 3 large carrots, coarsely chopped 2 celery sticks, coarsely chopped 6 ripe tomatoes, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 100g white rice (any kind) 2 stalks of lemongrass 4 whole star anise a knob of fresh root ginger 100ml brandy 100ml fsh sauce

FOR THE CREAMED SPINACH

400g fresh spinach leaves 1 clove of garlic 25g butter 1 shallot, fnely chopped 100ml double cream 1 Make the bisque Pick the meat from the body and claws of the lobsters and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pan, then stir in the lobster shells and cook until they turn dark red. Tip in the onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and cook for 10 mins until soft. Add the garlic and rice and cook for 5 mins, then add the lemongrass, star anise and ginger. Pour in the brandy, stir, then bring to the boil, scraping the base of the pan. 2 Simmer the bisque Add 1½ litres of water and the fsh sauce, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours, until the liquid reduces to a sauce that coats the back of a wooden spoon. You may need to add another 500ml water halfway through. Stir and scrape the base of the pan

often so the rice doesn’t stick. Strain into a bowl and keep warm. (Or cool and chill for up to 3 days.) 3 Wilt the spinach Cook the spinach in a large frying pan with a drop of water until wilted. Leave to cool a little, then tip into a sieve and press down hard to get rid of any excess juices. Wipe the pan clean and rub the inside with the garlic. Add the butter, then the shallot, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Pour in the cream and bring to the boil. Cook until reduced by half, add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until warm. 4 Assemble Cook the lasagne sheets in boiling water favoured with 50ml of the bisque, until soft. Drain and drizzle with oil. Cut the lobster meat into bite-sized pieces and add to the bisque to warm through. Put a sheet of lasagne on each plate and spoon over a little of the lobster, bisque and spinach. Top with another sheet, then more lobster, bisque and spinach. Top with a fnal sheet and drizzle with the last of the bisque. Snip the chives over to serve.

You can now buy cooked lobster in the frozen aisle of lots of the supermarkets. It’s work seeking out as it’s about a third of the price of fresh BBC Easy Cook 69

TV COOKS

MasterChef: The Professionals

Marcus Wareing ‘Tiger prawns are one of my favourite starters when I go out for a Chinese meal. These tempura prawns are easy to make and are great as nibbles with drinks’

Marcus is a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals

Salt and pepper prawns

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

TO SERVE

l

FOR THE TEMPURA BATTER

2 tsp Thai sweet chilli sauce, or to taste 4 tbsp mayonnaise 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 2 spring onions, finely chopped

16 raw tiger prawns (in their shells) 85g plain white flour

50g plain white flour 50g cornflour ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda 150ml ice-cold sparkling water 2 ice cubes 1 large egg white, lightly whisked until frothy

Serves 4 l Ready in 25 minutes l £3.22 a portion l 285 kcals, 9g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 Make the dip Mix the chilli sauce into the mayonnaise. Keep in a covered bowl in the fridge. 2 Prepare the prawns Peel the prawns and cut in half lengthways. Remove any black veins, then rinse briefly under the cold tap. Don’t worry if the prawns are wet – this will help the flour stick. 3 Coat the prawns in flour Spread the flour out on a tray, sprinkle with a little salt and plenty of pepper, and stir well to mix. Toss the prawns in the seasoned flour until evenly coated, then shake off the excess. 4 Make the tempura batter Sift the flour, cornflour, and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Add the water, ice, and egg white, and whisk gently just to mix. Season with a little salt.

‘Don’t try to deep-fry all the prawns at once. This will lower the temperature of the oil and the batter won’t crisp up’

70 BBC Easy Cook

5 Deep-fry the prawns Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fat fryer to 170C. (To test the oil without a thermometer, dip a prawn in the batter and drop into the hot oil – if the batter crisps up within 2-3 minutes, the oil is hot enough.) Drop about one-third of the prawns into the batter, stir gently to coat, then remove with a slotted spoon and lower one at a time into the hot oil. Deep-fry for 2-3 mins until the batter is crisp and light golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Fry the remaining prawns in 2 batches. Serve sprinkled with sea salt, chopped chilli, and spring onions, with the bowl of chilli mayo.

Lemon posset with hot spiced fruit l

Serves 6 Takes 30 minutes, plus overnight chilling l £1.43 a portion l 1050 kcals, 83g fat, 52g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

4 lemons 850ml double cream 250g caster sugar FOR THE HOT SPICED FRUIT

3 stalks of rhubarb, trimmed of leaves and root ends 3 victoria plums a small handful of blueberries or blackcurrants (defrosted, if frozen) a handful each of blackberries and raspberries (defrosted, if frozen) 50g unsalted butter, diced 150g caster sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 6 star anise 2 vanilla pods, split lengthways 3-4 tbsp dark rum (optional) 1 Prepare the lemons Finely grate the rind from the lemons. Halve the lemons and squeeze out the juice, then strain and measure it – you need exactly 225ml juice, so it’s best to measure it precisely. 2 Make the possets Mix the cream, lemon rind, and sugar in a nonstick pan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the lemon juice. Strain the mixture into a jug, pressing the rind in the sieve to extract as much flavour as possible. Discard the rind. 3 Chill the possets overnight Skim the froth off the top of the posset mix, then pour equal amounts into six glasses. Leave to cool. Cover the glasses with cling film and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. 4 Make the spiced fruit Cut the rhubarb into 1cm lozenges. Halve and stone the plums. Cut the halves lengthways down the middle and cut each quarter into four equal pieces. If using blackcurrants, top and tail them. Heat a heavy pan over a medium heat. Add the diced butter and heat until foaming, then add the rhubarb and plums. Sauté the fruits for about 5 minutes until they start to soften, then add the blueberries or blackcurrants, the sugar, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla

‘The addition of a precise amount of lemon juice is crucial to the success of a posset. The acid starts off a chemical reaction in the cream which makes it set when it’s chilled,’ says Marcus pods into the pan and drop in the pods too. Give the fruit a good stir and add the rum (if using), then cook for 5-8 minutes more. Take the pan off the heat, remove the whole spices and vanilla pods, and fold in the blackberries and raspberries. Serve the possets chilled, topped with the hot fruits.

These recipes have been adapted from How To Cook The Perfect... by Marcus Wareing, £22, Dorling Kindersley. BBC Easy Cook readers can buy it for just £17, with free p&p. Call 01326 569444 or visit www.sparkledirect.com

Try this too Lemon juice can be added to other ingredients to get the same ‘magic’ chemical reaction that will set a creamy filling. Try this Fruity Cheesecake Tart: beat a 200g tub full-fat soft cheese until softened, then gradually beat in a 397g can sweetened condensed milk, the finely grated rind of 2 lemons and 8 tbsp lemon juice, plus a 142ml tub of lightly whipped double cream. Pour into a ready-made pastry case and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes. Decorate with fresh fruit (such as strawberries or raspberries). Serves 6-8.

BBC Easy Cook 71

TV COOKS

The Great British Bake Off’s

Jo Wheatley

‘This is my best-ever, never-fail chocolate cake recipe. I’ve given it a modern twist with a zingy passion fruit icing. The flavours work really well together’

Jo is a previous winner of The Great British Bake Off

Chocolate layer cake l

Serves 10 Takes 35 minutes, plus 1 hour cooking, and cooling time l 67p a portion l 889 kcals, 52g fat, 32g sat. fat a portion l Sponges only are suitable for freezing l

175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 300g golden caster sugar 3 large eggs, beaten 75g self-raising four 200g plain four 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 75g cocoa 200ml soured cream (at room temperature) 50g full-fat soft cheese (at room temperature) FOR THE BUTTER ICING

250g unsalted butter, softened 500g icing sugar 150g full-fat soft cheese 3 very ripe passion fruits 1 Cream the eggs and sugar Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light and fuffy – this is easiest using a freestanding machine or an electric hand-held mixer. Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. 2 Make and bake the sponges Sift both fours, the bicarbonate of soda and the cocoa into a bowl. Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon. In another bowl, mix the soured cream and soft cheese together until

72 BBC Easy Cook

This will keep for 3 days, chilled – bring back to room temperature before serving

smooth. Add half to the cake batter and fold in. Repeat this process with the remaining four and soured cream, and mix until smooth. Pour into the cake tin. Bake on the middle shelf for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack and removing the baking parchment. 3 Make the icing Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and softly whipped. Add the

icing sugar and whisk until smooth, then add the soft cheese and whisk again. Sieve the juice from the passion fruits, reserving the pulp and seeds. Add the juice to the icing. 4 Assemble the cake Split the cake into 3 layers and put the bottom layer on a cake stand or plate. Spread one-third of the icing over the bottom layer, swirling out to the edges. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers of cake and icing, fnishing with a layer of icing. Top with the passion fruit pulp and seeds.

The Great British Bake Off’s

Frances Quinn

‘I was inspired to make this by my love of chocolate. Crushed-up shredded wheat and pretzels look like twigs – and shop-bought eggs make it a fun Easter treat!’ Chocolate tiffn Easter nest l

Serves 12 Takes 30 minutes, plus 15 mins cooking and chilling time l 63p a portion l 519 kcals, 34g fat, 18g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

150g unsalted butter 50g golden syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 400g dark chocolate, fnely chopped 60g milk chocolate 60g Daim bar, fnely chopped (I like this for the crunch, but you can replace it with extra-dark or milk chocolate) 150g salted pretzel sticks, broken into small pieces 100g shredded wheat, crushed 100g chocolate-covered raisins 100g salted peanuts chocolate eggs, to serve

Frances is a previous winner of The Great British Bake Off

Frances’ quick tip This recipe can be adapted to use up odds and ends. Try swapping a quantity of the dry ingredients for broken biscuits, mini marshamallows or dried fruit. If you want to keep the salt levels down, replace the salted peanuts with plain peanuts.

1 Melt the chocolate Line a 20cm-round cake tin with a large paper cake tin liner, or cling flm. Heat the butter and golden syrup in a large heavy-based pan over a gentle heat. Once melted, add the vanilla extract and all the chocolate. Continue heating gently until the chocolate has melted, stirring every now and then to combine. 2 Make the nest Remove the pan from the heat and mix through the pretzel sticks, crushed shredded wheat, chocolate-covered raisins and peanuts. Transfer to the prepared tin, press the mixture into the base and around its sides, creating a dip in the centre to produce a nest shape large enough to hold the chocolate eggs. Chill for 1 hour, or until set.

To serve, remove from tin, scatter with extra pretzels (if you like) and fll with an assortment of chocolate eggs. This will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days BBC Easy Cook 73

COOKS’ EXTRAS

Use up your

leftovers If you have ingredients left over from the recipes in this issue of BBC Easy Cook, here are some great ways to use them up DILL from Spring chicken paella, page 35

theeasyway Poppy seeds work as well in savoury recipes as they do in sweet ones

Crunchy potatoes with dill Cook 1½ kg potatoes, cut into 2½ cm chunks, in boiling water for 3 mins. Drain and leave for 10 mins. Toss with 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, thinly sliced, and seasoning in a roasting tin. Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7 and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and crunchy. Stir in a small bunch of dill, chopped, and cook for 5 mins more. Serves 6. Prawn, dill and cucumber pasta Cook 300g pasta shapes according to pack instructions. Drain and cool under running water. Tip into a bowl and toss with ½ bunch of chopped dill, the juice of ½ lemon, 5 tbsp half-fat soured cream, 300g cooked prawns, 1 cucumber, diced, and 1 fennel bulb, shredded. Season. Serves 4.

POPPY SEEDS from Lemon and poppyseed cupcakes, page 52 Smoked salmon with poppy seeds Whisk together 1 tbsp poppy seeds, lightly toasted, the finely grated rind and juice of 2 oranges, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, 2 tsp olive oil and ½ tsp sesame oil with seasoning. Mix 200g smoked salmon slices with 85g radishes, finely sliced, and 3 spring onions, finely sliced. Drizzle over the dressing and toss together. Serve with toast. Serves 6.

Chicken with lemon and poppy seed sauce Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional

RED WINE VINEGAR from Pork casserole, page 37 Sweet and sour aubergines Turn oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/gas 5. Toss 3 medium aubergines, cubed, and 1 red onion, chopped, in 4 tbsp olive oil in a roasting tin and season. Roast for 20 mins until starting to soften. Stir in 1 tbsp capers (optional), 85g green olives, 400g tomatoes, chopped, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 tbsp sugar. Cook for 20 mins, stirring. Serves 4-6. Steak with shallot marinade Put 750g piece of rump steak in a dish and sprinkle with 3 finely chopped shallots, 4 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, some sea salt and ground black pepper. Rub over the meat and chill for 1 hour. Heat a griddle pan. Cook the steak for 3-4 minutes on each side until well browned. Transfer to a board, cover with foil, and rest for 5 minutes. Serve thinly siced with salad. Serves 3-4. 74 BBC Easy Cook

COFFEE GRANULES from Coffee panna cotta, page 49 Cappuccino cake Turn oven to fan 160C/ conventional 180C/gas 4. Grease a 20 x 30cm baking tin and line with baking parchment. Make 100ml strong coffee with 2 tbsp coffee granules. In a large bowl, beat 250g soft butter, 280g self-raising flour, 250g golden caster sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, 4 eggs, 150ml natural yogurt, 1 tsp vanilla paste, 1 tbsp cocoa powder and 50ml of the coffee. Spoon into the tin and bake for 25-30 mins until golden. Drizzle with the remaining coffee. Cool in the tin. Stir 140g icing sugar, sifted, into 350g mascarpone or soft cheese. Spread over the cake and dust with cocoa power. Cuts into 15 squares.

RHUBARB from Lemon posset with hot spiced fruit, page 71 Smoked salmon and orange & rhubarb salad Put the finely grated rind of 1 orange, its segments and the juice in a bowl with 2 sticks of rhubarb, shredded into thin batons. Leave for 15 mins. Grind 1 tbsp juniper berries and 1 tsp black peppercorns with a pestle and mortar. Put 2 lightly smoked salmon fillets on a baking sheet, rub with olive oil and then spread on the juniper mixture. Grill the salmon for 6-7 mins (don’t burn the topping). Stir a large handful of watercress and 50ml olive oil into the rhubarb, and serve with the salmon. Serves 2. Lemon curd pots Put 1 stick of rhubarb, cut into batons, in a pan with 20g caster sugar and cook for 5 mins, or until soft. Divide a 300g jar lemon curd between 4 ramekins. Top with 100ml double cream and put the pots in the freezer to chill. Serve topped with the rhubarb and biscotti on the side. Serves 2.

200C/gas 6. Put 2 chicken legs on a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and season. Cook for 20 mins. Toss 6 carrots, cut into chunks, and 2 beetroot, in wedges, in 2 tsp olive oil. Season, add to the tray and cook for 30 mins. In a pan, cook 1 chopped shallot and 1 tbsp poppy seeds in 1 tsp oil for 5 mins. Add 1 tsp sweet paprika, 200ml chicken stock, 1 tbsp honey, the finely grated rind of 1 lemon and juice of ½. Simmer until reduced by half. Add 150ml soured cream and bubble for 2 mins. Add a handful of chopped parsley and keep warm. Serve with the chicken. Serves 2.

WALNUTS from Savoury Danish, page 55 Fig and walnut slice Pulse 50g toasted whole almonds in a food processor until most are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Whizz 250g dried figs, stalks removed, chopped, until they form a sticky paste, then add them to the almonds with 50g dried apricots, halved, 50g walnuts, halved, ½ tbsp brandy, ½ tbsp clear honey and a pinch of ground cloves. Mix well, then shape into a cylinder and leave to dry, uncovered, in the fridge for a week. Wrap and tie in baking parchment, then slice and serve with cheese. Keeps in a cool place for up to 2 months. Serves 12. Kale and apple soup with walnuts Toast 8 walnut halves, broken up, in a dry, non-stick pan for 2-3 mins, turning so they don’t burn. Remove and leave to cool. Put 1 finely chopped onion, 2 carrots, coarsely grated, 2 red apples, finely chopped, 1 tbsp cider vinegar and 500ml vegetable stock. When the apples soften, add 200g kale, and simmer for 2 mins. Blend until smooth. Top with the walnuts. Serves 2.

USING THESE FOR THE FIRST TIME? ANCHOVIES used in Purple broccoli pasta, page 43 With a delicate, salty flavour, these small, silver fish are usually preserved rather than served fresh, and found in tins or jars. Great in salade niçoise, or as a pizza topping, or try them mashed with butter and melted over grilled fish or lamb.

BRESAOLA used in Shaved pear, cheese and bresaola salad, page 47 This is an Italian beef delicacy. It’s usually salted and dried like salami, sliced finely and served at room temperature. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and serve with parmesan shavings as a simple starter.

PEA SHOOTS used in Smoked trout and radish remoulade tartines, page 64 These have a delicate pea flavour – find them with the salads in the supermarket. Perfect in salads, or try them stir-fried or wilted into a pasta or risotto or add to marinades and sauces.

BBC Easy Cook 75

easycook

l o o h c s y r e k o o C

How to make… bagels Edd Kimber, the first winner of BBC One’s The Great British Bake Off, shares his foolproof recipe. They're easy to make and great to stash in the freezer

1

2

‘Making bagels is surprisingly easy – it’s just a simple bread dough with two added steps. There are a number of different methods for adding the hole, but I’ve used what I think is the easiest. The most unusual step is boiling the uncooked dough – this creates a darker colour and gives the bagel its delicious chewiness,’ says Edd. Makes 10

3

Mix the dough ingredients

Knead

Leave to rise

Mix 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast with 300ml lukewarm water. Put 500g strong white four, 2 tbsp light brown sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix. Pour over the yeasty liquid and mix into a rough dough.

Tip out onto the work surface and knead together until smooth and elastic – this should take around 10 minutes.

Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl (use a mild vegetable oil) and cover with a piece of oiled cling flm. Put in a warm area and leave until doubled in size (about 1 hour), then uncover and tip onto your work surface.

4

5

6

Shape the dough into balls

Leave to rise again

Add the ‘hole’

Divide the dough into 10 portions and form into balls – I like to weigh them to make sure that they’re all the same size. Line them up on 2 parchment-lined baking trays and cover lightly with cling flm.

Leave in a warm place for around 30 minutes, or until risen and puffy, then remove the cling flm.

Use a foured fnger to make a hole in the centre of each bagel, swirling it around to stretch the dough a little, but being careful not to knock out too much air. Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4.

76 BBC Easy Cook

COOKERY SCHOOL EDD’S TOP TIPS DON’T LEAVE OUT THE BICARB! Adding bicarbonate of soda to the water contributes to the shine and chew of the bagel crust.

FOR EXTRACHEWY BAGELS Boil the bagels for 2 minutes in step 7 instead of 1 minute.

GO SWEET For cinnamon bagels, add 1 tbsp extra sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in step 1.

MORE TOPPINGS Try linseed, poppy, pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

FREEZING You can freeze cooked bagels for up to 2 months. Wrap them individually in cling film and then in foil. Defrost at room temperature.

3 tasty bagel fllings Choc-nut bananas Spread 1 tbsp chocolate-hazelnut spread on 1 toasted bagel half, top with ½ banana, sliced, and 2 tbsp toasted shredded coconut. Serves 1.

Italian-style Lay ¼ drained, torn ball

7

8

of mozzarella on 1 toasted bagel half, grill for 1-2 mins to melt slightly. Top with 4 halved cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil and some seasoning. Serves 1.

Boil the bagels

Glaze and bake

Scandi special Spread 1 tbsp full-fat

Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil. Add 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda. Put 1-2 bagels in the water at a time and boil for 1 min, turning halfway. Lift out the bagels, drain well and put back on the baking tray.

Brush the bagels with 1 beaten egg white and sprinkle with seeds of your choice. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before eating.

soft cheese on 1 toasted bagel half, top with 1 slice of smoked salmon, a few thin slices of red onion and 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh dill. Serves 1.

BBC Easy Cook 77

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Sarah Sysum’s monthly round-up of the best new products and ideas M Mixed Beans, 180g, 59p, Morrisons A mixture of kidney and borlotti beans. Good with tinned tuna and chopped peppers for lunch or great in a salad.

Shortcuts from the storecupboard Jerk Marinade, 280g, £1.20, Sainsbury’s Ready-made marinades are a great idea as they save having to buy lots of individual herbs and spices. This has quite a hot chilli flavour. Its tomato base goes with everything, but is especially delicious with lamb or white fish. Finest British Blackberry & Bramley Apple Compote, 350g, £2, Tesco This is a really versatile fruity sauce. It’s not too sweet and is nice swirled through whipped cream for a fool or, if you fancy a comfort pud, use it as a great crumble filling for two.

Easy lunch on the run! M Signature Mexican Spiced Chipotle Chilli Coleslaw, 270g, £1, Morrisons. This is an extracrunchy coleslaw infused with smoky chipotle, garlic and a hint of ginger. It’s warmly spicy and works well stuffed into a pitta with some mixed salad for a quick snack.

78 BBC Easy Cook

Chosen By You Mexican Nachos Kit, 500g, £1.49, Asda A great quick snack to have on standby. Drizzle the sauce over the nachos, add grated cheese, microwave for 2 minutes, then top with soured cream. Cooks’ Ingredients Simple Sumac, 50g, £2.49, Waitrose Sumac is a sour, spicy berry ground to a powder. This is great to have in the cupboard. Its lemony taste can replace the flavour of a lemon in savoury dishes if you don’t have any fresh.

Cookbook of the month ■ The WI Cookbook by Mary Gwynn This book brings together the 100 best-loved WI members’ recipes nationwide. Organised decade by decade, and setting each recipe in its historical and social context, it spans everything from jams and preserves to main courses, puddings and bakes. There are lots of traditional recipes like toad in the hole, but there are plenty of up to date recipes too – we love the Italian Lamb. Perfect for experienced and novice cooks alike. £20, Ebury

easycook

WINE RACK Mateus Expressions Maria Gomes Chardonnay, £6.99, Tesco A lovely, light white wine from Portugal that’s perfect for warmer spring days – serve it with pasta and salads or chicken.

Vinalba Reservado Malbec, £9.74, Majestic This Argentinian red has delicious blackcurrant and plum favours with a hint of vanilla, and is lovely served with beef or lamb and is perfect with a roast. South African Shiraz, £5.75, Co-operative Spicy and full of blackberry favours, this full-bodied wine is perfect with casseroles, grilled red meat or pasta bolognese (see recipe on page 3).

COOKS’ EXTRAS

easycook

course review Have you ever watched TV cookery programmes and marvelled at the speed the chefs chop and slice ingredients? Easy Cook’s Assistant Editor Sarah Sysum recently went to Waitrose’s small but friendly new cookery school, based in their large out-of-town store in Salisbury, to try out their popular knife skills course. ‘Before we even got to chop anything,’ she says, ‘we were taught which knives to use when and how to sharpen them. Then we were shown how to slice and chop all manner of vegetables for a rustic soup, and had a go ourselves with plenty of tutors to help. Then we moved on to jointing a chicken. Once someone skillful shows you just how to do it, everything falls into place and I felt a real sense of achievement, and picked up lots of tips and techniques like how to remove the bone from a chicken thigh (it really is easier than it sounds!). What’s more, I can chop onions like a pro now!’ Waitrose Cookery School, Beginners’ Knife Skills, ½ day course, £100 www.waitrose.com

Sharpen up, get set, go Fired up by her new-found skills (see top right), Sarah Sysum went shopping for new knives and a sharpener. Here are her favourites – good knives aren’t cheap but, as she learnt on the course, one or two good knives and one good sharpener beats lots of cheaper ones.

Wusthof 2-Stage Pull-Through Knife Sharpener, £14.95, sizzle.co.uk This has two different settings: coarse and, for everyday use, fine, and it’s set at just the right angle so you can drag your knife through once or twice and it’s sharpened.

Robert Welch Signature 8cm Vegetable Knife, £24.99, Lakeland Super sharp and nicely balanced, this knife makes cutting onions really easy as you don’t have to use any pressure and your hand is less likely to slip.

Grand Class 18cm, Santuko Knife, £70.17, amazon.co.uk If you find a cook’s knife too big, try a Santoku knife (left). It has grooves on the blade to stop food sticking and is manageable enough to hold when slicing hard foods like squash. Pricey, but worth it.

theeasyway It’s easier to slice an

onion if you keep the root on while you cut it

Jeremy Lee’s top tips for spring dishes ■ Use loads of herbs in whatever you’re making. I particularly like using mint and parsley – they add a nice clean flavour and smarten everything up. ■ Big fresh salads are great – mix up a large variety of different leaves and a mixture of fresh herbs. They go with everything! ■ Don’t try to do too much or anything too complicated for a crowd. Simple food like barbecued chicken wings are perfect with salads.

Jeremy is a mentor on the Great British Menu

BBC Easy Cook 79

CONVERSION CHART WEIGHT

theeasyway 3 ways to posh-up a pie To make sure your pastry design stays sharp in the oven, chill the pie for 30 minutes before baking T

he cri mp ed

ur b n u The s

edge

E MICROWAV G COOKIN recipes e Wh re our wave, they use a micro 0W using an 85 were tested to u may need model – yo s slightly if adjust time different yours has a g watta e.

It’s a... ! To commemorate the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s new child, the M&S team will work overnight to produce the frst celebratory tin flled with shortbread. But you’ll have to be quick! Limited Edition Royal Baby Fanfare Tin, £20, in selected M&S stores.

80 BBC Easy Cook

st

The wa ve

Here are some clever ways to give your pie a fancy finish. Use a pie dish with a wide brim to support the decorative edge, otherwise your lovely crimping will sink in as it cooks. 1 The wave: Press your two index fingers into the pastry edge at an angle, and squeeze them together to make indentations. Continue around the whole edge. 2 The sunburst: Use a knife to make small, straight incisions around the outside of your pastry (see picture, left). Flip alternating pieces of pastry toward the centre of the pie. 3 The crimped edge: Use a thumb and index finger to pinch the pastry up around another finger. Continue all the way around.

Our 3 favourite frying pans

pTefal Preference Stir-Fry Pan, 28cm, £37.80, John Lewis This deep pan with a slightly rounded base can double as a wok and is big enough for Sunday morning fry-ups. It’s made from aluminium, which means you get an even heat distribution, and has a stay-cool handle and extra-thick non-stick coating.

q Lime Frying Pan, 20cm, £5, Wilko This is brilliant. It heats up quickly, and retains its heat too, plus it’s super non-stick. Our omelette cooked evenly and, because the sides are shallow, it just slid out of the pan. It washes up easily too – it just needs a wipe.

Metric

Imperial

25g

1oz

50g

2oz

85g

3oz

100g

4oz

140g

5oz

150g

5½oz

175g

6oz

185g

6½oz

200 or 225g

8oz

250g

9oz

280 or 300g

10oz

350g

12oz

375g

13oz

400g

14oz

425g

15oz

450g

1lb

500g

1lb 2oz

550g

1lb 4oz

600g

1lb 5oz

650g

1lb 7oz

700g

1lb 9oz

750g

1lb 10oz

800g

1lb 12oz

850g

1lb 14oz

900g

2lb

950g

2lb 2oz

1kg

2lb 4oz

1.25 kg

2lb 12oz

1.3kg

3lb

1.5kg

3lb 5oz

1.6kg

3lb 8oz

1.7kg

3lb 12oz VOLUME

50ml

2 fl oz

75ml

2½ fl oz

85ml

3 fl oz

100ml

3½ fl oz

125ml

4 fl oz

150ml

¼ pint

175ml

6 fl oz

200ml

7 fl oz

225ml

8 fl oz

250ml

9 fl oz

300ml

10 fl oz

450ml

16 fl oz

600ml

1 pint

850ml

1½ pints

1 litre

1¾ pints

1.2 litres

2 pints

MEASUREMENTS 2cm ¾in 2.5cm

1in

5.5cm

2½in

10cm

4in

20cm

8in

23cm

9in

28cm

11in

38cm

15in

AMERICAN CUP CONVERSIONS American Metric 1 cup flour

150g

1 cup caster and granulated sugar

225g

1 cup brown sugar

175g

1 cup icing sugar

125g

1 cup butter/ margarine/lard

225g

1 cup sultanas/raisins

200g

1 cup currants

150g

1 cup chopped nuts

100g

1 cup ground almonds

100g

1 cup golden syrup/ treacle/clear honey

350g

1 cup uncooked rice

200g

1 cup cooked and drained rice

165g

1 cup grated cheese

100g

1 cup lentils

225g

1 cup chopped onions

100g

1 stick butter

100g

LIQUID CONVERSIONS

tTower Ceramic Coated Colour Change Frying Pan 28cm, £24.99, Argos When you heat it up, the inside goes from grey to white which tells you that it’s hot enough to add the food to the pan. It really works, and takes the guesswork out of the process – it’s especially useful for perfectly cooked steak.

American

Metric

½ fl oz

15ml

¼ cup

50ml

½ cup plus 2 tbsps

150ml

1 cup

225ml

1 pint/16 fl oz

450ml

2 pints/5 cups

1.2 litres

OVEN TEMPERATURES °F

°C (conventional oven)

275F

140C

300F

150C

325F

170C

350F

180C

375F

190C

400F

200C

425F

220C

450F

230C

475F

240C

COOKS’ EXTRAS

k coo

easy

int

e r v i

Rachel Khoo

e

w

TV cook Rachel Khoo brought us a taste of Paris from her bijou apartment – so who better to give us the lowdown on how to cook in a small kitchen... What inspired you to open a restaurant in your apartment? When I started developing recipes for my frst cookbook, I wanted to fnd a way of not wasting food and getting some honest feedback. So I decided to use my apartment (all 21 square metres of it!) and turn it into a two-seater ‘restaurant’. What are your top three tips for cooking in a small kitchen? 1 Be organised – everything in my kitchen has its home so it doesn’t look too chaotic and it keeps the small workspace I have clear. 2 Maximise the space by hanging stuff (I have lots of pots, pans and other kitchen utensils hanging). 3 You don’t need a lot of equipment to make good food. Some sharp knives, a good casserole dish, frying pan and a few other kitchen utensils and you can easily rustle up something delicious. What are the worst things you’ve ever eaten… and the best? I think the worst thing I ate was when I was researching for my book ‘My Little French Kitchen’. I had snails stuffed in choux pastry. The snails were a little on the crunchy side – they had sand in them! The best so far has to be when I was in Istanbul looking for inspiration – I especially liked the grilled mackerel sandwiches

Vivacious Rachel left London in 2006 on a whim to enroll in a patisserie course in Paris and 'have a bit of an adventure'. She’s certainly had that, having run one of the world’s smallest restaurants and presented BBC2’s The Little Paris Kitchen you could buy from the street food vendors by the Bosphorus. I loved it so much I recreated a ‘lighter’ version of it (Hot butter and soy sauce mackerel with chopped salad) in my new book (see below, right). Are there any ingredients you can’t live without? Cheese is my biggest downfall. I love it!

How do you stay so slim, surrounded by brioche and brie in Paris? My biggest rule is only eat it if it’s worth it. I don’t waste calories on anything mediocre. I do go to lots of different exercise classes – at the moment I’m into yoga and hip hop dancing, so being active is important too.

You don’t need a lot of equipment to make good food – sharp knives, a casserole dish and a frying pan!

We know you’re a big fan of hearty salads for dinner. What's your favourite combination? One of my favourites is my take on English garden salad. I make my own cottage cheese and use that as the base, topped with hot potatoes, crispy bacon and fresh greens.

Rachel Khoo's Kitchen Notebook: Over 100 recipes From Rachel's Personal Cookbook by Rachel Khoo is published by Michael Joseph, £20. BBC Easy Cook readers can buy it for just £17, with free p&p. Call 01326 569444 or visit www.sparkledirect.com

BBC Easy Cook 81

TASTY IDEAS

Recipe index MEAT & POULTRY

Slow-roast tomato tatin

NEXT TIME IN NO-FUSS MEALS

Thai shredded chicken

FANTASTIC PUDS

Apricot and ginger tart PLUS lots more brilliant ideas

May issue ON SALE £O.NLY 40 1st April Don’t miss out, subscribe today – see page 30 for more details 82 BBC Easy Cook

Aubergine, chilli and bacon pasta ..................... 12 Bacon and sausage grill ................................... 16 Chicken and chickpea casserole ......................... 8 Chicken with lemon and poppy seed sauce ...... 74 Chilli chicken and sweetcorn pizza ................... 14 Chinese pork .................................................... 12 Herb-crusted lamb ........................................... 66 Honey and cumin chicken & aubergine skewers.. 38 Lamb lollipops.................................................... 8 Lemon roast chicken ........................................ 41 Macaroni cheese with bacon ............................ 37 Moroccan chicken soup .................................... 28 Pork casserole .................................................. 37 Quick onion soup.............................................. 28 Sausage burgers with spicy tomato sauce ........ 18 Sausage pasta bake ......................................... 36 Seared steak with pepper caponata .................. 22 Shaved pear, cheese and bresaola salad ........... 47 Singapore noodles .............................................. 8 Slow-roasted pork belly and braised chicory..... 47 Spiced chicken and pineapple salad ................. 22 Spring chicken paella ....................................... 51 Spiced lamb ..................................................... 10 Steak with shallot marinade ............................. 74 Super-tasty bolognese ........................................ 3 Tomato and sausage rigatoni............................ 68

FISH & SEAFOOD

Asian prawn noodle soup.................................. 28 Creamy chowder............................................... 28 Creamy tomato, courgette & prawn pasta......... 22 Crispy sea bass ................................................ 12 Crispy sesame fish burger ................................ 20 Fish and mussel stew ....................................... 11 Lobster lasagne ................................................ 69 Pilchard puttanesca.......................................... 18 Prawn, dill and cucumber pasta ....................... 74 Salt and pepper prawns.................................... 70 Smoked salmon and orange and rhubarb salad.. 75 Smoked salmon with poppy seeds.................... 74 Smoked trout and radish remoulade tartines ... 64 Thai salad......................................................... 46

VEGETARIAN

Broad bean and dill pilaf .................................. 18 Broccoli pasta .................................................. 43 Curried parsnip and apple soup ....................... 28 Halloumi with bulghar and chickpea salad ......... 7 Japanese greens with sticky rice....................... 44 Kale and apple soup with walnuts .................... 75 Minty beetroot dip with chilli pitta crisps .......... 38 Mushroom, ricotta and rocket tart.................... 54 Orange and feta giant couscous salad .............. 39 Pesto minestrone ............................................. 28 Ravioli with artichokes, leek & lemon.................. 6 Rich red pepper soup ....................................... 28 Rustic leek and potato soup ............................. 28 Speedy mushroom soup................................... 28 Spiced carrot soup ........................................... 28 Spicy Moroccan eggs ....................................... 15 Sweet and sour aubergines............................... 74 Tex-Mex beans on toast .................................... 26

SIDES & EXTRAS

Artichoke and potato mash .............................. 41 Brown butter new potatoes............................... 66 Carrot, orange and avocado salad .................... 42 Choc-nut banana bagel filling ........................... 77

ISSUE 80 APRIL 2015

A great recipe to try Try our delicious Panna Cotta With Apricots (page 41). It's the perfect ending to our tempting spring menu for four

Crispy seaweed................................................. 12 Crunchy potatoes with dill ................................ 74 Homemade dukkah .......................................... 39 Homemade tortillas.......................................... 26 Italian-style bagel filling .................................... 77 Lemon and thyme carrots ................................ 66 Minty mash ........................................................ 9 Quick Italian salad ............................................ 41 Scandi special bagel filling ............................... 77 Speedy salsa verde ........................................... 41 Spring greens with bacon ................................. 66 Warm lemony courgette salad .......................... 42 Zingy rice salad ................................................ 42

DESSERTS

Cherry bakewell sponge pudding ...................... 48 Chocolate pud with chocolate sauce ................. 49 Coffee panna cotta ........................................... 49 Fruity cheesecake tart ...................................... 71 Ginger slump.................................................... 44 Lemon curd pots .............................................. 75 Lemon posset with hot spiced fruit................... 71 Panna cotta with apricots ................................. 41 Rhubarb and orange slump .............................. 44 Rhubarb crumble trifle ..................................... 67

CAKES & BAKES

Bagels .............................................................. 76 Birthday bonanza ............................................. 32 Cappuccino cake .............................................. 75 Carrot cake....................................................... 53 Cherry and almond brownies............................ 56 Chocolate layer cake......................................... 72 Chocolate tiffin Easter nest............................... 73 Coconut and mango sponge ............................. 53 Coffee and walnut cake..................................... 32 Coke float ........................................................ 32 Easter cupcakes ............................................... 57 Fig and walnut slice .......................................... 75 Lemon and poppy seed cupcakes ..................... 52 Hot cross bun cupcakes ................................... 58 Hot cross bun ring with spiced honey butter..... 59 Rhubarb and orange cake................................. 45 Salted caramel & peanut butter billionaire’s slice ........................................... 60 Savoury Danish ................................................ 55 Savoury hot cross buns .................................... 59

This magazine is owned by BBC Worldwide and produced on its behalf by Immediate Media Company London Limited. BBC Worldwide’s profits are returned to the BBC for the benefit of the licence-fee payer. ISSN 17439175. Reprographics by Immediate Media Company London Limited. Printed by Polestar Chantry. © Immediate Media Company London Limited 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without permission. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors in advertisements, articles, photographs or illustrations. BBC Worldwide Ltd is a registered data user whose entries in the Data Protection Register contain descriptions of sources and disclosures of personal data. The text paper for BBC Easy Cook is printed on 65gsm Graphocote produced by SCA. It is elementally chlorine free and coated with kaolin from Brazil. The cover is printed on 150gsm Royal Roto produced by Sappi Paper at their Nijmegen mill in Holland. It is elementally chlorine free and coated with china clay produced in the UK. Immediate Media is working to ensure that all of its paper is sourced from well-managed forests. This magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) certified paper. This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point. With thanks to BBC Good Food magazine, where some recipes have previously appeared.

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