Table of contents for October 2020 in Easy Cook

Our 18-year-old daughter has left for university, and the house is a whole lot quieter and tidier. Oh, how we miss her! It’s quite a milestone, for her and us, and I’ve done the most useful thing I know how to do: equip her with an arsenal of recipes she can cook for herself. Nothing intricate – just quick meals with a few ingredients, like the carbonara on this page, and the fast and fabulous dishes on page 40. And, when she’s ready to share with her new bubble of friends, she can call on the one-pan meals on page 50, which includes everything from chillies and curries, to noodles and pasta. I’m sure she’ll be very popular, very quickly. Unless she burns the communal kitchen down! Editor BEST OF…

AS LITTLE AS 80p PER SERVING £1.40 per serving £1.84 per serving Sticky lemon chicken ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 10 mins 1 tbsp honey 1 lemon, juiced 250ml chicken stock 1 tbsp soy sauce 4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tsp vegetable oil 2 carrots, finely sliced 1 red pepper, cut into chunks 140g sugar snap peas cooked noodles, to serve (optional) 1 In a jug, mix together the honey, lemon juice, stock and soy, then set aside. Toss the chicken with the cornflour so it’s well- coated. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the chicken until it changes colour and starts to crisp around the edges. 2 Add the carrots and red pepper, then fry for…

HIGH IN FIBRE LOW IN FAT Meat-free Monday Spinach pesto pasta with olives ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 15 mins VEGETARIAN 400g fusilli 500g spinach 2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp olive oil 200g reduced-fat feta-style cheese 50g pine nuts large pinch of nutmeg handful of pitted black olives, roughly chopped 1 Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Put the spinach in a colander and pour over a kettleful of boiling water until it wilts. Shake off the excess water, then put the spinach in a food processor. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. 2 Peel the garlic cloves, then add to the processor with the oil, half the cheese and most of the pine nuts. Pulse to a pesto-like sauce. Sprinkle in the nutmeg…

Sticky teriyaki salmon rice ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 salmon fillet, skin-on 50g brown basmati rice 1 pak choi, halved 1 tsp sesame seeds 2 spring onions, finely chopped small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped squeeze of lime juice 1 Put the teriyaki and chilli sauces in a shallow dish and combine. Add the salmon, flesh-side down. Set aside. 2 Put the rice in a medium pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins until the rice is tender and has absorbed the water. About 6 mins before the end of cooking, put the pak choi in a colander over the rice to steam, covered. 3 Meanwhile,…

“Pure indulgence in the best way! You can make these simple mushroom and cheese soufflés well ahead of time, then reheat them in the creamy spinach sauce and they’ll still stand tall.” Slow-roast hand & spring with crackling & onion gravy The hand and spring of pork is the upper part of the front leg, usually sold boned and rolled as a joint. You can also cook belly of pork this way. ■ Serves 8 hand and spring pork joint, bone-in, skin scored 3 large onions, thickly sliced 2 garlic cloves, sliced 8 bay leaves small bunch of sage, tied together with kitchen string 700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock 25g butter 25g plain flour 1 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Rub 2 tbsp salt all over…

Halloween slash cake ■ Serves 16 ■ Prep 45 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 30 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE undecorated 140g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin 100ml grapeseed oil, or another flavourless oil 200ml milk 3 tbsp yogurt 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 large eggs, at room temperature 250g light muscovado sugar 250g plain flour 3 tsp baking powder 50g cocoa powder ¾ x 340g jar strawberry jam 1¼ kg ready-to-roll white fondant icing FOR THE BUTTERCREAM 600g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting 300g butter, softened red food colouring 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter the bases of two 20cm sandwich tins and line with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a pan, then remove from the heat and beat in the oil, milk,…

THREE CLEVER CAKES Tom Kerridge’s blackberry bakewell squares Still walking? If you’re taking something to eat outdoors, the food should be easily transportable and robust. Bakewells can be transported in a tin, and will hold up against the heat of a sunny day. ■ Makes 16 ■ Prep 30 mins plus chilling ■ Cook 50 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE FOR THE BASE 80g butter 150g digestive biscuits 200g blackberry jam, warmed 200g blackberries clotted cream, to serve FOR THE FILLING 250g butter, softened 100g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 5 eggs, beaten 250g ground almonds 2 tbsp self-raising flour 1 To make the base, melt the butter, then cook until it turns a nutty brown colour (this will give extra flavour). Blitz the biscuits to crumbs using a food…

ON THE TABLE IN 15 MINUTES ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 2 mins ■ Cook 12 mins 350g spaghetti or linguined 140g diced pancetta, or smoked streaky bacon 2 tsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 egg, plus 4 yolks 50g parmesan, grated 1 Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in the oil in a frying pan until golden and crisp. Add the garlic, fry for 1 min, then turn off the heat. Briefly whisk the egg and yolks with most of the parmesan. 2 Drain the pasta, reserving some water. Add the egg mixture and 1 tbsp of the reserved water, then stir until the pasta is coated. The heat from the pasta will cook the sauce. Stir in the pancetta mix, then…

Classic spaghetti ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 25 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE sauce only 1 medium onion 3 tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 400g can chopped tomatoes 20g basil leaves, chopped 400g spaghetti 150g ball mozzarella Tip Look for bunches of basil with firm, vivid green leaves that give off an amazing smell when you’re close to them. You can buy them in packs or pots at the supermarket. 1 How to chop onions ■ Using a sharp knife, slice the peeled onion in half through the root and trim off the top. Place the onion, cut-side down, on a chopping board. Cut three slices horizontally through the onion, keeping the root intact. With the knife point at the root end, cut down through the onion from…

Minted pea soup ■ Thinly slice a bunch of spring onions, reserving some of the green tops for the garnish. Heat a knob of butter and fry the spring onions for 1 min until slightly softened. Add 300g peas and 750ml vegetable stock, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins, then whizz half the soup in a food processor with a handful of mint. Return to the pan with 3 tbsp crème fraîche. Reheat gently, taste and season. Ladle into small bowls or cups and saucers, then sprinkle with the reserved spring onion tops. Raid-the-fridge omelette ■ Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small frying pan, then fry 2 finely chopped spring onions. When softened, add a large handful of frozen peas and warm through. Beat 3 eggs…

Cut out & keep Hot-smoked salmon & avocado open sandwiches ■ Serves 2 ■ Takes 12 mins 4 small, thick slices dark, grainy bread 1 ripe avocado, stoned and peeled 1 lemon, juiced 1 large cooked beetroot, chopped 140g hot-smoked salmon fillets, broken into chunks 3 tbsp crème fraîche 1 tbsp hot horseradish sauce 1 small onion, very thinly sliced 2 tbsp chopped dill 1 Toast the bread and put two slices on each plate. Mash the avocado with half the lemon juice and season well. Spread the avocado over the toast slices, then arrange the beetroot and salmon on top. 2 In a small bowl, mix the remaining lemon juice with the crème fraîche and horseradish. Season and mix well to combine. Drizzle over the open-faced sandwiches. Top each…

STUDENT ONE-PAN SPECIAL Chinese chicken noodle soup with peanut sauce ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 30 mins 1 tbsp sunflower oil 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated 500ml chicken stock 1 tsp soy sauce ½ hispi cabbage, finely sliced 150g mushrooms 150g straight-to-wok noodles (we used udon) FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE 1 tbsp peanut butter 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp honey sriracha or other chilli sauce (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, and brown the chicken for 2-3 mins. Add the garlic and ginger and stir to coat the chicken. Fry for 1 min, add the stock and soy, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to…

One-pan roast lamb ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 20 mins plus resting ■ Cook 2 hrs 15 mins 1.6kg bone-in leg of lamb 50ml olive oil, plus a splash 3 oregano sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped 4 rosemary sprigs, leaves of 2 picked and roughly chopped 1 lemon, zested (reserve the juice for the punchy greens recipe, right) 1 garlic bulb, cloves lightly smashed 1 red chilli, pierced with a knife 1kg potatoes, unpeeled, cut into thick wedges 3 fennel bulbs, cut into quarters lengthways, tops removed, green fronds reserved 250ml white wine 250ml chicken stock 1 Take the lamb out of the fridge 1 hr before cooking. Use a sharp knife to make small incisions all over the meat. Mix the oil with the oregano, chopped rosemary…

“I’m partial to a pudding or two – this all comes from my gran’s and auntie’s love of baking and creating good old-fashioned British puddings. From jelly and ice cream to blancmange, scones and posset, they made them all. And, over the years, their techniques and skills have stayed with me.” Pear & blackberry crumble ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 35 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE before baking 700g (or 4 large) ripe English pears, peeled, cored and cubed 100g golden granulated sugar 250g blackberries 200g plain flour 100g cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 85g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped 100g demerara sugar ice cream, to serve (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the pears in a medium pan, add the granulated sugar and…

Baked lemon & vanilla rice pudding ■ Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Put 600ml milk, 450ml single cream, the zest of 1 lemon and 1 vanilla pod in a pan. Bring to a simmer, stir in 25g caster sugar and 100g short grain pudding rice. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish and dot over 25g butter. Bake for 30 mins, then stir well and cook for 1 hr more until the pudding is soft and creamy, with a golden skin. The depth and type of dish will affect cooking time, so if the pudding seems too loose, return to the oven and check every 10 mins. Rest for 10 mins before serving. Serves 4-6 Lemon & raspberry doughnut pudding ■ Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas…