Tabla de contenidos para April 2022 en Easy Cook

With a 20-year-old at university and two teenagers who only leave their bedrooms to see their mates, the Easter holidays have taken on a significance akin to birthdays and Christmas in our house. The student comes home; her brothers emerge blinking into the sunlight; and we all spend time together over fantastic meals. The highlight is Easter Sunday lunch, for which I’ll be cooking the magnificent roast leg of lamb with garlic & watercress butter, plus all the trimmings, on p66. And there’ll be lots of cakes and bakes over the long break, taking inspiration from the Easter fun feature, which includes our chocolatey cover cupcakes recipe (p54). I hope you have a very happy (and delicious) Easter. Editor…

FROM 94 P A PORTION Pizza omelette ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 10 mins VEGETARIAN 8 eggs, beaten 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tbsp olive oil 4 tbsp tomato pasta sauce (from a jar) handful of stoned black olives 85g cheddar, grated green salad, to serve 1 Heat the grill to high. Beat the eggs with the oregano and some seasoning. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan, then tip in the eggs. Cook over a low-ish heat for 4 mins, stirring occasionally until the eggs are practically set. 2 Put under the grill until set and puffed up. Spread the sauce over, scatter with cheese and olives, then grill again until the cheese is melted. Serve in wedges with salad. PER SERVING 318 kcals, fat…

Monday Ricotta, tomato & spinach frittata ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 35 mins VEGETARIAN 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the tin 1 large onion, finely sliced 300g cherry tomatoes 100g spinach leaves small handful of basil leaves 100g ricotta 6 eggs, beaten salad, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the onion for 5-6 mins until softened and lightly golden. Add the tomatoes and toss for 1 min to soften. 2 Remove from the heat, add the spinach leaves and basil, then toss everything together to wilt a little. Transfer all the ingredients to an oiled 30 × 20cm rectangular baking tin. Take small scoops of the ricotta and dot…

Spiced salmon with pineapple salsa & caramelised onion rice A sweet ‘n’ spicy feast for the whole family. This recipe feeds a crowd, but you can scale it down if you like, by using individual salmon fillets. ■ Serves 8 ■ Prep 10 mins plus marinating ■ Cook 45 mins 1kg side of salmon 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp smoked paprika 2 tsp ground cumin generous pinch of cayenne pepper FOR THE SALSA 1 medium pineapple, peeled and chopped into small chunks 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 lime, juiced 2 tbsp olive oil good handful of roughly chopped coriander FOR THE CARAMELISED ONION RICE 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the salmon 2 large onions, thinly sliced 500g basmati rice, rinsed 1 tsp dried thyme…

On the table in 40 mins or less Chicken stuffed with herby mascarpone ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 3 tbsp mascarpone 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 chicken breasts, skin on 4 slices prosciutto splash olive oil ½ lemon, juiced 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the mascarpone with the rosemary, garlic and some seasoning. Put the chicken breasts on a board and lift, but don’t detach, the skin. Put a spoonful of the mascarpone mix under the skin of each breast. Wrap two slices of prosciutto around each, as neatly and tightly as you can, to keep the filling in. 2 Heat a non-stick frying pan and add the olive oil before quickly browning the chicken…

Ainsley Harriott’s garlic & chilli prawns Gambas al ajillo is a popular Spanish tapas dish or starter, which also makes a great, fuss-free dinner when served on toasted bread with salad. It’s delicious and so easy and quick to prepare. For a really authentic touch, add a splash of dry sherry when cooking. ■ Serves 4 as tapas ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 5 mins 16 large raw king prawns, shell on 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, chopped ½ tsp dried chilli flakes ½ lemon, juiced, plus extra wedges, to serve splash of dry sherry (optional) ½ tsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 Sprinkle the prawns all over with a little salt. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan…

■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 25 mins VEGETARIAN 800ml vegetable stock 200g asparagus, woody ends snapped off 1 tbsp olive oil 25g butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 175g risotto rice 100ml white wine 25g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated 1 Place the stock on a low heat to simmer. Slice the asparagus stalks into rounds and cook the tips in the stock for 1 min. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the stock on a low heat. 2 Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy, wide pan and cook the onion for 5 mins until soft, stirring often. Add the sliced asparagus stalks and cook for 2 mins more. 3 Scatter in the rice and stir for…

MAKE MORE OF LEAVES ■ The younger, more tender leaves of beetroot can be eaten as a salad, while the larger leaves and stalks can be wilted and used like chard. ■ Carrot tops can be blitzed into an earthy pesto. Or try adding them to a dressing and drizzle over a salad. ■ If making cauliflower cheese, you can add the tender leaves as well as the main floret. ■ The pretty, delicate fronds of fennel bulbs can be scattered over a dish after cooking, like you would with aromatic herbs. GOT LEFT-OVER ROAST LAMB? If you’re planning to roast lamb over the holidays, there’s bound to be some cold cuts left over. Here are two simple ways to get the best from any leftover meat. Bubble & squeak…

Mushroom lasagne ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 1 hr VEGETARIAN 30g dried porcini mushrooms 500ml double cream 500ml vegetable stock 1 bay leaf 750g flat mushrooms, finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 egg 10 large fresh lasagne sheets (or 15 small sheets) 25g butter, softened 150g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated 1 Pour boiling water over the porcini to just cover. Put the cream, stock and bay leaf in a large pan, bring to a simmer, then cook until reduced by half. Remove the porcini, leave to cool a little, then squeeze dry and finely chop. Pour the porcini soaking liquid into the cream through a sieve, and cook until thickened to the consistency of double cream. Remove the bay.…

Citrus, almond & yogurt cake This easy, zesty cake can be put together in no time. It’s delicious served warm, topped with a drizzle of cold cream and served with tea for the adults. ■ Serves 12 ■ Prep 15 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 45 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE undecorated 175g butter, plus extra for the tin 200g golden caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp 150g self-raising flour 100g ground almonds 3 eggs 75g natural yogurt, plus 2 tbsp 1 large lemon 1 orange 100g icing sugar 15g toasted flaked almonds 1 Melt the butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. 2 Put 200g caster sugar,…

ELVIS BUN ■ Split and toast a hot cross bun, then spread one side with peanut butter and the other with chilli jam. Fill with 2-3 rashers of grilled crispy bacon and serve. S’MORES BUN ■ Split and toast a hot cross bun, then cover the base with 3-4 marshmallows. Place under a grill until golden and melted. Spread the top bun thickly with chocolate hazelnut spread, then sandwich together and serve. STRAWBERRIES & CREAM BUN ■ Slice a handful of strawberries, then toss with 1 tsp icing sugar and leave to macerate. Mix 2 tbsp soft cheese with 1 tsp icing sugar and a drop of vanilla extract. Spread the cheese onto a toasted hot cross bun, then top with the strawberries. CHEDDAR & MANGO CHUTNEY MELT ■ Split…

Cut out & keep ROAST CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BROWN RICE & SALSA VERDE ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 35 mins 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each cut in half 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 garlic cloves, bashed ½ small pack coriander ½ small pack parsley 1 anchovy fillet ½ tbsp capers ½ lemon, zested and juiced 250g pouch cooked wholegrain rice 200g baby leaf spinach 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Season the chicken, rub with ½ tbsp oil, then put in a large roasting tin with the garlic and roast for 25-30 mins. 2 Meanwhile, make the salsa verde. Blitz the herbs, anchovy, capers, lemon juice and remaining oil with some seasoning in a food processor until finely chopped. Set aside. 3 Once…

Open chicken caesar sandwich To make this recipe even quicker, use caesar dressing from a bottle and finish the dish off with a little shaved parmesan. ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 1 skinless chicken breast splash of sunflower oil 1 Little Gem lettuce 1 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche or Greek yogurt 1 tbsp grated parmesan, plus a few shavings to serve squeeze of lemon juice ½ tsp capers, roughly chopped 1 thick slice bread ½ small garlic clove 1 Heat a griddle pan. Rub the chicken with the sunflower oil, season, then griddle for 7 mins each side or until cooked through. Set aside to rest. 2 Meanwhile, separate the lettuce leaves. Mix the crème fraîche or yogurt, parmesan, lemon juice and capers with…

Mint & lemon drizzle cake A classic lemon drizzle is pretty hard to beat. Whatever the weather, season or mood, I will choose this cake again and again. It’s got the perfect balance of sweet and sharp, and a soft, buttery crumb that gets drenched in lemony syrup. This version is still all of those things, but with some extra brightness and fragrance from a good handful of fresh mint. It’s such a simple twist that wins big on the flavour front, giving you a cake that’ll feel right at home at any time of the day. ■ Serves 8-10 VEGETARIAN 200g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin 250g caster sugar 10g fresh mint leaves, plus extra to decorate 2 lemons, finely zested 3 eggs 270g plain flour 1½…