Table of contents for March 2026 in Easy Cook

With Easter looming large, I had the sudden realisation that it’s one of the few weekends where everyone seems to slow down just enough to cook properly. Which got me thinking: if you’re going to make the effort, you might as well make it count. So we’ve pulled together an Easter parade of food (p48) to see you from Good Friday through to the last slice of cake on Monday afternoon. There are big, generous mains (that harissa roast salmon is worth the oven time alone), sides to fill the table, plus puds that feel suitably celebratory. And because it wouldn’t be Easter without it, we’ve gone all in on chocolate too – cakes, brownies and a few things that might not make it as far as the fridge. Enjoy.…

Chilli salmon & teriyaki noodles ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 125g each) 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp soy sauce ½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated ½ small pack coriander, chopped 140g mangetout 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce 300g straight-to-wok noodles 1 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and put the salmon, skin-side down, on top. Mix together the chilli, mirin, soy sauce, ginger and coriander and spoon over the salmon. Roast in the oven for 12-15 mins until just cooked. 2 Heat a large frying pan or wok and cook the mangetout with 1 tbsp water for 2 mins until tender but…

Cut out & keep Apple muffins ■ Makes 12 ■ 10 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 350g plain flour 25g butter 50g dark muscovado sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra 50g pecans, chopped 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp cinnamon 3 eating apples, peeled and cored 284ml tub soured cream 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp milk 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a muffin tin with muffin cases. Rub 50g flour with the butter to make breadcrumbs. Stir through 1 tbsp sugar and the pecans. 2 Sift the rest of the flour, the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, then stir in the rest of the sugar and the cinnamon. In another bowl, grate 2 apples, then beat with the…

Roast dinner for one ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 35 mins 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large skin-on chicken breast 6 small new potatoes (about 200g), halved 2 carrots, cut into rounds 1 small onion, cut into wedges 3 broccoli spears or florets 3 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 150ml warm chicken stock ½ tbsp plain flour 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Rub 1 tbsp of the oil over the chicken skin, then season. Put the potatoes, carrots, onion and broccoli in a small roasting tin with the thyme and bay leaf. Drizzle over the remaining oil, season well and toss together to coat everything. Sit the chicken breast on top and roast for 25-30 mins until cooked and the vegetables are tender.…

Banana, pecan & bourbon self-saucing pud Also known as magic pudding! When you pour the hot sugary mixture over the pudding batter, you might think you’re headed for a kitchen disaster, but keep calm – the syrup will sink to the bottom while the pudding cooks, creating a puddle of caramel sauce. ■ Serves 6-8 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 10 mins 100g butter, melted, plus extra for the dish 275g self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 300g light brown soft sugar 100g pecans, chopped 4 small bananas 250ml full-fat milk 3 eggs 2 tbsp bourbon or dark rum 4 tbsp golden syrup ice cream or custard, to serve 1 Boil the kettle and heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a rectangular baking dish (ours…

Feel-good pasta soup This take on pasta e ceci is like a hug in a bowl. It should be brothy, so add more water as it cooks if you need to. As it uses such humble ingredients, seasoning is key. A drizzle of good olive oil and a scattering of hard, sharp cheese will really bring it to life. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 3 rosemary sprigs, chopped 3 large garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp tomato purée pinch of chilli flakes, plus extra to serve (optional) 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 × 400g cans chickpeas, drained 150g short pasta (such as tubetti) 1 vegetable stock cube 25g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated, plus a rind if you…

■ Cuts into 16 squares ■ Prep 30 mins plus cooling and at least 2 hrs chilling ■ Cook 10 mins 175g butter 200g dark chocolate, broken into chunks 3 tbsp golden syrup 250g plain biscuits (such as digestive) 50g dried fruit (such as raisins, apricots or cranberries) 25g mixed nuts, chopped (optional) 50g mini marshmallows 2 gelatine leaves or vegetarian alternative 50ml double cream 350g soft cheese 100g caster sugar 100g mini chocolate eggs 1 Line a 20 × 20cm tin with baking parchment. Put the butter, 175g dark chocolate and the golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat. Melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth. 2 Meanwhile, tip the biscuits into a bowl and crush using the end of a rolling pin until roughly broken into fine, dusty…

Say it with flowers! It’s Mothering Sunday on 15 March, so why not give her this cake, especially if you have a jar of lemon curd in the cupboard waiting to be eaten. You don’t have to be a seasoned cake baker, plus our decoration is simple yet effective – fresh flowers. Make sure they are edible ones, to be safe go for primroses, pansies, violas or roses. Lemon curd & blueberry loaf cake ◾ Serves 8-10 ◾ Prep 20 mins plus cooling ◾ Cook 1 hr 15 mins (un-iced) 175g butter, softened plus extra for the tin 100g Greek-style yogurt, plus extra to serve 2 tbsp lemon curd 3 eggs 1 lemon, zested and juiced, plus extra zest to serve 200g self-raising flour 175g golden caster sugar 200g punnet…

In this meal plan you’ll find five easy, delicious, budget-friendly dinners to keep you and your family going all week long. Each recipe is packed full of flavour and is incredibly simple to make, even on the busiest of days. All of the recipes in this menu work together by cleverly sharing ingredients to make the most of every penny that you spend. Also, with this approach, each ingredient will be used to its fullest potential, meaning that you’ll waste less and have a shorter shopping list, keeping your total spend down to around £25. Butter chicken naan burgers ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15 mins olive oil 2 large naans, sliced in half to make 4 smaller ones 2 chicken breasts, sliced horizontally through the…

Bulgur wheat, date & clementine salad ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ No cook 140g bulgur wheat 1 tsp each ground allspice and ground cumin 6 stoned dates, chopped small handful of parsley, chopped 400g can of chickpeas, drained 2 tbsp flaked toasted almonds 100g baby spinach 2 clementines, peeled and sliced FOR THE DRESSING 1 lemon, juiced 2 tbsp sherry vinegar 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 Put the bulgur wheat and spices in a large bowl, season with salt and pour over 140ml boiling water. Cover and leave to sit for 10 mins. Fluff with a fork, then add the chopped dates, parsley, chickpeas and most of the almonds. Pour the dressing ingredients into a glass jar with a fitted lid and add some seasoning. Shake…

Meze for two Lamb kofta stew with cauliflower & chickpeas Halloumi with tomatoes & pomegranate molasses Aubergine salad Courgette & tahini dip Za’atar croutons “Lebanon is half Christian, half Muslim; half city people and half mountain people; half people looking to the east and half looking to the west, all living in harmony. So many different civilizations and influences have left their mark on the tastes, traditions and politics, and all of these things translate into a very diverse cuisine. This menu is an easy introduction to the food that I love. The perfect meze is essentially about generosity. Meze fill the table, so you’re free from the formality of courses and you can put different elements on a single table – there are no rules, no conventions and you…

Malted chocolate cake with mascarpone icing ■ Serves 12-14 ■ Prep 30 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 45 mins 80g salted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for the tin 100g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped 50g cocoa powder 80g malted chocolate drink powder 250g plain flour 300g golden caster sugar 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp baking powder 2 eggs, beaten 250ml buttermilk 200ml brewed coffee 1 tsp vanilla extract FOR THE ICING 400g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped 50g malted chocolate drink powder 50g golden caster sugar 50g salted butter 400ml double cream 150g mascarpone TO DECORATE milk chocolate shavings sprinkles Maltesers® 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of 2×20cm…

Pork & prawn dumplings ■ 24 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 30 mins small handful of coriander leaves 75g water chestnuts, drained 150g lean pork mince 1 garlic clove, crushed 3cm piece of ginger, peeled 150g raw peeled prawns 3 spring onions, sliced 1 heaped tsp cornflour, plus a little extra 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp rice wine ½ tsp sesame oil 24 dumpling or wonton wrappers FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp golden caster sugar 1 tsp sesame oil ½ red chilli, finely chopped 1/2 Finely chop the coriander and water chestnuts, then tip into a bowl with the pork and garlic. Grate over the ginger. 3/4 Devein and finely chop the prawns, then tip into the bowl. 5/6…

Leek & globe artichoke pie Inspired by Greek cuisine, this veggie pie contains leeks, artichokes and cheese encased in an attractive coil of filo pastry. Simply bring it to the table and let everyone tuck in. ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 30 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 40 mins 3 tbsp olive oil 3 leeks, trimmed, washed and chopped into fine rings 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 255g cooked artichoke hearts (drained), sliced 250g ricotta, drained 55g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated 1 egg ½ small bunch of dill, chopped ½ small bunch of parsley, chopped 250g pack filo pastry (10-12 sheets) 85g butter, melted ½ tbsp sesame seeds 1 Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and tip in the leeks and onion. Season…

WHY WE LOVE A SLOW COOKER • They use less energy than traditional ovens, making them an eco-friendly alternative. • Many slow cooker recipes can be prepared in advance and then left to cook, so they can be ready when you get home. Simply add your ingredients in the morning and come home to a hot, delicious meal that makes your kitchen smell really inviting. • A slow cooker can work its magic on cheaper, tougher cuts of meat resulting in tender and flavourful meals that champion those more underrated options. Sardinian prawn & chorizo paella Centuries ago Sardinia was occupied by the Spanish and as a result the island is famous for its paella, albeit with an Italian twist. The rice is replaced by fregola – a tiny dried…

Ricotta & kale cannelloni ■ Serves 8 ■ Prep 30 mins plus 10 mins resting ■ Cook 1 hr 500g kale, thick stalks discarded and roughly chopped 1 tbsp each butter and olive oil 2 onions, chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 750g ricotta 85g toasted pine nuts 500g mascarpone 150ml whole milk nutmeg 85g grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative, plus extra for sprinkling 450g dried cannelloni tubes 1 Cook the kale in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 mins until just tender (you may need to do this in batches). Drain in a colander, then put a bowl on top and push gently to press out any excess liquid. Tip the kale onto kitchen paper and pat to remove any remaining moisture. Finely chop. 2 Put the…

Baked bean can soda bread Growing up, we had fresh brown (soda) bread baked weekly by my Aunt Sadie. She measured the ingredients with her hands, she never used scales. With this recipe, I’ve taken my talented Aunty’s guesswork out of baking, and if you follow it, you are sure to be sinking your teeth into delicious homemade bread without any trouble. I’ve brought the recipe up to date and added butter, sugar and egg, which makes the crumb softer and allows it to stay fresh for up to three days. If you don’t have any cans, a 500g loaf tin will do instead. ■ Makes 1 x 500g loaf or 2 can-sized loaves ■ Prep 20 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 45 mins 30g salted butter, plus extra for…

When you’re buying chocolate, it’s useful to understand a few key terms. Bars of high quality chocolate may also include information such as the name of the bean variety, the country of origin, percentage, conching and roasting time, and the date of harvest. Bloom Greyish-white streaks you sometimes see on chocolate. This is the cocoa butter rising to the surface and the only way to get rid of it is to temper the chocolate again, though bloom doesn’t make it taste different and you can use it perfectly well when cooking. Cacao The theobroma cacao tree produces cacao pods (fruit) that contain cacao seeds (once roasted, these are called cocoa beans). Cocoa nibs Broken pieces of fermented, dried, roasted cacao beans once they’ve had their shells removed. Chocolate liquor Milled…

Wild garlic butter Mash 250g butter in a bowl with some sea salt – start with ½ tsp, then taste before adding more. Stir in 50g wild garlic leaves. Using a piece of baking parchment, roll and shape the butter into a log, then twist the ends to form a cracker. Keep chilled and cut off slices as needed. Will keep frozen for up to a month. Makes 300g log. Wild garlic pesto Rinse and roughly chop 150g wild garlic leaves. Blitz the leaves with 50g parmesan, 1 garlic clove, the zest of ½ lemon and 50g pine nuts in a food processor to make a rough paste. Season, and with the motor running slowly, add around 120ml rapeseed oil. Taste, season and add a few squeezes of lemon juice.…