BBC Easy Cook 2015-83

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ISSUE83 JULY/AUGUST 2015

ONLY

£1.99

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30-minute meals+simple salads+quick

az valu e food mag

from

Simple summer food

  

homemade crabcakes

+Holiday BBQ +Juicy burgers +Picnic pies All in one-pan Cajun soul rice supper

Weekend specials + Lemon roast chicken + Grilled lamb cutlets

RED BERRY CAKE

NEOPOLITAN LOLLIES

So cool on hot days

Don’t worry – these are easier than they look!

89 recipes inside

Light

hy

Try ur rusti Tr se and peach pizza tonight

NEW BAGEL SANDWICH THINS.

PERFECT FOR A LIGHTER LUNCH.

A TASTE OF NEW YORK

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EDITORIAL

EDITOR SARAH GILES Assistant Editor Sarah Sysum Art Editor Gareth Glynne Jones Chief Sub-Editor Barbara Baker PUBLISHING

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Welcome

... to the July/August issue of BBC Easy Cook. Sadly, this is my last issue – after 12 years, I am off to work on new projects. But before I go, I’d like to say a big thank you to all our loyal readers for being so enthusiastic and supportive of Easy Cook’s mission to bring you a big selection of quick and easy recipes each month. We’ve made a speciality of updating classic recipes in the magazine and I’m going to leave you with one of my favourite-ever easy puds – Lemon And Whisky Crème Caramels (though you can leave out the whisky, if you’d rather): Simmer 700ml whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla paste and 4 strips of lemon rind in a pan. Take off the heat, cover and infuse for at least 30 minutes. Turn oven to fan 130C/conventional 150C/gas 2. In another pan, heat 120g caster sugar and 25ml whisky until the sugar melts, then boil, without stirring, until it turns a dark caramel colour. Add another 25ml whisky (take care – the caramel will splutter). Heat through to remove any lumps and quickly pour into 6 large, warmed ramekins, turning them as you pour so the caramel covers the sides and bottoms (don’t worry if it hardens). Beat 4 whole eggs with 4 egg yolks and 50g caster sugar. Reheat the milk (remove the pod and lemon rind first) until it’s hot, but not simmering. Whisk the milk into the eggs and pour into the ramekins. Cover each with foil, stand in a roasting tin with a little water and bake for 35 minutes, then cool and turn out. Serves 6. Happy cooking!

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.

Sarah Giles, Editor PS This issue of BBC Easy Cook is on sale for two months over the summer – our next issue will be on sale 29th July

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. © Immediate Media Company London Limited, 2015

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.

Our promise 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 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 stamp – our 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 83 JULY/AUGUST 2015

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Delicious meals to enjoy with family and friends

31 ONE-PAN SOUL FOOD Nice and spicy – and ready in just 30 minutes

32 SUMMER MAINS Easy and super-tasty meals for the weekend

SPEEDY MEALS Weeknight suppers, great side dishes and brilliant desserts

Foolproof recipes for perfect results every time

6 EASY WEEKNIGHT MEALS Delicious suppers – ready in 30 minutes or less

18 MAIN-MEAL SALADS Healthy and flavour-packed – perfect for summer

20 FEEDING THE KIDS… These great ideas will keep them happy in the hols

23 SATURDAY SNACK Try our tasty brunch ideas

25 HEALTHY COLESLAWS They go with everything and are quick to make too

28 SUNDAE SPECIALS Ice cream treats for (hopefully!) hot summer days 4

BBC Easy Cook

36 GET OUT THE BARBECUE! Our home-made pizzas with wonderful toppings

40 CAMP OUT IN STYLE Brilliant recipes for cooking outdoors

42 BBQ MENU FOR 6 Including Red Citrus Chicken and Spanish Skewers

44 TAKE A PACK OF… LETTUCE Not just for salad – you can cook with it too!

48 GREAT IDEAS FOR PEACHES A refreshing salad, plus a very peachy pizza

50 SHOWSTOPPER PUDDINGS Children and grown-ups will love our lolly cake

To make our delicious cover recipe, turn to

Frances Quinn's fab shortbread cake, see page 61

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

TV COOKS

52 TASTY BAKES

Recipes from your favourite BBC cooks

Lemon poppyseed cake and a yummy chocolate tart

61 FRANCES QUINN

54 PICNIC SPECIAL

An impressive strawberry shortbread to wow the family

A fabulous savoury pie and tear-and-share-rolls to pack up for a family day out

56 ICE CREAM DESSERTS

62 ANJUM ANAND Spiced grilled lamb skewers and a wonderful pistachio and rose dessert to make

Don’t miss our peach and red berry cake and ice cream sandwiches!

64 JOHN TORODE

58 BISCUIT TIN

66 JAMES MARTIN

Easy oat and cranberry bars to make

Have a go at smoking your own fish, plus fish cakes

COOKS’ EXTRAS 34 SUMMER DRINKS Cool and refreshing 70 LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS… … and how to use them up 72 EASY EXTRAS Two packed pages of ideas, tips, new products and more

Two Asian dishes, including a delicious tofu recipe

EASY OFFER

30 ICE CREAM & SORBET MAKER Don't miss this special price!

REGULARS 3 WELCOME 26 SUBSCRIBE! BBC Easy Cook direct to your door

68 COOKERY SCHOOL A fruit soufflé that’s easy to make

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74 INDEX BBC Easy Cook

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SPEEDY MEALS

Quick weeknight meals Deliciously tasty recipes you can have on the table in half an hour or less

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If you can’t find soya beans, frozen broad beans would make a great alternative

Sesame chicken O

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) O Ready in 20 minutes O £3.99 a portion O 300 kcals, 7g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing 2 skinless chicken breasts 85g frozen soya beans 1 large carrot, finely cut into thin matchsticks 4 spring onions, finely sliced 6

BBC Easy Cook

140g cherry tomatoes, halved a small bunch of coriander, chopped a small handful of Thai or ordinary basil leaves (chopped, if large) 85g herb or baby salad leaves 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1 Steam the chicken Put the chicken in a pan and pour over cold water to cover. Tip the soya beans into a steamer. Bring the pan to a simmer, then cook the chicken for 8 mins, with the beans above.

FOR THE DRESSING

2 Make the dressing Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl. When the chicken is cooked, slice and toss with the dressing, beans, carrot, onions, tomatoes, coriander and basil. Mix well, pile onto the leaves and sprinkle with the seeds.

finely grated rind and juice of 1 small lime 1 tsp fish sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce

theeasyway Serve the lamb and potatoes with peas or green beans, or a green salad if you like

Griddled lamb with spiced potatoes O

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes O £2.41 a portion O 490 kcals, 22g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

750g new potatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large clove of garlic, crushed 2 preserved lemons, flesh discarded and skin finely chopped 1 heaped tsp cumin seeds, crushed 8 lamb chops a bunch of mint, leaves chopped 1 Cook the spuds Put the potatoes in a large pan, cover with water, add a little salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until tender, then drain. Return the potatoes to the pan with 1 tbsp of the oil, the garlic, chopped preserved lemon skin and cumin. Keep the potatoes warm while you cook the lamb. 2 Griddle the lamb Rub the lamb chops with the remaining oil and season. Heat a griddle pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Season the potatoes and stir in the mint.

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SPEEDY MEALS 30

mins Lemony chicken skewers O

Serves 2 Ready in 30 minutes O £2.96 a portion O 413 kcals, 12g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes FOR THE MARINADE

50ml low-fat natural yogurt finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon FOR THE HERBED NEW POTATOES

300g new potatoes 1 tbsp rapeseed oil ½ tbsp finely chopped parsley ½ tbsp finely chopped mint ½ tbsp snipped chives 1 Marinate the chicken If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 10 mins. Heat the grill to high and put in a non-stick baking tray to heat. In a bowl, mix the marinade ingredients, then stir in the chicken to coat. Cover and set aside. 2 Boil the potatoes Put the potatoes in a large pan of boiling water and cook until tender (about 10 mins). Meanwhile, mix the oil and herbs in a bowl. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Pour the herb mixture over them, stir gently to mix, cover to keep warm and set aside. 3 Cook the lemony chicken Divide the chicken between 4 skewers and put on the hot baking tray, then spoon over the excess marinade. Cook under the grill for 6-8 mins, turning the skewers every 2 minutes until cooked through. Serve with the potatoes.

Serve with Apple coleslaw Mix together 100ml low-fat crème fraiche, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard and the juice of 1 lemon in a bowl. Add 100g fennel, trimmed and roughly grated, 100g small white cabbage, cored and finely shredded, 1 carrot, grated, and 1 apple, grated, and stir. Serves 4.

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Chicken souvlaki O

Serves 3 (easily multiplied) O Ready in 15 minutes O £1.58 a portion O 402 kcals, 8g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing 1 small red onion, finely sliced 25g green pitted olives, chopped ½ cucumber, halved lengthways and thinly sliced 140g cherry tomatoes, halved a small bunch of parsley or mint (or a mixture), leaves only 1 cooked beetroot, coarsely grated 2 ready-roasted chicken breasts, torn

100g natural yogurt 3 flatbreads (or pitta breads) a drizzle of olive oil 1 Make the chicken mixture Put the onion in a bowl, pour over boiling water from a kettle to cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the onion under cold water, then toss with the olives, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley and/or mint leaves, beetroot and chicken. 2 Toast the bread Season the yogurt and toast the flatbreads. To serve, top each flatbread with spoonfuls of the souvlaki, yogurt and a drizzle of oil.

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SPEEDY MEALS Spinach omelette chapati wraps O

Serves 4 Ready in 20 minutes O 92p a portion O 376 kcals, 21g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

1 tbsp vegetable oil 4 spring onions, finely chopped 1 tsp garam masala 4 eggs, lightly beaten 50g mature cheddar, roughly grated 2 thin ham slices, cut into strips 100g baby spinach leaves 4 chapatis

1 Spice the onions Heat a little of the oil in a non-stick frying pan measuring about 20cm. Add a quarter of the spring onions and gently cook for 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ tsp of the garam masala and cook for 30 seconds. 2 Make the filling Swirl in a quarter of the beaten egg, tipping the pan to cover the base, and cook for 1 minute or until the base is golden. Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese, ham and spinach over the top, cover with a lid and cook for 1 minute more until the spinach is just wilted and the cheese has melted. 3 Heat the chapati Meanwhile, heat a chapati either in the microwave for 30 seconds on full power (100%) or in a dry frying pan. Tip the omelette out of the pan onto the top of the chapati, then roll up and serve warm. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more omelette wraps.

For a veggie version, leave out the ham and add chargrilled asparagus

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theeasyway Scatter over grated parmesan to serve

20

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Bacon, tomato and broccoli pasta O

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 20 minutes O £1.88 a portion O 572 kcals, 31g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

175g cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 140g purple-sprouting broccoli 140g spaghetti ½ a 155g pack streaky bacon lardons

1 Roast the tomatoes and broccoli Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Put a large pan of water on to boil, then cover. Put the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with half the oil and scatter over the garlic. Roast for 5 minutes until the skins begin to split, then move the tomatoes to one side of the tray. Toss the broccoli in the remaining oil until well coated, and add to the other side of the tray. Season both with a little salt and plenty of ground black pepper, and roast for 8-10 minutes more.

2 Cook the pasta and lardons Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the pan of boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes, or according to pack instructions, until tender. Meanwhile, put the bacon lardons in a non-stick frying pan and heat until the fat begins to run from them. Cook, stirring regularly, over a medium heat for 5 minutes until crisp, then remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Drain the spaghetti and toss together with the bacon lardons, tomatoes and the broccoli. BBC Easy Cook 11

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Korean-style pancakes O

Serves 1 (easily multiplied) O Ready in 20 minutes O £2.34 a portion O 545 kcals, 21g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing 75g plain flour a pinch of chilli powder 1 egg 1 clove of garlic, crushed 12 BBC Easy Cook

1 tbsp oil 4 spring onions, trimmed and shredded lengthways 100g small cooked prawns 1 Make the batter In a bowl, mix the flour, chilli powder and a pinch of salt. Beat together 100ml water, the egg and garlic. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the egg mixture, beating all the time to make a smooth batter.

2 Cook the pancakes Heat the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan and cook the spring onions for 1 minute until beginning to soften. Scatter over the prawns, then pour on the batter to cover. Cook on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom is fully set and turning golden, and the top is beginning to set. Flip over and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes more until cooked through. Slice into wedges. Serve with a chilli dipping sauce, if you like.

SPEEDY MEALS Prawn and lime noodles Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 15 minutes O £2.99 a portion O 456 kcals, 18g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing

1 Cook the noodles Put the noodles in a bowl, pour over boiled water from a kettle to cover, and set aside for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water, then put in a large bowl.

100g dried rice vermicelli noodles 2 tbsp each soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil juice of 1 lime, plus wedges to serve ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 6 spring onions, finely shredded 2 large carrots, coarsely grated a handful of mint leaves, torn 150g pack ready-cooked king prawns 25g cashews or peanuts

2 Mix everything else together Mix the soy, fish sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and chilli to make a dressing. Pour over the noodles and stir to coat. Add the spring onions, carrots, mint, prawns and nuts, then mix again to serve.

O O

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Divide between 2 bowls to serve, with lime wedges on the side BBC Easy Cook 13

SPEEDY MEALS

30

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Apple and mustard pork burgers O

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 30 minutes O £1.87 a portion O 415 kcals, 16g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion O Suitable for freezing (burgers only) O

250g new potatoes, halved if large 1 small eating apple, quartered, cored and grated 250g pork mince 2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped 14 BBC Easy Cook

2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs 2 tsp wholegrain mustard ¼ small pack parsley, trimmed and finely chopped ½ egg, beaten 2 tbsp tzatziki 1 Make the burgers Heat the grill to medium-hot. Boil the potatoes until tender. Meanwhile, use your hands to squeeze any excess juice from the

apple, then put in a bowl with the mince, onions, breadcrumbs, mustard, parsley and some seasoning. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until well combined. Add the egg and mix again. With clean, wet hands (to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands), shape into 2 burgers. Grill the burgers on a foil-lined tray for 18-20 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked through. Drain the potatoes, toss in the tzatziki and serve with the burgers.

SPEEDY MEALS

10

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Smoked mackerel and harissa potato salad O

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 10 minutes O £1.33 a portion O 300 kcals, 7g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

5 tbsp crème fraiche 1 heaped tbsp harissa juice of ½ lemon 750g cooked new potatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size) 16 BBC Easy Cook

3 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced 1 red onion, diced 300g smoked mackerel, flaked 2-3 good handfuls of rocket leaves 1 Mix the salad together Mix the crème fraiche, harissa and lemon juice, then season to taste. In a bowl, toss together the potatoes, tomatoes and onion, then stir in the dressing to coat. Scatter with the flaked mackerel and rocket. Stir together, then serve.

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Entertainment

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Tickets from £14 quote HSM20 Include free entry to the Palace bbcgoodfoodfestival.com

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SPEEDY MEALS

Substantial salads Light, refreshing and packed with healthy ingredients, salads are the perfect summer food – serve with crusty bread as a main meal Layered houmous and griddled veg 4 15 minutes, plus 30 mins in the oven O£1.21 a portion O269 kcals, 17g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing

juice of 1 lemon 1 small clove of garlic, crushed 1 tsp sumac 2 large handfuls of rocket griddled ciabatta, to serve

2 Griddle the veg Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until hot. Drizzle the courgettes and aubergine with oil, then griddle for a few minutes on each side. Peel the peppers, deseed and tear into thick strips.

3 red peppers, halved 3 tbsp olive oil 2 courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways 1 large aubergine, thinly sliced lengthways 120g houmous

1 Char the peppers Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Rub the peppers with a little oil and roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until soft and slightly charred. Put into a bowl, cover with cling film and set aside.

3 Assemble and serve Spread the houmous on a plate. Mix the lemon juice and garlic and toss with the vegetables and half the sumac. Arrange the vegetables on the houmous, top with the rocket, sprinkle over the remaining sumac and serve with ciabatta.

OServes OTakes

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Tuna, fennel and bean salad OServes

2 in 10 minutes O£2.44 a portion O362 kcals, 17g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OReady

finely grated rind of ½ lemon and 1 tbsp juice 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp olive oil 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed a small bunch of dill, roughly chopped a small bunch of parsley, leaves roughly chopped ½ small fennel bulb, thinly shaved ½ cucumber, peeled into ribbons 160g can tuna in spring water, drained 1 heaped tbsp pumpkin seeds

Make the most of the last of this year’s UK asparagus

1 Make the salad To make a dressing, put the lemon rind and juice, mustard, oil and some seasoning in a jam jar and shake well. Tip the beans into a bowl, pour over the dressing and stir to coat. Add the herbs, fennel and cucumber, then flake the tuna into large pieces and fold through.

theeasyway Spoon onto plates and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds to serve

Asparagus salad with a runny poached egg OServes

2 (easily multiplied) in 15 minutes O£1.53 a portion O228 kcals,13g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OReady

Serve a salad with... Jazzed-up breadsticks Lay a slice of prosciutto on a board. Put one end of a breadstick on the ham with a few rocket leaves and roll up in the ham. Repeat as required.

8 asparagus spears, trimmed 2 large eggs 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 handfuls of mixed leaves 200g peeled, cooked beetroot (not in vinegar), cut into bite-sized pieces ¼ cucumber, cut into batons 1 Cook the asparagus Blanch the asparagus in simmering water

for 2 minutes, then remove and set aside. Crack the eggs into the pan and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the whites are cooked and the yolks are just beginning to set. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 2 Make the dressing Meawwhile, pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a small bowl and mix well. 3 Assemble and serve Divide the mixed leaves, beetroot and cucumber batons between 2 plates. Pour over the dressing and toss gently. Top the salad with the asparagus and the runny egg to serve. BBC Easy Cook 19

Rainbow fruit skewer O Serves

1 (easily multiplied) in 15 minutes O 27p a skewer O 59 kcals, 0g fat, 0g sat. fat a skewer O Not suitable for freezing O Ready

1 raspberry 1 hulled strawberry 1 tangerine segment 1 cube of peeled mango 1 pineapple chunk 1 peeled kiwi fruit chunk 1 green grape 1 red grape 2 blueberries 1 Thread the skewer Take 1 wooden skewer and thread on the fruit, finishing with the blueberries. If making more than 1 skewer, arrange them in a rainbow shape to serve.

theeasyway Little children will enjoy counting out the fruit for their skewer

Home & hungry With the kids home all day, it’s hard to keep up with their appetites! Get them to help you make these recipes to enjoy as tasty treats Stripy houmous salad jars 6 jars in 15 minutes O £1.09 a jar O 159 kcals, 6g fat, 1g sat. fat a jar O Not suitable for freezing

1 Make the dressing Put the lemon rind and juice, the honey and 2 tbsp of the houmous (reserve the rest) in a clean jam jar with 1 tbsp water. Screw on the lid and shake well. Set aside.

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp clear honey 200g tub houmous 140g frozen soya beans or peas 2 red peppers (or a mixture of colours) finely chopped ½ a cucumber, finely chopped 200g cherry tomatoes, quartered a small pack of basil (leaves only) 2 large carrots, peeled and grated 4 tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)

2 Cook and layer the vegetables Bring a small pan of water to the boil, add the beans or peas and cook for 1 minute until tender. Drain and run under cold water until cool. Divide the reserved houmous between 6 large, clean and sterilised jam jars. Top with the drained soya beans or peas, the peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, basil leaves, grated carrots and pumpkin or sunflower seeds, if using. Screw on the lids and chill until needed. Will keep in the fridge for 24 hours. When ready to serve, pass round the jars and let everyone add their own dressing.

O Makes O Ready

20 BBC Easy Cook

SPEEDY MEALS Instant vanilla ice cream O Serves

2 in 15 minutes O 89p a portion O 110 kcals, 3g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion O Suitable for freezing O Ready

300ml semi-skimmed milk 1 tbsp caster sugar ¼ tsp vanilla extract 1kg ice 6 tbsp rock salt hundreds and thousands, to serve YOU WILL ALSO NEED

2 medium zip-seal freezer bags 1 large zip-seal freezer bag sticky tape

1 Get everything ready Put one of the medium zip-seal bags inside the other to double them up, then pour in the milk, sugar and vanilla. Close and secure the bag with sticky tape to ensure a strong seal. Tip the ice and salt into the large bag, then put the smaller, doubled-up bag inside the larger one, and seal well. 2 Get shaking! Keep the bags moving for 10-15 mins to freeze the milk (by gently throwing the bag from hand to hand or gently shaking continuously – wear gloves to keep warm). Remove the ice-cream bag and scoop the ice cream into bowls. Sprinkle with hundreds and thousands.

Here’s the science bit! Water freezes at 0°C, but adding salt to the ice speeds up the freezing process BBC Easy Cook 21

SPEEDY MEALS

Saturday

snack Start the day well with this speedy brunch that swaps bacon for leaner turkey rashers Smoky rashers and tomatoes on toast O

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) Ready in 15 minutes O £1.63 a portion O 269 kcals, 13g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

a little rapeseed oil 4 smoked turkey rashers 3 tomatoes, halved 1 small ripe avocado 2 slices of wholegrain bread 1 tsp English mustard 2 handfuls of rocket

Turkey rashers are lower in fat than smoked bacon rashers

1 Cook the rashers Heat a non-stick pan or griddle and spray or rub with a little oil. Cook the turkey rashers and tomatoes for 2-3 minutes on each side. 2 Top the toast Meanwhile, stone, peel and slice the avocado. Toast the bread, spread with mustard and squash half an avocado on each. Add the turkey rashers, tomatoes and rocket. Serve hot.

Try this too... Low-cal breakfast Omit the avocado, rocket and two of the turkey rashers (see recipe above). Cook 100g mushrooms in a covered pan with 1 tbsp water, ½ tsp rapeseed oil and salt and pepper to taste. When soft, cook the mushrooms (uncovered) to evaporate any moisture. Serve with the turkey rashers, tomatoes, toast and 2 poached eggs (one per person). (180 kcals a portion) BBC Easy Cook 23

HOME COOKING SERIES

Enjoy the food you love A special collection of tested recipes from the BBC

HOME COOKING SERIES

A special collection from

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SPRING 2015

RECIPES

Looking for a challenge? Choux pastry buns & eclairs

veggie suppers

Biscuit tin bonanza

All low-fat! Winter one-pots O

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:Breakfast bread :Buttery croissants :Simnel loaf

: Thai pork patties : Prawn&butternut curry : Coconut & lime chicken

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A special collection from

kitchen

Fruity lamb tagine O Chard, sweet potato & peanut stew

Teatime treat

Muffins, flapjacks & shortbread

Sticky banana & maple cake

• Utterly nutterly caramel layer cake • Malt chocolate cheesecake

plus

Tested inthe Kitchen

Homemade pizza made lighter

Enjoy the food you love

Visit the Apple App Store to download the digital issues in this series

Homemade bagels for brunch

Stunning celebration cake

Latest issue available now!

SPEEDY MEALS

Healthycoleslaws Jazz up a burger with one of these slaws for a tasty midweek barbecue Runner bean & fennel slaw Oriental coleslaw O

Serves 4 O Ready in 15 minutes O 71p a portion O 95 kcals, 7g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing

O

300g runner beans 1 fennel bulb ½ clove of garlic 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp agave syrup finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon

2 spring onions, shredded finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime 1½ tbsp fish sauce 2 tsp agave syrup 1 cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks 1 pak choi, finely sliced 1 red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

Serves 4 O Ready in 15 minutes O 54p a portion O 28 kcals, 0g fat, 0g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing

1 Make the dressing Fill a small bowl with cold water and add the spring onions, then set aside. To make the dressing, combine the lime rind and juice, the fish sauce and agave syrup. 2 Add the dressing to the veg Toss together the cucumber matchsticks, pak choi and the dressing, then transfer to a serving dish. Drain the spring onions and pat dry, then scatter them over the slaw, and top with the sliced chilli (if using).

1 Prepare the veg Slice the runner beans very finely at an angle, then finely slice the fennel (reserve the fronds). 2 Make the dressing and assemble Rub the inside of a large bowl with the garlic. Add the oil, mustard, agave syrup, lemon rind and juice, and some seasoning. Stir well. Add the fennel and beans and toss everything together. Finely chop the fennel fronds and sprinkle over before serving.

Coleslaw with tahini yogurt dressing

Turn to page 72 for our favourite burger to buy

O

Serves 6 Ready in 15 minutes O 38p a portion O 109 kcals, 5g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

1½ tbsp tahini paste 5 tbsp Greek-style natural yogurt ½ large clove of garlic, crushed 1 small red cabbage, quartered and finely sliced 3 small carrots, cut into fine matchsticks 1 small onion, halved and finely sliced 1 Make the slaw Put the tahini, yogurt, garlic, and some seasoning in a large bowl and mix until smooth. The dressing will thicken, so add 2-3 tbsps cold water to loosen it. Add the vegetables to the dressing, and toss together until everything is well coated.

Lovely, fresh flavours BBC Easy Cook 25

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BBC Easy Cook 27

Super Ice cream sundaes are really trendy at the moment – why not enjoy a midweek treat?

Top with a caramel wafer, halved

Add a chocolate cigarello

28 BBC Easy Cook

Whizz-choc-pop super sundae

Crunchy peanut banoffee sundae

O Serves

2 (easily multiplied) in 10 minutes O 86p a portion O 489 kcals, 25g fat, 15g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing

O Serves

O Ready

O Ready

65g milk chocolate buttons (or a bar, broken into pieces) a splash of milk a handful of popcorn 2 scoops of chocolate ice cream 2-4 scoops of vanilla ice cream a handful of raspberries

3 tbsp caramel (from a can) 1 tbsp smooth or crunchy peanut butter 1 tbsp milk 2 scoops of toffee or caramel ice cream 2-3 scoops of vanilla ice cream 1 large banana, sliced 1 heaped tbsp salted peanuts, roughly chopped

1 Make the sundae Gently heat the chocolate and milk in a pan, stirring until it is melted and saucy. Divide the chocolate mixture between 2 sundae glasses, saving a little for drizzling over the top. Layer the remaining ingredients, finishing with the reserved chocolate sauce.

2 (easily multiplied) in 10 minutes O 73p a portion O 733 kcals, 37g fat, 19g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing

1 Make the sundae Heat the caramel, peanut butter, milk and a pinch of salt in a pan, whisking until smooth. Divide half the sauce between 2 glasses. Layer the remaining ingredients in the glasses, finishing with a sprinkling of peanuts.

SPEEDY MEALS

Breakfast knickerbocker glory sundae O Serves

2 (easily multiplied) in 5 minutes O £1.46 a portion O 414 kcals, 9g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O Ready

4 tbsp granola a handful of blueberries 2 tbsp clear honey, plus an extra drizzle 2-4 scoops of raspberry sorbet 1 small ripe mango, peeled and sliced 2 scoops of frozen natural yogurt 1 Assemble the knickerbocker glory Divide the granola between 2 sundae glasses (save a little for the top). Layer the berries, honey, sorbet, mango and frozen yogurt on top, then finish with a final sprinkling of granola and a drizzle of honey.

Boozy pineapple & coconut sundae O Serves

2 (easily multiplied) in 10 minutes O £1.87 a portion O 488 kcals, 14g fat, 11g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O Ready

200g ready-prepared fresh pineapple 50ml coconut liqueur 1 tbsp golden caster sugar 4 ginger nut biscuits, crumbled 4 scoops of coconut ice cream a handful of dried sliced coconut or desiccated coconut dried pineapple rings, to decorate 1 Make the syrupy pineapple Put the pineapple, coconut liqueur and sugar in a pan. Cook over a high heat for 5 minutes until syrupy and the sugar has dissolved, then cool for 5 minutes.

Use chocolate biscuits if you prefer

2 Layer the sundae Crumble a ginger nut biscuit into each sundae glass and top with the syrupy pineapple. Layer the remaining ingredients on top, finishing with dried coconut and a dried pineapple ring.

theeasyway Make your own dried pineapple rings: turn oven to fan 120C/conventional 140C/gas 1. Put very thin sliced rounds of pineapple (peeled, core removed) on baking trays lined with parchment. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until dried out and golden BBC Easy Cook 29

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Exclusive prices for BBC Easy Cook readers! 30 BBC Easy Cook

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY To make things a little less spicy, use plain pork sausages instead – or try sausages flavoured with herbs

Soul food

Spice things up with this Cajun and Creole-inspired rice dish Sausage and prawn jambalaya O

Serves 4 Takes 5 minutes, plus 25 minutes cooking O £2.48 a portion O 626 kcals, 21g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

6 good-quality pork sausages (we used pork & chilli flavoured) sunflower oil, for frying 1 onion, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika 250g easy-cook long grain rice

400g can chopped tomatoes with garlic and herbs 400-500ml chicken stock 260g cooked and peeled king prawns 1 Cook the sausages Fry the sausages in a large, deep, lidded frying pan until golden all over, then remove and set aside. Heat a little oil (unless there is enough fat from the sausages already in the pan) and gently cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. 2 Cook the rice Add the pepper, garlic and paprika, and cook for a few minutes more, then stir in the rice,

mixing to coat all the grains well. Tip in the tomatoes and enough stock to just cover the rice. Simmer with the lid on for about 10-12 minutes, until the rice is tender. Add more stock if you need to during cooking. 3 Add the prawns About 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, slice the sausages and return them to the pan. Cover and continue to cook until the rice is tender. Stir through the prawns, put the lid on and leave to heat through. Season and serve. BBC Easy Cook 31

Weekend meals

Whether you fancy a roast or grilled chops, these super-easy, tasty mains will hit the spot!

Lemon roast chicken with charred broccoli OServes

4 20 minutes, plus 1 hour 10 minutes in the oven O£2.03 a portion O184 kcals 6g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OTakes

1 small chicken (about 1kg) 2 cloves of garlic, each halved 1 tsp rapeseed oil a small bunch of thyme 1 lemon, halved 1 small head broccoli (about 200g), cut into small florets

1 Get the chicken ready Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6 and put the chicken in a large, non-stick roasting tin. Rub one piece of garlic over the chicken. Drizzle with the oil, rub in with your fingers, then stuff the cavity with the thyme, 1 lemon half and 1 piece of garlic. Cut the other lemon half into quarters and scatter around the chicken with the remaining garlic. 2 Roast the chicken Cover the tin with foil and bake for 40 mins, then remove the foil and spoon over the juices. Arrange the broccoli around the chicken, turn it in the juices, and put

the tin back in the oven for 20-30 minutes more, or until cooked (pierce between the leg and thigh – the juices should run clear). Re-cover with foil and set aside to rest. 3 Assemble and serve Remove the broccoli from the roasting tin and divide between 4 plates. Put the chicken on a serving plate, discard the lemon and garlic from the tin and remove as much of the fat from the juices as possible. Pour the remaining juices into a serving jug. Carve the chicken and serve with the broccoli and mashed sweet potatoes (see below), and a drizzle of the lemony-garlic juices.

Serve with Sweet potato mash: Put 400g sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed, in a pan of boiling water, return to the boil & simmer for 7-10 mins until tender. Drain, then mash. Stir in 4 tbsp low-fat soft cheese. Serves 4

32 BBC Easy Cook

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Marinated grilled lamb cutlets OServes

2 (easily multiplied) 10 minutes, plus 25 minutes cooking, and marinating time O£3.47 a portion O408 kcals, 20g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion OSuitable for freezing OTakes

1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges 140g baby plum tomatoes, cut in half

2 Griddle the lamb Heat a griddle pan. Put the lamb cutlets in the pan and cook until pink or as you like them. Once cooked, remove from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm. Put the fennel wedges in the griddle pan and griddle until cooked and marked with char lines. Add the tomatoes for the last few minutes of cooking time.

FOR THE LAMB

a small bunch rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 tsp rapeseed oil 4 lamb cutlets (trimmed of any fat) 1 Marinate the lamb Put the rosemary, garlic and rapeseed oil in a small bowl, and mash together to release the flavours. Smear over the lamb cutlets, put into a bowl or sealable food bag and leave to marinate for about 20 minutes, or longer if you have time.

Serve with Creamed corn Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, add 1 finely chopped onion and sauté until soft (about 3 mins). Add ½ finely chopped red pepper and stir to coat in the onion mixture. Add a splash of cold water, then cook for about 5 mins, or until the pepper is soft. Put the mixture into a food processor bowl with 325g can sweetcorn, drained, and 1 tbsp low-fat crème fraiche. Blitz until combined and fairly smooth. Return to the pan and warm through to serve. Serves 2.

theeasyway You could serve the Creamed Corn (above) with the roast chicken, left, too BBC Easy Cook 33

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

Make a summer drink There’s nothing quite like a zingy, refreshing home-made drink to sip on a hot day Homemade lime pop Makes 1 large jug Ready in 5 minutes O 52p a serving (150ml glass) O 27 kcals, 0g fat, 0g sat. fat a serving O Not suitable for freezing

1 Make the lime cordial Put the lime quarters, sugar and 400ml cold water into a food processor or blender and whizz until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Tip into a sieve set over a large jug, and push through as much juice as you can.

6 limes, quartered, plus slices to serve 25g caster sugar a handful of fresh mint leaves 1 litre bottle soda water

2 Add the rest of the ingredients Mix the lime juice with the mint leaves and some slices of lime. Top up with soda water (and ice, if you like) to taste.

O O

34 BBC Easy Cook

Have a go at making Raspberry cordial Put 500g raspberries in a pan with 500g caster sugar and 3 tbsp red wine vinegar. Mash over a low heat for 10 mins until smooth. Rub through a sieve into a pan. Tip the seeds from the sieve into a bowl, stir in 300ml water, sieve again. Pour the liquid into the pan with the sieved pulp, stir and boil for 1 min. Pour into sterilised bottles and seal. Will keep unopened for 2 months. Chill once opened. Makes 700ml.

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Salad 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes 100g quinoa

100g seedless red grapes, halved 50g sultanas or raisins 2 roast chicken breasts, skin removed 2 handfuls baby spinach Mint leaves, to garnish Dressing: 2 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 3 tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Method 1. Put the quinoa into a saucepan and rinse with cold water, then drain well. Add the vegetable stock and simmer for 20 minutes, when the grains will have swollen. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool quickly, then drain thoroughly. Tip into a large bowl. 2.Stir the South African apples, celery, grapes, sultanas or raisins into the quinoa, then tear in the chicken breasts and add the spinach leaves. Share between 4 plates or bowls. 3.To make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, olive oil and seasoning. Spoon a little over each salad, then serve, garnished with a few mint leaves.

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Beautiful country, beautiful fruit

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ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

Pizzas on the barbecue Most ovens aren’t powerful enough to create ‘pizzeria-style’ crusts, but a barbecue grill is ideal as it reaches a very high temperature and will quickly cook the base and the topping

Basic pizza dough

5 Make the pizza base Use your fingers to gently stretch the dough out. Once it's about 16cm in diameter, put the disc over the tops of your hands (not palm side) and use them to stretch it further, up to 25cm diameter. Put the pizza on a floured baking sheet (with no edge), or a pizza peel (a flat pizza paddle with a long handle, which makes it easier to get the dough on and off the grill). The flour will help you slide it onto the grill – don't use oil. Slide the dough onto the grill, close the lid (if there is one) and cook for 3-4 minutes. The dough will puff up and it's ready when the bottom has light brown stripes. Use tongs to pull the dough off and turn it upside down. Assemble the pizza of your choice (see recipes right and over the page). Then put the pizza back on the grill, uncooked-side down, and shut the lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the toppings are hot.

O

Makes 4 pizza bases O Takes 20 minutes, plus rising time O 11p a pizza base O 455 kcals, 2g fat, 0g sat. fat a portion O Suitable for freezing (uncooked) 500g '00' flour or plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp salt ½ tsp dried yeast (not fast-action) 400ml warm water oil, for greasing 1 Prepare the yeast It’s easiest to make this in a standing mixer with a dough hook (or mix it in a bowl and knead on your work surface). Put the flour and salt in the bowl and mix the yeast into the water. Wait 5 minutes before using the liquid to check that the yeast is working – little bits will rise to the top if it’s active. 2 Make the dough Turn on the motor and pour in the liquid. Keep the speed on medium-high and it should come together as a ball. If the bottom is still sticking, tip in 1-2 tbsp flour. Knead for 5-7 minutes, until the dough is shiny and it springs back when you press your finger into it. (If kneading by hand, it will take you about 10 minutes.) Try not to add too much flour if you can. This is a slightly sticky dough, but that keeps it light and it rises beautifully. 3 Leave to rise Use oiled hands to remove the dough from the hook and bowl. Oil another bowl and put the dough in it. Turn the dough in the oil to lightly coat. Cover tightly with cling film and then a tea towel. Put in a draught-free area that’s warm and leave until the dough has doubled 36 BBC Easy Cook

in size. If it’s a hot day, it should only take 2 hours to rise, but it could take up to 4 hours. (If you don’t plan to use the dough for a day or two, put it in the fridge straightaway; take it out 3-4 hours before using. Punch it down first and bring it together on a floured surface.)

Cooking on a BBQ

4 Divide the dough Divide the dough into 2 pieces for large pizzas or 4 for plate-sized ones, then shape into balls – dust them in flour as they will be sticky. Keep them covered with a tea towel or cling film while you prepare the toppings (see our ideas for toppings, right and over the page). You can also freeze them in sealed bags. Thaw in the fridge on the day, then bring to room temperature 3 hours before using.

Cooking indoors

An outdoor gas barbecue is best for controlling the temperature, but turn the flames down to medium-low so that the bottom doesn't burn. Charcoal gives a smoky flavour, but let the coals turn grey before you put the pizza on.

Heat a griddle pan until hot (not smoking), cook on one side for 3-4 mins, then flip over assemble the pizza and grill the other side.

Choose one of these 3 delicious toppings

Pesto pizza with aubergine and goat’s cheese O

Makes 2 pizzas (serves 4) Ready in 25 minutes O 61p a portion O 437 kcals, 19g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

O

½ quantity pizza dough, divided into 2 balls 1 small aubergine, sliced lengthways 1 medium red onion, thickly sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 4 tbsp fresh ready-made pesto 75g firm goat’s cheese chilli flakes (optional) basil leaves, to serve

1 Griddle the vegetables Prepare the pizza dough (see left). Toss the vegetables in the oil and season well. Cook the vegetables on your barbecue or griddle pan (about 5 mins each side, or until black lines appear and the aubergines are soft). Remove and set aside. Cook one side of the pizzas. 2 Add the topping Spread the pesto onto the cooked side of the pizzas. Add the aubergine, onion and goat’s cheese, broken into chunks, plus chilli flakes if you like it spicy. Grill, covered, until the cheese is melted and it's hot through. Serve with the basil leaves sprinkled over. BBC Easy Cook 37

Good with ready-made pizza dough too

Chorizo pizza with peppers and manchego OMakes

2 pizzas (serves 4) in 25 minutes O£1.39 a portion O591 kcals, 30g fat, 16g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OReady

½ quantity pizza dough, divided into 2 balls 4 cooking chorizo sausages 4-6 peeled plum tomatoes from a can, drained 38 BBC Easy Cook

100g manchego, shaved (reserve a few shavings to serve) 100g firm mozzarella, cut into 2cm cubes ½ long sweet pepper, thinly sliced a pinch of chilli flakes (optional) 2 handfuls of spinach leaves

2 Add the rest of the topping Crush 2-3 of the tomatoes with your hands and drain in a sieve, then spread on the cooked side of the pizzas. Top with both cheeses, the pepper and chorizo. Season and add chilli flakes if you like it hot.

1 Cook the chorizo Prepare the pizza dough (see page 36). Thickly slice the chorizo and pan-fry until crisp. Remove and set aside. Cook one side of the pizzas.

3 Cook and serve Grill the pizzas until the cheese is melted. Finish with the spinach leaves and shavings of manchego.

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Lemon, fennel and prawn pizza OMakes

2 pizzas (serves 4) in 25 minutes O£1.56 a portion O499 kcals, 20g fat, 9g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OReady

½ quantity pizza dough, divided into 2 balls 1 small fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced 10 large raw peeled prawns finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1 tsp chilli flakes 2 tbsp olive oil 100g firm mozzarella, cut into 2cm cubes 100g parmesan, grated 10 cherry tomatoes (halved, if large) 1 heaped tsp tiny capers 2 handfuls shredded radicchio 1 Mix the fennel and prawns together Prepare the pizza dough (see page 36). In a shallow bowl, mix the fennel, prawns, lemon

rind, chilli flakes and oil. Season and cook in a flameproof barbecue frying pan on your barbecue, turning once. Cook one side of the pizzas. 2 Add the cheese Top the cooked side of the pizzas with both cheeses, plus the fennel and prawn mixture, the cherry tomatoes and capers. Grill until the cheese is melted. Top with the shredded radicchio and serve.

This unusual combination of flavours works brilliantly and will impress everyone

BBC Easy Cook 39

Inspired by Secret Britain

COOK outdoors! We’re packing up our tent and going camping after seeing all that breathtaking scenery on Secret Britain. These clever recipes can all be cooked outdoors – and make a change from baked beans!

Frying pan pizza pie O Serves

4 O Takes 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooking and 1 hour rising O 59p a portion O 305 kcals, 13g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing 290g pack of pizza dough mix flour, for dusting 1 tbsp pesto or tapenade 125g ball mozzarella, thinly sliced 4-6 sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 Make the pizza pie Make up the pizza mix according to pack instructions. Put in a bowl, cover with a clean

tea towel or cling film and leave somewhere warm to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Divide in half and roll or press out each piece on a lightly floured surface to a 20-23cm round. Spread one round with pesto or tapenade to within 2cm of the edges, then top with the mozzarella and tomatoes. Cover with the other piece of dough and press the edges to seal in the filling. 2 Cook the pie Heat the frying pan, put in the pizza pie and cook on a fairly low heat for 10 minutes. Invert onto a large plate, then slide back into the pan and cook for 10 minutes more, until well browned. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.

Chilli-butter BBQ corn O Serves

6 O Takes 10 minutes, plus 35 minutes cooking O 81p a portion O 277 kcals, 17g fat, 9g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing 100g butter, at room temperature 1 tbsp runny honey 1 tbsp tomato ketchup 2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed 2 tbsp harissa 6 corn cobs 1 Make the flavoured butter Mash together the butter, honey, ketchup, garlic and some seasoning, and beat until quite smooth. Stir in the harissa. 2 Barbecue the corn Wrap each corn cob in a double layer of foil. Barbecue, turning, for 30-35 mins until tender and a little charred (or unwrap and put directly on the barbecue for a few more mins for extra char!). Pile onto plates and let everyone butter their own (a pastry brush is handy for this). 40 BBC Easy Cook

theeasyway If you are cooking for the children, leave out the harissa if you prefer, or split the butter mixture in two and add harissa to one half only

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Merguez beanpot O Serves

4 10 minutes, plus 45 minutes cooking O £2.23 a portion O 658 kcals, 39g fat, 12g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O Takes

2 tbsp olive oil 500g merguez sausages, cut into pieces 2 onions, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp dijon mustard 2 tbsp brown sugar 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained parsley or coriander, to serve tortillas, to serve 1 Cook the stew Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the sausages and fry until browned. Add the onions and pepper, and fry for 5 minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes and 1 can of water, the worcestershire sauce, mustard and sugar. Season and bring to the boil. Stir well, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the beans, return to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Spread each roll with garlic mayo, top with salad leaves, a mushroom, sticky onions and cheese Smoky mushroom burgers OServes

6 OReady in 1 hour O£1.02 a portion O388 kcals, 30g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing 4 large flat mushrooms 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying 2 roasted red peppers (from a jar), finely chopped ½ pack thyme, leaves only and finely chopped 50g fresh breadcrumbs 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste 2 tsp smoked paprika 3 red onions, thinly sliced 1 tbsp golden caster sugar 1 tbsp sherry vinegar FOR THE ROASTED GARLIC MAYO

3 cloves of garlic, unpeeled 50g mayonnaise TO SERVE

4 crusty bread rolls (we used ciabatta) salad leaves 25g cheddar or manchego, grated

1 Make the mayo Heat up the barbecue. Wrap the garlic in a foil parcel, position on a hot spot of the barbecue and cook for 20 mins until soft. (Or bake in a hot oven for 20-30 mins.) Leave to cool, then squeeze the cloves out of their skins and mash with a fork. Mix the garlic purée with the mayonnaise, then chill until ready to serve. 2 Make the mushroom topping Finely chop the stalks from the mushrooms. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan (on the barbecue or hob), and fry until golden. Add the peppers, thyme, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, paprika and seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes, then set aside. Rub the mushroom caps with a little oil, season, then top each with ¼ of the mixture. 3 Cook the onions and mushrooms Fry the onions in a pan in a little oil (on the barbecue or hob) for 15 mins until golden, Add the sugar, vinegar and seasoning. Cook for 5 mins until sticky. Put the mushrooms on the barbecue (stuffed-side up), close the lid or cover with foil, and cook for 20 minutes until cooked. Split and heat the rolls, too.

theeasyway Scatter with parsley or coriander and serve in bowls with tortillas BBC Easy Cook 41

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

Holiday weekend

barbecue This simple BBQ menu doesn’t use any fancy ingredients and there’s no lengthy prep time either, so get grilling! Red citrus chicken O

Serves 6 Takes 15 minutes, plus 25 minutes cooking and marinating time O £1.19 a portion O 460 kcals, 26g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion O Suitable for freezing (marinated chicken before cooking) O

12 bone-in chicken thighs (or a mix of thighs and drumsticks) 250ml cheap red wine 3 tbsp olive oil 3 oranges (finely grated rind and juice of 1, other 2 halved) 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 tbsp dried oregano 1 Marinate the chicken Pull the skin from the chicken thighs. Slash the meat on each thigh a few times to the bone. Put in a food bag, or baking dish, and pour over the wine, oil and orange juice. Add the grated rind, garlic, oregano and a really good grinding of black pepper, and squish or mix everything together. Marinate for 30 minutes.

theeasyway If the chicken is becoming very charred on the outside but not cooked through, transfer to a baking sheet and put in the oven on a low temperature to finish cooking 42 BBC Easy Cook

2 Barbecue the meat Lift the chicken from the marinade and season with salt. Barbecue for about 20-25 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through (cut into the thickest one to check). Put the orange halves onto the barbecue, cut-side down, and cook until charred, hot and softening. Pile the thighs on a platter, add the orange halves for squeezing over, and serve.

Spanish sausage and spud skewers O

Serves 6 Ready in 35 minutes O £1.38 a portion O 348 kcals, 31g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

750g baby new potatoes 2 large red peppers 12 Spanish-style sausages a small bunch of rosemary a splash of olive oil 1 Boil the potatoes Soak 8 wooden skewers for 20 mins in water. Cook the potatoes until just tender (about 7 minutes). Drain and cool. Halve the peppers through the stalk, discard the seeds, then cut each half into 2-3 long wedges. 2 Assemble the skewers Work with skewers in pairs, using them to thread through both ends of a sausage. Add a wedge of pepper, then 2 potatoes to each skewer. Do the same with another sausage, chunk of pepper and potatoes, finishing with a third sausage. Repeat with remaining skewers, sausages and veg. Chill until ready to cook. 3 Barbecue Using the rosemary as a brush, coat the skewers with oil and season. Barbecue for 20-30 minutes, turning until the sausages are cooked through. Just before they’re done, throw the rosemary on the barbecue too (tie with water-soaked string into a bunch if you’re worried about it falling onto the coals). When charred, transfer the skewers to a platter. To serve, cut through the sausages and peppers to make the skewers into singles.

Use really good, flavoured sausages for this recipe. Chorizostyle or merguezstyle sausages work well Middle Eastern carrot salad O

Serves 6 Ready in 20 minutes O 54p a portion O 167 kcals, 8g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

Serve at room temperature

1kg bag carrots, peeled, halved lengthways and cut into chunks 2 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground coriander 2 tbsp runny honey juice of 2 lemons 50g sultanas or raisins 200g pack feta cheese

½ small pack coriander or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 1 Cook the carrots Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the carrots, and cook for 8-10 mins, until tender. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the cumin seeds, ground spices, honey and lemon juice, with some seasoning. 2 Add the dressing Drain the carrots and steam-dry for a few minutes, then mix them into the dressing with the sultanas or raisins. Scatter over the feta and coriander to serve. BBC Easy Cook 43

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

New ways with

lettuce

Don’t consign lettuce to the bottom of the salad bowl – instead, make it the star of the show with these recipes Chicken tikka burgers OServes

6 20 mins, plus 2 hours marinating time O£2.06 a portion O438 kcals, 8g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OTakes

6 small chicken breasts 6 burger buns (we used ciabatta) FOR THE MARINADE

2 tbsp tomato purée 200g pot Greek yogurt a thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated 4 cloves of garlic, finely grated or crushed 2 tbsp garam masala ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve FOR THE SALAD

½ cucumber, sliced 1 little gem lettuce, shredded a small bunch of mint (leaves only) 1 small red onion, halved & finely sliced 1 Make the marinade Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Open each chicken breast and flatten slightly. Put the chicken in the marinade for at least 2 hours. 2 Barbecue Heat the barbecue until the coals are ashen, then griddle the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through. Toss the salad and put in the buns with the chicken and spoonfuls of chutney (see below).

Prawn cocktail salad OReady

1 shallot, thinly sliced 200g tub prawn cocktail

Serve with Homemade tomato chutney

¼ romaine lettuce, torn into pieces 1 large avocado, stoned, peeled and sliced 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 Make the salad Pile the lettuce, avocado, tomatoes and shallot into a bowl and toss together. Divide between 2 serving bowls, then top with the prawn cocktail. Lightly toss to mix the dressing into the salad, then eat with toast or crusty bread.

Mix together 2 tomatoes, chopped, 1 small red onion, chopped, 1 green chilli, chopped, 1 tsp tamarind pulp and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup. Set aside. (Chill until needed.) Serves 6.

OServes

2 (easily multiplied) in 5 minutes O£1.87 a portion O563 cals, 53g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing

44 BBC Easy Cook

Serve with lemon wedges BBC Easy Cook 45

Iceberg with yogurt dressing OServes

6 in 5 minutes O24p a portion O38 cals, 1g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OReady

150ml pot natural yogurt 2 tbsp mint sauce 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 large iceberg lettuce 1 Make the salad Mix the yogurt, mint sauce and vinegar with 2 tbsp water. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Trim the end off the iceberg stalk, then halve and cut each half into 3-4 wedges. Arrange on a platter, drizzle over the dressing and serve.

If you can’t get hold of iceberg, cos lettuce works really well in this recipe too

Quick braised lettuce and peas 6 in 20 minutes O14p a portion O73 cals, 4g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing

1 Cook the onions Cook the baby onions for 5 minutes and the peas for 2 minutes in separate pans of boiling water, until the onions are soft and the peas are just cooked.

16 halved baby onions, peeled 300g frozen peas 2 tbsp olive oil 3 baby gem lettuces, finely shredded

2 Fry the lettuce and peas Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, brown the onions, then add the peas and shredded lettuce. Cook just to heat through the lettuce, then season and serve.

O Serves OReady

theeasyway Cooking lettuce sounds a bit unusual but it really works – and brings out all the subtle taste of the leaves 46 BBC Easy Cook

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Korean pork OServes

4 30 minutes, plus marinating time O£1.32 a portion O456 cals, 25g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OTakes

500g pork belly slices, skin removed 1 large lettuce, such as little gem or iceberg, leaves washed and separated, cooked white short-grain rice, to serve

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp Korean chilli paste (or any Asian chilli paste) 1 Marinate the pork Put all the ingredients for the marinade in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season to taste, then pour over the sliced pork. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes (or longer if you have time).

FOR THE MARINADE

2 conference pears, peeled and cored ½ white onion 3 cloves of garlic a thumb-sized piece of ginger 1 spring onion 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp brown sugar

2 Griddle the pork and serve Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and cook the pork in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side until charred and cooked through. Serve with the rice and a few lettuce leaves. To eat, place a small scoop of rice in a leaf, then a piece of pork and wrap up.

BBC Easy Cook 47

Inspired by Gardeners’ World

Peaches are at their best now but instead of just having them for pudding, try them in a delicious savoury recipe, or in a smoothie Herbed chicken, peach and feta salad OServes

FOR THE DRESSING

OTakes

finely grated rind and juice of 2 limes (about 4 tbsp juice) 1 tsp rice vinegar (or use white wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar) 3 tbsp olive oil 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 tsp golden caster sugar 1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard

4 20 mins, plus soaking and cooling time O£2.22 a portion O537 kcals, 7g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing 200ml boiling hot vegetable stock 125g bulghar wheat 550g ready-roasted chicken breasts 2 ripe yellow-fleshed peaches 25g mint 25g dill a handful of basil (optional) 50g toasted pecan halves, some left whole 100g feta cheese, crumbled

For a nonmeat version, leave out the chicken and top with parmesan shavings 48 BBC Easy Cook

1 Prepare the bulghar wheat Pour the boiling stock over the bulghar wheat in a large bowl. Cover with cling film and set aside for 15-20 mins until the stock has been totally absorbed and the grains are tender.

2 Make the dressing Meanwhile, slice or tear the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and cut each peach into 12 wedges. Whisk the dressing ingredients together with some seasoning. When the bulghar looks dry and has swollen up in the bowl, remove the cling film. Fluff it up with a fork and leave to cool. 3 Mix and serve Chop the herbs just before serving, then toss into the bulghar. Spread over a large platter, then top with the chicken, peaches, pecans and feta. Toss gently and drizzle over the dressing.

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY Make our cover recipe!

Peach melba smoothie OServes

2 in 5 minutes O£2.03 a portion O388 kcals, 32g fat, 20g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OReady

6 very ripe peaches, skinned, stoned and chopped 100g frozen raspberries, plus a few extra 100ml orange juice 150ml fresh custard, plus a spoonful to garnish ice, to serve 1 Make the smoothie Put the peaches in a blender with the raspberries. Add the orange juice and fresh custard and whizz together. Pour over ice, garnish with another spoonful of custard and a few raspberries. Serve chilled.

Serve the pizzas topped with the rocket

Blue cheese and pancetta pizzas with grilled peaches OServes

2 in 30 minutes O£1.73 a portion O976 kcals, 48g fat, 22g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing OReady

250g fresh, ready-made pizza dough, kneaded and divided into 2 balls a little flour for dusting olive oil, for grilling 1 peach, halved, stoned and cut into quarters 6 pancetta slices, broken into pieces 100g firm mozzarella, cut into 2cm cubes 100g gorgonzola, broken into 3cm pieces

2 tbsp roughly chopped walnuts 2 large handfuls of wild rocket 1 Shape the dough Make sure the dough is at room temperature and use your fingers to gently stretch each piece of dough to a 16cm diameter. Put the disc over the tops of your hands (not palm side) and stretch it to about 25cm diameter. 2 Cook the peaches and ham Lightly oil, season and grill the peaches in a griddle pan until lines appear (about 2 mins). Remove and cut into thinner slices. Fry the pancetta until crisp, then remove.

3 Start cooking the bases Heat a griddle pan until hot (but not smoking). Put one pizza base into the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes and the dough puffs up and has light brown stripes on the base. Remove the pan from the heat and use tongs to turn the pizza over in the pan, then slide it onto a grill pan. Repeat with the second pizza base. 4 Top the pizzas Divide the cheeses between the bases. Top with the pancetta, then sprinkle over the walnuts and add the peaches. Grill the pizzas for a few minutes, until the cheese melts and the tops are golden. Scatter over the rocket to serve. BBC Easy Cook 49

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

puddings

These are easier than they look and everyone will be so impressed when you’ve made them!

For a posh version, leave out the lolly sticks, slice and serve with readymade raspberry sauce and a little fruit on the side

50 BBC Easy Cook

Fruity neapolitan lolly loaf O

Serves 8 Takes 30 minutes, plus 8 hours freezing time O 82p a portion O 379 kcals, 33g fat, 20g sat. fat a portion O Suitable for freezing O

200g peaches, nectarines or apricots (or a mixture), stoned 200g strawberries or raspberries (or a mixture), hulled 450ml double cream ½ x 397g can condensed milk 2 tsp vanilla extract orange and pink food colouring (optional) 8 wooden lolly sticks 1 Blitz the fruit mixtures Put the peaches, nectarines or apricots in a food processor and pulse until they’re chopped and juicy, but still have some texture. Scrape into a bowl. Repeat with the berries and put these into another bowl. 2 Make the layer mixtures Pour the cream, condensed milk and vanilla into a third bowl and whip until just holding soft peaks. Add about a third of this mixture to the peaches and another third to the berries, and mix each until well combined. If you want a really vibrant colour, you could add a drop of orange food colouring to the peach mixture and a drop of pink food colouring to the berry mixture. Line a 900g loaf tin or terrine mould with cling film (ours was 23 x 7 x 8cm), then pour in the berry mixture. Freeze for 2 hours and chill the remaining mixtures in the fridge. 3 Make the berry layer Once the bottom layer is frozen, remove the vanilla mixture from the fridge and pour it over the berry layer. The bottom layer should now be firm enough to support your lolly sticks, so insert these, evenly spaced, along the length of the loaf tin, pushing down gently until they stand up straight. Freeze for another 2 hours.

Strawberry panna cotta O

Serves 6 O Takes 35 minutes, plus chilling time O 89p a portion O 477 kcals, 37g fat, 23g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing FOR THE PANNA COTTA

3 gelatine leaves 450ml double cream 200ml whole milk 100g white caster sugar 1 vanilla pod

stand for 20-30 mins until cooled – the vanilla pods should be suspended in the liquid by this point. Strain the mixture through a sieve into 6 serving glasses, then chill for at least 3 hours. 2 Make the strawberry sauce Toss the strawberries with the cornflour and sugar in a pan. Cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until the released juices thicken and the strawberries soften. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, top the set panna cottas with the strawberry mixture. Chill until ready to serve.

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES

4 Add the last layer Once the vanilla layer is frozen, pour the peach mixture on top, easing it around the lolly sticks. Return to the freezer for 4 hours more, until completely frozen. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Use the cling film to help you remove the loaf from the tin. Take to the table on a board and slice off individual lollies for your guests.

theeasyway This will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks if it’s not all eaten immediately

400g strawberries, hulled and halved, or quartered if very large 1½ tsp cornflour 50g white caster sugar 1 Make the panna cotta Put the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water to soften (about 5 mins). Meanwhile, pour the cream, milk and sugar into a pan. Split the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and add, together with the pod, to the cream mixture. Heat gently until hot, but not bubbling. Remove the gelatine leaves from the water, squeeze out any excess liquid then add, one at a time, to the hot cream. Stir until dissolved. Leave to

Serve this with... Salted almond snaps Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Melt 50g butter, 75g soft brown sugar and a good pinch sea salt in a pan until bubbling (but not too dark). Add 1½ tbsp plain flour and 100g toasted flaked almonds, stir until coated. Space 6 mounds on the tray. Gently press with a spoon to flatten & sprinkle with a little extra salt. Bake for 10 mins. Cool before serving. Makes 6. BBC Easy Cook 51

Summer

bakes These delicious bakes are easy to make – and lovely for a treat or afternoon tea

Lemon poppyseed cake O

Serves 12 O Takes15 mins, plus 45 mins in the oven O 42p a slice O 314 kcals, 14g fat, 8g sat. fat a slice O Not suitable for freezing 175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 175g golden caster sugar 200g self-raising flour 4 lemon (finely grated rind of 4 for the cake, and juice of 2 for the icing) 52 BBC Easy Cook

3 eggs 2 tbsp poppy seeds 125g pot natural yogurt 1 Make the cake Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cmsquare cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until combined. Spoon into the tin and smooth over the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out, peel off the parchment and leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing: sift 200g icing sugar into a bowl. Beat in 3 tbsp lemon juice. Pour over the cake and leave to set

GET BAKING White chocolate and cardamom tart O

Serves 6 Takes 30 minutes, plus 1 hour in the oven, 2 hours infusing and chilling time O 59p a slice O 585 kcals, 15g fat, 5g sat. fat a slice O Not suitable for freezing O

15 cardamom pods 300ml pot double cream, plus a drizzle extra from a 150ml pot (use the rest to serve on the side) 375g block sweet shortcrust pastry 200g white chocolate 1 large egg, at room temperature 3 tbsp golden caster sugar 1 Infuse the cream Crack the cardamom pods open by squashing them gently using a pestle and

mortar. Put 300ml cream and the cracked pods in a pan, bubble gently for 1-2 mins, then set aside to infuse for at least 2 hours. 2 Make the pastry case Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use to line a 23cm loosebottomed, fluted tart tin. Trim the excess (leave 2cm overhanging). Chill for 30 mins. 3 Blind-bake the pastry Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6 and put a baking sheet on the middle shelf. Line the tart case with foil and fill with baking beans. Put on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and beans. Return the case to the oven and cook for 10 minutes more until golden around the edges. Remove from the

oven and, while the pastry is still warm, slice off the excess pastry. Set aside. 4 Make the filling and bake the tart Reduce oven to fan 120C/conventional 140C/gas 1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put in a large bowl. Whisk the egg and sugar in another bowl. Measure the cardamom-infused cream and top back up to 300ml with a splash of extra cream. Pour back into the pan and heat on the hob until just steaming (but not boiling), then strain onto the chopped chocolate, discarding the cardamom pods. Leave to stand for a few mins, then stir until smooth. Add the warm chocolate cream to the egg, whisking, until combined. Pour into the tart case, then bake for 30 minutes until just set. Remove and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

theeasyway To serve, sprinkle 2 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries (available from Waitrose and Sainsbury’s) and decorate with fresh raspberries BBC Easy Cook 53

Pack up a

pıcnıc

Nothing beats a homemade picnic! Impress everyone by rustling up these recipes to enjoy al fresco in the garden or on a day out

Pork, apricot and pistachio pie O Makes

6 35 mins, plus 45 mins in the oven O 66p each O 567 kcals, 38g fat, 10g sat. fat each O Not suitable for freezing O Takes

500g pack of puff pastry plain flour, for dusting 200g pork mince 50g dried apricots, roughly chopped 25g pistachios, roughly chopped ¼ tsp fennel seeds a good pinch of ground mace or nutmeg a small bunch parsley, chopped 1 egg, beaten (to glaze) 1 Make the pastry cases Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Line 6 holes of a muffin tin with strips of baking parchment (these will help you to lift out the pies once cooked). Set aside a quarter of the pastry and roll out the remaining pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a 20p coin. Cut out 6 x 8cm circles and use them to line the muffin tin holes, leaving a little overhanging. 2 Make the filling Put the pork in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients (except the egg), and season. Stir well, then pack the filling firmly into the cases. 3 Add the lids Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness. Cut into 0.5cm strips and create a lattice pattern on top of the pies. Trim off any excess. Brush the inside edge of each pie with egg, then roll up the overhanging pastry to stick the layers together. 4 Bake Brush the top of the pies with egg and bake for 45 minutes, until golden. Best served cold. 54 BBC Easy Cook

theeasyway You can make the pies up to the end of step 3, cover with cling film and chill for up to 2 days. Serve with pickle

GET BAKING Tear-and-share rolls O Serves

12 25 minutes, plus 50 minutes in the oven, and rising and proving O 34p each O 226 kcals, 12g fat, 3g sat. fat each O Not suitable for freezing O Takes

500g pack bread mix (we used ciabatta) 145g tub of fresh pesto oil, for greasing 100g cooked artichokes in olive oil, drained and chopped (reserve a little of the oil) 3 roasted peppers (from a jar), drained and chopped 250g ball mozzarella, chopped a handful of basil, torn 1 Mix the dough and leave to rise Make up the bread dough according to pack instructions, adding 1 tbsp of pesto instead of the oil suggested on the pack. Leave the dough to rise until doubled in size. 2 Make the filling Brush a 23cm springform tin with oil. Reserve 2 tbsp pesto and 1 tbsp chopped peppers, then mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl to make the filling. 3 Shape and bake the rolls Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, form into balls with your hands, then roll out each ball with a rolling pin to form 12 discs. Divide the filling between the discs, then shape back into balls by pinching the edges together and rolling between your hands to smooth. Put the dough balls, seam-side down, in the tin. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to prove until doubled in size. Turn oven to fan 160C/ conventional 180C/gas 4. Remove the cling film. Brush the rolls with the reserved pesto and scatter over the reserved peppers. Bake for 50 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Serve with chutney and potted stilton Rye crackers O Makes

24 O Takes 20 minutes, plus 1 hour 30 minutes in the oven O 8p each O 81 kcals, 3g fat, 0g sat. fat each O Not suitable for freezing 200g rye flour 200g wholemeal flour 100g pumpkin seeds ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp golden caster sugar 1 large egg 1 Mix the dough Turn oven to fan 120C/conventional 140C/ gas 1. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat the egg with 250ml water, then pour into the dry mixture. Combine with a wooden spoon, then transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead to a smooth, firm dough.

2 Make and bake the crackers Roll the dough out very thinly and cut into 7cm squares. Transfer to the trays. Bake for 45 mins, then remove the trays from the oven. Flip each cracker over on the tray and return to the oven, swapping over the shelves, for 45 mins. Once cooked, remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in a sealed container for 2 weeks.

To make Potted stilton Put 200g stilton, rind removed and crumbled, 100g butter, chopped, and 2 tsp dry sherry in a bowl. Season with black pepper, then mash until smooth. Spoon into a large, sterilised ramekin or ceramic pot. Melt 100g butter in a pan. Spoon over the cheese mixture, to completely seal. Top with a few green peppercorns and chill. Will keep for up to 2 weeks, chilled. BBC Easy Cook 55

on ice

These bakes are seriously cool customers – perfect as a sweet treat after Sunday lunch

So naughty – but so nice!

Peach and red berry ice cream cake O

Serves 12 Takes 45 minutes, plus 55 minutes in the oven and 4 hours freezing time O £1.04 a slice O 541 kcals, 37g fat, 23g sat. fat a slice O Suitable for freezing O

FOR THE CAKE

75g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 175g golden caster sugar 175g self-raising flour 3 medium eggs 100g soured cream (from a 300g pot, use the rest in the ice cream layer, below) 1 tsp vanilla extract

300ml pot double cream 250g tub mascarpone 200g soured cream (see left) 3 peaches, stoned and chopped 1 Bake the cake Turn oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, flour, eggs, soured cream, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt into a bowl and mix until smooth with an electric hand whisk. Scrape into the tin and bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE ICE CREAM LAYER

200g raspberries, plus extra to serve 100g redcurrants, plus extra to serve 100g icing sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra 56 BBC Easy Cook

redcurrants and 2 tbsp of the icing sugar aside. Pour the double cream, icing sugar and mascarpone into another bowl and its shape. Fold through the soured cream,

3 Assemble the cake into the cake tin, so it becomes the base.

and put in the freezer. Freeze for 4 hours. 2 Make the iced layer Clean the cake tin and line with a double layer of cling film. Tip half the raspberries, half the

with the extra berries, and slice to serve.

GET BAKING Iced choca-mocha terrine O

Double choc and pistachio ice cream sandwiches

O

O

Serves 8 Takes 30 minutes, plus freezing time O 75p a portion O 470 kcals, 33g fat, 19g sat. fat a portion O Suitable for freezing sunflower oil, for greasing 1 tbsp instant coffee 150g golden caster sugar 4 tbsp coffee liqueur (optional) 200ml double cream 250g mascarpone 15 chocolate mini rolls (12 halved down the middle, 3 left whole) cocoa powder, for dusting 1 Make the syrup Grease a 900g loaf tin with oil and line with a double layer of cling film. Put the coffee, sugar and 125ml water in a pan, and bring to the boil. When the sugar has dissolved, remove, add the coffee liqueur and set aside to cool. 2 Make the terrine Whisk the cream until it holds its shape. Fold through the mascarpone, and the coffee syrup. To assemble, press half the halved mini rolls into the tin, cut-side down. Tip on half the cream, then line the whole mini rolls down the middle. Top with the rest of the coffee cream and press the other half of the cut mini rolls into the cream, cut-side up. Wrap with cling film and press down gently to push the top layer of rolls into the cream, then freeze. Remove from the freezer and put in the fridge

Makes 8 Takes 45 mins, plus 17 mins in the oven and freezing and cooling time O £1.31 a sandwich O 970 kcals, 58g fat, 30g sat. fat a sandwich O Suitable for freezing O

100g bar white chocolate, chopped 100g pistachios FOR THE PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

100g pistachios 200g golden caster sugar 2 medium eggs, plus 2 yolks 400ml whole milk 300ml pot double cream 1 tsp vanilla extract or pistachio extract (optional) FOR THE COOKIES

175g salted butter, softened 200g light muscovado sugar 100g golden caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 large egg 200g plain flour 50g cocoa powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 100g dark chocolate, chopped

You can bake the cookies a day ahead – just cover them with cling film overnight

1 Make the ice cream Whizz the pistachios and sugar in a food processor until finely chopped but with a little texture. Add the eggs and milk, and briefly blend again. Pour the mixture into a pan and cook over a low-medium heat, stirring continuously until thickened, taking care not to scramble the custard. Pour the custard into a bowl and stand it in a sink of ice-cold water to cool, stirring every now and then. Meanwhile, softly whip the cream and extract, if using, then stir the pistachio custard through the cream. Scrape into an ice cream machine and churn until icy, then scrape into a 20 x 30cm container, smooth the surface and put in the freezer for 2 hours until frozen. 2 Make the chocolate cookies Turn oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/ gas 5. Line 2 large baking trays with baking

baking trays, leaving space between each as they will spread when baked. (Do this in batches if necessary.) Bake for 15-17 minutes, swapping the trays over halfway through – the cookies should still be quite soft when cooked. Leave to cool on the trays.

3 Assemble Line 2 large baking trays with baking parchment. Put the white chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of barely simmering water and leave to melt, stirring now and then (or melt in 20-second blasts in the microwave). Remove the ice cream from the freezer and cut out 8 x 7cm circular pieces using a cookie cutter (a little smaller than the cookies). Ease out with a knife and sandwich each between 2 cookies. Working quickly, drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Freeze for 30 minutes to firm up before serving. Will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. BBC Easy Cook 57

GET BAKING

For the biscuit tin These quick-to-make, energy-packed oat bars are an ideal snack – perfect if you’ve a long car journey to your holiday destination Oat and cranberry bars Makes 12 O Takes 10 mins, plus 25 mins in the oven and cooling time O 23p each bar O 216 kcals, 10g fat, 5g sat. fat each bar O Not suitable for freezing

100g dried cranberries 100g butter, melted 1 tbsp golden syrup 1 large egg, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract 3 tbsp flaked almonds icing sugar, for dusting

100g self-raising flour 100g porridge oats 100g light muscovado sugar

1 Make the batter Turn oven to 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Line the base of a 20cm square tin with

O

58 BBC Easy Cook

baking parchment. In a bowl, mix together the flour, oats, sugar and cranberries. Make a well in the centre and add the butter, golden syrup, egg and vanilla. Stir well. 2 Bake Tip into the tin and spread out evenly. Sprinkle with almonds and bake for 20-25 mins. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then dust with icing sugar. Cut into 6 one way and 2 the other to make 12 bars.

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cooks

60 BBC Easy Cook

ideas from your favourite BBC stars

TV COOKS

The Great British Bake Off’s

Frances Quinn

‘A victoria jam sandwich and jammie dodgers are two of the nation’s favourite teatime treats (and mine!), so I thought I’d combine them in this striking bake’

Frances is a previous winner of The Great British Bake Off

Giant strawberry shortbread O

Serves 16 Takes 50 minutes, plus 1 hour in the oven and chilling time O 38p a portion O 698 kcals, 37g fat, 23g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

FOR THE SHORTBREAD

400g slightly salted butter, softened 200g golden caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 600g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting FOR THE CAKE

140g slightly salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 140g golden caster sugar 3 medium eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 140g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

140g slightly salted butter, softened 300g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 1 tbsp vanilla extract FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING

300g strawberry jam ¼ tsp golden linseeds icing sugar, for dusting 1 Make the shortbread dough Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Add the flour in two or three goes, and stir until the mixture starts to form a dough. Use your hands to bring it together and shape into a ball. Cut off 100g of the dough, wrap in cling film and chill until ready to make the strawberry stalk and leaves. Weigh the remaining dough and divide into 2 equal pieces, then wrap and chill.

2 Prepare the shortbread top Using your hands and the back of a metal spoon, press one of the equal-sized pieces of dough into the base of a 23cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin (wrap the other piece of dough in cling film and chill until needed). Smooth the surface with the back of the spoon to create an even layer, then chill for 15 mins. 3 Bake the shortbread top Prick the base of the shortbread all over with a fork, put on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm. Remove from the oven and, while the shortbread is still hot, press a 9-10cm heartshaped cutter into the centre, but don’t remove (this will become the strawberry-shaped decoration later). Cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the shortbread from the tart tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool. 4 Make and bake the shortbread base Wash the tin and repeat steps 2 and 3 with the second piece of dough to make the shortbread base, but don’t cut out the heart shape. (If you have 2 tart tins you can make both the top and base at the same time.) 5 Bake the cake centre Grease the base and sides of a 22cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla a little at a time, beating well after each addition, then fold in the flour. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6 Cut out the decoration Roll out the 100g piece of reserved dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a leaf cutter or knife, cut out 4-5 leaves, then cut out a 4cm-long stalk. Lift onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and chill for 15 minutes, then bake for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 7 Make the buttercream Beat the butter in a bowl until soft and pale. Sift over half the icing sugar and beat in. Sift over the remaining icing sugar, add the vanilla, then beat until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a disposable piping bag fitted with a wide round nozzle, or snip off the end of the bag. 8 Start assembling the shortcake Put the shortbread base (without the heart cut-out) on a plate, pricked-side up. Starting in the centre, pipe on the buttercream in a spiral, working your way towards the edge (or spoon it on evenly). Lay the cake on top of the buttercream, then spoon the jam on top of the cake and carefully spread out over the surface. 9 Add the shortbread top Remove the heart from the second shortbread biscuit and set aside. Carefully flip the biscuit over so that it is pricked-side down and, using a cake paddle, slide it on top of the jam layer. Dab a little buttercream or jam on the back of the stalk and leaf biscuits, and stick to the edge of the strawberry jam heart shape. 10 Make the strawberry decoration Put individual linseeds inside the jam heart to resemble a strawberry. Dust the shortcake with icing sugar (but hold the heart biscuit over the jam and leaves so they don’t get covered).

BBC Easy Cook 61

TV COOKS

Saturday Kitchen’s

Anjum Anand

‘These are really easy to make but need time to marinate. Serve hot on a bed of sliced red onions – wilt them first in some lemon juice, salt and chilli powder’

Anjum is a guest chef on Saturday Kitchen

‘When I was young, the children would have this with houmous,’ says Anjum

62 BBC Easy Cook

Spiced grilled lamb skewers O

Makes 8 skewers Takes 30 minutes, plus marinating time O £1.62 a skewer O 182 kcals, 9g fat, 3g sat. fat a skewer O Not suitable for freezing O

900g boned leg of lamb, cut into 2cm cubes FOR THE MARINADE

85g plain yogurt 25g ginger 5 fat cloves of garlic ½ tsp red chilli powder (or to taste) 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tsp red wine vinegar 1 rounded tsp garam masala 1 rounded tsp ground cumin 1 Marinate the meat Blend all the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl until smooth, and season with 1 tsp salt and some black pepper. Add the lamb, mix well, cover and put in the fridge to marinate for as long as possible (overnight is best). 2 Barbecue the skewers When you’re ready to cook, soak 8 wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes and heat a barbecue to medium-high (or heat your grill and line a baking tray with foil). Thread the lamb onto the skewers (about 4 pieces on each). Put on oiled racks on the barbecue and cook for 12-14 minutes, turning often, or until charred in places and cooked through. (If grilling the skewers, cook for 10-12 minutes.)

Punjabi-style chickpea salad

2 tbsp olive oil a pinch of sugar 1 Make the salad Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Season, add more chaat masala and lemon juice if needed. Leave for 30 minutes before serving.

O

Serves 6 Takes 10 minutes, plus 30 mins marinating O 62p a portion O 168 kcals, 7g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

Pistachio and rose water kulfi O

Serves 8 Takes 25 minutes, plus chilling and churning or 4 hours freezing O 49p a portion O 436 kcals, 21g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion O Suitable for freezing O

2 tbsp ground cumin 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed 2 large tomatoes, chopped into small dice 1 small red onion, finely chopped 2 good handfuls of kale, stalks removed then finely shredded a large handful of coriander, leaves and stalks chopped 15 mint leaves, shredded 3 tsp chaat masala, or to taste 4 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste

200g pistachios, plus extra to serve 250g golden caster sugar 2 tsp cornflour 600ml whole milk 600ml evaporated milk 4-5 tbsp rosewater

1 Make the pistachio powder Pulse the pistachios and sugar in a mixer until fine – be careful not to over-mix or the pistachios will become oily. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of the whole milk to make a smooth paste. 2 Make the ice cream mixture Pour the remaining milk and the evaporated milk into a pan and bring to the boil. Add the pistachio powder, rose water and cornflour paste, and simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon (it will continue to thicken as it cools). 3 Make the ice cream Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film so a skin doesn’t form. Cool, then chill in the fridge until cold before churning in your ice cream machine (follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Or transfer to a freezer-proof container, put in the freezer for 4 hours, or until frozen, and stir every hour to break up any ice crystals.

BBC Easy Cook 63

MasterChef’s

John Torode

‘The Asian ingredients make my deep-fried tofu surprisingly refreshing, so it works well as part of a summer menu or as a great side salad at a barbecue’ Cucumber salad Serves 4 O Ready in 10 minutes O 37p a portion O 139 kcals, 8g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing

1 Toast the seeds Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden, then crush 40g of the seeds with the sugar (using a pestle and mortar). Mix well with the soy sauce and dashi until you have a smooth dressing.

50g sesame seeds 1 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp dark soy sauce 3 tbsp dashi (see right) 1 large cucumber

2 Prepare the cucumber Halve the cucumber lengthways. Using a teaspoon, remove and discard the seeds. Cut into 6cm batons. Stir the dressing through, then sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds.

O

64 BBC Easy Cook

John is a judge on MasterChef

‘Dashi, a fish-based stock, is used in Japanese cooking for miso soup and noodle broths. You can get it in the specialist ingredient aisle of large supermarkets, or use fish stock instead,’ says John

TV COOKS Deep-fried tofu with pineapple, sweet chilli & basil O

Serves 4 Ready in 40 minutes O £1.03 a portion O 513 kcals, 15g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

will soften the flesh and release the flavours). Finely chop and mix with the garlic and palm sugar in a large pan. Cook until the sugar starts to boil. Add the pineapple and cook for 5 minutes until the pineapple softens and the sugar starts to caramelise and turn brown. Add the fish sauce and tamarind. Return to the boil, then take off the heat.

4 long red chillies 6 cloves of garlic, crushed 200g palm sugar 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 2cm cubes 50ml fish sauce 2 tbsp tamarind paste oil, for deep-frying 300g firm tofu, cut into 2½ cm cubes 50g cornflour a handful of Thai basil

2 Fry the tofu Heat 5-10cm of oil in a wok and roll the tofu in the cornflour. Fry the basil leaves to crisp a little, then transfer to kitchen paper to drain. Fry about 5-6 pieces of tofu at a time until golden brown, then leave to drain on kitchen paper. Keep the pieces warm in a low oven while you fry the rest.

1 Spice the pineapple Split the chillies down the middle and remove the seeds. Pound the halved chillies a few times with a pestle or the end of a rolling pin (this

3 Serve Warm the sauce through. Put a few cubes of tofu on each plate, pour over the sauce and sprinkle with the basil.

If you can’t find Thai basil, use Greek basil (with the tiny leaves) instead, as it has the same aniseed flavour

BBC Easy Cook 65

TV COOKS

Saturday Kitchen’s

James Martin

‘I love to cook with fish and seafood at this time of year. These dishes are light but still satisfying – and they’re perfect for eating outside when it’s warm and sunny’ Hot tea-smoked trout with new potato & rocket salad O

Serves 4 Takes 25 minutes, plus 25 minutes ‘smoking’ O £2.11 a portion O 393 kcals, 14g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

500g baby new potatoes 1 tsp dijon mustard 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 4 spring onions, sliced 10 tea bags (not herbal ones) 50g demerara sugar 50g long-grain rice 4 fresh trout (gutted and heads removed) 100g bag rocket 1 Cook the potatoes Boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water for about 15 mins. Drain well in a colander and leave to steam-dry for 5 mins. 2 To make the dressing Mix the mustard, oil and vinegar with some seasoning. Stir in the spring onions, then pour the mixture over the potatoes. Leave to cool 3 Smoke the fish Split the tea bags and pour the leaves into a bowl with the sugar and rice. Line a roasting tin with foil, tip in the mixture and cover with another piece of foil. Put the tin on the hob over a medium heat until it starts to smoke. Once you see smoke escaping, put the trout on top with a little seasoning and cover with foil, trapping the smoke inside. Lower the heat and leave to smoke for 20-22 mins until cooked. 4 Serve Add the rocket to the potato salad and stir to coat in the dressing. Serve with the trout.

66 BBC Easy Cook

‘To cook the trout on the barbecue, wait for the coals to turn ash grey, then put the tin on the grill and follow the recipe,’ says James

James is the regular presenter of Saturday Kitchen

Crab cakes with dill mayonnaise O

Serves 4 Takes 40 minutes O £1.38 a portion O 448 kcals, 27g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion O Not suitable for freezing O

250g potatoes, diced 300g white crabmeat 1 tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped 2 spring onions, finely chopped finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve a small bunch of dill, finely chopped 4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise 2 tbsp plain flour 1 egg, lightly beaten 85g dried breadcrumbs sunflower oil, for shallow frying 1 Make the mash Boil the potatoes in a large pan of salted water for about 15 minutes, drain, then return to the pan and leave to steam dry for about 5 minutes. Mash, then leave to cool. 2 Shape the cakes In a large bowl, mix the crabmeat, capers, spring onions, lemon rind and half the juice with half the dill. Stir in the mashed potato with some seasoning, then shape into 12 neat round patties. Transfer these to a plate and put in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up. 3 Make the mayonnaise To make the dill mayonnaise, mix the mayo with the remaining lemon juice and dill. Put this in the fridge for later. 4 Coat the cakes Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs on 3 separate plates. Firstly, dust the crab cakes all over with the flour, then dip each of the cakes into the beaten egg and finally coat with the breadcrumbs. 5 Fry the crab cakes Add enough sunflower oil to a shallow frying pan to come about 1cm up the side. Heat the oil, then carefully slide the crab cakes in (you might have to do this in two or three batches). Cook the crab cakes for about 3 minutes on each side until they are crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper. At this point you can put the crab cakes into the oven to keep warm – or serve right away with dill mayonnaise and extra lemon wedges.

The crab cakes can be made the day before if you want to get ahead – just chill after step 4, then continue with the recipe, left, the next day BBC Easy Cook 67

easycook

l o o h c s Cookery

fruit soufflé Jason’s strawberry soufflés OServes O82p

4 OTakes 25 minutes, plus 15 minutes in the oven and cooling time a portion O328 kcals, 7g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion ONot suitable for freezing

1

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Jason Atherton, a regular guest chef on Saturday Kitchen, shows that it’s surprisingly easy to make this posh dessert

3

Prepare the ramekins

Heat the flour and butter

Add the eggs and purée

Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4 and put a tray on the middle shelf. Grease 4 x 200ml ramekins and spoon in a little finely grated plain chocolate, tilt to coat the sides and base, then tip out any excess.

Put 100ml full-fat milk, 15g plain flour, 15g butter and 25g white caster sugar in a small pan. Gently heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture has thickened, then bring to the boil and bubble for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add 2 egg yolks and whisk for a few minutes. Transfer to a large clean bowl, then tip in 325g strawberry purée (see Jason's recipe, below right) and stir gently, until well combined.

4

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Whisk the egg whites

Add the egg whites to the mix

Bake the soufflés

Whisk 4 egg whites in a large clean bowl until they start to form peaks. Add 25g white caster sugar and ½ tsp lemon juice, and whisk back to a medium peak.

Using a large metal spoon, take a spoonful of the egg white and stir into the strawberry mixture to loosen. Add the remaining egg white and fold in very gently with a spatula, trying not to knock out the air.

Divide the mixture between the ramekins and smooth the top with a palette knife. Run your thumb around the edge of dish to help it rise evenly. Transfer to the tray and bake for 12-15 mins, until risen. Dust with icing sugar.

68 BBC Easy Cook

COOKERY SCHOOL

‘I’m known for my modern style of cooking, but I wanted to showcase some classics like these too’

Don’t open the oven door until the end of cooking time or the soufflés might collapse Make Jason’s strawberry purée STEP 1 Tip 400g strawberries, stalks removed and quartered, into a pan, then sprinkle over 75g caster sugar and 1 tbsp water. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries are soft and start to break down. Leave to cool a little.

STEP 2 Blend the strawberry mixture until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve into a bowl. Chill 75g of the purée. Tip the rest into a pan and simmer for 3-5 mins to thicken. When it's cool, mix with the purée. (This makes 400g. Use 325g in step 3, left. Serve the rest on the side, with ice cream and fresh berries.)

BBC Easy Cook 69

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 CHIVES from Lemony chicken skewers, page 8 Goat’s cheese with chives and pomegranate

PISTACHIOS from Pork, apricot and pistachio pie, page 54

Mash 150g soft, rindless goat's cheese and 250g ricotta in a bowl, then roughly spread over a large plate. Scatter with 50g pomegranate seeds and ½ small bunch of chives, snipped, then set aside. Mix 1 tbsp clear honey with 2 tsp red or white wine vinegar. Drizzle over the spread and serve with crusty bread. Serves 6.

Pistachio cupcakes Turn oven to fan 140C/ conventional 160C/gas 3 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases. Put 85g pistachios in a food processor with 80g golden caster sugar and whizz until finely chopped. Tip into a bowl with 80g more caster sugar, 140g butter, 2 eggs, 140g self-raising flour and 5 tbsp milk and beat until smooth. Divide between cases and bake for 22-25 minutes until a skewer poked in comes out clean. Cool. Mix

Cheese and chive mash with bacon Cook 1 kg floury potatoes (eg King Edward) in boiling water until tender. Drain well. Meanwhile, fry 4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped, until crisp. Mash the potatoes, then stir in 100ml milk, 100g grated cheddar, a pinch of nutmeg and a handful of chopped chives. Serves 4.

AVOCADOS from Smoky rashers, page 23 Crab-stuffed avocados Mix 100g white crabmeat, flaked, with 1 tsp dijon mustard and 2 tbsp olive oil. Season. Add a handful of basil leaves, shredded, and 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped. Halve and stone 2 avocados. Fill each cavity with the crab mixture. Serves 4. Warm stuffed avocados Heat grill to hot. Halve 2 large, ripe avocados (discard the stones). Brush each half with ½ tsp olive oil and put on a baking sheet. Grill for 4 mins. In a bowl, toss together 2½ tbsp olive oil, 1 plum tomato, deseeded and chopped, 4 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped, 50g pitted black olives, quartered, 2 spring onions, finely sliced, 1 tbsp capers, 1 tbsp each freshly squeezed orange, lemon and lime juice, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 2 tsp caster sugar and a few torn basil leaves. Divide between the avocados. Serves 4. 70 BBC Easy Cook

REDCURRANTS from Peach and red berry ice cream cake, page 56 Grilled summer berry pudding

Preheat the grill to high. Lay 3 slices of white bread, crusts removed, slightly overlapping in a shallow, flameproof dish. Sprinkle 2 tbsp golden caster sugar (from 85g) evenly over the bread and grill for 2 minutes, until toasted. Mix 2 tsp cornflour into 200g tub low-fat fromage frais. Pile 300g mixed redcurrants, blueberries and raspberries down the middle of the bread and sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar. Drop spoonfuls of the fromage frais mixture on top. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar. Grill for 6-8 minutes, until browned and bubbling. Serves 4.

SESAME OIL from Sesame chicken, page 6 Ginger and sesame sprouts Blanch 800g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved, and drain well. Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a wok and add a small piece of ginger, shredded. Sizzle for a moment, then add the sprouts and stir-fry until hot. Scatter over 4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds and drizzle with a little extra sesame oil. Season. Serves 8. Glazed sesame salmon Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. In a shallow dish, mix together 2 tbsp chilli sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp rice wine, 1 clove of garlic, crushed, and 2 tsp finely grated ginger. Lay 4 salmon fillets in the marinade, skin-side up, and set aside for 15 mins. Put the salmon on a baking tray, skin-side down, and spoon over a little of the marinade. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sesame seeds and roast for 15 minutes. Serve with steamed boiled rice and stir-fried veg. Serves 4.

250g icing sugar with enough water to make a very thick, runny icing. Stir in green food colouring and spread the icing on the cake. Top with a few chopped pistachios. Makes 12.

Roasted squash with pistachios Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Toss 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped, with 1 tbsp olive oil and season. Roast for 40 minutes, until tender and caramelised. Crush 50g pistachios, toasted, with 4 thyme sprigs, leaves only, and a pinch of salt. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and 1 tbsp olive oil. Spoon over the squash. Serves 4.

SUMAC from Layered houmous and griddled veg, page 18

Chicken with lemons, sumac and spiced yogurt Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Season the inside of 1 large chicken (about 1½ kg). In a bowl, mix 3 lemons, cut into eighths, a handful of black, pitted olives, 3 small shallots, peeled and left whole, and 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and squashed, with 1 tbsp sumac and some salt. Scrunch them all together and add 1 tbsp water. Pour the mixture into the cavity of the chicken. Mix 1 tbsp more sumac with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and rub onto the chicken, massaging it all over. Roast for 1½ hours, or until cooked through and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thick part of the leg. Mix together 1 tsp each ground coriander and cumin, ½ tsp each ground turmeric and mustard seeds, ½ tsp chilli powder, 1 long red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced, a little salt, a bunch of spring onions, sliced, and 500g natural yogurt. Carve the chicken and serve with the yogurt. Serves 4.

USING THESE FOR THE FIRST TIME? PRESERVED LEMONS used in Griddled lamb, page 7 These are whole lemons that have been preserved by being packed into jars with salt, as well as herbs and spices. They’re then covered with lemon juice or brine and left to cure (this helps intensify the flavour but reduce the sharpness). Extensively used in North African cooking, they add real depth to tagines.

AGAVE SYRUP used in Runner bean and fennel slaw, page 25

TZATZIKI used in Apple and mustard pork burgers, page 14

Also known as agave nectar, this is a naturally occurring sweetener which is similar to honey. It comes from the agave plant (which grows mainly in Mexico and South Africa). It’s a great substitute for honey or golden syrup and has a lower Glycaemic Index than sugar. Use in cakes and biscuits, or as a topping for pancakes, ice cream or porridge. Available in most supermarkets.

This wonderful, thick, Greek sauce is sold in tubs and is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats. It’s lovely as a dip too. It’s made from strained sheep or goat’s milk yogurt and usually mixed with cucumber, garlic, salt, olive oil, lemon juice and dill. Top with a pinch of paprika, to serve. BBC Easy Cook 71

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EXTRAS

Sarah Sysum’s monthly round-up of the best new products and ideas This non-alcoholic punch is packed with strawberries, hints of peach and tangy white grapes. It works well with anything you’d normally have a medium rosé with, but is lovely with roast chicken. Shloer Strawberry Punch, 75cl, £2.25, Tesco

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Summer drinks This is less fizzy than other ciders on the market (it’s labelled as ‘still’ but has a gentle sparkle). With dry, crisp apple flavours, it’s lovely with barbecued pulled pork. Waitrose Herefordshire Still Cider, 500ml, £2.29

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Best burger!

Shredded tender pork flavoured with a little apple and lots of well balanced seasoning, what’s not to like? The burgers are juicy, not greasy and generously sized. Very tasty! M&S Pulled Pork ’N’ Apple Burgers, pack of 2, £5

Peach and pear notes sing out in this wonderful sparkling wine – pour it as an apéritif in the garden on a sunny day, or serve it with an alfresco smoked salmon starter. It’s lovely just on its own too! Finest Prosecco, £8.99, Tesco

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This ready-made cocktail is full of fresh green flavours and isn’t too sweet. It’s a perfect match with strawberries & cream. M&S Cool Cucumber Martini, 50cl, £12.50

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Nothing helps a summer celebration go with a swing more than something pink and fizzy, and this cava is bursting with the taste of strawberries and fresh citrus fruit. Codorniu Brut NV Rosada, £9.99, Co-Op

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Cookbook of the month Q

Secrets From My Indian Family Kitchen by Anjali Pathak

Published by Mitchell Beazley, £20 72 BBC Easy Cook

Great with a picnic or a light summer lunch, this lovely Italian prosecco is packed with fruity apricot and refreshing citrus flavours. Taste The Difference Conegliano Prosecco, £10

Anjali, who is the granddaughter of the founding members of the Patak’s curry paste company, shares the recipes she cooks at home, from barbecue food (we love her herby lamb kebabs) to gorgeous bakes (such as coconut & ginger cheesecake). Lots of the recipes have surprisingly few ingredients, but all are really easy to prepare and have loads of flavour. We also like that Anjali explains which spices she cooks with every day, and how she uses them in sweet recipes too.

TAKEAWAY TREATS at home

Peshwari Naan, pack of 2, £2.19, Waitrose These are as good as any we’ve had from an Indian restaurant. They’re nice and thin so not too doughy and are stuffed full of coconut and almonds. They make great wraps too, filled with chicken tikka. Crosta & Mollica Pizza Crust with Tomato Sauce, £1.99, ocado.com This is a fresh pizza base with tomato sauce already on it – just add your topping and in 8 minutes you have pizza to go! The base crisps up really well and the sauce is very tasty. Stuffed Cheesy Nachos, pack of 4, £2.25, Sainsbury’s We’re addicted to these! These are essentially Mexican samosas – filo pastries filled with cheese and jalapeno chillies. Great as a TV snack. Beer Battered Cod & Scraps, £4.50, Marks and Spencer Tasty fish and it comes with batter scraps!

CONVERSION CHART WEIGHT

theeasyway Scoop ice cream like a pro

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Properly scooped ice cream looks very professional – here’s how to get the effect: 1 Leave the ice cream tub at room temperature for 8-10 mins to soften slightly. 2 Fill a jug with hot water and dip in your scoop. Let it heat up for a moment, then dry with kitchen paper. 3 Quickly and firmly roll the hot scoop through the ice cream in a few short strokes, creating tightly curled ribbons. 4 Put the scoop on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Working quickly, repeat until you have all the scoops you need. Put, uncovered, in the freezer for at least 3 hours, or up to a day in advance.

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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

theeasyway Our favourite ice cream scoop is popular with chefs and works really well. Zeroll Aluminium Ice Cream Scoop, £15.72, www.pubshop.co.uk

Our favourite... Colanders OXO Good Grips Plastic Colander, £8.99, www.iwantoneofthose.com This is a roomy 24cm which means you can drain around 1.2kg of potatoes. It has ‘elongated holes’ (slits, to you and me!) which ‘catches’ everything so you are not left with any stray stuck rice grains. Chef’n PrepStation™ Cutting Board, £43.99, www.drinkstuff.com This clever board allows you to chop, rinse and set aside your veg in one handy area. It’s easy to store too.

1in

5.5cm

2½in

10cm

4in

20cm

Thomasina Miers tips for Mexican cooking Q Char your salsas The secret to a good salsa is to dry-roast the tomatoes, chillies and onion to get maximum flavour. No fat is needed so you can ladle on the flavour. Q Add a touch of fire Chillies are known for their ability to get the digestive system going, so if you’re really determined to fit into a bikini that’s too small, up the chilli quota. Q Sweeten with agave syrup It has a low GI, and is from the agave plant, grown in Mexico. Use it for sweetening your coffees, puddings and fruit instead of sugar.

2.5cm

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 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

Thomasina Miers is a former winner of MasterChef

°F

°C (conventional oven)

275F

140C

300F

150C

325F

170C

350F

180C

375F

190C

400F

200C

425F

220C

450F

230C

475F

240C

BBC Easy Cook 73

TASTY IDEAS

Recipe index

ISSUE 83 JULY/AUGUST 2015

MEAT & POULTRY

Grilled lamb & wild rice

NEXT GREAT BAKES

Apple and mustard pork burgers ...................... 14 Bacon, tomato and broccoli pasta.................... 11 Blue cheese and pancetta pizzas with grilled peaches ........................................................ 49 Chicken souvlaki................................................. 9 Chicken tikka burgers ....................................... 44 Chicken with lemons, sumac & spiced yogurt... 71 Chorizo pizza with peppers and manchego ...... 38 Griddled lamb with spiced potatoes ................... 7 Herbed chicken, peach and feta salad .............. 48 Korean pork...................................................... 47 Lemon chicken skewers...................................... 8 Lemon roast chicken with charred broccoli ...... 32 Low-cal breakfast.............................................. 23 Marinated grilled lamb cutlets.......................... 33 Merguez beanpot.............................................. 41 Pork, apricot and pistachio pie ......................... 54 Red citrus chicken ............................................ 42 Sausage and prawn jambalaya ......................... 31 Sesame chicken ................................................. 6 Smoky rashers and tomatoes on toast ............. 23 Spanish sausage and spud skewers.................. 43 Spiced grilled lamb skewers ............................. 63 Spinach omelette chapati wraps....................... 10

FISH & SEAFOOD

Crab cakes with dill mayonnaise....................... 67 Crab-stuffed avocados ...................................... 70 Deep-fried tofu, pineapple, sweet chilli & basil.. 65 Glazed sesame salmon..................................... 71 Hot tea-smoked trout with new potato & rocket salad .................................................. 66 Korean-style pancakes...................................... 12 Lemon, fennel and prawn pizza ........................ 39 Smoked mackerel and harissa potato salad ..... 16 Prawn and lime noodles ................................... 13 Prawn cocktail salad......................................... 44 Tuna, fennel and bean salad ............................. 19

VEGETARIAN

Apricot and raisin cookies

FAMILY MEALS

Asparagus salad with a runny poached egg ...... 19 Frying pan pizza ............................................... 40 Goat's cheese, chives and pomegranate ........... 70 Layered houmous and griddled veg.................. 18 Pesto pizza with aubergine and goat's cheese .. 37 Roasted squash with pistachios........................ 71 Smoky mushroom burgers ............................... 41 Warm stuffed avocados .................................... 70

SIDES & EXTRAS

Sesame chilli chicken PLUS lots more brilliant ideas

September issue

ON SALE £O.NLY 29th July 50 Don’t miss out, subscribe today – see page 26 for more details 74 BBC Easy Cook

Apple coleslaw.................................................... 8 Cheese and chive mash with bacon .................. 70 Chilli-butter BBQ corn ...................................... 40 Coleslaw with tahini yogurt dressing................. 25 Creamed corn .................................................. 33 Cucumber salad ............................................... 64 Dried pineappe rings ........................................ 29 Ginger and sesame sprouts.............................. 71 Homemade lime pop........................................ 34 Homemade tomato chutney ............................. 44 Iceberg with yogurt dressing ............................ 46 Jazzed-up breadsticks ...................................... 19 Middle Eastern carrot salad ............................. 43 Oriental coleslaw .............................................. 25 Potted stilton.................................................... 55 Punjabi-style chickpea salad............................. 63 Quick braised lettuce and peas......................... 46 Rainbow fruit skewers....................................... 20

Ice cream desserts There’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned ice cream sundae and we’ve 4 brilliant ideas, including this choc, raspberry & popcorn combo! See page 28 Raspberry cordial ............................................. 34 Runner bean and fennel slaw............................ 25 Stripy houmous salad jars................................ 20 Sweet potato mash........................................... 32

DESSERTS

Boozy pineapple & coconut sundae................. 29 Breakfast knickerbocker glory sundae .............. 29 Crunchy peanut banoffee sundae ..................... 28 Fruity neapolitan lollly loaf ............................... 51 Grilled summer berry pudding ......................... 71 Instant vanilla ice cream................................... 21 Jason's strawberry purée.................................. 69 Jason's strawberry soufflés............................... 68 Lemon and whisky crème caramels.................... 3 Peach melba smoothie ..................................... 49 Pistachio and rose water kulfi........................... 63 Strawberry panna cotta .................................... 51 Whizz-choco-pop super sundae ........................ 28

CAKES & BAKES

Basic pizza dough ............................................ 36 Double choc & pistachio ice cream sandwiches... 57 Giant strawberry shortbread............................. 61 Iced choca-mocha terrine ................................. 57 Lemon poppyseed cake .................................... 52 Oat and cranberry bars .................................... 58 Peach and red berry ice cream cake................. 56 Pistachio cupcakes........................................... 70 Rye crackers..................................................... 55 Salted almond snaps........................................ 51 Tear-and-share rolls .......................................... 55 White chocolate and cardamom tart................. 53

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