Indice dei contenuti per Issue 100 in Easy Cook

This month, we’re celebrating a very special birthday at Easy Cook – our 100th since it all began back in the summer of 2004. Thirteen years ago, we vowed to make your lives easier with simple everyday and weekend recipes for you to enjoy with your family and friends. Ever since, our loyal army of time-pushed home cooks has grown and grown, coming back time and again for inspiration from our foolproof, delicious dinners and desserts, which have all been triple-tested so that you can be sure they’ll work every time. To mark this very special occasion, we’ve put together a pull-out mini mag of our 100 most useful hacks: tips, tricks and techniques to make your cooking as easy as possible. Because that’s what we do at Easy Cook.…

(KUJ›FQIU›YKVJ›NGOQP[›HGPPGN›UNCY› • Serves 6 (easily halved) • Prep 25 mins plus marinating • Cook 15 mins • £2.14 a dog • 388 kcals, 7g fat, 1g sat. fat, 6g sugar 6 soft hot dog rolls I UMKPNGUU TO YJKVG UJ ››› › ›› › ›› › ›NNGVU››EWV›KPVQ›VJKP››NNGVU›› ››VDUR›RNCKP››QWT› Ω tsp paprika C›NKVVNG›XGIGVCDNG›QKN›HQT›VJG›UNCY ››HGPPGN›DWND›››PGN[›UNKEGF› \GUV›››LWKEG›››NGOQP› VDUR NKIJV UCNCF ETGCO ›› › › › › ›››I›PCVWTCN›[QIWTV› ››ECTTQVU››EWV›KPVQ›OCVEJUVKEMU›› JCPFHWN››CV›NGCH›RCTUNG[›› TQWIJN[›EJQRRGF› TKPF›HTQO›››RTGUGTXGF›NGOQP› ›PGN[›EJQRRGF›› 1 For the slaw, mix the sliced fennel with the lemon juice and marinate for 1 hr, then drain. 2 Mix the salad cream and yogurt in a big bowl. Add the fennel, remaining slaw ingredients, the fennel fronds (chopped) and some pepper, then mix well. 3›››À›Ì›i›wÛ]›››Ý›Ì›i›y›ÕÀ›Ü›Ì››Ì›i› paprika and some salt on a plate. ››«››››Ì›i›wÛ›w››iÌÛ>› ›V›>Ì°››i>Ì› a splash of oil in…

‘This couldn’t be easier and makes a very yummy start to your day when eaten with milk or mixed with yogurt and fresh fruit for breakfast.’ Crumble 1 leftover OWH›P into a bowl and then stir in 25g rolled oats, 1 tbsp UWP›QYGT seeds, 1 tbsp linseeds (optional), 1 tbsp desiccated/dried shredded coconut and 2 tbsp warmed clear honey. Stir to combine, then put in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Cook in a preheated oven at 200C/180C/ gas 6 for 10 mins. Stir in 2 tbsp raisins, sultanas/golden raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries and return to the oven for 5–8 mins until the granola is a deep gold. Leave to cool a little. Serves 1 adult or 2 children.…

Prawn cocktail salad •  Serves 2• Prep 5 mins• No Cook• £1.90 a portion• 563 kcals, 53g fat, 7g sat. fat, 9g sugar › Romaine lettuce, torn into pieces 1 large avocado, stoned, peeled and sliced 8 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 shallot, thinly sliced 200g tub prawn cocktail Pile the lettuce, avocado, tomatoes and shallot into a bowl and toss together. Divide the mixture between 2 serving bowls, then top with the prawn cocktail. Lightly toss to mix the dressing into the salad, then eat with toast or some crusty bread, if you like. TIP One portion of this prawn cocktail salad contains 3 of your 5-a-day! Mexican bake • Serves 4• Prep 10 mins• Cook 30 mins• £1.55 a portion• 473 kcals, 14g fat, 8g sat. fat, 11g sugar 2 x 400g cans black beans, drained and rinsed…

Irish coddled pork with cider • Serves 2 • Prep 5 mins • Cook 30 mins • £2.16 a portion • 717 kcals, 44g fat, 17g sat. fat, 20g sugar small knob of butter 2 pork loin chops 4 rashers smoked bacon, cut into pieces 1 carrot, cut into large chunks 2 potatoes, cut into chunks ½ small swede, cut into chunks ¼ large cabbage, cut into smaller wedges 1 bay leaf 100ml Irish cider 100ml chicken stock 1 Heat the butter in a casserole dish until sizzling, then fry the pork chops for about 2-3 mins on each side until browned. Remove from the pan. 2 Tip the bacon, carrot, potatoes and swede into the pan, then gently fry until slightly coloured. Stir in the cabbage, sit the chops…

Kids can learn how to make this roast chicken dinner This chicken recipe isn’t complicated and, apart from halving a lemon, there isn’t any chopping. Also, the prepping process shouldn’t take any longer than 15 minutes. Although it’s not essential, digital equipment like scales and cooking thermometers make the recipe more educational and help to support Key Stage 2 numeracy and science. If children connect with food like raw meat from an early age, they’re less likely to be squeamish later in life. It’s important that they understand now where food comes from. $GHQTG›[QW›UVCTV • Clear the surface so that your cooking area is free of any clutter. • Roll up sleeves, or wear a short-sleeved top. • Put on an apron, tie back long hair or use a hairband.…

Juicy grilled sirloin with a piquant South American sauce of parsley, oregano, garlic and chilli – and chips of course! Steak with chimichurri sauce •  Serves 2• Prep 10 mins• Cook 8-10 mins• £2.63 a portion• 303 kcals, 20g fat, 5g sat. fat, 1g sugar   small bunch parsley, roughly chopped › tsp oregano, fresh or dried 2 garlic cloves 1 shallot, chopped › tsp chilli flakes 2› tbsp olive oil juice › lemon 2 tsp red wine vinegar 2 x 125g rib-eye or sirloin steaks fries and salad, to serve 1 To make the chimichurri, blitz the parsley, oregano, garlic, shallot and chilli flakes in a food processor or chop very finely by hand. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, the lemon juice, vinegar and some seasoning, and pulse to combine everything…

&KF›[QWT›OWO›KP›WGPEG› your cooking at all? Mum was always an adventurous cook when I was growing up – I recall she had the whole set of Cordon Bleu cookery folders and would really go to town when hosting dinner parties. Seeing my mum make cooking into a fun and ÛV›>L›i›iÛi›Ì›››yÕi›Vi ››Þ› own perception of cooking. She certainly didn’t regard cooking as a chore or dull thing to do, and I don’t now. What do you do to treat her on Mother’s Day? Before having my own children, I would always either cook lunch for mum at her house or take her out. My sister would be Ì›iÀi]›Ì››°›7i›LÕÞ››iÀ›y›ÜiÀÛ and a thoughtful gift. I recall one year when she thought I was away working, I turned up really early, with a boot full…

PLUS Bake our irresistible celebration cake, p58 This way for all the hacks you’ll ever need 1 Pickle your vegetables Pickling is one of the simplest ways to preserve vegetables. Some vegetables need salting or brining before they meet Ì›i›Û››i}>À›››››À iÀ›Ì››ÃÌ>Þ›wÀ›› >› ›Ài›>Ì›Ûi›Þ›VÀ›Ã«]›Ü›››i››Ì›iÀÛ ›ii ›V›››››}›wÀÃÌ°››››››Ü››ÕÀ› master recipe and you’ll be able to pickle just about any veg you ›››i°››››>›Ã>ÕVi«>›]›Ì›>ÃÌ›£›ÌLë› black peppercorns]›£›ÌLë› coriander seeds]›£›ÌLë›yellow mustard seeds]›£ä›cloves and a few pieces of mace blades. Add 2 bay leaves]›Çää›››white wine vinegar and 100g light brown soft sugar. Bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. Makes enough for 4 x 450ml jars. The hot vinegar is ready to use with many of the pickling recipes at bbcgoodfood.com. Dishwasher dos and don’ts Do you have disagreements in your house about how to…

Beef rendang • Serves 4-6 • Prep 20 mins • Cook 3 hrs 15 mins 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp coriander seeds 2 cloves 2 shallots, chopped 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 2 red chillies, deseeded or not, and roughly chopped 70g fresh ginger, peeled and grated splash of sunflower oil 500g braising beef, diced (ox cheek is best) 400ml can coconut milk 4 cardamom pods, cracked 4 kaffir lime leaves 1 cinnamon stick 1 lemongrass stalk 4 coriander roots (optional) TO GARNISH 1 red chilli, thinly sliced 2 spring onions, thinly sliced 50g crispy fried shallots 6 sprigs of coriander 1 Put the cumin and coriander seeds and cloves in a dry frying pan and gently heat until lightly toasted and aromatic. Tip the toasted spices into a…

Rhubarb buckle $WEMNG›ECMGU›JCXG›C›NC[GT›QH›DCVVGT›CV›VJG›DQVVQO››C›NC[GT›QH›HTWKV››CPF›CTG››PKUJGF›YKVJ› C›ETWODNG›VQRRKPI››#U›VJG[›DCMG››VJG›DCVVGT››DWEMNGU››WPFGT›VJG›YGKIJV›QH›VJG›HTWKV • Serves 8 • Prep 40 mins • Cook 1 hr 10 mins • £1.65 a portion • 472 kcals, fat 20g, sat. fat 12g, sugar 39g FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING 50g plain flour 50g golden caster sugar ½ tsp ground ginger 50g unsalted butter, chilled 25g rolled oats FOR THE RHUBARB FILLING 225g thin forced rhubarb, trimmed, rinsed and cut into 2.5cm-long pieces 50g golden caster sugar zest 1 orange FOR THE VANILLA CAKE 100g unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing 200g golden caster sugar zest 1 orange 2 large eggs 200g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 125ml soured cream 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin and line…

Rachel on her family life ‘I grew up in Dublin with a sister, an Irish father and a mother from Iceland. I’ve always been very proud of my half-Icelandic and half-Irish heritage. I count myself fortunate in that it was a very happy home with lots of good food. While my father made great brown bread and the best poached eggs in town, it was my Mum who always cooked a delicious and nutritious meal for us all to eat at the end of the day. My favourites were the kinds of dishes that many people call comfort food – roast meats, stews and casseroles – for which there is rarely a traditional Irish recipe as every family has their own. Looking back on it now, I am so appreciative…

Breakfast in bed Beetroot & feta frittata •  Serves 2• Prep 10 mins• Cook 50 mins 1Ω tbsp coconut oil 2 beetroots, peeled, trimmed and roughly chopped 6 free-range eggs 1 red onion, peeled, halved and ›PGN[›UNKEGF 100g feta, crumbled a few sprigs coriander, leaves chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/180Cfan/gas 6. Put 1 tbsp of coconut oil into a small roasting tray and place in the oven to melt. Once melted, remove the tray from the oven, tip in the chopped beetroot and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the hot oven for 40 mins or until softened, tossing halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside. 2 Preheat the grill to high. Crack the eggs into a bowl with a pinch of salt…

Tandoori Mix 2 tsp garam masala, Ω tsp turmeric, 3cm piece ginger, grated, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 250ml natural yogurt and some seasoning. Add 4 chicken breasts and chill for at least 1 hr, or overnight. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Put the chicken on a rack set over a baking tray and top with the yogurt mix. Bake for 10 mins, then grill for 5 mins more until and charred. Serve with rice and mango chutney. Serves 4. Herby crusted Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a food processor, blitz 3 tbsp parsley, 2 tsp rosemary, 2 tsp thyme leaves (or chop and mix by hand). Add 75g white breadcrumbs, blitz again and season. Spread 1 tbsp Dijon mustard over 4 chicken breasts, then press on the…

Raspberry & marshmallow muffins •  Makes 12 muffins• Prep 15 mins• Cook 25 mins 300g self-raising flour 115g caster sugar 150g fresh or defrosted frozen raspberries 35g mini marshmallows 170ml milk 125g butter, melted 1 egg, beaten 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper muffin cases, or you could lightly grease a silicone muffin pan. 2 Put the flour, sugar, raspberries and marshmallows in a mixing bowl and lightly mix together so the raspberries are coated in flour. This will prevent the raspberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins when they are cooking. 3 Mix together the milk, butter and egg, then gently mix into the flour mixture, creating a batter. Spoon into the muffin cases or pan and bake…

DAY ONE Spaghetti Bolognese with salami & basil sauce •  Serves 4• Prep 15 mins• Cook 45 mins• £1.60 a portion• 718 kcals, 26g fat, 10g sat. fat, 10g sugar sauce only 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, diced 1 red pepper, diced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 750g beef mince 4 tbsp tomato purée 50ml balsamic vinegar 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 1 beef stock cube 75g salami, chopped 400g spaghetti shredded basil leaves grated Parmesan, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large casserole and cook the onion and pepper for 3-4 mins until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, cook for 1 min, then add the mince and cook until browned. 2 Stir in the tomato purée, balsamic vinegar, chopped tomatoes and the beef stock cube. Bring to…

The Easy Cook cookies & cream party cake • Serves 20 • Prep 1 hr plus cooling • Cook 50 mins • 61p a portion • 657 kcals, 36g fat, 15g sat. fat, 58g sugar 4 x Best-ever chocolate sponges ( p60) FOR THE ICING 250g pack slightly salted butter, softened 600g icing sugar 280g tub full-fat cream cheese 2 tsp vanilla extract 10 Oreo cookies (about › of a pack) FOR THE COOKIE CAKE TOPPERS Oreo cookies, as many as you need for the letters on top (some may break when you insert the skewers, so buy extra) thin wooden skewers 100g white chocolate, finely chopped ready-to-roll fondant icing, coloured (we used a mixture of blue and green food colouring), or an icing writing pen 1 To make the…

Chickpea & potato fry-up • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins • 66p a portion • 201 kcals, 4g fat, 0g sat. fat, 6g sugar 300g potatoes, chopped2 onions, sliced2 cloves of garlic, crushed1 tsp olive oil1 tsp each ground coriander, turmeric and mild chilli powder1 tbsp cumin seeds410g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 tbsp tomato purée 200g baby spinach small bunch coriander, leaves chopped 1 Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain. Meanwhile, fry the onions and garlic in the oil for 5 mins. Add the spices, then fry for 1 min. Stir in the chickpeas, purée and 400ml water. Turn the heat up and bubble for 5 mins. 2 Add the potatoes to the pan and cook for 5 mins until thickened. Stir…

Chocolate & hazelnut praline tart •  Serves 10 slices• Prep 20 mins • Cook 40 mins• 74p a slice• 582 kcals, 40g fat, 18g sat. fat, 29g sugar FOR THE PASTRY 140g butter100g golden caster sugar225g plain flour50g ground almonds1 egg, beaten FOR THE FILLING 85g blanched hazelnuts 50g golden caster sugar, plus 4 tbsp200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)100g buttersplash Frangelico liqueur or brandy1 egg, plus 3 egg yolks 1 Make the pastry. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add flour and almonds. Bring together with the egg. If the pastry is very soft, chill for 20 mins. If not, roll out to fit a deepish 23cm fluted flan tin; if the pastry breaks, press scraps of pastry into the gaps. Leave an overhang. Chill for 20 mins. 2 Heat oven…

John may have spent 10 weeks battling to impress Bake Off judges Mary and Paul, but there was a third person he was just as keen to win over – his mum, Linda. ‘When he applied to take part in the series, ››Ü>۽̛›ii›]›>Û›i›Ü>Û›››Ì›i›w›>››Þi>À››v›››Ã› law degree,’ says Linda, who manages a dairy farm near Wigan with her husband. ‘I never ››>}››i ››i½ ›}iÌ›«>Ã̛̛i›wÀÃÌ›viÜ›À›Õ› Ã]› but as he progressed, I started to panic. He ›> ›››Ã›w›>›Ã]›Ã›››Ì›V›Õ› ›½Ì››>Ûi›V››i›>Ì›>› worse time. I thought it was important that he completed his degree.’ ‘When I went to university,’ says John, ‘I was baking every day to relax, and I realised I wanted to do that more than law. I never really told mum, I just let it manifest itself as I progressed…

Childhood meal Every weekend, my dad would buy half a sheep and we’d have the whole family over. It was such a busy house that we’d all sit À›Õ› ››››Ì›i›y››À›>› ›ÌÕV›››››LiV>ÕÃi› Üi›V›Õ› ›½Ì›>›››wÌ›>À›Õ› ›Ì›i›Ì>L›i°› That’s a very fond memory for me. Ingredient I love pink peppercorns. They’re spicy and aromatic, and work well with stir-fries and even chocolate! Breakfast I like porridge because it’s so healthy and a great start to the day for kids. You can add lots of different toppings to make it tasty. I particularly love banana, poppy seeds >› ›y>›i ›>›››› ð Lunch Risottos are quick and easy to ›>›i›>ÛÜi›››>Ûw››››}°›"À›>›ÞÌ›››}›Ü›Ì›› cheese. I love cheese. Dinner Sourdough with an extra virgin olive oil and balsamic dip, followed by blue steak and some sweet potato chips. Pudding It…