BBC Easycook October 2021

A lot of readers have said to me that most of the recipes we feature in Easy Cook are for two, four or six people. ‘Where are the meals for one? Not everyone is in a family,’ is the gist. It’s a fair point. In my lifetime, I’ve spent many years living on my own, cooking for myself (life after my first wife springs to mind). Man or woman cannot live by takeaways alone, given the expense and the desire for balance. So, we’re tackling this on p46, with our very best single-portion dishes. There’s eggs, turkey, prawns, risotto, salmon and meatballs, plus a couple of lovely suggestions for dessert. We’ll make cooking for one a regular feature, because Easy Cook is for everyone. From BBC goodfood What’s so good about our…

Serves 1 Prep 5 mins Cook 5 mins VEGETARIAN 250ml milk1 tbsp cocoa1-2 tbsp brown sugar25g dark chocolate, chopped, plus a grating to serve1 tbsp whipped or squirty cream 1 Heat the milk, cocoa, sugar and chocolate in a small pan over a medium heat until steaming and the chocolate has melted. Whisk to dissolve the cocoa. 2 Pour the hot chocolate into a mug, then add the cream to float on top. Grate over a little more dark chocolate to serve. PER SERVING 438 kcals, fat 22g, saturates 14g, carbs 47g, sugars 46g, fibre 2g, protein 12g, salt 0.3g Tip Give your hot chocolate a decadent finish with a drizzle of caramel sauce or dulce de leche and top with mini marshmallows…

Open pear & berry pie This stunning dessert is made by combining poached pears with a fruit pie. The almonds will stop your tart from getting a soggy bottom by soaking up excess juice while the egg wash and sugar give the pastry a professional golden finish. Serves 5 Prep 35 mins plus cooling Cook 1 hr 10 mins VEGETARIAN plain flour, for dusting300g sweet shortcrust pastryfreshly grated nutmeg1 egg, beaten1 tbsp demerara sugarcustard, cream or ice cream, to serve FOR THE POACHED PEARS 75g white caster sugar1 lemon, pared5 cardamom pods½ nutmeg1 cinnamon stick3 small pears, peeled, cored and halved FOR THE FILLING 3-4 small pears, peeled, cored and chopped75g white caster sugar2 tsp cornflour2 tbsp ground almonds150g berries (we used raspberries and blackberries) 1 For the poached pears, put the sugar in a big pan…

Chicken with mushrooms Serves 4 Prep 15 mins Cook 35 mins FREEZABLE 2 tbsp olive oil500g boneless, skinless chicken thighsflour, for dusting50g diced pancetta or lardons300g small button mushrooms2 large shallots, chopped250ml chicken stock1 tbsp white wine vinegar50g frozen peassmall handful of parsley, finely chopped 1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Season and dust the chicken with flour, then brown on all sides. Remove. Fry the pancetta and mushrooms until softened, then remove. 2 Add the final tbsp oil and cook shallots for 5 mins. Add the stock and vinegar, bubble for 1-2 mins. Return the chicken, pancetta and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 15 mins. Add the peas and parsley and cook for 2 mins more, then serve. PER SERVING 260 kcals, fat 13g, saturates 3g, carbs 3g,…

Veg-packed cheeseburgers Makes 4-6 Prep 20 mins plus cooling Cook 20 mins FREEZABLE burgers only 2 tbsp vegetable oil1 garlic clove, crushed1 small onion, finely chopped100g courgette, grated1 large carrot, grated50g mushrooms, finely chopped¼ bunch of parsley, finely chopped75g cheddar, grated1 large egg, beaten5 tbsp breadcrumbs250g beef mince4-6 burger buns TO SERVE lettuce leavessliced tomatosliced red onionketchup, mustard and mayo (optional) 1 Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the garlic, onion, courgette, carrot, mushrooms and parsley with a little salt and pepper for 8 mins, stirring regularly, until soft. Set aside to cool completely. 2 Mix together the fried veg, cheese, egg, breadcrumbs and beef with a little seasoning until well combined. Form into 4-6 burger sized patties. Can be frozen for up to two…

Butter chicken Serves 4 Prep 15 mins Cook 30 mins 25g butter1 onion, halved and finely sliced4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks2 tbsp garam masala3 garlic cloves, crushed1 tbsp finely grated ginger500g passata2 tbsp cashew nut butter50ml double creamhandful of coriander, choppedcooked rice and wilted spinach, to serve 1 Heat the butter in a large pan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 5 mins until soft. Add the chicken and continue to fry until turning golden brown. Add the garam masala, garlic, ginger and passata. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 mins. 2 Just before serving, stir in the cashew nut butter and cream and season to taste. Serve scattered with coriander, and with the cooked rice and wilted spinach on the side. PER SERVING 358 kcals, fat 18g, saturates 9g, carbs…