Table of contents for January 2022 in Easy Cook

After the Christmas splurge – not to mention the waste (let’s face it, we all over-estimate our appetite for festive food) – its good to tighten our belts, both literally and metaphorically. Trim the pounds in more ways than one. So, to kick-start 2022, we’ve introduced a new feature designed to help you save money and reduce waste. Turn to page 16 for advice on how to use up marmalade, bulk up bolognese, get creative with left-over yogurt and save that half a celeriac from food recycling. We’ve also got lots of healthy recipes to start the year (p24) and, because it’s rather chilly outside, a special collection of comfort food recipes (p46). I hope you have a fantastic year. Editor…

READY IN 20 MINS OR LESS 95p per serving £1.70 per serving Aromatic lamb with dates Lamb leg doesn’t need to be cooked for as long as some other cuts, such as shoulder or neck, so be careful with timings. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 15 mins FREEZABLE 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 500g diced boneless lean lamb, preferably from the leg 300g sweet potatoes, cut into small chunks 2 tsp each ground coriander and cinnamon 1 tbsp tomato purée 50g pitted dates 2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped couscous, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and lamb, then quickly fry until the lamb is lightly browned. Add the sweet potato and spices, then mix well. Pour…

FEED 4 FOR UNDER £5 “As a working parent, I recognise the constraints that come with preparing meals every day that are balanced, healthy and appeal to the whole family, particularly children. I hope my easy, budget-friendly recipes show that, when it comes to cooking family meals, saving time or money doesn’t mean compromising on flavour” Squash & halloumi flatbreads with sweet chilli beetroot jam If you can’t find butternut squash, this recipe works well with other squash types or sweet potato. The secret ingredient in the flatbreads is yogurt – it keeps them super soft. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 45 mins VEGETARIAN FREEZABL flatbreads only 1 butternut squash 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp smoked paprika 225g halloumi 100g baby spinach leaves FOR THE CHILLI…

Sesame prawn toast ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 30 mins plus chilling ■ Cook 15 mins 200g prawns, peeled and cleaned 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped 1 tsp finely grated ginger 1 egg white ½ tsp golden caster sugar 1 tsp light soy sauce, plus extra for dipping 2 spring onions, finely chopped 3 slices white bread, crustless sesame oil, for brushing 1 egg, lightly beaten 100g sesame seeds groundnut or sunflower oil, for shallow frying 1 Put the prawns, garlic, ginger, egg white, sugar and soy in a food processor and blitz to a paste. Stir in the spring onion. Put into a bowl, cover and chill for 30 mins. 2 Brush one side of each piece of bread with the sesame oil. Spread the prawn mixture on top,…

Chorizo baked eggs If you want to make a veggie version of this, add chopped red pepper and a pinch of paprika instead of the chorizo. ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 30 mins 1 red onion, halved and sliced olive oil, for frying 100g chorizo, chopped 400g can plum tomatoes ½ small bunch coriander, chopped 4 eggs wholemeal pittas, to serve 1 Cook the onion in a little olive oil until softened. Add the chorizo and cook for a few mins until it starts to crisp up. Tip in the tomatoes and simmer for 10 mins, then stir in half the coriander and season. 2 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Divide the sauce between two ovenproof dishes and make two dips in each. Crack…

Rachel Khoo’s stewed spinach eggs I quizzed a lot of my Swedish friends and family about their favourite Swedish foods, and this recipe was one I particularly loved for its simplicity and comfort. If you find that the spinach is very wet, you can whisk 2 tbsp flour into the milk before adding it to the spinach – but I find that a longer cooking time and evaporating as much of the water as possible means you don’t need it. Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20-25 mins VEGETARIAN 500g frozen spinach 1 onion, finely chopped knob of butter 150ml single cream 15ml milk 1 whole nutmeg ½ tsp white pepper 4 eggs toast, to serve FOR THE HERB GARNISH 1 small fresh red chilli, deseeded and thinly…

Monica Galetti Three easy courses for weekend entertaining, p78 Rachel Khoo Make stewed spinach eggs for a lazy weekend brunch, p84 Cyrus Todiwala Serve eggs kejriwal with tomato ketchup, p86 From good food What’s so good about our recipes is that the majority have been tested in the Test Kitchen of our sister title BBC Good Food. So, they’re all easy, tasty and quick to make – and you can be sure that they’ll work every time. How to get in touch with us General enquiries 020 7150 5845 goodfoodmagazine@immediate.co.uk BBC Easy Cook, Immediate Media, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT Subscriptions & back issues 03330 162 122 buysubscriptions.com/help buysubscriptions.com/customer-services/FAQs…

Lemony mushroom pilaf ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 30 mins VEGETARIAN 500ml vegetable stock 1 onion, sliced 300g mixed mushrooms, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 200g mixed basmati and wild rice 1 lemon, zested and juiced small bunch of snipped chives 6 tbsp light soft cheese with garlic & herbs 1 Put 2 tbsp of the stock in a non-stick pan, then add the onion and cook for 5 mins until softened – add a splash more stock if it starts to dry out. 2 Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 2 mins more. Stir in the rice, lemon zest and juice. Pour in remaining stock and seasoning and bring to the boil. Turn down, cover and simmer for 25-30 mins until the…

Breaded pork chops ■ Serves 8 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15-20 mins FREEZABLE handful of sage leaves, finely chopped 140g dried breadcrumbs 2 eggs, beaten 8 boneless pork chops, fat trimmed oil, for the baking sheet 4 tbsp butter, melted green beans, peas and mash, to serve 1 Tip the sage leaves, breadcrumbs and a little seasoning onto a plate, then mix together. Pour the eggs onto another plate. Pat the pork dry, then coat each chop in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip away. Dip in the breadcrumbs until well covered. Cook or freeze. 2 Defrost completely if frozen. Place the chops on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush with a little of the butter. Cook under a medium grill for 7-10 mins until browned. Then…

Easy and satisfying menu for 6 ★ Prawn cakes with coriander sambal ★ Madras-spiced beef with sultanas ★ Yellow rice ★ Tomato & onion salad ★ Chilli & apricot chutney ★ Coconut tart Prawn cakes with coriander sambal ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 8 mins FOR THE PRAWN CAKES 3 slices of white bread, halved 2 shallots, halved 1 garlic clove, crushed 400g raw peeled prawns or skinned unsmoked haddock generous grating of fresh nutmeg 1 egg 2 tbsp sunflower oil, for frying FOR THE SAMBAL 1 green pepper, deseeded 1 green chilli, deseeded 2 garlic cloves 40g fresh coriander 1 tsp caster sugar 2 tsp white malt vinegar 1 small lemon, juiced 1 Put all the ingredients for the prawn cakes, except the oil, in…

Steak & roasted shallot pie with a mustard crust Shop-bought puff pastry is fine, too. Cook the filling on Saturday if you like, then assemble on Sunday. ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 35 mins plus chilling ■ Cook 3 hrs FREEZABLE 2 tbsp olive oil 140g diced pancetta 1kg braising steak, cubed 4 tbsp plain flour 1 bottle red wine or 750ml beef stock 4 thyme sprigs 600g whole shallots 2 tbsp redcurrant or cranberry jelly 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 egg yolk FOR THE MUSTARD CRUST 350g plain flour 1 tbsp English mustard powder 200g butter, frozen 1 Heat half the olive oil in a large pan and cook the pancetta for a few mins until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Dust the steak…

WALNUT & ROQUEFORT SCONES ■ Rub 75g cubed butter into 240g plain flour and 2 tsp baking powder. Add 2tbsp walnuts and 30g crumbled roquefort. Stir in 1 beaten egg and 90ml milk until you have a firm dough – don’t overwork it. Pat out on a floured surface to about 2.5cm thick, then stamp out scones using a 5-6cm cutter and put on a non-stick baking sheet. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with a little more roquefort. Bake for 12-15 mins at 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6 until golden. Makes 8. FROSTED WALNUT BRITTLE ■ Put 250g granulated sugar and 50ml water in a pan over a medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and is just beginning to colour. Add 200g toasted walnuts and stir until the…

Slow-cooked lamb & chickpea stew Cooking for five hours sounds long, but once it’s in the pot, you can leave this stew to simmer until you’re ready to enjoy meltingly tender lamb. ■ Serves 4 1 tbsp olive oil 1.2 kg-1.4 kg bone-in lamb shoulder, or 800g diced lamb shoulder 2 red onions, finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 tbsp harissa paste 125ml white wine 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube 1 small butternut squash (around 600g), halved, deseeded and cut into chunks 2 x 400g cans chickpeas 200g spinach, cavolo nero or spring greens 1 lemon, juiced To serve crumbled feta and chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 Heat the olive oil in the base of a large, deep pan over a high heat. Season the lamb shoulder, then…

Mushrooms with goat’s cheese, beetroot & walnuts This recipe is a good way to get Anais, our daughter, eating mushrooms when she says she doesn’t like them. Have the beetroot mixture and goat’s cheese ready to go once the mushrooms are cooked. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 20 mins VEGETARIAN 4 large Portobello mushrooms olive oil, for drizzling 4 small beetroots, cooked in water for about 30 mins until tender, then peeled and cut into small cubes (or use ready-cooked beetroot, not in vinegar) handful of walnut halves, lightly toasted, cooled and chopped 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley ½ lemon, for squeezing 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, grated 1 tbsp chopped chives 100g soft goat’s cheese 1 tbsp roughly chopped pickled walnuts…