Table of contents for February 2020 in Easy Cook

As a family of five, we have a lot of washing-up. Of course, my three kids do their bit, helping to load and unload the dishwasher (when I’ve nagged them to the point of tears), but the amount we create can sometimes make mealtimes feel like a chore. The solution? One-pots. All-in-one meals, straight from the oven to the table, minimal waste. That’s why we’ve put together 10 of the best one-pan suppers (p52) in this month’s issue – so you can spend more time cooking and eating, and as little time as possible cleaning up. And there’s no simpler one-pan dish than pancakes, is there? We’ve got some great suggestions, from the basic on this page to savoury suggestions on p35 and an incredible Japanese number on p52. I…

Red spiced fish with green salad • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 10 mins 4 white fish fillets 4 tsp Thai red curry paste 1 avocado, stoned and sliced 1 cucumber, sliced into fingers 1 Romaine or 2 Little Gem lettuces, leaves separated small bunch of coriander, chopped 1 lime, zested and juiced, plus lime halves, to serve 1 tsp honey 250g brown rice, cooked, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush each fish fillet with 1 tsp of curry paste, then roast on a baking sheet for 8-10 mins until it flakes easily. 2 Mix the remaining ingredients, apart from the rice, in a bowl. Season. Serve with the fish, rice, and lime halves. PER SERVING 221 kcals, fat 10g, saturates 2g,…

Porcini tagliatelle with pine nuts You can use any variety of mushrooms for this sauce, as each type will bring something different to the finished dish. Try a wild mushroom mixture, or use fresh porcini. Always include the dried porcini, though – rehydrating them in boiling water creates an instant, flavourful mushroom stock. • Serves 2 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins 15g dried porcini mushrooms 200g tagliatelle 30g pine nuts 1 tbsp olive oil 60g butter 1 banana shallot, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 100ml dry white wine 200g fresh mushrooms, ideally porcini, finely sliced 2 tbsp finely chopped tarragon 25g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated, plus extra to serve 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 3 tbsp crème fraîche…

Leek, ricotta & gruyère tart The ricotta gives this tart a lovely, light, cheesecakey texture. Any leftovers make a great packed lunch. • Serves 6-8 • Prep 25 mins • Cook 50 mins 500g pack all-butter shortcrust pastry knob of butter 2 large leeks, sliced 250g tub ricotta 100ml double cream 2 eggs 2 tbsp chopped tarragon 100g gruyère or vegetarian alternative, grated 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180Cfan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry and use to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Line with baking parchment and baking beans. Sit the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 10 mins, then remove beans and parchment and return to the oven for a further 5 mins until pale golden.…

Firecracker brisket Pop this dish in the middle of the table and you’re guaranteed clean plates all round. The sweet, smoky sauce has a gentle chilli kick, but if you’re serving it to young children, you may prefer to leave out the spice. The oven can do all the hard work the day before, just reheat before serving and pile the meat into warm wraps, on top of steaming baked potatoes, or as it is, with a few simple sides. • Serves 8 • Prep 25 mins plus resting • Cook 6 hrs 45 mins 3 tbsp vegetable oil 2-2.5kg piece beef brisket, rolled (ask the butcher to do this for you) 2 red onions, chopped 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika 1 tbsp English mustard powder 2 tsp ground cinnamon…

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and boil the kettle. Divide the rhubarb topping between 6 lightly greased 200ml dariole moulds, then top with the sponge mixture. Loosely cover each pud with some buttered foil to give the sponge room to rise. Put the puds in a deep roasting tray and pour in boiling water until halfway up the sides of the moulds. Bake for 25-35 mins until the sponges have risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Serve with the rhubarb and strawberry syrup.…

Easiest ever pancakes • Makes 12 pancakes • Prep 5 mins • Cook 20 mins 140g plain flour 4 eggs 200ml milk 50g butter, melted sunflower oil, for cooking 1 To make the batter, tip the flour into a bowl and beat in the eggs until smooth. Gradually add the milk and carry on beating until the mix is completely lump-free. Whisk in the melted butter. 2 Place a pancake pan over a medium heat and wipe with oiled kitchen paper. Ladle some batter into the pan, tilting the pan to move the mix around the pan and pour off any excess. Cook for 30 seconds until golden, then flip over and cook on the other side. Pile the pancakes up and serve with your favourite filling. PER PANCAKE 209…

YOUR SHOPPING LIST FOR THE WEEK ❏ 3 onions ❏ 1 head celery ❏ 200g pack sliced kale ❏ 2 large potatoes, or buy more if you want to serve mash with the meatloaf ❏ 1 carrot, or more if you want crudités with the dough balls ❏ l whole bulb garlic* ❏ 500g bag frozen peas, or buy 2 bags if you are serving peas with the meatloaf ❏ 100g cooked North Atlantic prawns ❏ 500g beef mince ❏ 6 eggs ❏ 77g pack pancetta (freeze one if it’s a two-pack) ❏ 1 chicken breast, (freeze one if you can only get a two-pack) ❏ 175g pack grana padano* ❏ 250g block butter* ❏ 150g tub natural yogurt ❏ pack cured meat (optional, to serve with the dough balls)…

Chorizo hummus bowl • Serves 1 • Prep 5 mins • Cook 10 mins 400g can chickpeas 2 tbsp olive oil ¼ lemon, juiced 1-2 small cooking chorizo, chopped 2 handfuls of chopped kale 1 flatbread, to serve 1 Warm the chickpeas in a bowl in the microwave or in a frying pan in their liquid. Drain and reserve the liquid. Tip half the chickpeas into a small food processor with 1 tbsp oil, the lemon juice and a splash of chickpea liquid and whizz to a purée. Season. 2 Put the chorizo in a small frying pan and cook over a low heat until it starts to release its oils, then turn up the heat and continue cooking until the chorizo starts to crisp. Add the remaining chickpeas and…

Mushroom & stilton Fry 250g chestnut mushrooms in butter with 2 cloves of crushed garlic until softened. Assemble with the macaroni cheese, then dot over 100g stilton before baking. Chorizo & almond Peel and chop 200g chorizo and fry until it releases its oil, then stir it through the cheese sauce. Mix together a small pack parsley, chopped, with 100g chopped almonds and sprinkle over the macaroni cheese before baking. Pea, pesto & spinach Stir 100g fresh pesto, 80g bag baby spinach and 200g frozen peas through the cheese sauce before adding to the macaroni and baking.…

Tommy Banks’s bread & butter pudding toast Bread and butter pudding is a lovely dessert but it can be on the heavy side, especially if you’ve just eaten a big dinner. I’ve simplified a recipe that I serve at my restaurant, The Black Swan in Oldstead, and added the caramel crunch you get on a crème brûlée. • Serves 4 • Prep 25 mins • Cook 20 mins 400g brioche loaf 3 eggs 120g whole milk 75g Irish cream liqueur 100g unsalted butter 100g golden caster sugar 250g crème fraîche 1 Use a bread knife to remove the crusts and square up the brioche loaf. Cut the loaf into 3cm slices, then cut each slice into three rectangular fingers. Whisk together the eggs, milk and cream liqueur in a shallow…

Monday Creamy chicken, squash & pecan pasta • Serves 4 • Prep 15 mins • Cook 30 mins 1 litre chicken stock ½ butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small chunks 2 chicken breasts 400g pasta (we used casarecce) 50g cream cheese 75g pecans, chopped small pack flat-leaf parsley, chopped 25g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve 1 Pour the stock into a pan and bring to a simmer. Add the squash and chicken, cover and bubble gently for 15 mins, or until the chicken and squash are cooked. If the chicken cooks first, remove from the pan, set aside and keep cooking the squash until tender. Scoop the squash out with a slotted spoon, leaving just the stock in the pan. 2 Bring the stock back to the boil…

Gujarati-style carrot & cabbage stir-fry Gujarati cooking is delicate, largely vegetarian and full of unusual ingredients and combinations. Vegetables are not smothered in spices; instead they are lightly cooked with just a few that bring out their freshness and unique taste. • Serves 4 • Prep 10 mins • Cook 20 mins 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 2 fresh green chillies, cut in half lengthways with stalks left on 1 tsp finely grated ginger 1 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 medium cabbage, finely shredded 2 large carrots, coarsely grated rotis, to serve (optional) 1 Warm the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they pop, then add the chillies and ginger. Stir briefly, then stir in the…

Okonomiyaki You can easily adapt this quick Japanese savoury pancake – leave out the bacon or the prawns if you want a lighter meal. • Serves 1 • Prep 10 mins plus cooling • Cook 15 mins 2 slices streaky bacon 1 egg 50g plain flour 50g sweetheart cabbage, finely shredded 2 spring onions, sliced diagonally 50g small cooked prawns 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp each brown sauce and mayonnaise, to serve 1 Heat a 20cm non-stick frying pan, add the bacon and cook over a medium-high heat for a few mins until cooked through. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Once cool, cut into pieces. 2 Whisk the egg, flour and 4 tbsp water in a mixing bowl to make a…

Jam tarts Forget roses and shop-bought chocolates – show someone you really care this Valentine’s Day by making these sweet little tarts as a gift. The hardest thing about this recipe is waiting for the tarts to cool down before you eat them. Do be careful – however tempting they may look, the jam will be dangerously hot when they come out of the oven. • Makes 12 • Prep 25 mins plus chilling • Cook 15-18 mins 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 125g butter, chilled and diced, plus extra for the tin 1 medium egg 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped (optional) 100g jam, fruit curd or marmalade of your choice 1 Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a bowl and rub them together…