BBC Easy Cook 2015-84

easycook ONLY

£1.99

U K ’s

Raymond Blanc’s sea bass masterclass

Quick &simple

ine

b

es z t-v alue f d maga oo

from

ISSUE 84 SEPTEMBER 2015

summer treats

De an Edwards' n Le an & me a

Tex-Merxs burge

★Posh picnic for 2 ★Home-cooked street food ★Raspberry ripple pie

Healthy READY IN 10 packed lunches for school & work

Straight to the table! One-pan showstoppers

99 delicious everyday recipes CINNAMON CREPES

LAMB CHOPS WITH RICE SALAD

CREAMY BARLEY & SQUASH RISOTTO

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

NEW BAGEL SANDWICH THINS.

PERFECT FOR A LIGHTER LUNCH.

A TASTE OF NEW YORK

easycook

BBQ beef short ribs, p46

Shawarma chicken kebabs, p62

...

This month’s issue is brim-full of ideas for making the most of the warm weather and the last few weeks of summer. Friends coming over for lunch? They’ll be amazed (and delighted...) when you bring out our frozen raspberry honeycomb pie (p52). Or if you’re getting out the barbecue for the family, try MasterChef ’s Dean Edwards’ stunning Lean & Mean Tex-Mex burgers and shawarma chicken kebabs (p62). Join the craze for street food by making some of your own with recipes for BBQ beef short ribs (p46), onion & butternut bhaji wraps, and Yakitori corn pops (p47). We all know that a good breakfast is important, but sometimes there never seems to be the time. So check out our super-speedy ideas for a satisfying start to the day (p18), as well as healthy packed lunches to enjoy at work or at home (p22). Looking ahead to the start of the new term, after the holidays, we've also got some useful dishes for students to cook when they start their course, including a lovely vegetarian katsu curry (p48). We hope you enjoy! Until next time….

Don't miss out, subscribe & save today!

Fabulous frozen raspberry honeycomb pie, p52

see page 26

www.facebook.com

Easy Cook Magazine

from What’s so good about our recipes is that they’ve all been tested in the Test Kitchen of our sister title, BBC Good Food magazine – so you can be sure 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 with as little fuss as possible. When we’re planning what to include in each issue, there are three key words we always bear in mind:

1 EASY You will never need complicated techniques or special equipment to make our recipes. We always keep our preparation times down to a minimum. Many of our recipes can be on the table in half an hour or less but some take a little longer to cook – leaving you time to relax until they’re ready to serve.

2 VALUE To help you keep your shopping bill down, we make the most of good-value,

www.twitter.com

@EasyCookMag

seasonal produce. We strive to keep the number of ingredients in a recipe to a minimum, and we show you how to use up leftovers.

3 LEARN A little know-how goes a long way to making cooking even more of a pleasure, so 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 new skills to help you.

BBC Easy Cook

3

easycook Contents

ISSUE 84 SEPTEMBER 2015

www.facebook.com

Easy Cook Magazine

Flaked salmon with honey dressing

www.twitter.com

@EasyCookMag

22

How you can contact us BY PHONE Subscription enquiries and back issues

0844 848 1604 General enquiries

020 7150 5120 BY EMAIL Subscription enquiries and back issues [email protected]

General enquiries [email protected]

BY POST Subscription enquiries and back issues BBC Easy Cook, Building 800, Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8GU

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

EDITORIAL

EDITOR KEITH KENDRICK Assistant Editor Sarah Sysum Art Editor Gareth Glynne Jones Chief Sub-Editor Barbara Baker with thanks to Jill Tipping PUBLISHING

Group Publishing Director Alfie Lewis Publishing Director Simon Carrington ADVERTISING

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

Senior Marketing Executive Chris Pearce Reader Offer Manager Liza Evans Subscriptions Marketing Manager Lynn Swarbrick PRODUCTION & AD SERVICES

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

Director of International Licensing & Syndication Tim Hudson MANAGEMENT Chairman Stephen Alexander CEO Tom Bureau BBC WORLDWIDE, UK PUBLISHING

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

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

4

BBC Easy Cook

Everyday easy 6 30 MINUTES OR LESS... Quick, tasty and delicious weeknight meals 18 CELEBRATE BREAKFAST Raise a toast to these healthy satisfying starts 22 TASTY PACKED LUNCHES Perfect for the kids – and grown-ups too! 24 10-MINUTE PUD Super-speedy brandy snap millefeuille

Weekend winners 30 HAVE A POSH PICNIC Enjoy the late summer sunshine with these ideas for an extravagant hamper 34 SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS Share the love with piperade and griddled lamb 36 MAKE THE MOST OF... CHICKEN THIGHS At less than £1.50 a portion, these dishes are cheaper than a takeaway 38 COOK WITH COURGETTES Got a glut? Clever ideas to use ’em up!

42 STRAIGHT TO THE TABLE One-dish wonders to impress your guests 44 SIMPLY DIVINE! A tempting trife and fab cheesecake 46 STREET FOOD Join the craze everybody’s talking about 48 STUDENT SPECIAL They won’t starve with these recipes (but explain how the cooker works frst!)

Get baking 52 SUMMER BAKES Our frozen raspberry honeycomb pie will melt your heart! 54 BRILLIANT BAKES Savoury scones, and an excellent beetroot and shallot tatin – on the table in 40 minutes 56 BISCUIT TIN Oaty cookies for a treat or lunchbox

WHAT’S INSIDE

36

Chinese chicken traybake

38

Easy offer Courgette tortilla with houmous, peppers & olives

33 TOP-QUALITY STEAKS & BANGERS Don’t miss this special price

TV cooks

Also in this issue

61 JAMES MARTIN Don’t fancy a Sunday roast? Brunch it, instead! 62 DEAN EDWARDS Spicy chicken kebabs and Tex-Mex burgers 64 FRANCES QUINN Delicious apple crumble cakes to bake 66 THEO RANDALL Go Italiano with Theo’s tasty Tuscan soup

26 SUBSCRIBE! BBC Easy Cook direct to your door 29 HAVE YOU TRIED... cooking with barley? 59 HONEY 7 sweet ideas 67 COOKERY SCHOOL Raymond Blanc’s sea bass masterclass 70 LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS… … and how to use them up 72 EASY EXTRAS Two pages of ideas, tips & more 74 INDEX Find all the recipes here

64

Apple crumble cupcakes

59

44

Raspberry & ginger trifle

Cook our cover recipe

Dean’s Lean & Mean Tex-Mex Burgers, p63

Sweet and healthy recipes

BBC Easy Cook

5

10 quick

weeknight meals Deliciously tasty recipes you can have on the table in half an hour or less Scandi-style sausage hash

l

Serves 1 (easily multiplied) Ready in 30 minutes l £2.05 a portion l 829 kcals, 51g fat, 14g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

2 pork sausages 200g potatoes, diced (skins on) 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 small apple, cored and chopped 1 egg a handful of rocket, to serve 1 Boil the sausage and potatoes Boil a pan of water. Add the sausages and cook for 5 minutes, then add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes more. Drain well, then slice the sausages. 2 Make the hash Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small frying pan and fry the onion and apple until softened. Add 6

BBC Easy Cook

30

mins

the sliced sausages, potatoes and seasoning, then increase the heat and fry until golden and crispy, mashing the potatoes a little as you fry. If your pan is ovenproof, crack the egg on top and grill for a few minutes until cooked to your liking. If not, fry the egg in a second pan. Scatter with the rocket and serve with Pickled Beetroot (see recipe, right), if you like.

Serve with Pickled beetroot Mix together 2 cooked beetroot, grated, 1 tbsp honey & mustard dressing and 1 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar and serve with the sausage hash (see left).

EVERYDAY EASY Sweet sesame chilli chicken l

Serves 4 Ready in 20 minutes l £2.63 a portion l 277 kcals, 10g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing (without noodles or rice) l

2 tbsp sunfower oil 1 large onion, halved and sliced 3 cloves of garlic, fnely chopped 5cm piece ginger, peeled and fnely chopped 4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 300g pak choi, trimmed, leaves separated and larger leaves halved 2 tbsp sesame seeds 2 tsp cornfour 1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 tbsp lemon juice

1 Stir fry the onion and chicken Heat the oil in a wok or large pan. Add the onion and stir-fry for 5 minutes, until turning golden. Add the garlic, ginger, chicken, pak choi and sesame seeds and stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. 2 Make the lemon sauce Meanwhile, mix the cornfour with the soy sauce, chilli sauce and lemon juice. Add to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute more.

20

mins

Serve with extra soy sauce and egg noodles or rice, if you like BBC Easy Cook

7

Smoked haddock & chorizo salad l

Serves 4 Ready in 20 minutes l £2.26 a portion l 350 kcals, 17g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

140g crusty white bread, cut into 2cm cubes 2 tbsp olive oil 140g bag watercress, spinach & rocket salad 175g cooking chorizo, sliced 350g smoked haddock fllet, cut into 2½ cm pieces juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp dijon mustard 1 Make the croutons Toss the bread in 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Heat a large frying pan and fry the bread for 5-10 minutes until crisp and golden, then set aside on kitchen paper. 2 Cook the fsh Meanwhile, put the salad in a serving bowl. Wipe out the frying pan and pour in the

8

BBC Easy Cook

remaining oil. Add the chorizo slices and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the haddock to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning over carefully halfway through. When cooked, the haddock will be opaque and the chorizo should be beginning to turn crisp around the edges.

20

mins

3 Finish making the salad Use a slotted spoon to remove the haddock and chorizo from the pan, and add to the salad with the bread cubes. Return the pan to the heat and add the lemon juice and mustard. Stir and heat through for 30 seconds, then drizzle over the salad. Serve immediately.

EVERYDAY EASY Lighter nachos l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £1.88 a portion l 462 kcals, 27g fat, 9g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

mix in enough water to make a rough mash (about 2 tbsp). Season. Set aside. 4 Make the salsa Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice and oil. Season and set aside

l

5 soft corn tortillas 1½ tsp rapeseed oil 1 jalapeño chilli, deseeded and cut into thin strips 100g mozzarella (or vegetarian alternative), grated 2 tbsp half-fat crème fraiche ½ pack coriander leaves, chopped FOR THE GUACAMOLE

2 medium, ripe avocados, halved, stoned, peeled and chopped 1 tbsp lime juice 2 spring onions, ends trimmed, fnely chopped 2 tbsp chopped coriander a few drops of Tabasco

5 Add the cheese Ten minutes before you’re ready to serve, scatter the tortilla chips over a large baking tray. Spoon the beans in little mounds over the chips, then spoon over the salsa. Scatter over the jalapeño chilli and mozzarella. 6 Bake the nachos Bake for 4-5 mins, to melt the cheese, remove and spoon over the crème fraiche. Scatter with coriander and serve with the guacamole.

30

mins

FOR THE BEANS

400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 clove of garlic, crushed ¼ tsp mild chilli powder ¼ tsp ground cumin FOR THE SALSA

4 tomatoes, seeds removed, fnely chopped ¼ small red onion, fnely chopped 1 clove of garlic, fnely chopped 1 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp rapeseed oil 1 Make the tortilla chips Turn oven to fan 170C/ conventional 190C/gas 5. For each tortilla, brush both sides with some of the oil, and cut into 12 wedges. Repeat. Put all the wedges on 2 large baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove and set aside. Turn up the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. 2 Mix the guacamole Put the avocados in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork, keeping some texture. Stir in the lime juice, spring onions, coriander, Tabasco and some seasoning. Set aside. 3 Mash the beans Tip the beans into a bowl, stir in the garlic, chilli and cumin, roughly mash with a fork, then

Using mozzarella instead of cheddar and halffat crème fraiche instead of soured cream lowers the fat content BBC Easy Cook

9

30

mins

Serve seasoned with a squeeze of lemon juice and freshly chopped coriander

Smashed curried marrow l

Serves 3 (easily multiplied) Ready in 30 minutes l 76p a portion l 242 kcals, 14g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing l

l

1 marrow, peeled and cut into chunks 2 tbsp sunfower oil 2 tsp black mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin seed 10 BBC Easy Cook

1 large onion, fnely sliced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground coriander juice of ½ lemon small pack of coriander, roughly chopped 1 Make the curried marrow Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Simmer the marrow for 5-7 mins until softened,

then drain well. Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan and fry the mustard and cumin seeds until they start to crackle. Add the onion, garlic and remaining spices and fry for 10 minutes, until soft and starting to brown. Add the marrow and cook for 5-10 minutes more, until the liquid has evaporated and the marrow is really soft. Smash the marrow with a wooden spoon to lightly crush and soften the edges.

EVERYDAY EASY Piri-piri fsh & chips l

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) l Ready in 30 minutes l £2.16 a portion l 450 kcals, 11g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 375g potatoes, cut into chips 2 tsp olive oil juice ½ lemon 2 tbsp piri-piri marinade 2 white fsh fllets (we used sea bass)

1 Cook the chips Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Toss the chips with half the olive oil and half the lemon juice, arrange in a layer on a baking tray, then season. Cook for 20 minutes. Stir the remaining lemon juice into the piri-piri marinade. 2 Add the fsh Add the fsh to the baking tray, skin-side up, and spoon over the marinade. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the fsh is cooked through. Serve with Spicy Peas (see recipe, right).

Serve with Spicy peas Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook 300g frozen peas for 2-3 minutes, then drain. Return the peas to the empty pan and crush with 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, ½ clove of garlic, crushed, a handful of mint leaves, finely chopped, and 2 tsp olive oil. Season and serve with the fish and chips (see left).

30

mins

BBC Easy Cook 11

Sesame paneer wraps l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £1.73 a portion l 530 kcals, 27g fat, 9g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

1 Coat the cheese Mix 1 tsp of the chilli sauce with the yogurt and some seasoning, and set side. Brush the paneer cubes with the remaining chilli sauce and roll each cube in the sesame seeds.

l

4 tbsp chilli sauce 100g natural yogurt 2 x 225g packs paneer, each cut into 10 cubes 100g pack sesame seeds 2 tbsp sunfower oil 1 carrot, peeled and grated ½ cucumber, halved, deseeded and sliced into batons 2 little gem lettuces, shredded 4 tortillas wraps, heated according to pack instructions

12 BBC Easy Cook

2 Fry the cheese Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the paneer in batches for 5-8 minutes, or until golden all over. Turn the cubes frequently, as the seeds can catch easily. Drain on kitchen paper, then serve with the chilli yogurt, carrot, cucumber, lettuce and warm wraps.

theeasyway Make sure you use chilli sauce (not sweet chilli sauce or hot sauce, such as Tabasco). Most supermarket stock a brand called Lingham’s, which is mild, spicy (and sweet!)

30

mins

EVERYDAY EASY

Serve topped with more parmesan, a few pine nuts and extra herbs, if you like

20

mins Herb pesto with spaghetti

theeasyway You could poach the eggs instead of frying them, if you prefer

l

Serves 4 l Ready in 20 minutes l £1.79 a portion l 381 kcals, 137g fat, 17g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing (pesto only) l 100g mixed soft herbs (choose between basil, fat-leaf parsley, mint, chives, dill – or whatever you have in your garden or fridge) 300ml full-fat crème fraiche 100g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated 100g pine nuts, toasted 200g spaghetti

1 Make the pesto Put the herbs, crème fraiche and parmesan in a food processor and whizz together. Add the pine nuts and pulse so they are just a little chopped. Season well. (This makes enough for 8 portions so if you don’t want to use the rest immediately, put the rest into ice cube trays – about 2 tsp in each compartment – and freeze for another time.)

2 Cook the pasta Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain, then stir in the fresh pesto. (If using the frozen pesto cubes another time, put 1 pesto ice cube per person into the pasta pan. Tip the drained pasta back on top, put the lid on and leave for 10 minutes. Stir the melted pesto into the pasta.) Serve with crusty bread too, if you like. BBC Easy Cook 13

EVERYDAY EASY Chinese chilli beef l

Serves 2 Ready in 30 minutes l £4.28 a portion l 389 kcals, 16g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

½ red pepper, deseeded 4 spring onions, ends trimmed 85g Tenderstem broccoli spears 100g pak choi (baby pak choi is good) 3 tbsp fresh orange juice 1 tsp Chinese rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar 2 tsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp hot chilli sauce 250g lean beef, such as sirloin steak, trimmed of any excess fat 1 medium egg white ½ tsp fve-spice powder 1 tbsp cornfour 1½ tsp self-raising four 1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus 1½ tsp extra 2 cloves of garlic, fnely chopped 2 tsp fnely chopped root ginger ¼ tsp chilli fakes 1 Prepare the vegetables Cut the pepper into very thin strips. Slice the spring onions diagonally and slice the broccoli spears in half or quarters through the stems and forets. Thinly slice the pak choi. Mix together the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce and chilli sauce. Set aside. 2 Coat the beef Slice the beef into very thin strips. In a bowl, beat the egg white with a fork to make it slightly frothy, then stir in the beef with the fve-spice powder, cornfour, four and a good grinding of pepper, so everything is evenly coated. Pour 1 tbsp of the oil into a non-stick wok or frying pan. When it’s very hot (test it's ready by dropping in a small piece of beef – it should immediately sizzle), stir-fry the beef for 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside. 3 Cook the broccoli and pak choi Steam the broccoli spears for 1½ mins, sit the pak choi on top and steam for 45 seconds to 1 minute until both are tender-crisp. Remove and cool under running cold water. Set aside. 4 Finish cooking everything Pour the remaining oil into the wok and heat until very hot. Add the garlic, ginger, pepper and spring onions, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until starting to brown. Add the chilli fakes, then pour in the soy and orange juice mixture with 4-5 tbsp water. As it comes to the boil, stir in the beef and steamed veg, and cook briefy just to heat through. 14 BBC Easy Cook

theeasyway If you have time, put the meat in the freezer 25-30 mins before you plan to start cooking. This will frm it up a bit and make it easier to slice really thinly

30

mins

enjoy Shloer Light, the delightfully easy-going alcohol alternative with no added sugar

Shloer Light contains absolutely no added sugar and is free from preservatives, artificial colours and flavourings. With just 22 calories per 100ml, it’s the perfect choice for your light little gathering. Available now from retailers nationwide shloer.co.uk

/Shloer

@ShloerOfcial the sparkling juice drink

EVERYDAY EASY

Sticky jerk salmon

Serve with Mango slaw

l

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes l £1.68 a portion l 402 kcals, 19g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

2 heaped tbsp Jamaican jerk paste 1 tbsp clear honey 4 salmon fllets 1 Grill the salmon Heat the grill to medium-high. Mix the jerk paste and the honey together in a bowl. Put the salmon fllets on a foil-lined baking tray and brush all over with the sauce. Cook on the top shelf for 8-10 minutes, or until just cooked through (move the tray down a shelf if the salmon starts getting too caramelised). Serve on Mango slaw (see recipe, right).

Put 1 tbsp clear honey, the juice of 2 limes and some seasoning into a large bowl and mix together. Add ½ red cabbage, core removed and thinly sliced, 1 firm but ripe mango, skin removed and thinly sliced, 1 red pepper, thinly sliced, 6 spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle, and a small bunch of fresh coriander, leaves only, and toss through the dressing to serve.

30

mins

Simple, fresh and delicious flavours everyone will love! 16 BBC Easy Cook

Entrtainment

Shop ing

Tat in

Insp iration

g

s SECC GLASGOW 6 - 8 NOVEMBER

OLYMPIA LONDON 13 - 15 NOVEMBER

OLYMPIA LONDON 13 - 15 NOVEMBER

NEC BIRMINGHAM 26 - 29 NOVEMBER

1 TICKET, 2 SHOWS

Book by 3 September and save 25%* on tickets bbcgoodfoodshow.com | 0844 581 1339

SHOWS

*25% off valid on advance Adult and Over 65s tickets only (excluding VIP). Offer ends midnight 03.09.15. Standard Supertheatre seat included with all advance Super tickets subject to availability. Upgrade to a gold seat for £3 extra. 25% discount also available on Value tickets, which exclude Supertheatre, entry from 11am only. Prices include all transactional and admin fees. BBC Good Food Bakes & Cakes Show runs alongside BBC Good Food Show London and tickets include entry to both shows, subject to capacity. Not valid with any other offer. Calls to 0844 numbers cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. Not all celebrities appear on all days at all shows, check website for details. The Good Food word mark and logo are trademarks of BBC Worldwide Limited. Copyright BBC Worldwide Limited. The BBC Good Food Shows are organised and presented by River Street Events.

With thanks to our sponsors and supporters:

Quote EC25

Breakfast

in a flash!

Give your family the best possible start to the day with these satisfying, healthy recipes – ready in less than 25 minutes Cinnamon crêpes with nut butter l

Serves 2 (easily multiplied) l Ready in 15 minutes l £1.61 a portion l 376 kcals, 16g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 75g gluten-free brown bread four 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 medium egg 225ml semi-skimmed milk 1 tsp rapeseed oil (for frying) 2 tbsp almond nut butter (fnd this near the peanut butter in the supermarket) 1 banana, sliced 140g raspberries ½ lemon, cut into wedges

15

mins

18 BBC Easy Cook

1 Make the batter Tip the four into a mixing bowl with the cinnamon. Add the egg and milk, and whisk until you have a smooth pouring consistency. 2 Fry the pancakes Put a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a little of the oil. When the oil starts to heat, wipe most of it away with kitchen paper. Once the pan is hot, pour a small amount of

the batter into the centre of the pan and swirl it to the sides of the pan in a thin layer. Leave to cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes. When it is brown underneath, turn it over and cook on the other side for 1 minute more. Transfer to a warm plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.

theeasyway Divide the warm pancakes between 2 plates and serve with the nut butter, banana, raspberries and lemon to assemble at the table

EVERYDAY EASY

Serve immediately with the tomatoes on the side

20

mins

mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes until tender, stirring every few minutes. Remove and set aside.

Mushroom & basil omelette l l

Serves 2 l Ready in 20 minutes l £1.43 a portion 231 kcals, 14g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

2 tomatoes, halved 3 medium eggs 1 tbsp snipped chives 300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp low-fat soft cheese 1 tbsp fnely chopped basil leaves 1 Grill the tomatoes Heat the grill to its highest setting and put the tomatoes on a square of foil underneath, turning occasionally to prevent burning. When the tomatoes are slightly scorched,

l

remove from the grill, squashing them slightly to release the juices. 2 Mix the eggs Break the eggs into a bowl and mix with a fork. Add a small splash of water and mix. Add the chives and some black pepper, and beat for a minute more, then set aside while you prepare the mushrooms. 3 Fry the mushrooms In a non-stick frying pan, heat the butter over a medium heat until foaming. Add the

4 Start cooking the eggs Briskly stir the egg mixture, then add to the hot pan (tilting it so that the mixture covers the entire base) and leave for 10 seconds until it begins to set. With a fork, gently stir the egg here and there so that any unset mixture cooks. 5 Finish the dish While the egg is cooking, spoon the mushroom mixture onto one side of the omelette.Top with the soft cheese and basil leaves. Flip the other side of the omelette over to cover, if you like. Leave to cook for 1 minute more, then cut in half and slide each half onto a plate. BBC Easy Cook 19

Creamy mustard mushrooms on toast Serves 1 (easily multiplied) Ready in 10 minutes l £1.02 a portion l 231 kcals, 7g fat, 2g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 Toast the bread Toast the bread under the grill or in a toaster, then spread with a little of the cheese (don’t use butter).

l

2 Cook the mushrooms Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick pan and cook the mushrooms, stirring frequently, until soft. Add the milk, remaining cheese and the mustard. Stir well until coated. Tip onto the toast, top with the chives and serve.

l l

1 slice wholemeal bread 1½ tbsp light soft cheese 1 tsp rapeseed oil 3 handfuls of sliced, small fat mushrooms 2 tbsp skimmed milk ¼ tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp snipped chives

10

mins

5 top toast toppers Chillied cheese Mix 1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced, 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered, 100g Gruyère, grated and 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes in a bowl, then scoop onto toast. Shake over a little Worcestershire sauce and grill until golden and melted. Serves 2

Scrambled omelette Beat together 2 eggs, 1 tbsp crème fraîche, 25g grated cheddar and a small bunch of chives, snipped, with a little seasoning. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, then soften 1 sliced 20 BBC Easy Cook

spring onion for a few minutes. Add 3 halved cherry tomatoes and warm through, then pour in egg mixture. Cook over a low heat, stirring, until eggs are just set. Pile on top of toast. Serves 1

Tasty tapenade Blitz 100g pitted black kalamata olives , 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, small pack of parsley, 2 tbsp capers and 1 crushed garlic clove to a paste. Season with black pepper and spread on toast. Serves 3

Beetroot & mackerel Slice 2 small cooked and peeled beetroot into wedges. In a bowl, mix the beetroot, 25g soured cream, the juice and zest of ½ lemon and 1 thinly sliced shallot. Spoon onto toast. Flake 1 smoked mackerel fillet over and scatter with dill.

Chocolate mallow Spread 1 tsp chocolate hazelnut spread on a slice of toast. Sprinkle with a small handful of mini marshmallows and 1 tsp chopped hazelnuts. Put under the grill to toast the mallows for a few seconds. Serves 1

EVERYDAY EASY

25

mins Coconut porridge l l

Serves 4 l Ready in 25 minutes l £1.96 a portion 469 kcals, 13g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

175g porridge oats 700ml milk 400ml can low-fat coconut milk 3 tbsp soft light brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon a good grating of nutmeg, plus extra to serve 160ml can coconut cream, plus shaved toasted coconut, to serve FOR THE COMPOTE

3 tbsp light soft brown sugar 3 oranges, peeled and sliced 250g fresh or frozen cranberries

theeasyway

1 Make the porridge Mix the oats, milk, coconut milk, sugar, spices and a pinch of salt in a pan. Set over a low heat and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring every now and then to prevent the porridge from sticking, until it’s thick and creamy – add a splash more milk if you like it thinner. 2 Make the compote Put the sugar and 2 tbsp water in a frying pan and heat to dissolve the sugar. Once bubbling, add the oranges and cranberries. Stir, then turn up the heat and leave to bubble for a few mins until most of the liquid evaporates and the compote becomes thick and sticky.

To serve, spoon the porridge into bowls, top with the orange & cranberry compote, a swirl of coconut cream, some shaved coconut and an extra grating of nutmeg

Serve with Minty pineapple smoothie Put 200g pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks, a few mint leaves, 50g baby spinach leaves, 25g oats, 2 tbsp linseeds, a handful of unsalted, unroasted cashew nuts and fresh lime juice, to taste in a blender with 200ml water, then process until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more water (up to 400ml) until you get the right mix. Serves 2.

BBC Easy Cook 21

Healthy packed lunches

Bye bye to boring sarnies! These delicious, healthy lunches are perfect for your kids to take to school – or for you to take to work Flaked salmon with honey dressing l Serves

FOR THE DRESSING

l Ready

½ tsp clear honey 1 tbsp boiling (or very hot) water 2 tsp cider vinegar 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce 1 tbsp mirin (use sherry or sweet marsala wine if you don't have mirin)

2 in 10 minutes l £3.13p a portion l 449 kcals, 32g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 2 handfuls of baby salad leaves, rocket or lamb's lettuce 140g sugar snap peas 1 avocado, stoned, peeled and diced 2 cooked salmon fllets, faked, skin removed a small handful of coriander, fnely chopped

Try this variation... Chicken & avocado with honey dressing Make the dressing as in the recipe above. Instead of salmon, use 2 small cooked chicken breasts, thinly sliced, and baby spinach leaves instead of salad leaves. Serves 2

22 BBC Easy Cook

1 Make the dressing Put the honey and hot water in a jar, and shake vigorously to loosen the honey. Add the other dressing ingredients and mix well. 2 Mix the salad Mix the salad leaves, sugar snaps and avocado in a bowl. Scatter the salmon and the coriander on top. Pack the dressing separately so the salad doesn’t go soggy.

EVERYDAY EASY

theeasyway

6 more packed lunches...

Leftover houmous can be chilled for up to 3 days

Mackerel salad Cook 85g green beans for 4-6 mins. Drain and cool. Mix 75ml yogurt with 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, 2 tsp dill and black pepper. Mix the veg with 2 hot-smoked mackerel fillets, flaked. Pour over the dressing. Serves 1.

Creamy egg butties Boil 2 eggs for 8 mins. Cool, peel and mash, then mix with chopped spring onions and 1 tbsp crème fraiche. Season and use to fill 2 rolls. Serves 1.

Pea houmous with pitta & vegetables l Serves

4 l Ready in 10 minutes l 37p a portion l 133 kcals, 9g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp cooked cannellini beans (from a can) strips of pitta bread, to serve raw vegetable sticks, to serve

l

1 Make the houmous Whizz all the ingredients together using a hand blender or food processor. Add 1-2 tbsp water, then whizz again. Transfer a portion to a pot and add to a lunchbox with pitta bread strips and veg sticks.

200g cooked peas 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 tbsp tahini a squeeze of lemon juice

Stuffed Moroccan pittas l Serves

2 in 5 minutes l £1.43 a portion l 396 kcals, 11g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Ready

l

2 pitta bread pockets 4 ready-cooked falafels, halved 4 tbsp houmous ½ red pepper, deseeded and sliced a handful of rocket leaves 1 Stuff the pittas Spread the houmous on the inside of each pitta, then layer with the falafels, pepper and rocket. They really couldn’t be easier!

Salmon & chive bagels Flake 1 cooked salmon fillet into a bowl. Add 50g soft cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped spring onions and season. Stir. Lightly toast 4 halved seeded bagels. Fill with the mixture and top with sliced tomato. Chill. Serves 1.

Apricot & seed bar Whizz 140g dried apricots with 150ml boiling water and 40g oats in a processor. Toast 40g desiccated coconut, 1 tbsp sesame seeds and 25g sunflower seeds in a non-stick pan on a low heat. Mix with the apricots, 15g dried cranberries and 3 tbsp ground flaxseeds. Roll into a log. Wrap in cling film, chill, then slice to serve. Makes 14.

Turkey tortillas Spread 75g low-fat soft cheese over 3 flour tortillas and top with a few slices of cooked turkey breast, shredded, a few pomegranate seeds and rocket. Roll up each tortilla. Wrap tightly in cling film. Chill until ready to eat. Serves 1.

Goat’s cheese & walnut rolls Butter 2 granary rolls. Spread 75g goat's cheese on the cut sides, top each with 2 roasted red peppers, cut into strips, and a few chopped walnuts. Serves 1. BBC Easy Cook 23

EVERYDAY EASY

After tea treat

Use shop-bought brandy snaps instead of puff pastry for this impressive and super-speedy pud Brandy snap millefeuille l

Serves 2 l Ready in 10 minutes l £1.66 a portion l 573 kcals, 24g fat, 11g sat. fat l Not suitable for freezing 6 brandy snap baskets 1 piece of stem ginger (from a jar), chopped 8 tbsp ricotta 175g redcurrants 2 tbsp icing sugar

1 Soften the brandy snaps Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Put the brandy snap baskets onto a baking sheet and put in the oven for 1-2 mins to warm through and soften, so they open out into fat discs. Remove and leave to cool 2 Make the flling and layer the pud Put the stem ginger, ricotta, redcurrants and icing sugar into a bowl and mix well. Lay a fat brandy snap on each of two plates, then divide half the flling between them and spread to the edges. Top each with another brandy snap and add the remaining flling. Put a brandy snap on top of each and dust with icing sugar to fnish.

Another way with redcurrants Lemon syllabub with compôte Fold together 250ml double cream, whipped, the finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon, 50g icing sugar and a few basil leaves, chopped. Spoon into 2 bowls, then chill. Put 100g redcurrants, 50g caster sugar and the finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange into a pan and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Cool, then pour over the syllabub. Garnish with basil. Serves 2.

r

ries o r e the easyway T b p s his is lovely with ra

24 BBC Easy Cook

er b k blac

oo t s rie

easycook Subscription order form 1

ECP8415

A great saving

YOUR DETAILS Ð Yes, I would like to subscribe to BBC Easy Cook For £18.75 every 10 issues (1 year) by Direct Debit Ð SAVING 25% For £22.50 for 10 issues (1 year) by credit/debit card/cheque Ð SAVING 10% Title

Forename

Surname

Address Postcode

Everyday easy

Daytime telephone number Mobile telephone number Email address

2

GIFT RECIPIENT DETAILS Ð Yes, I would like to send a gift of a subscription to BBC Easy Cook For £18.75 every 10 issues (1 year) by Direct Debit Ð SAVING 25% For £22..50 for 10 issues (1 year) by credit/debit card/cheque Ð SAVING 10% To: Title

Forename

Weekend winners

Surname

Address Postcode Daytime telephone number

‘Thank you for a magazine full of recipes which are easy to understand, don’t cost the earth and taste really different from the everyday meals I used to cook.’ Hannah, subscriber

Email address

3

PAYMENT DETAILS Ð I would like to pay £18.75 every 10 issues (1 year) by Direct Debit (please complete the mandate below) by cheque for £22.50 (10 issues) made payable to Immediate Media Co. Ltd. Please debit £22.50 from my: Visa Mastercard

TV cooks

(If your credit card address is different from the delivery address, please use the order hotline)

Card no Valid from

/

Expiry from

Issue number

/

Signature

Date

Instructions to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit. OriginatorÕs reference 242553 This is not part of the instruction to your bank or building society. For Immediate Media Co. Ltd. official use only Ref no

Name of bank Address Postcode

Get baking

Account name Signature

Date

Sort code Account number Instructions to your bank or building society: Pay Immediate Media Co. Ltd. Direct Debits from the account detailed on this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that the instruction may remain with Immediate Media Co. Ltd., and if so details will be passed electronically to my bank or building society. Banks and building societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions from some types of account.

SEND TO: BBC Easy Cook magazine, PO Box 279, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8DF TERMS & CONDITIONS: This offer is valid for UK delivery addresses only. Full UK subscription price for 10 issues is £25; Europe/Eire £39; rest of the world £47. All savings are calculated as a percentage of the basic annual rate. Should the magazine ordered change in frequency, we will honour the number of issues and not the term of the subscription. Calls to 0844 numbers from a BT landline will cost no more than 5p per minute. Calls from mobiles and other providers may vary. Offer closes 2nd September 2015. Your personal information will be used as set out in our Privacy Policy, which can be viewed at www.immediate.co.uk/privacy-policy Branded BBC titles are licensed from or published jointly with BBC Worldwide (the commercial arm of if youÕd like to receive regular newsletters, special offers and promotions the BBC). Please tick here from BBC Worldwide by email. Your information will be handled in accordance with the BBC Worldwide privacy policy: www.bbcworldwide.com/privacy.aspx

Speedy food for busy cooks Each issue of BBC Easy Cook is packed with mouthwatering recipes for busy cooks looking for inspiration. There’s a great choice of speedy recipes for the month ahead, with lots of delicious new ideas, sections on weekend cooking and perfectresults baking – plus step-by-step instructions for learning new techniques and skills and tips from the BBC’s talented TV cooks. Don’t miss all these quick and tasty recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

L IA EC FER SP OF

for cooks in a hurry!

Subscribe today and SAVE 25% 5 great reasons to subscribe ■ Get the next 10 issues

for just £1.88 per issue when you pay by Direct Debit – saving 25% off the cover price ■ Free delivery to your door ■ Fantastic time-saving

£2.50

JUST £1.88

family recipes ■ Lots of tips, ideas and

PER ISSUE!

techniques to try ■ PLUS recipes from your

favourite BBC chefs

Subscribing to BBC Easy Cook is simple! Call the hotline now

Order online at

and quote ECP8415

and enter code ECP8415

0844 848 1104

buysubscriptions.com/easycook

BBC Easy Cook 27

. . . D E I R T U O Y E V A H

cooking with barley

Barley is cheaper and more convenient than Italian risotto rice – add all the liquid at once and put your feet up until it’s done!

Indulgent veggie treat Creamy barley & squash risotto l

l

400g pearl barley 1.2l hot vegetable stock 1 tbsp mascarpone 50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated a large handful of parsley, chopped

1 tbsp butter 1 onion, fnely chopped 1 small butternut squash (600-700g), peeled and diced into small chunks 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 small glass of white wine

1 Soften the veg Heat the butter in a large, shallow pan. Add the onion and squash and cook very gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and the squash begins to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Serves 4 Takes 10 minutes, plus 55 minutes cooking l 76p a portion l 586 kcals, 11g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

2 Add the wine Add the white wine and simmer fast until reduced. Add the barley, stir well and then pour in the stock. 3 Stir the risotto Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the stock has been absorbed and the barley is tender. Add a little extra stock during cooking if it evaporates too quickly. Turn off the heat and stir through the mascarpone, half the parmesan and all the parsley. Season and scatter over the remaining parmesan to serve. BBC Easy Cook 29

a k p c o a sh P

labby sausage rolls and sloppy f r o f e l t quich ’t set e on n o D your p icnic. n baco h & g t g i E rs w dippeparagus as

Apricot & crème fraiche Eton mess

30 BBC Easy Cook

hed Poac n & o salm il salad lent

WEEKEND WINNERS

2 picnic for osh Enjoy the n h s o sunshine with this hamper of p

Walnut scones

with this Quench your thirst Zingy Lemonade Cut 2 lemons into quarters and remove the pips. Put the lemons, 150g blackberries, a few mint leaves, 50g icing sugar and 200ml fizzy water into a food processor. Whizz until everything is finely chopped and juicy. Strain through a fine sieve, bottle and chill until ready to drink. Top up with an equal measure of chilled fizzy water to serve

Turn the page for the recipes BBC Easy Cook 31

WEEKEND WINNERS Poached salmon with courgette & lentil salad with lemon relish

...and for afters Apricot & crème fraiche Eton mess

l

Serves 2 Ready in 30 minutes l £4.59 a portion l 622 kcals, 30g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

½ handful mint stalks (reserve the leaves for the relish) ½ handful parsley stalks (reserve the leaves for the relish) peeled rind of 1 lemon (juice reserved for the relish) 2 salmon fllets, boned removed 1 small courgette, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler ½ fennel bulb, halved, then very thinly sliced 8 radishes, cut into wedges 250g pouch ready-cooked puy lentils

l

Serves 2 l Takes 15 minutes, plus cooling £2.64 a portion l 354 kcals, 10g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

6-8 apricots, halved and stoned 2 tbsp apricot jam 2 tbsp dessert wine, such as sauternes, or water 100ml crème fraiche 150ml pot natural yogurt 1 tbsp icing sugar 8 ready-made mini meringues

Egg & bacon dippers l

Serves 2 l Ready in 25 minutes £2.37 a portion l 565 kcals, 48g fat, 9g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

FOR THE LEMON RELISH

2 tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed or olive oil 1 tsp clear honey 1 tsp dijon mustard 1 lemon (plus the juice reserved from the frst part of the recipe) a small handful of mint leaves, fnely chopped a small handful of parsley leaves, fnely chopped 1 shallot, very fnely chopped 1 Flavour the water Fill a medium-sized pan with water. Add the herb stalks and lemon rind. Bring to a gentle simmer, then leave to bubble for 5 minutes to allow the favours to infuse. 2 Cook the salmon Add the salmon to the pan, simmer gently for 1 minute, then turn off the heat, cover with a lid and poach for 5 minuttes. Transfer the salmon to a plate, peel off the skin and scrape away any brown fesh. Cool, then chill. 3 Make the relish Put the oil, honey and mustard in a bowl along with some seasoning, and whisk together. Cut the skin and pith away from the lemon, then segment the pieces, catching any juice in the bowl. Cut each segment into 3 or 4 small pieces, then add these, together with the juice and the reserved juice from the lemon used in step 1. Add the herbs and shallot and stir well. 4 Make the salad Assemble the salad ingredients in containers, then top each salad with a salmon fllet. Take the lemon relish in a jar for pouring over just before serving. 32 BBC Easy Cook

6-10 quail eggs asparagus spears or Tenderstem broccoli FOR THE BACON CRUMBS

2 rashers smoked streaky bacon 50g fresh white breadcrumbs FOR THE WATERCRESS MAYO

a large handful of watercress 100g mayonnaise 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1 Make the bacon crumbs Cook the bacon in a dry frying pan until crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Pour all but a drizzle of oil out of the pan. Add the breadcrumbs, cook for a few minutes until they turn golden and crisp, then tip these out too and leave to cool. Once the bacon is cool, whizz it in a food processor to fne crumbs, add the breadcrumbs and give it another quick whizz to combine. Tip into a jar or tub and chill (for up to 2 days) until ready to serve. 2 Boil the eggs Bring a large pan of water to the boil and fll a large bowl with ice-cold water. Add the quail eggs to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and plunge straight into the cold water. Repeat with the asparagus or broccoli, cooking for just 1 minute. Drain the veg and dry the eggs and put in a container to transport. 3 Make the mayo Whizz the ingredients for the mayo in a food processor (or fnely chop the watercress and mix everything together), then spoon into a container for transporting. To serve, peel an egg (or take a piece of veg) and dip into the mayo, then into the bacon crumbs.

Cook the apricots, cool and assemble Put the apricot halves, jam and dessert wine or water in a small pan. Bubble for 2-3 minutes until syrupy – the apricots should still be holding their shape. Divide between 2 pots (jam jars work well), leave to cool, then chill until ready to assemble. Mix the crème fraiche, yogurt and icing sugar, then pour over the apricots and chill until ready to serve, dolloped onto meringes.

Walnut scones l

Makes 6 l Ready in 30 minutes 28p each l 278 kcals, 15g fat, 6g sat. fat each l Not suitable for freezing l

225g self-raising four, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp baking powder 50g butter, cubed 50g walnuts, fnely chopped, plus 6 walnut halves for the tops 125-150ml whole milk 1 egg, beaten 1 Make the scone mixture Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7 and lightly dust a baking sheet with four. Mix the four, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the butter and rub together with your fngertips until the mixture resembles fne breadcrumbs. Add the chopped walnuts and milk, then mix together with a knife until clumping together. 2 Bake the scones Tip onto your work surface and squash together to form a ball – don't overwork the dough or your scones will be heavy. Flatten the dough a little to make a disc 3cm thick, then cut into 6 triangles. Transfer to a baking sheet, brush with beaten egg, then top each with a walnut half. Bake the scones for 15 minutes, until golden and puffed, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

EASY OFFER

9 2 £ Y L N O liver y e d E E R with F *

FREE GIFT for readers of

easycook

SAVE OVER 50% on top quality meat

2 FREE seasoned steak burgers

worth £5.25, with every order

This fantastic Butcher’s Steak Selection is only £29 (rrp £64) with FREE* delivery plus 2 FREE seasoned burgers worth £5.25 for BBC Easy Cook readers Based in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Donald Russell specialise in the very best naturally reared, premium grass-fed beef. It is hung to mature for up to 35 days to allow the rich natural flavours to develop and for the meat to become incredibly juicy and tender.

Then their butchers expertly cut and trim it by hand into the finest cuts of gourmet steak you’ve ever tasted. Finally, each cut is vacuumpacked and professionally frozen to lock in the flavour, before being delivered direct to your door on a day to suit you.

BUTCHER’S STEAK SELECTION (D1188) INCLUDES: 2 Ribeye Steaks 190g each 2 Pavè Steaks 150g each 4 Pavè Rump Medallions pack of 4, pack weight 240g 4 Medium Classic Steak Burgers 150g each 6 Mini Steak Burgers in pack of 6, pack weight 270g 4 Pork Sausages in pack of 4, pack weight 280g + FREE Meat Perfection booklet, worth £8!

Ordering is easy!

Call the hotline, quoting ‘easy1501’ †

01467 629666 or visit donaldrussell.com/easy1501 TERMS AND CONDITIONS We will professionally shock-freeze your order, at no extra charge, to help preserve the quality. Donald Russell Ltd, Harlaw Road, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, AB51 4FR. †Lines open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 9am-4pm and Sunday 10am-4 pm. Strictly limited to 1 per household. *Free delivery is available for UK mainland only. Additional surcharges may apply – if in doubt please call first to check. Donald Russell reserve the right to replace any offer with something of equal or greater value. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other Donald Russell offer. Offer expires 15 September 2015. DATA PROTECTION BBC Worldwide Limited and Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of BBC Easy Cook) would love to keep you informed by post, telephone or email of their special offers and promotions. Please state at time of ordering if you do not wish to receive these from BBC Worldwide or Immediate Media Company.

BBC Easy Cook 33

Saturday night specials These weekend recipes are perfect for sharing. And they’re quick and easy to prepare so you can spend more time with your family and friends Pancetta & pepper piperade l

Serves 4 Takes 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooking l £1.24 a portion l 259 kcals, 15g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

l

2 x 70g packs pancetta pieces 1 red onion, fnely chopped 3 peppers (1 each of green, red and yellow), deseeded and fnely diced 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato purée 4 medium eggs a few basil leaves, shredded (to serve) 1 Fry the pancetta Put the pancetta and onion in a large, deep frying pan. Cook for 7 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to soften. 2 Finish cooking Add the peppers, canned tomatoes and tomato purée to the pan and mix well. Season, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes. Make 4 small wells in the mixture. Crack an egg into each well and cook for 5-6 minutes more, or until the eggs have set. Garnish with basil.

theeasyway Serve with slices of crusty white bread or ciabatta, if you like 34 BBC Easy Cook

WEEKEND WINNERS Griddled lamb with rice salad l

Serves 4 Takes 10 mins, plus 35 minutes cooking l £2.35 a portion l 634 kcals, 34g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

250g basmati & wild rice 4 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 clove of garlic, crushed ½ tsp ground cumin 75g whole almonds 4 ripe tomatoes, diced 100g mixed black and green olives, marinated in garlic and oil, halved a handful of fat-leaf parsley, chopped 4 lamb cutlets 1 Cook the rice Cook the rice in boiling salted water according to pack instructions. Drain and run under cold water until the rice is completely cold. 2 Make the dressing Meanwhile, put the oil, vinegar, garlic and cumin in a screw-top jar. Season, and shake to mix. Toast the almonds in a frying pan, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Cool, then roughly chop.

You can buy ready-marinated olives or make your own: coat olives in olive oil and add finely chopped garlic

3 Make the salad and cook the lamb Mix the rice with the almonds, tomatoes, olives and parsley. Heat a griddle pan and season the lamb. Cook the lamb, turning occasionally, for 7-8 mins. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and leave to rest for 2 mins. Toss the dressing with the salad. Top with the lamb and serve.

Masala meatball curry l

Serves 4 l Takes 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooking l £1.65 a portion l 378 kcals, 24g fat, 9g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

Tasty and flling

2 cloves of garlic 1 red chilli, deseeded 1 thick slice of white bread a small pack of mint leaves (reserve a few to serve) 400g lamb mince 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 large onion, roughly chopped 1 tbsp masala curry paste 400g can chopped tomatoes 400ml lamb stock 100g baby spinach leaves

1 Make the meatballs Put the garlic, chilli, bread and mint in a food processor and pulse until fnely chopped. Tip into a bowl and mix with the lamb, egg and seasoning. Using damp hands, shape into 16 small meatballs. 2 Fry the meatballs Heat half the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the meatballs (in batches, if necessary) over a high heat until golden, then set aside. 3 Add the onions and tomatoes Heat the remaining oil in the pan, add the onion and cook for 3-4 mins, to soften. Add the curry paste and fry for 1 minute, add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer. 4 Wilt the spinach Add the meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Stir through the spinach until just wilted, then serve. BBC Easy Cook 35

Make the most of

chicken thighs They’re cheaper and tastier than breasts and more convenient than making a whole roast chicken. Win-win! Chinese chicken traybake l Serves l £1.37

4 l Takes 10 minutes, plus 40 minutes in the oven and marinating time a portion l 450 kcals, 27g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

8 chicken thighs (skin on and bone in) 4 tbsp hoisin sauce 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp clear honey 1½ tsp Chinese fve-spice powder thumb-sized knob of ginger, grated 2 cloves of garlic, grated 50g cashews nuts, toasted 1 bunch of spring onions, chopped cooked brown rice, to serve 36 BBC Easy Cook

1 Cook the traybake Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Put the chicken thighs in a roasting tin and slash the skin 2-3 times on each. Mix together the hoisin, sesame oil, honey, fvespice, ginger, garlic and seasoning. Pour over the chicken and toss to coat, then marinate in the fridge for 2 hours (or longer if you have time). Roast, skin-side up, for 35 minutes, basting regularly. Stir in the nuts, sprinkle over the spring onions and roast for 5 minutes more.

Serve at the table in the tin, with cooked brown rice on the side

WEEKEND WINNERS Jerk chicken l Serves

4 15 minutes, plus 50 mins in the oven l £1.39 a portion l 271 kcals, 20g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing l Takes

2 tbsp jerk seasoning 4 tbsp coconut cream 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped 2 spring onions, fnely chopped 8 thyme sprigs, leaves only, plus extra to serve 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 tbsp grated ginger fnely grated rind and juice of 1 lime 8 chicken thighs (skin on and bone in) 1 Make the jerk paste Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. With a stick blender or in the small bowl of a food processor, whizz together the jerk seasoning, coconut cream, chilli, spring onions, thyme, garlic and ginger. Stir in the lime rind and juice, and season to taste. 2 Cook the chicken Slash the chicken thighs down to the bone a couple of times, then smear over the jerk paste. Roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Sprinkle over more thyme.

Serve with a mixed salad South African chutney chicken l Serves l 450

4 l Takes 10 minutes, plus 45 minutes in the oven l £1.31 a portion kcals, 35g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, fnely chopped 1 clove of garlic, fnely chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded and fnely chopped 6 tbsp mango chutney 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 6 tbsp mayonnaise 8 chicken thighs (skin on and bone in)

1 Cook the chutney mixture Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion, garlic and chilli for a few minutes until soft. Stir in the chutney, Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise. Season. 2 Bake the chicken Put the chicken on a foil-lined baking tray and spoon over the chutney mixture. Roast the chicken in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until cooked through and sticky. BBC Easy Cook 37

Inspired by Gardeners’ World

Cook with

courgettes Supermarkets are packed with summer courgettes right now. They’re not only good for you, they’re very versatile – you can even use them in a cake!

Courgette tortilla with toppings l Serves

2 in 15 minutes l £1.38 a portion l 302 kcals, 22g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

l Ready

l

1 tbsp olive oil 1 large courgette, coarsely grated 1 tsp harissa 4 large eggs 3 tbsp reduced-fat houmous 1 large red pepper from a jar, torn into strips 3 pitted green olives, quartered a handful of coriander Cook the tortilla Heat the oil in a 20cm non-stick frying pan, add the courgette and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft. Beat the harissa with the eggs and pour into the pan. Cook gently, stirring, to allow the uncooked egg to fow onto the base of the pan. When it is two-thirds cooked, leave it undisturbed for 2 minutes to set. Slide onto a plate, then return to the pan, uncooked-side down, to fnish cooking. To serve, tip onto a board and spread with the houmous. Scatter with the pepper, olives and coriander. Serve warm or cold. 38 BBC Easy Cook

WEEKEND WINNERS

Cheese & courgette pesto pudding l Serves l 626

4 l Takes 10 minutes, plus 1 hour 25 minutes cooking l £1.48 a portion kcals, 34g fat, 5g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

2 tsp sunfower oil, plus extra for greasing 650g medium courgettes 12 slices ciabatta 150g pack garlic & herb soft cheese 4 large eggs 500ml semi-skimmed milk 4 tbsp pesto, from a jar (or vegetarian alternative) 3 large tomatoes, each sliced into thirds

1 Griddle the courgettes Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4 and grease a medium-sized, rectangular ovenproof dish. Cut the courgettes in half horizonally, then cut each one lengthways into 3 long slices and brush sparingly with a little oil. Heat a griddle pan and cook the courgettes in 2 batches for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until softened and a little charred.

Pesto is a sauce from Genoa, Italy, made from garlic, basil, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese 2 Bake Meanwhile, spread the bread with the soft cheese. Beat the eggs, milk and pesto together with seasoning. Arrange the bread in the dish, stacking the slices vertically as though in a toast rack, then arrange the courgettes and tomatoes between the slices. Pour over the pesto mixture and bake in the oven for 55 minutes-1 hour, until set and starting to puff up. BBC Easy Cook 39

Courgette, mint, ricotta & chilli salad l

Serves 4 Takes 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooking l £1.21 a portion l 204 kcals, 18g fat, 4g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

l

4 courgettes, cut into 2-3mm-thick slices lengthways 3 tbsp olive oil ½ tbsp red wine vinegar 1½ red chillies, fnely chopped a large handful of mint, fnely chopped a small knob of butter 2 tbsp pine nuts 2 handfuls of rocket leaves 100g ricotta (or vegetarian alternative) 1 Griddle the courgettes Heat a griddle pan to medium. Put the courgette slices in a bowl and toss with 1½ tbsp of the oil. Griddle for 3-4 minutes on each side (you’ll need to do this in batches) and then transfer to a clean bowl. 2 Marinate Mix together the remaining oil, the vinegar, most of the chilli and mint, and some seasoning, then pour over the courgettes and leave to marinate. 3 Toast the pine nuts Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan until foaming, then add the pine nuts. Cook over a low heat until nicely browned, then drain on kitchen paper.

TIP 4 Assemble the salad Toss the rocket and most of the pine nuts with the courgettes. Divide among plates or pile onto a serving dish. Break the ricotta into chunks and dot over the salad, then scatter the remaining chilli, mint and pine nuts on top.

Make sure the griddle pan is hot before you add any ingredients, or they’ll stick to the pan

Sausage & herb stuffed courgettes l Serves l 428

4 l Takes 15 minutes, plus 45 minutes cooking time l £1.64 a portion kcals, 26g fat, 10g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

4 large courgettes, halved lengthways 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, fnely chopped 1 clove of garlic, fnely chopped 100g breadcrumbs 100g mature cheddar, grated 25g fnely chopped fat-leaf parsley 175g Cumberland pork chipolatas, squeezed from their skins

for 6-8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chopped courgettes and cook for a further 6 minutes until really tender.

1 Cook the courgettes Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Using a teaspoon, carefully scoop out the fesh from the courgettes. Reserve the shells, then roughly chop the fesh. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion

3 Bake Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out courgette halves and put on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the courgettes are tender and the flling is golden (cover the courgettes with foil if they brown too much).

2 Make the flling Remove from the heat and tip into a bowl along with the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley and the sausagemeat. Mix together well.

theeasyway Perfect for a barbecue or garden party 40 BBC Easy Cook

WEEKEND WINNERS

thehealthyway

Courgette & orange cake l Serves

12 l Takes 10 minutes, plus 50 minutes cooking time l 54p a portion l 391 kcals, 20g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing (un-iced) FOR THE CAKE

350g courgettes (no need to peel them) 200g soft brown sugar 125ml sunfower oil 3 large eggs, lightly beaten fnely grated rind of 1 orange 1 tsp vanilla extract 100g sultanas 300g self raising four 1 tsp baking powder FOR THE FROSTING

200g full-fat soft cheese 100g icing sugar, sifted good grating of fnely grated orange rind 1 Grate the courgettes Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Lightly oil and line a 1kg loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment. Finely grate the courgettes, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can with your hands (otherwise the cake will be soggy).

2 Mix the batter Stir the courgettes with the sugar, sunfower oil, eggs, orange rind, vanilla and sultanas, then fold in the four and baking powder, but don’t overmix. 3 Bake the cake Scrape the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

Courgettes have a high water content, which makes them a low-fat food. They contain high levels of vitamin C, and potassium, a mineral which helps control blood pressure

4 Decorate Meanwhile, beat the soft cheese with the icing sugar, then chill. Spread over the cooled cake, scatter with the orange rind and chill until ready to serve.

This will keep for a week in the fridge

BBC Easy Cook 41

Indian inspiration

Straight to the table

These one-dish wonders take a little effort to prepare, but the flavours are fantastic and guests will be impressed!

Lentil dhal with curried fsh l Serves

2 (easily multiplied) 20 minutes, plus 1 hour cooking, and marinating time l £3.12 a portion l 1013 kcals, 51g fat, 33g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l Takes

2 onions, chopped 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 tbsp sunfower oil, plus an extra splash 2 tbsp mild curry powder, plus ½ tsp 1 tsp brown mustard seeds 1½ tsp onion or nigella seeds 85g red lentils 85g split peas or chana dhal lentils 1¼ tsp ground turmeric 400g can coconut milk 3 tbsp natural yogurt, 2 frm white fsh fllets with skin (we used sustainably-sourced cod) 42 BBC Easy Cook

2 plum tomatoes, diced juice of 1 lime, plus 1 cut into wedges, to serve a handful of coriander leaves 2 tbsp crispy onions (from a tub) warm naan, to serve mango chutney, to serve natural yogurt, to serve

2 Marinate the fsh Meanwhile, mix the remaining ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp onion seeds and ½ tsp curry powder with the yogurt. Carefully slice the skin off the fsh and set the skin aside on kitchen paper to dry. Rub the favoured yogurt over the fsh fllets and marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes while you cook the lentils.

1 Make the dhal Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Mix the onions, ginger, oil, 2 tbsp curry powder, the mustard seeds and 1 tsp of the onion or nigella seeds with 5 tbsp water in a baking dish (roughly 25 x 18cm). Roast for 10-15 minutes, until the onions are softened. Stir in the lentils and split peas or chana dhal lentils, 1 tsp of the turmeric, the coconut milk and half a can of water, and return to the oven for 30 minutes.

3 Cook the fsh Stir the dhal, mix in the tomatoes and lime juice, plus 1 tsp salt. Put the fsh fllets on top and season. Return to the oven and cook for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Remove the dish from the oven and turn on the grill. Put the fsh skin on a baking tray, sprinkle with salt, and then grill, turning, until crispy. Snap into pieces and scatter over the fsh with some coriander and the crispy onions. Serve with naan, mango chutney, yogurt and wedges.

WEEKEND WINNERS Chinese braised pork with plums l Serves

6 50 mins, plus 3 hours 45 mins cooking l £1.56 a portion l 576 kcals, 33g fat, 10g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing l Takes

1¼kg pork belly, trimmed of excess fat 2 tbsp sunfower oil 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 bunch of spring onions (greens and whites separated) 50g ginger, peeled and chopped 2 cloves of garlic small bunch of coriander (leaves and stalks separated) 1 tbsp Chinese fve-spice powder 5 whole star anise 1 cinnamon stick 85g dark brown muscovado sugar 4 tbsp each light and dark soy sauce 4 tbsp hoisin sauce 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 stem ginger balls from a jar, diced, plus 2 tbsp syrup 1 chicken (or pork) stock cube 450g plums, quartered and stoned jasmine rice and Asian greens, to serve 1 Prepare the pork belly Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pork belly and boil for 15 minutes. Remove the pork and cool then cut into 4cm chunks. 2 Brown the meat Heat a little oil in a fameproof casserole dish and brown the pork. Remove the pork and set aside. Put the onion, spring onion whites, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks in a blender and whizz to a paste. 3 Start cooking the pork Wipe out the dish, add the paste with a splash of water, and gently heat. Stir in the fve-spice powder, star anise, cinnamon and 1 tsp ground pepper. Fry for 1 minute. Add the sugar, soy sauces, hoisin sauce, vinegar, ginger and ginger syrup. Return the pork, crumble in the stock cube and cover with water. Stir in a third of the plums and bring to a gentle simmer. Turn oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/gas 3. Cover and bake for 2½ hours. 4 Thicken the sauce Lift the pork into an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven. Put the sauce back on the hob and boil until reduced by half. Add the remaining plums and cook for a few minutes more, add the pork and serve.

theeasyway Finely slice the spring onion greens and scatter over with the coriander leaves. Serve with jasmine rice and stir-fried greens BBC Easy Cook 43

No-bake showstoppers

Friends and family will love these delectable desserts. No oven necessary!

Easy raspberry & ginger trife 10 30 mins, plus 2 hours chilling time l £1.04 a portion l 829 kcals, 67g fat, 41g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

1 Flavour the cream cheese Put 50ml of the alcohol in a bowl with the soft cheese and beat with an electric whisk until smooth. Add the cream and sugar and beat again until well mixed and softly whipped.

150ml marsala, madeira or mediumsweet sherry 2 x 300g packs soft cheese 600ml double cream 50g icing sugar, sifted 2 x 250g packs gingernut biscuits 2 x 200g punnets of raspberries

2 Assemble the trife Using a pastry brush, quickly brush a gingernut biscuit with a little of the remaining alcohol. Stack on a cake plate or stand, brushed-side down, then repeat to make a large round base of biscuits. Spread over a layer of the cream mixture, squish in some raspberries, then

l Serves l Takes

44 BBC Easy Cook

repeat with another layer of biscuits, pressing down slightly to stick. Repeat layers, fnishing with a fourth layer of cream and raspberries. Cover with an upturned mixing bowl, or very loosely with cling flm, then chill for about 2 hours before serving.

Get ahead by making this gorgeous trifle the day before and keep it in the fridge

WEEKEND WINNERS

Friends won’t believe you made it yourself! No-bake cheesecake l Serves

12 l Takes 30 mins, plus 6 hours chilling time l 87p a portion l 680 kcals, 56g fat, 32g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 140g unsalted butter 300g digestive biscuits, broken up 500g soft cheese, softened 85g icing sugar 300ml double cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 15 Ferrero Rocher chocolates (5 roughly chopped, the rest reserved, to decorate)

4 tbsp hazelnut chocolate spread 25g hazelnuts, roughly chopped 1 Make the cheesecake base Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Whizz the biscuits in a food processor to fne crumbs, add the melted butter and pulse until well combined. Tip into a 23cm springform cake tin and press down frmly into the base, then leave to chill. 2 Make the flling Beat the soft cheese and icing sugar in a bowl to soften. Whisk the cream and vanilla in a separate bowl until soft peaks

form, then fold into the soft cheese. Stir through the chopped chocolates. Spoon over the biscuit base and smooth with a spatula. Cover with cling flm and chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. 3 Add the topping When the biscuit base has set, put the chocolate hazelnut spread in a pan and melt over a low heat for 3-4 minutes until runny. Leave it to cool slightly before spreading over the top of the cheesecake. Decorate with the remaining chocolates and some chopped hazelnuts. Serve and watch the smiles as you bask in the applause! BBC Easy Cook 45

Everybody’s talking about...

street food

Join the craze and treat your friends to these sensational summertime snacks

BBQ beef short ribs l

Serves 4 Takes 30 mins, plus 5½ hours in the oven l £3.03 a portion l 678 kcals, 37g fat, 15g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing (cooked ribs only) l

1 small onion, roughly chopped 4 tbsp chipotle paste 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika 1 tsp cayenne pepper 400g can chopped tomatoes 5 tbsp tomato ketchup 5 tbsp barbecue sauce 100ml malt vinegar 100g brown sugar 100ml bourbon 4 large or 8 smaller beef short ribs 1 beef stock cube 4 handfuls of frozen skinny fries, cooked according to pack instructions, to serve 1 The day before Put the frst 10 ingredients in a food processor and whizz to a sauce. Put the ribs in a baking dish, pour over the sauce and rub it all over the beef. Leave the ribs to marinate in the fridge overnight. 2 Cook the ribs Turn oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3 and boil the kettle. Tip the ribs and marinade into a large, fameproof casserole with a lid. Crumble over the stock cube, then pour over enough boiling water from the kettle to come to the top of the ribs. Cover and cook for 4 hours until tender. 3 Make the sauce Carefully tip all the liquid left in the casserole into a big jug or bowl – leave for a while to separate, then skim off and discard any fat that has risen to the top. Lift the ribs into a roasting tin, then tip the cooking liquid back into the casserole and boil down on the hob until saucy again. Tip this back over the ribs and toss to coat. The ribs can now be cooled, then chilled for up to 48 hours (or frozen). 4 Roast the ribs Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4 and roast the ribs, uncovered, tossing halfway, for 1 hour, until sticky and glazed on the outside and heated through. When cooked, cover the dish with foil to keep them warm while you cook the fries.

Serve the ribs with Green apple salsa Mix together the juice of 1 lime, 2 green apples, quartered, cored and diced (and immediately tossed in the lime juice), 2 spring onions, sliced, a handful of coriander, roughly chopped, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Serves 4. 46 BBC Easy Cook

WEEKEND WINNERS Yakitori corn pops l

Makes 12 Ready in 40 minutes l 23p each l 55 kcals, 0g fat, 2g sat. fat each l Not suitable for freezing l

Assemble each roti with 2 bhajis, mint salad and a spoonful of mango raita, then roll up and dig in!

l

2 fresh corn cobs (leaves and threads peeled away) about 150ml yakitori sauce (or see recipe, below) 1 tbsp sunfower oil 8-12 wooden chopsticks or short skewers 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 1 Soften the corn Put the corn cobs in a microwaveable dish with about 1cm water. Cover with cling flm, poke a couple of holes through and microwave for 10 minutes on full power (100%), until tender. When cool enough to handle, trim the rounded ends and cut the rest into 3-5cm chunks. Mix 1 tbsp yakitori sauce with the oil and brush all over the corn. 2 Coat the corn Heat a griddle pan or barbecue and sear the corn on all sides until starting to char. Lift into a bowl, add the remaining sauce and toss to coat. Add a stick to each – like a lollipop – then dip each corn pop into the sesame seeds to coat before eating.

Onion & butternut bhajis in roti wraps l l

Serves 5 (Makes 20 bhajis) l Takes 40 mins, plus 25 mins cooking l £1.52 a portion 675 kcals, 23g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing (cooked bhajis only) l

10 rotis, sprinkled with water, wrapped in baking parchment and warmed in a low oven (or according to pack instructions) 3 little gem lettuces, shredded ¼ cucumber, thinly sliced a small bunch of mint, leaves only ½ lemon FOR THE BHAJIS

3 tbsp korma paste 200g chickpea four (or plain four) 1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 2 medium onions, fnely sliced 250g butternut squash, peeled and coarsely grated vegetable oil, for frying FOR THE MANGO RAITA

250g natural yogurt 85g mango chutney 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds

1 For the bhajis Mix the korma paste with 250ml cold water. Mix the four, baking powder and spices in a large bowl, then pour in the water and mix to a thick batter. Stir in the onions and butternut squash. 2 Prepare the salad and raita Mix the raita ingredients together and set aside. Warm the rotis. Toss together the lettuce, cucumber and mint leaves and dress with lemon juice. 3 Fry the bhajis and wrap up! Heat 5cm of oil in a wok or deep pan. Add a drop of the bhaji mixture– when it rises to the surface, bubbling and browning, the oil is hot enough. Add heaped tbsps of the mixture to the oil, a few at a time, and cook for a few minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and crispy (about 5-6 minutes). Lift onto kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.

Serve with Homemade yakitori sauce Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 1 tbsp sake to a paste. Put 2 more tbsp sake, 125ml light soy sauce, 4 tbsp mirin and 2 tsp golden caster sugar in a small pan, whisk in the cornflour mixture and heat until the sugar has melted and the sauce has thickened. Cool before serving.

BBC Easy Cook 47

One-pan veggie

Preparing to pack your kids off to university? Teach them these simple recipes so they don’t eat beans on toast every day! Frying pan pizza bianco l

Serves 1 l Takes 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooking l £1.92 a portion l 865 kcals, 22g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 175g self-raising four 2 tsp olive oil, plus a drizzle for frying 1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced 4 rosemary sprigs, chopped 140g mushrooms, sliced 85g light soft cheese 1 egg a good pinch of chilli fakes

48 BBC Easy Cook

1 Mix the dough In a large bowl, mix the four with the oil, 85ml water and a pinch of salt to make a dough. Tip onto the work surface and knead for 1-2 minutes to bring together into a smooth ball, then return to the bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside. 2 Make the pizza base Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan, roughly 22cm wide. Add the garlic and most of the rosemary and sizzle for 1-2 minutes until just turning golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, or until golden and tender. Season and tip out onto a plate. Shape the

dough into a thin disc roughly the same size as your pan (you can do this with your hands – no need to use a rolling pin). Put in the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes over a low-medium heat, until the underside is golden. Use a fsh slice to fip over, then cook for another 4-5 minutes. 3 Add the topping Heat the grill to high. Season the soft cheese and spread over the pizza. Top with the mushrooms, leaving space in the centre for the egg. Crack the egg into the space and season, then put the pan under the grill for 3-4 minutes until the white has set but the yolk is still a little runny.

TEACH YOUR KIDS Tuna lasagne l

Serves 4 l Takes 15 minutes, plus 35 mins in the oven l £1.77 a portion l 565 kcals, 34g fat, 20g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 400g can chopped tomatoes 250g frozen sliced mixed peppers 85g black olives, from a jar or can, drained and rinsed 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs 2 x 185g cans tuna in brine, drained 200g tub soft cheese 12 dried lasagne sheets 125g ball mozzarella, torn into pieces

1 Cook the tuna sauce Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Tip the tomatoes, peppers, olives, cinnamon and herbs into a pan, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down a little. Add the tuna and season. 2 Assemble the lasagne Tip the soft cheese into a bowl, season and mix to loosen a little, adding a splash of water (or milk, if you have some) to make a thick whitesauce consistency. Assemble the lasagne in a baking dish, approx 20 x 30cm. Pour about a third of the tuna sauce into the bottom of the dish, top with 4 lasagne sheets, a third of the soft cheese sauce, then repeat the layers twice more. Scatter over the mozzarella and bake for 35 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

Make it veggie! Replace the tuna with smoky griddled aubergines or courgettes

BBC Easy Cook 49

TEACH YOUR KIDS

Vegetarian katsu curry l

Serves 4 l Takes 15 minutes, plus 45 minutes cooking l £1.64 a portion l 786 kcals, 32g fat, 17g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

4 tbsp plain four 2 aubergines, sliced into ½ cm discs 100g dried breadcrumbs (see right for an easy way to make your own) 4 tbsp vegetable oil 250g basmati rice 1 large onion, fnely chopped 4 cloves of garlic, crushed 3 tbsp curry powder 2 tbsp clear honey 400ml can coconut milk 1 large cucumber, peeled into ribbons 1 Coat the aubergine In a large bowl, combine 3 tbsp four and enough water to make a runny paste, then season and add the aubergines, tossing until they are all coated. Tip the breadcrumbs

onto a plate and dip in each aubergine slice, turning to coat and pressing down a little to help the crumbs stick. 2 Fry the aubergine Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan. Cook the aubergine slices in batches for 5 minutes on each side or until tender, adding a little more oil between batches. Transfer the slices to a baking tray as you go. Once all the aubergine slices are browned, put the tray in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes while you make the sauce. Cook the rice according to pack instructions and drain.

Make your own dried breadcrumbs Turn oven to fan 120C/conventional 140C/gas 1. Grate stale bread on the coarse side of a grater, then spread the crumbs in a thin layer over a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes, mixing halfway through cooking. Cool completely. Store in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

3 Make the katsu sauce Meanwhile, wipe out the pan and heat another drizzle of oil. Add the onion and cook for a few mins to soften. Stir in the garlic and curry powder for 1 minute, then add the remaining 1 tbsp four and the honey and stir to a paste. Add the coconut milk, a little at a time, stirring to make a smooth sauce, then simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.

Serve the crispy aubergine slices with the sauce, rice and cucumber ribbons 50 BBC Easy Cook

Just 5 ingredients!

Raspberry ripple & honeycomb heaven Raspberries are in season, so treat your family with this no-bake, super-simple, late-summer sensation Frozen raspberry honeycomb pie l

Serves 12 Takes 20 minutes, plus cooling and freezing time l 59p a portion l 411 kcals, 27g fat, 16g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing l

250g caramel biscuits (such as Lotus) 85g butter, melted 500g tub vanilla ice cream 400g raspberries 150g honeycomb, broken up 1 Make the pie crust Put the caramel biscuits in a food processor and whizz to crumbs. Add the melted butter and whizz again until well combined. Use the biscuit crumbs to line a deep 22cm futed tart tin, pressing the crumbs into the base and up the sides with the back of a spoon until really compact. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes while you prepare the flling.

52 BBC Easy Cook

2 Make the flling Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 20 minutes before you’re ready to use it. Tip the raspberries into a bowl, reserving a handful, and lightly crush about half with the back of a fork until juicy. Once the ice cream has softened, tip into another bowl and mash with the back of a spoon until pliable but not totally defrosted. Add the raspberries and half the honeycomb, then ripple together. 3 Assemble and freeze Remove the tart case from the fridge and tip the raspberry ice cream mixture into the centre, smoothing out to the edges. Top with the reserved raspberries and honeycomb, pushing them down into the ice cream layer a little, then freeze for 4 hours until frozen solid.

GET BAKING

theeasyway Frozen raspberries work as well as fresh for this recipe. Use other berry fruits (such as blackberries, blueberries or strawberries) instead, if you like

Serve with Caramel sauce Put 150ml double cream, 100g muscovado sugar and 75g butter in a pan with a good pinch of salt, and bring to a simmer. Bubble for 5 minutes until it’s the consistency of caramel, then cool for 2 mins. Serve with slices of the pie. Will keep for 1 week.

BBC Easy Cook 53

Take a

lunch bake

These brilliant ideas are just right for a leisurely weekend lunch Jumbo sausage roll l Serves

6 l Takes 10 minutes, plus 40 mins in the oven l 98p a portion l 639 kcals, 37g fat, 11g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 400g sausagemeat, or a pack of 8 sausages, squeezed from their skins 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs 150g hot salsa dip (from a jar) 1 egg, beaten 375g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet

54 BBC Easy Cook

1 Mix the sausage flling Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment or foil. In a large bowl, mix together the sausagemeat, herbs, the salsa and about half the beaten egg, until well combined. 2 Assemble and bake Unroll the pastry sheet on your baking tray. Pile the sausage mixture onto the longer side of the pastry, leaving a gap of 4cm around the edge. Brush a little egg around the edges, then fold the pastry over the flling. Press the edges together with a fork and score a few air holes through the top with a knife. Brush with the remaining egg and bake for 40 minutes.

Serve with Salsa beans Tip 3 x 400g cans haricot beans, drained, 300g canned chopped tomatoes, 150g hot salsa dip (from a jar) and some seasoning into a pan and cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and clings to the beans. Scatter the beans with thinly sliced chilli and serve with slices of sausage roll (see recipe, left). Serves 6.

GET BAKING Cheddar & sage scones l Makes

8 20 mins, plus 15 mins in the oven l 29p each l 207 kcals, 11g fat, 6g sat. fat each l Suitable for freezing l Takes

225g self-raising four 1½ tsp English mustard powder 50g cold butter, cubed 100g mature cheddar, grated 1 tbsp fnely chopped sage, plus 8 small leaves 1 egg, beaten 100ml buttermilk 1 Rub the four and butter together Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7. Mix the four, mustard powder, ½ tsp salt and a grinding of black pepper in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fne crumbs. Stir in half the cheese and all the chopped sage. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg and buttermilk. 2 Make the scone dough Make a well in the centre of the four mixture and pour in all but ½ tbsp of the buttermilk mixture. Working quickly, stir until the mixture forms a soft, spongy dough. Tip onto a lightly foured surface and knead briefy until smooth. 3 Bake the scones Roll out the dough to a 3cm-thick square. Cut into four squares, then half each diagonally, so you have 8 triangles. Put the scones on a foured baking tray and brush with the remaining buttermilk. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and top each with a sage leaf. Bake for 12-14 minutes until they are well risen, golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Eat while still warm, spread with butter.

Perfect for a late summer picnic Beetroot & shallot tatin l Serves l £2.31

2 (easily multiplied) l Takes 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes in the oven a portion l 507 kcals 34g fat, 14g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing

50g butter, plus extra for greasing 12 shallots, halved if large ½ tsp olive oil 50g walnut pieces 2 cloves of garlic chopped 3 rosemary sprigs, chopped 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 12 cooked baby beetroots (or 12 wedges) 225g all-butter puff pastry plain four, for dusting rocket, to serve 1 Soften the shallots Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/ gas 7 and grease 2 x 15cm sandwich tins (with solid bases). In a non-stick pan, gently cook the shallots in the oil until golden and soft. If they start to colour before softening, add a dash of water and cover the pan. Tip out the shallots and wipe out the pan.

l

2 Cook the beetroot Put the butter in the pan with the walnuts, garlic, rosemary, maple syrup and vinegar. Season and bubble until syrupy. Tip in the shallots and cook briefy, stirring to coat. Spoon half the shallots and syrup into each tin, then add the beetroots, alternating them with the shallots as you go. 3 Add the pastry Cut the pastry in half, then roll out each piece on a lightly foured surface until just larger than the tins. Put the pastry over the vegetables and tuck it down the insides of the tin. Trim off any excess with scissors and pierce the middle of the pastry with a knife to make a hole for steam to escape. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Cool for a few mins in the tin, then turn out onto plates and top with the rocket. BBC Easy Cook 55

GET BAKING

For the biscuit tin You can freeze the cookie dough (wrap in cling film) at the end of step 1 before shaping. Defrost in the fridge before continuing with the recipe

These quick-tomake, energy-packed oat bars are an ideal after-school treat for hungry kids Oaty cookies l l

Makes 20 l Takes 20 minutes, plus 20 minutes in the oven 19p each l 218 kcals, 11g fat, 7g sat. fat each l Suitable for freezing

250g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 175g soft brown sugar 175g self-raising four 225g porridge oats 175g ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped 50g raisins 56 BBC Easy Cook

1 Make the cookie dough Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4 and line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment or lightly grease. Beat the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until light and fuffy. Stir in the four and oats and mix well. Mix in the apricots and raisins, then cut into 20 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball.

2 Bake the biscuits Arrange the cookie dough balls on the baking sheets, spaced apart, and fatten to rounds with your fngers. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are pale golden round the edges, but still a little soft in the centre. Cool for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack until cool and frm. Store in a tin – although they won't be there for long!

FESTIVAL

TELEVISION | RADIO | BOOKS

MEET THE STARS! CHOOSE FROM OVER 60 TV & RADIO EVENTS

THU 24 SEP

FRI 25 SEP

SAT 26 SEP

SUN 27 SEP

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH GALA OPENING NIGHT

DOCTOR WHO WOLF HALL SILENT WITNESS GOGGLEBOX

CALL THE MIDWIFE THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE ENDEAVOUR EDITH BOWMAN

SIR BRUCE FORSYTH DAVID WALLIAMS TONY PARSONS MELVYN BRAGG

For the latest line-up and to book tickets visit radiotimesfestival.com/easycook or call 0871 2305

539*

*calls cost 10p per minute plus standard network charges

THE GREEN AT HAMPTON COURT PALACE 24—27 SEPTEMBER

NEW AND IMPROVED DIGITAL EDITION Our award-winning app gives you all the content you know and love from the print edition PLUS some great interactive features

MAGAZINE

You can view recipes in landscape again!

Exclusive videos

★

Bookmark NEW! View recipes Easy-to-view recipe cards your favourites in landscape

Share on Facebook or Twitter

Digital magazine also available on

Subscribe from just £13.49 every six months and save over 40%. Visit the Apple App Store today

QUICK IDEAS

Sweet as We’ve all got a jar lurking in the back of a cupboard. But honey isn’t just for spreading on toast – use it to add healthier sweetness to everything from granola to drinks and salad dressings Spicy chicken marinade Mix together 1 tsp each ground cumin, coriander and cardamom, then combine with 1 tbsp honey and a little olive oil. Massage into boneless chicken thighs and marinate for 30 minutes. Grill the chicken on high until lightly charred, basting occasionally with the marinade as it cooks.

Roasted nut nibbles Whisk together equal quantities of olive oil and honey, then season with a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper, to taste. Stir in unsalted nuts (cashews, almonds and walnuts all work well), toss to coat, then roast in the oven at fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6 for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden. Leave to cool before serving.

Tangy salad dressing Whisk together 6 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp dijon mustard and 1 tbsp honey. Season and toss with crisp salad leaves for a quick and tasty side salad.

Saucy pancake topper Melt 100g unsalted butter in a pan and stir in 3 tbsp honey. Gently warm through, then pour straight over pancakes for a tasty treat.

Lemon & ginger refresher Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into a heatproof glass, then add a small knob of finely grated root ginger and a spoonful of honey, or more to taste. Top up with boiling water and finish with a slice of lemon.

Raw honey contains more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than white sugar

Minty tahini dip Mix 4 tbsp tahini paste with 2 tbsp natural yogurt, 2 tsp honey and the juice of 1 lemon. Stir in 1 small crushed clove of garlic, seasoning to taste and a small handful of chopped mint. Great with juicy lamb skewers and warm pitta bread.

Homemade granola

Make your own breakfast cereal by mixing 2 parts rolled oats to 1 part roughly chopped hazelnuts and sunflower seeds. Add ground cinnamon to taste. Melt a generous knob of unsalted butter with a few tbsp honey, then stir into the mixture. Bake in a low oven for 45 minutes until toasted and golden. When cool, stir in some dried fruit. Serve with milk or a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

All about honey The flavour, colour and texture of honey depend on the plants the honey bees collect their nectar from. Mild-flavoured honeys, such as acacia, work well for general cooking. Other varieties have very distinctive flavours that can enhance particular dishes. Scottish heather honey, for example, is rich and dark, and works well in baking, while French chestnut honey is delicious with sheep’s cheese. Honey should be stored in a cool, dark place (but not the fridge) for up to a year. If your honey has crystallised, simply warm the jar in hot water or remove the lid and put in the microwave for 20 seconds until it’s runny. BBC Easy Cook 59

tv cooks

Serve with roasted tomatoes and mushrooms, if you like

60 BBC Easy Cook

Delicious ideas from your favourite BBC stars

TV COOKS

Saturday Kitchen’s

James Martin

‘Brunch is becoming almost as much of a weekend ritual as a good old Sunday roast! So if you fancy a change, here are a couple of my favourite recipes’

James is the regular presenter on Saturday Kitchen

Hash browns with gruyère Gravadlax with dill crêpes, chilli & chive cream l

Serves 4 Takes 20 minutes, plus 50 minutes cooking l £1.09 a portion l 356 kcals, 17g fat, 6g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

l

l

l

800g maris piper or king edward potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks 1½ tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, fnely diced 2 cloves of garlic 75g pancetta, diced 50g gruyère, grated a small pack of parsley, chopped 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

FOR THE DILL CRÊPES

1 Cook the potatoes Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes, until just cooked.

FOR THE CHILLI & CHIVE CREAM

Serves 4 Takes 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes cooking l £4.54 a portion l 239 kcals, 12g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing

200g plain four 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk 500ml semi-skimmed milk a small pack of dill, chopped sunfower oil, for frying

Serve with chunks of fresh, white bread (toasted if you like)

FOR THE PICKLED ONION

1 small red onion, sliced 50ml white wine vinegar 2 tbsp golden caster sugar 100g soured cream 1 red chilli, deseeded and fnely chopped 3 tbsp snipped chives TO SERVE

2 Soften the onions Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp of the oil in a pan. Add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt, then cover and cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes until the onion is soft and starting to caramelise. If the onion starts to catch, add a splash of cold water. Remove the onion and garlic, then fry the pancetta in the same pan until the fat has melted and the pancetta is crisp. 3 Make the hash Drain and steam-dry the potatoes. Once cool, chop into 1cm dice and mix with the pancetta, gruyère, parsley, eggs, onion and garlic. Season with black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Tip in the potato mixture and press down with the back of a spoon. Fry over a medium heat for 15 minutes, until the bottom is golden. Tip onto a plate, then slide back into the pan, cooked-side up. Cook for 15 mins more, until golden and hot.

600g gravadlax 2 red chillies, sliced (optional) 2 lemons, cut into wedges 1 Make the crêpe batter Sift the flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs, egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk to make a thick, smooth batter. Stir in the rest of the milk and most of the dill. Cover and chill. 2 Make the pickled onion Put the onion in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the vinegar and sugar with 100ml water and a pinch of salt in a pan until the sugar dissolves. Tip onto the onion and leave to cool. Drain the onion, then cover and chill. 3 Make the flavoured cream Mix the ingredients for the cream in a bowl and season. Cover and chill.

4 Cook the crêpes and serve Heat oven to fan 90C/conventional 110C/ gas ¼. Heat a crêpe (or frying) pan over a medium heat and wipe with oiled kitchen paper. Pour half a ladle of batter into the pan and swirl the pan to spread the batter into a thin, even layer. Cook for 30-45 seconds, until the base is golden and bubbles start to break on the surface. Flip over with a spatula and cook for another 30 seconds. Layer the cooked crêpes between sheets of baking parchment and keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest. To serve, spoon the chive cream onto the crêpes, along with slices of gravadlax, the pickled onion, remaining dill and the chilli, if using. Serve with lemon wedges.

BBC Easy Cook 61

MasterChef’s

Dean Edwards The popular MasterChef finalist serves up two of his delicious takes on takeaways Dean is a previous runner up on MasterChef

62 BBC Easy Cook

TV COOKS Shawarma chicken kebabs

‘I prefer my burger without a bun on top, but that’s up to you!’

l

Serves 4 l Takes 30 mins, plus 20 mins cooking and marinating time l £2.81 a portion l 474 kcals, 9g fat, 1g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing 4 chicken breasts, each sliced into 5 pieces 4 fatbreads 1 small tub of houmous ½ cucumber, deseeded and diced, to serve 1 red onion, thinly sliced (optional), to serve 3 ripe plum tomatoes, deseeded and diced, to serve FOR THE MARINADE

80g low-fat plain yogurt 2 cloves of garlic, crushed fnely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp ground cinnamon FOR THE CHILLI SAUCE

4 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 small red onion, diced 2 red chillies, roughly chopped (optional) 1 fresh tomato, diced 1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped 1 tsp dried chilli fakes 2 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 Marinate the chicken Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, add the slices of chicken and leave in the fridge for about 2 hours. If you’re going to use wooden skewers, leave them to soak in water.

PORTRAIT IMAGE: MARTIN POOLE

2 Griddle the skewers Remove the chicken pieces and thread them on to the skewers. Preheat a griddle pan or a barbecue and cook the kebabs for 7–8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. 3 Make the chilli sauce Put the sauce ingredients into a blender or food processor and whizz to a fne paste. Transfer the sauce to a small pan and heat it through for 3–4 minutes, adding a little water to loosen it if necessary. Season with a little salt to taste. 4 Serve Toast the fatbreads and spread with houmous. Serve with the kebabs, some cucumber, slices of onion, if using, tomato and as much chilli sauce as you can handle!

Lean & mean Tex-Mex burgers l

Serves 4 (with 4 leftover burgers to freeze) Takes 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooking, and chilling time l £3.11 a portion l 402 kcals, 16g fat, 7g sat. fat a portion l Suitable for freezing (burgers only)

spices and seasoning. Mix well, then divide the mixture into 8 burgers, put them on a plate and leave them to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. This helps to set the shape. At this point, freeze any burgers you’re not going to use immediately.

2 tsp coconut oil 1 onion, very fnely diced 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 500g lean minced steak 500g lean turkey breast mince 1 tsp dijon mustard 1 egg yolk 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika TO SERVE

3 Cook the burgers Turn oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/ gas 5. Heat the remaining oil in an ovenproof frying pan and cook the burgers for about 5–6 minutes on each side. Put the pan in the preheated oven and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the burgers are cooked through. If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, transfer the burgers to a baking tray and put them in the oven.

4 wholemeal burger buns, halved & toasted 4 thin slices of Mexicana cheese (optional) 1 beef tomato, thickly sliced ½ red onion, sliced into rings (optional) 1 avocado, sliced rocket leaves

4 Serve To serve, put each burger on a toasted bun half, top with a slice of cheese, if using, and garnish with slices of tomato, onion, avocado and a small handful of fresh rocket leaves.

l

1 Soften the onion and garlic Heat 1 tsp of the coconut oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic for 5-6 minutes until softened, then set aside to cool. 2 Make the burgers Tip the onion and garlic into a bowl and add the steak and turkey mince, mustard, egg yolk,

easyoffer These recipes are adapted from Feelgood Family Food by Dean Edwards, Bantam Press, £17.99. BBC Easy Cook readers can buy it for just £14.99, with free p&p. Call 01326 569444 or visit www.sparkledirect.com/easycook

BBC Easy Cook 63

The Great British Bake Off’s

Frances Quinn

‘I’m already dreaming of autumn apple crumbles and custard, but with the sun still shining, these cute cupcakes are perfect for Sunday lunch dessert – or afternoon tea’ Apple crumble cupcakes l

Makes 12 l Takes 50 minutes, plus 40 mins in the oven and overnight chilling l 61p each l 641 kcals, 45g fat, 27g sat. fat each l Not suitable for freezing FOR THE CUSTARD CREAM ICING

100g icing sugar 3 tbsp custard powder 1 tbsp vanilla extract 600ml double cream FOR THE CUPCAKES

3 small dessert apples, peeled, cored and diced (about 325g) 3 tbsp custard powder 140g slightly salted butter, softened 140g golden caster sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 140g self-raising four FOR THE BISCUITS & CRUMBLE TOPPING

75g golden caster sugar 100g slightly salted butter, chilled 140g self-raising four, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp ground cinnamon a few squares of white chocolate (to fnish) 1 Make the icing the day before The icing will need to chill in the fridge overnight, so make it the day before you want to serve the cakes. Sift the icing sugar and custard powder into a large bowl, add the vanilla extract and 4 tbsp of the cream, then whisk until smooth. Tip all but 2 tsp of the remaining cream into a medium pan (chill the reserved crean as you may need it tomorrow to make the decoration) and heat gently until small bubbles start to appear around the edges

64 BBC Easy Cook

of the pan – the cream should be hot, but not boiling. Gradually pour this into the bowl with the custard powder mixture, whisking all the time. Pour the mixture back into the pan and return to the heat. Cook gently for 4-6 minutes, stirring all the time, until the mixture has thickened and the custard powder has dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface directly with cling flm. Leave to cool, then chill overnight in the fridge.

Frances is a previous winner of The Great British Bake Off

the reserved double cream to bind, if needed. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in cling flm and chill for 30 minutes, or until frm. 5 Make and bake the apple and leaves Roll out the dough on a lightly foured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using apple and leaf-shaped cutters (or a sharp knife), cut out 12 apple shapes and leaves. Use a palette knife to lift the shapes onto a baking tray lined with parchment. Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

You can buy appleshaped cookie cutters in most kitchenware stores

2 Make the cupcakes The next day, turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffn tin with muffn cases. Toss the apples and custard powder together in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, using an electric whisk, until light and fuffy. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract, whisking well after each addition. Fold in the four, then stir through the custard powder-coated apples. Divide the mixture between the muffn cases and bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire racks.

3 Make the crumble Whizz all the ingredients for the crumble together in a food processor until the mixture resembles fne crumbs. Tip half the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 5-10 minutes, until lightly golden. 4 Make the dough for the decoration Continue to pulse the remaining half of the crumble topping mixture until it comes together to form a dough, adding 1-2 tsp of

6 Melt the chocolate Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (or microwave for 5-10 second bursts). Dab each ‘leaf’ biscuit with a little melted chocolate and fx it to an ‘apple’. Leave to set. 7 Finish decorating the cakes Whip the chilled custard cream icing to soft peaks, then transfer to a piping bag ftted with a large round nozzle. Pipe some icing onto each cupcake, then smooth the surface with a spatula. Sprinkle over some crumble, then insert an apple biscuit into the top.

Try these custard kisses Turn oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Mix 175g butter, 50g each caster and icing sugar, 2 egg yolks and 2 tsp vanilla extract, until creamy. Gradaully mix in 300g flour. Roll out thinly on a floured surface, then cut into 14 squares. Bake on baking sheets for 8-10 mins until golden. Cool, then sandwich with buttercream. Makes 7.

TV COOKS

‘To make your apple biscuits look quirky, you can cut out a ‘bite’ from the side of some of the biscuits using a small futed cookie cutter. If you have any leftover dough, stamp out more shapes and bake some biscuits for the tin,’ says Frances

BBC Easy Cook 65

TV COOKS

Saturday Kitchen’s

Theo Randall

‘This soup is also called Acquacotta, meaning ‘cooked water’. It’s made from vegetables and bread, and served with an egg. Use chicken stock instead of water to boost the flavour’

Theo is a regular guest chef on Saturday Kitchen

Tuscan soup l

Serves 4-6 Takes 20 minutes, plus 40 minutes cooking l £1.36 a portion l 239 kcals, 12g fat, 3g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

If you’re not keen on eggs, serve with garlic crostini instead. To make, heat a grill to high and toast 6 slices ciabatta until golden, then rub with garlic cloves and drizzle over a little olive oil. Serves 6

3 tbsp olive oil 3 celery sticks, chopped 2 small carrots, chopped 1 red onion, fnely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, fnely chopped 2 tsp thyme leaves, plus extra to serve 50g dried porcini mushrooms 225g plum tomatoes, deseeded & chopped 850ml chicken stock 6 eggs 2 tbsp chopped parsley 3 slices crusty bread, toasted and torn into chunks 1 Soak the mushrooms and fry the veg Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the celery, carrots, onion, garlic and thyme for 10-15 mins until soft. Meanwhile, cover the porcini with hot water and soak for 15 minutes until softened and swollen. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and roughly chop. Add to the softened vegetables along with the soaking liquid and cook for another 5 minutes. 2 Add the tomatoes Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes until they begin to break down, then pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. 3 Cook the eggs Poach the 6 eggs in a large pan of simmering water for 3-4 mins until set, then remove with a slotted spoon. Add the parsley and a little seasoning to the soup, and mix in the toasted bread. Serve the soup topped with an egg. Serve scattered with extra thyme.

66 BBC Easy Cook

STEP BY STEP

l o o h c s y r e k o o c easycook ith Br Le arn ne w techniques w

itain's best chefs

Raymond Blanc’s

SEA BASS The BBC’s Raymond Blanc shows us how to make this restaurant-standard fish dish

Turn the page for Raymond’s step-by-step masterclass

BBC Easy Cook 67

easycook

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

1

4 How to cook sea bass

Fry a few of the basil leaves Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry 8 basil leaves for a few seconds until they crisp up, then lift out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Make the basil sauce Add the blanched basil leaves to a food blender and pour in 60ml olive oil. Whizz to a pourable sauce, adding more oil if needed, then pour the sauce into a bowl and set aside.

Pan-fried sea bass with ratatouille & basil l

Serves 2 Ready in 30 minutes l £3.15 a portion l 645 kcals, 54g fat, 8g sat. fat a portion l Not suitable for freezing l

FOR THE RATATOUILLE

60ml olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for frying 2 large handfuls of basil leaves 1 small red pepper 1 small courgette ½ aubergine 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp ground cumin 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 8 baby plum tomatoes, halved FOR THE FISH FILLETS

1 tbsp olive oil 2 sea bass fllets (about 140g) juice ½ lemon extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

68 BBC Easy Cook

Raymond says: ‘All the fresh flavours from sunny Provence are contained in this dish. In one form or another, elements of this recipe always appear on my menu.’

7

Prepare the fsh With a sharp knife, score each sea bass fillet with small slits through the skin at regular intervals.

STEP BY STEP

2

Blanch the remaining basil

5

Slice the vegetables

8

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and get a bowl of iced water ready. Blanch (cook very quickly) the remaining basil leaves for 5 seconds. Using a pair of tongs, lift out the leaves and plunge them into iced water so that they cool quickly and keep their colour.

Halve the red pepper, then deseed and slice into thin strips. Cut the courgette into quarters lengthways and slice. Slice the aubergine into thick rounds, then cut each one into strips.

Cook the fsh Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan until hot. Season the fillets and place, skin-side down, in the pan. Cook until the skin is golden and crisp, and the flesh is changing colour.

3

6

9 RAYMOND’S TOP TIP

The ratatouille can be prepared a day in advance. Cover and chill in the fridge, then heat through before serving

Squeeze out the water Once cool, lift the leaves out and squeeze them to remove any excess water.

Cook the ratatouille Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the cumin and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Tip the chopped veg, plus the baby plum tomatoes, into the pan, then season and fry for 1 minute. Add 100ml water, and cook on a high heat for 4 minutes.

Finish cooking the fsh Turn the fillets over and cook for 1 minute, remove from the heat, then sprinkle with lemon juice. Divide the ratatouille between the plates and top with the sea bass. Drizzle with the basil sauce and a little extra-virgin olive oil and serve with crisp basil leaves.

BBC Easy Cook 69

EASY IDEAS

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 LOW-FAT SOFT CHEESE from Mushroom omelette, p19 Strawberry cheesecakes

CUSTARD POWDER from Apple crumble cupcakes, p64

Put 85g ginger biscuits in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin to chunky crumbs. Divide between 4 glasses. Beat 200g tub low-fat soft cheese, 200g tub 0% Greek yogurt, 4 tbsp caster sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract until smooth, spoon over the crumbs and chill. Stir 2 tbsp strawberry jam in a bowl until loose, stir in 100g strawberries, hulled and sliced. Divide between the cheesecakes. Serves 4.

Custard & white chocolate biscuits Turn oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/ gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Put 140g butter and 175g caster sugar in a food processor and whizz until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and ½ tsp vanilla extract and mix well. Sift together 225g self-raising flour and 85g custard powder, then pulse to mix into a dough. Stir in 85g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks. Roll the dough into about 25 small balls, then put on the

Scandi cheese and crackers Put a spoonful of low-fat soft cheese into a bowl. Mix with a few snipped chives and a few cornichons. Eat with wholewheat crackers. Serves 1.

CANNELLINI BEANS from Pea houmous, p23 Bean and pesto mash Heat ¼ tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add ½ x 400g can cannellini beans and cook for 3-4 mins, until hot. Lightly mash with a potato masher for a chunky texture. Stir through ½ tbsp pesto and season. Drizzle with olive oil to serve. Serves 1. Baked aubergines with beans Turn oven to fan 200C/conventional 220C/gas 7. Halve 2 aubergines lengthways. Score the cut sides. Rub with 1 tbsp olive oil, season and bake for 30 mins, until tender. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and fry 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, for 8 mins, until soft. Add thyme leaves, a 400g can chopped tomatoes, 300g canned cannellini beans, drained & rinsed, and ½ can water. Simmer for 8 mins, season. Spoon the beans around the aubergines. Scatter with parmesan and bake for 10 mins, until golden. Serves 2. 70 BBC Easy Cook

STEM GINGER from Brandy snap millefeuille, p24 Beef noodle salad with ginger dressing In a large bowl, combine 3 balls stem ginger (from a jar), finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup from the jar, with 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar and 2 tsp sesame oil to make a dressing. To make the salad: in a large serving bowl, combine 300g pack cooked egg noodles with 150g sugar snap peas, sliced, 8 radishes, finely sliced, 1 thumb-sized piece of red chilli, finely sliced, a handful of coriander leaves, roughly torn, 200g cooked rare roast beef, roughly shredded, and 85g dry-roasted peanuts. Mix well to serve. Serve with fries or crusty bread, if you like. Serves 4.

PARMESAN from Creamy barley and squash risotto, p29 Chicken with parmesan crumbs Turn oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/ gas 5. Mix 2 tbsp polenta, 2 tbsp grated parmesan, 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme and 3 tbsp olive oil. Skin 2 chicken breasts, spread with 2-3 tsp black olive tapenade, then put them in a baking dish on a bed of thyme sprigs, with 3 halved, large tomatoes. Pat the parmesan crumbs on the chicken and tomatoes, drizzle with the oil. Roast the chicken in a baking dish for 30-35 mins. Serve with salad and crusty bread. Serves 2. Pesto and parmesan spaghetti In a large pan, boil 500g spaghetti according to pack instructions. Drain, then return to the pan with 2-3 tbsp pesto (from a jar) and 25g grated parmesan. Toss well, then tip into a serving bowl and sprinkle with 25g more parmesan. Serves 4.

baking sheets, spaced apart. Press each with your fingers. Bake for 12-15 mins, until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 25. Banana custard Whizz 2 very ripe bananas to a purée in a food processor with 100g caster sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Pour into a pan and bubble for a few mins until thickened. Mix 4 tbsp custard powder with a few tbsp (from 300ml milk) to make a smooth paste, then add the remaining milk along with 150ml double cream and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Stir well, then pour into the banana purée and cook until thick and smooth. Serves 6.

SESAME SEEDS from Sweet sesame chilli chicken, p7 Broccoli and peas with sesame seeds Make a dressing by mixing 1 tbsp soy sauce with 1 tsp clear honey and ¼ tsp sesame oil. Mix 1 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted, with 1 tsp poppy seeds. Boil 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets, and 100g frozen peas for 2 mins, then drain. Tip the veg back in the pan, pour half the dressing and half the seeds over and shake for a few seconds. Serve sprinkled with the rest of the dressing and seeds. Serves 4. Sesame fatbreads Heat grill to high and dust a non-stick baking sheet with flour. Mix 200g self-raising flour with 2 tbsp sesame seeds, a pinch of salt and grind of black pepper in a bowl. Stir in 150g pot natural yogurt and 1 tbsp milk, then mix to form a soft dough. Divide the dough into 4 and press each piece into an oval about 5mm thick. Put on the sheet and grill for 3 minutes on each side, until puffed and golden. Brush with a little olive oil before serving. Serves 4.

USING THESE FOR THE FIRST TIME? MUSCOVADO SUGAR used in Caramel sauce, p53 It’s always worth having a bag of muscovado sugar (light or dark) in the cupboard. It’s relatively unrefined with most of the molasses still remaining, so it has a dark, treacle-like flavour which is ideal in rich fruit cakes and perfect in sticky gingerbread.

PIRI PIRI MARINADE used in Piri piri fish and chips, p11

RICOTTA used in Brandy snap millefeuille, p24 This Italian

This African bird’s-eye chilli is widely used in Portuguese and African cuisine and a key ingredient in piri-piri marinade. It goes really well in spicy chicken or rice dishes and is brilliant with fish too. Try these Piri Piri Prawns: marinate 18 large fresh prawns in their shells in piri piri marinade for 2 hours, then cook for a few mins on each side until the prawns turn from grey to pink. Serve with minty yogurt. Serves 4-6.

curd cheese is made from whey, a byproduct of making mozzarella. Its name means ‘cooked again’. It has a rich, yet delicate flavour. Try it crumbled into pasta. Or try this Creamy Dip: mix 150g ricotta with chopped spring onions, lemon juice and natural yogurt. Perfect as a snack with vegetable sticks. BBC Easy Cook 71

easy extras www.facebook.com

www.twitter.com

Easy Cook Magazine

@EasyCookMag

Sarah Sysum’s monthly round-up of the best new products and ideas

5 minutes with Aaron Craze

easycook

We caught up with the Junior Bake Off presenter to find out what he really fancies with a cuppa!

What tips do you have for cooking on a strict budget? Go to the market. Most towns have one and you’ll fnd lots of fruit and veg are much, much cheaper. Use cheaper cuts of meat too – chicken thighs are really tasty.

they need help with, and encourage them lots!

As a strong believer in using fresh herbs to enhance the favour of dishes, what are your top three herbs and why? I use loads of basil, rosemary, parsley. They are all essential in Italian cooking and that’s partly why I love them – and they really can bring any dish to life. You give the kids on Junior Bake Off plenty of

Your two daughters are growing up fast! Are they fussy eaters and how do you overcome that? My eldest Use daughter Leah cheaper cuts is a great eater. She eats of meat too everything – chicken thighs and is always are really keen to try new things. Molly, my tasty youngest, only eats noodles and pasta. I still haven’t found the answer!

encouragement. What advice would give parents to help get their kids cooking? It’s simple really, be supportive not pushy! Children know what

Super sm oo

e thi

Not all the best buys are in supermarket economy ranges – some are just great own-brand products. This is a real case in point: it’s a berry smoothie (with no bananas – why do most smoothies contain bananas?). It’s lovely and tart with a really rich raspberry flavour. What’s more it’s only 89p, which works out almost £2 cheaper than others on the market.

Aaron presents Junior Bake Off on CBBC

Cookbook of the month ■

From Venice to Istanbul Rick Stein

BBC Books, £25

72 BBC Easy Cook

Any secret midnight snacks you admit to? The list is endless! But Twirl Bites and a cuppa seem to do the trick.

Rick is on his travels again – this time through Italy to Turkey. It’s such a beautiful book, you could just look at the stunning photography, but that would be a shame as there are loads of yummy recipes! The Albanian Baked Lamb would make a great alternative for Sunday lunch and the Fig Tart is gorgeous. If you’re looking for traditional recipes you won’t be disappointed either. Though, we must admit we might give Rick’s suggestion of ‘cold lamb’s brains fatbreads’ a miss!

WINE RACK

Chianti, Italy 2013, £4.79, Lidl The wine that inspired the approving tweet that went on to feature in a Lidl ad, this is a bargain with lots of acidity and cherry and plum fruit favours. It’s great with pasta, especially spag bol. The Exquisite Collection New Zealand Pinot Noir 2013, £6.99, Aldi This is a crazy price for Kiwi pinot noir – you’ll very rarely see one as good as this for under a tenner. This lacks silkiness, but makes up for it in redcurrant freshness and bright cherryberry fruit. Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference 2008 Barbaresco, £9.99 Defnitely not a wine to just pop open and drink on a sunny afternoon: this is the kind of wine that’s meant for food. It’s quite ‘dry’ in the mouth (a little puckering by itself), but give it a nice roast and it sings!

CONVERSION CHART WEIGHT

Taiko Bento Steamed Teriyaki Salmon Bento, £4, Waitrose If you fancy the idea of sushi but are not keen on raw fsh, this could be for you. You get salmon fakes with roasted veg, sushi rice and pickled cabbage.

Mini Cheese Selection £2.49, M&S A delicious selection of cheddar, Red Leicester and Blacksticks Blue – just take some biscuits along to make a meal of it.

Lunchtime treat ideas Put one of these tasty treats in a cooler bag to take to work for a change

Metric

Imperial

25g

1oz

50g

2oz

85g

3oz

100g

4oz

140g

5oz

150g

5½oz

175g

6oz

185g

6½oz

200 or 225g

ASDA Chosen by You Antipasti Mediterranean Selection, £3 Pretend you’re on hols with this lovely veggie pack which is great to nibble on throughout the day. The selection includes cream cheese-stuffed peppers, habas fritas, tomatoes and green olives.

8oz

250g

9oz

280 or 300g

10oz

350g

12oz

375g

13oz

400g

14oz

425g

15oz

450g

1lb

500g

1lb 2oz

550g

1lb 4oz

600g

1lb 5oz

650g

1lb 7oz

700g

1lb 9oz

750g

1lb 10oz

800g

1lb 12oz

850g

1lb 14oz

900g

2lb

950g

2lb 2oz

1kg

2lb 4oz

1.25 kg

2lb 12oz

1.3kg

3lb

1.5kg

3lb 5oz

1.6kg

3lb 8oz

1.7kg

3lb 12oz VOLUME

Tesco Ham Hock, Egg And Potato Salad, £2.30 Substantial salad with plenty of creamy, cooked potato, ham hock and hard boiled eggs. It looks tiny, but can easily feed one.

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

Pick of the paring knives Victorinox wavy edge 10cm paring knife, £5.50, amazon.co.uk You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good knife. This is made from stainless steel with a non-slip polypropylene handle and comes in black as well as fun colours like orange and pink. The blade has what’s called a laser-tested edge (you won’t ever need to sharpen it). The fact that it is low-priced means you’ll use it to tackle most jobs and can sling it in the dishwasher afterwards.

Lakeland 8cm ceramic paring knife, £12.49 With a blade made from black ceramic and a smooth tactile black handle, this is lighter in weight than most steel knives. The advantage with ceramic knives is that they retain their cutting edge so will rarely, if ever, need sharpening, plus they don’t rust – ideal if you want a knife that is low maintenance. Having said that, if you drop them they can chip. Excellent value and good quality too.

theeasyway Freeze your herbs in olive oil, this will prevent them from browning and getting freezer burn

Paul Hollywood’s tips for better baking ■ Know the quirks of your oven and be aware that you can get ‘hot spots’ which can throw a bake out. If you’ve had your oven for many years, get it serviced and check the efficiency of the oven thermometer. 180 degrees can mean different things in different ovens. ■ Sometimes old-fashioned ingredients like margarine work better in cakes than butter. You often get a better rise on a cake when margarine is used. (And that’s something

that Mary herself taught me!) It depends on what you’re making, of course – if it’s scones, for example, then it has to be butter, My nan used to make them with half lard, half butter. But that’s ridiculous, we’re not in the war now! ■ I like to use plain flour with the right amount of raising agent rather than self-raising flour so I know exactly how much I’ve put it. Paul is a judge on The Great British Bake Off

2.5cm

1in

5.5cm

2½in

10cm

4in

20cm

8in

23cm

9in

28cm

11in

38cm

15in

AMERICAN CUP CONVERSIONS American Metric 1 cup flour

150g

1 cup caster and granulated sugar

225g

1 cup brown sugar

175g

1 cup icing sugar

125g

1 cup butter/ margarine/lard

225g

1 cup sultanas/raisins

200g

1 cup currants

150g

1 cup chopped nuts

100g

1 cup ground almonds

100g

1 cup golden syrup/ treacle/clear honey

350g

1 cup uncooked rice

200g

1 cup cooked and drained rice

165g

1 cup grated cheese

100g

1 cup lentils

225g

1 cup chopped onions

100g

1 stick butter

100g

LIQUID CONVERSIONS American

Metric

½ fl oz

15ml

¼ cup

50ml

½ cup plus 2 tbsps

150ml

1 cup

225ml

1 pint/16 fl oz

450ml

2 pints/5 cups

1.2 litres

OVEN TEMPERATURES °F

°C (conventional oven)

275F

140C

300F

150C

325F

170C

350F

180C

375F

190C

400F

200C

425F

220C

450F

230C

475F

240C

BBC Easy Cook 73

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Recipe index

ISSUE 84 SEPTEMBER 2015

MEAT & POULTRY

Pumpkin biryani

NEXT TIME IN

easycook GET BAKING

BBQ beef short ribs ......................................... 46 Beef noodle salad with ginger dressing ............ 71 Chicken with parmesan crumbs ....................... 71 Chinese braised pork with plums...................... 43 Chinese chicken traybake ................................. 36 Chinese chilli beef ............................................ 14 Egg & bacon dippers ........................................ 32 Griddled lamb with rice salad ........................... 35 Hash browns with gruyère ................................ 61 Jerk chicken ..................................................... 37 Jumbo sausage roll .......................................... 55 Lean & mean Tex-Mex burgers .......................... 63 Masala meatball curry ...................................... 35 Pancetta & pepper piperade ............................. 34 Sausage & herb stuffed courgettes ................... 40 Scandi-style sausage hash.................................. 6 Shawarma chicken kebabs ............................... 63 South African chutney chicken.......................... 37 Sweet sesame chilli chicken ............................... 7 Tuscan soup ..................................................... 66

FISH & SEAFOOD

Flaked salmon with honey dressing .................. 22 Gravadlax with dill crêpes, chilli & chive cream ............................................... 61 Lentil dhal with curried fish .............................. 42 Pan-fried sea bass with ratatouille & basil ........ 68 Piri-piri fish & chips .......................................... 11 Poached salmon with courgette & lentil salad... 32 Smoked haddock & chorizo salad....................... 8 Sticky jerk salmon ............................................ 16 Tuna lasagne .................................................... 49

VEGETARIAN

Toasted banana bread

EVERYDAY EASY

Baked aubergines with beans ........................... 70 Beetroot & shallot tatin .................................... 55 Cheese & courgette pesto pudding ................... 39 Courgette, mint, ricotta & chilli salad ............... 40 Courgette tortilla with toppings ........................ 38 Creamy barley & squash risotto........................ 29 Creamy mustard mushrooms on toast ............. 20 Frying pan pizza bianco.................................... 48 Herb pesto with spaghetti ................................ 13 Lighter nachos.................................................... 9 Mushroom & basil omelette ............................. 19 Onion & butternut bhajis in roti wraps .............. 47 Pea houmous with pitta & vegetables ............... 23 Pesto & parmesan spaghetti ............................ 71 Sesame paneer wraps ...................................... 12 Smashed curried marrow ................................. 10 Stuffed Moroccan pittas ................................... 23 Vegetarian katsu curry...................................... 50

SIDES & EXTRAS Salmon fsh fnger sandwich

PLUS lots more brilliant ideas

October issue

ONLY

£

ON SALE .50 3rd September Don’t miss out, subscribe today – see page 26 for more details 74 BBC Easy Cook

Bean & pesto mash .......................................... 70 Beetroot & mackerel toast topper..................... 20 Brocooli & peas with sesame seeds.................. 71 Caramel sauce ................................................. 53 Chillied cheese toast topper ............................. 20 Chocolate mallow toast topper ......................... 20 Cinnamon crêpes with nut butter ..................... 18 Coconut porridge.............................................. 21 Creamy dip ....................................................... 71 Creamy egg butties .......................................... 23 Dried breadcrumbs .......................................... 50

Tuna lasagne Easy ideas for student suppers, p49 Goat's cheese & walnut rolls ............................. 23 Green apple salsa ............................................. 46 Homemade granola .......................................... 59 Homemade yakitori sauce ................................ 47 Lemon & ginger refresher ................................. 59 Mackerel salad ................................................. 23 Mango slaw ...................................................... 16 Minty pineapple smoothie ................................ 21 Minty tahini dip ................................................ 59 Pickled beetroot ................................................. 6 Piri piri prawns ................................................. 71 Roasted nut nibbles .......................................... 59 Salmon & chive bagels ..................................... 23 Salsa beans ...................................................... 55 Saucy pancake topper ...................................... 59 Scandi cheese & crackers ................................. 70 Scrambled omelette toast topper ..................... 20 Sesame flatbreads............................................ 71 Spicy chicken marinade.................................... 59 Spicy peas ........................................................ 11 Tangy salad dressing ........................................ 59 Tasty tapenade toast topper ............................. 20 Turkey tortillas.................................................. 23 Yakitori corn pops ............................................ 47 Zingy lemonade................................................ 31

DESSERTS

Apricot & crème fraiche eton mess................... 32 Brandy snap millefeuille ................................... 24 Easy raspberrry & ginger trifle.......................... 44 Frozen raspberry honeycomb pie...................... 52 Lemon syllabub with compôte .......................... 24 No-bake cheesecake ......................................... 45 Strawberry cheesecakes ................................... 70 Vanilla ice cream .............................................. 71

CAKES & BAKES

Apple crumble cupcakes .................................. 64 Apricot & seed bar............................................ 23 Cheddar & sage scones .................................... 54 Courgette & orange cake .................................. 41 Custard & white chocolate biscuits ................... 70 Custard kisses .................................................. 64 Oaty cookies ..................................................... 56 Walnut scones .................................................. 32

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

SUMMER SALE Take advantage of our great trial offers and subscribe to your favourite magazine today. Or why not try a new one?

Try a subscription from £1* Food and Travel

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 21%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 22%

Lifestyle

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 29%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 29%

Homes & Gardening

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 15%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 30%

History

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 28%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 25%

12 ISSUES FOR £1 and then save 41%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 35%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 25%

Science and Nature

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 35%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 35%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 25%

Sport

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 35%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 35%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 25%

5 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 30%

Craft

3 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 18%

3 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 18%

Great reasons to subscribe:  Subscriptions from just £1*  Save up to 41% after your trial period  Enjoy easy and convenient delivery direct to your door  Never miss an issue  Perfect summer reading

3 ISSUES FOR £5

and then save 18%

SEE OUR FULL RANGE OF MAGAZINES ONLINE

Your two easy ways to order: Order online at

www.buysubscriptions.com/summersale or call our hotline: 0844 844 0260†

OFFER

CODE SS15PSA

*The Direct Debit trial offers are available for UK delivery addresses only (excluding BFPO addresses). For overseas rates visit www.buysubscriptions.com/summersale. The discount follow-on rates are also payable by Direct Debit. All savings are calculated as a percentage of the full shop price, excluding Radio Times. The Basic Annual UK Subscription Rate of Radio Times is £114. This price is for 51 issues, which includes the Christmas double issue and a contribution towards first class postage. We reserve the right to limit the number of consecutive short term trial subscriptions a customer signs up for if their subscription is repeatedly cancelled during the trial. Your are free to cancel your subscription at any time – if you cancel within 2 weeks of receiving your penultimate issue you will pay no more than the trial rate, this is with the exception of Radio Times and Match of the Day, which you will need to cancel 3 weeks before the trial is due to end. Radio Times and Match of the Day subscriptions are for 26 weekly issues (6 months). This offer ends 31st August 2015. † Calls will cost 7p per minute plus your telephone company’s access charge.