Table of contents for February 2022 in Easy Cook

Every Sunday is Pancake Day in the Kendrick household. My wife makes them for the kids’ breakfast, smothered in chocolate hazelnut spread or maple syrup. They wolf down four each until the batter runs out. But on Shrove Tuesday itself, it’s my turn to do the flipping – and the butterscotch banana pancakes recipe on this page is the one I’ve got my eye on. What toppings do you prefer? Variety, as they say, is the spice of life, so elsewhere in this month’s issue we’ve taken some basics and given you options to make your midweek meals extra special, including four brilliant burgers on p30, 10 great pasta dishes (p44) and just as many superb soups on p54. I hope you have a flippin’ great month! Editor…

Fish curry ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 300g basmati rice 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil 2 large onions, sliced 2 garlic cloves, chopped 450g tomatoes, cut into chunks 3 tbsp tikka curry paste 400g can coconut milk 4 skinless, boneless pollock fillets (about 150g each), or other sustainable white fish, cut into chunks ½ small pack coriander, roughly chopped 1 Put a large saucepan of water on to boil and cook the rice following pack instructions. 2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, wide saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5-10 mins until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic and tomatoes, then fry for 2 mins. Add the curry paste, fry for 2 mins more,…

Goan-style vegetable curry with kitchari, p24 Cheesy seafood bake, p24 Goan-style vegetable curry with kitchari ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 40 mins VEGETARIAN FOR THE KITCHARI 225g brown basmati rice 1 tsp rapeseed oil 1 tsp ground coriander 390g can green lentils, drained FOR THE CURRY 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 large onions, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced 2 red chillies, deseeded and sliced 25g ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 tsp each ground turmeric, smoked paprika and ground cumin 3 tsp ground coriander 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder, made up with 500ml boiling water 360g cauliflower florets 1½ tsp tamarind 320g green beans, trimmed 4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges 2 large courgettes (about 320g), halved lengthways and thickly sliced 100g…

Quick tandoori chicken This is such a great dish to cook in the oven or on a barbecue. The marinade is textbook tandoori and the acids from the lemon and yogurt mean that it’s ready to go within minutes of being prepped. It’s even better if you prep it and leave it covered in the fridge for a day or two before cooking. Slashing the flesh helps with making sure the flavours find their way into the chicken, but this really is a rub-and-go. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 25 mins 100ml vegetable oil 300g natural yogurt 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 thumb-sized pieces ginger, peeled and grated, or 2 cubes frozen crushed ginger, defrosted 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tbsp ground…

EASY TRIFLE ■ For an easy dessert, line a trifle dish with slices of sponge or ginger cake, then spoon over defrosted frozen forest fruits with some of the juices. Top with blobs of lemon curd and whipped cream. LEMON DRIZZLE RICE PUD ■ Heat up a can of rice pudding (or make your own) and swirl lemon curd through it just before serving. LOW-FAT MOUSSE ■ Ripple lemon curd through beaten quark or low-fat yogurt, spoon into brandy snap baskets or meringue nests, and top with your choice of fruit. LEMON MERINGUE ICE CREAM ■ Turn plain vanilla ice cream into a special pudding by letting it soften slightly before rippling through lemon curd and broken chunks of meringue, then re-freezing. NO-FUSS TART ■ Spread a thin layer of…

Butterscotch banana pancakes ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 10 mins VEGETARIAN 100g soft brown sugar 100g butter, plus extra for frying 4 bananas, thickly sliced 1 tbsp lime juice 2-3 tbsp double cream vanilla ice cream, to serve FOR THE PANCAKES 2 large eggs 250ml milk 150g plain flour 1 Whisk together the eggs and milk. Put the flour in a bowl with a pinch of salt, then gradually whisk in the egg mix until you get the consistency of single cream (add more milk if needed). Pour the batter into a jug. 2 Put the sugar and butter into a non-stick frying pan and melt together. Add the bananas and cook for a couple of minutes each side. Stir in the lime juice, then add…

GET 3 OF YOUR S-A-DAY “Back when I had to smuggle vegetables into my greens-averse daughter, I concocted ways to secretly pack meals with good stuff. My ragu (p20) contains more veg than meat, but it’s chopped small and cooked down, so no one will ever know. I double the recipe and freeze it for quick midweek dinners. My fridge-raid fried rice is also a sure-fire winner – you can use most veg from the fridge, and it’s quick to make”Melissa Thompson Chicken wraps ■ Makes 4 ■ Prep 12 mins plus resting ■ Cook 20 mins 1 aubergine, trimmed and sliced into 5mm rounds ½ red onion, thinly sliced 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tbsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp natural yogurt 1 tbsp tahini 1 small garlic clove, crushed…

DON’T WASTE THOSE LEEK TOPS Leek tops may be a bit tougher than the lighter part, but we promise that they have more flavour! Crispy leeks ■ Slice the leek tops as finely as you can. Heat a good 1cm oil in a wok or frying pan until shimmering. Sizzle the leek in batches for 2-3 mins until crispy, then scoop out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper and season with salt. Scatter over your main leek dish for extra texture and flavour. Bouquet garni ■ Leek tops can be wrapped around a herb bundle when you’re stewing or braising, to stop thyme leaves straying into your sauce. Stir-fried leeks ■ As the green parts are tougher, they hold up better to fierce heat. Shred the greens and add…

Cut out & keep Melon with prosciutto ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ No cook 1 ripe charentais or cantaloupe melon 6 slices prosciutto Halve the melon, scrape out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Cut each melon half into several crescent-shaped slices and arrange on a plate with the ham. PER SERVING 213 kcal, fat 7g, saturates 2.3g, carbs 16g, fibre 2g, protein 16g, salt 2.7g MELON NOT RIPE? TRY THIS Avocado with prosciutto & rocket ■ Top the ham with wedges of avocado, then drizzle over a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and top with a few rocket leaves. WHAT IS PROSCIUTTO? ■ Prosciutto is widely used to describe various seasoned and cured, air-dried hams. Prosciutto crudo, used here, is raw, air-dried…

Puy lentil bolognese This vegetable bolognese works well as a lasagne filling, too. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 35 mins VEGETABLE FREEZABLE olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, finely diced 2 sticks celery, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) 200g chestnut mushrooms, diced 300g puy lentils 400g can chopped tomatoes 3 tbsp tomato purée 1 tsp dried oregano 2 bay leaves 1 litre vegetable stock 300g tagliatelle grana padano or vegetarian hard cheese, to serve 1 Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan and add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and dried chilli (if using). Cook for about 10 mins until soft. 2 Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the…

Salmon & dill burger with lemon caper mayonnaise Salmon and dill is the perfect combination, because dill gently complements delicate salmon. Adding smoked salmon enhances the poached salmon flavour and the topping makes the burger extra special. If you’re feeling healthy, just serve as a naked fish burger with no bun. ■ Makes 8 burgers 2½ tbsp sunflower oil ¼ fennel bulb, very thinly sliced 4 brioche buns, split in half and toasted on each side FOR THE SALMON BURGER 100g smoked salmon 500g salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4cm pieces 125g panko breadcrumbs ½ lemon, juiced 4 tbsp mayonnaise small bunch dill, chopped FOR THE MAYONNAISE 4 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tbsp capers, chopped ½ small lemon, juiced TOPPING 4 romaine lettuce leaves 2 pickled dill cucumbers, thinly sliced…

5 ways to use ‘em up SPICED BANANA & HONEY FRENCH TOAST ■ Tip 3 tbsp honey, ½ tsp ground cinnamon and ¼ tsp ground cardamom into a pan. Bring to a bubble, then toss in 2 bananas, peeled and thickly sliced. Cook for 2 mins, then remove from the heat. Beat 1 large egg with 300ml whole milk. Dip 4 slices of bread into the mixture, one at a time. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a frying pan and fry the bread, two slices at a time, for 4 mins on each side. Repeat with the rest of the bread. Top with the bananas and some whipped cream or Greek yogurt. Serves 2. BANANA & TAHINI PORRIDGE ■ Mix 1 tbsp tahini with 1 tbsp milk and 1 tbsp…

Lamb & mango curry Serve a bowl of chopped green chillies alongside for those who like their curry on the hotter side. ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 10 mins plus resting ■ Cook 2 hrs 45 mins 2 onions, quartered thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 5 garlic cloves 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 heaped tsp turmeric 2 heaped tsp ground cumin 2 heaped tsp ground coriander 1 tsp mild chilli powder 5 cardamom pods 2 tbsp tomato purée 800g trimmed lamb shoulder, cubed 400g can reduced-fat coconut milk (save 2 tbsp for serving) 200g canned chopped tomatoes 2 ripe mangoes, sliced handful coriander, to serve rice, chutneys and pickles, to serve chopped green chillies, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the onions,…

Welsh onion cake with caerphilly ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 5 mins VEGETARIAN 200g butter, plus extra for the tin drizzle of oil 3 large onions, thinly sliced 1 leek, sliced 1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or Desiree, peeled and thinly sliced 150g caerphilly cheese, crumbled 1 In a large pan, heat a knob of the butter with a drizzle of oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the onions, leek and some seasoning and cook for 15 mins until the onions are soft and sticky, stirring occasionally. Butter a 22cm cake tin or baking dish (alternatively, you can assemble the cake in the pan you’re already using if it’s ovenproof). 2 In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter. Toss the…

1 SOUP When making soup, add a parmesan rind when you add the stock. This works particularly well for minestrone, or other chunky vegetable or onion soups. 2 TOMATO SAUCE Up the umami in your next tomato sauce – simply add parmesan rind with the chopped tomatoes and remove before serving. 3 CHEESE SAUCE Give your cheese sauce extra depth by simmering parmesan rind in the white sauce base before adding the grated cheese. 4 CRUNCHY BITS Stick a fork or knife in the softer side of parmesan rind, then carefully toast the harder side over a low flame until lightly charred. Leave to cool, then chop into pieces to toss through a salad, scatter over soup, or just to snack on. 5 RICH RISOTTO Add parmesan rind to the…

Quick bean & chorizo chilli This is great with rice but also delicious piled onto a baked potato and dolloped with soured cream. ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 15 mins FREEZABLE 50g chorizo, sliced 200g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp harissa 200g canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained 200g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained rice and natural yogurt, or jacket potatoes and soured cream, to serve Dry-fry the chorizo for a few mins in a non-stick frying pan until crisp. Carefully pour off any fat from the pan, then tip in the chopped tomatoes, harissa, beans and chickpeas with 50ml water. Bring to a simmer, cover, then lower the heat and bubble for 10 mins. Serve with rice or jackets. PER SERVING 463 kcals, fat 18g,…

Date, banana & rum loaf This fruity, crumbly loaf has loads of flavour but no added fat or sugar. What’s more, it can easily be made gluten-free. ■ Cuts into 10 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 1 hr VEGETARIAN FREEZABLE flavourless oil, for the tin 250g stoned, ready-to-eat dates 2 small or 1 large banana (you need 140g) 100g pecans, 85g roughly chopped, remainder left whole 200g raisins 200g sultanas 100g fine polenta 2 tsp mixed spice 2 tsp baking powder (use gluten-free if you need to) 3 tbsp dark rum 2 egg whites handful banana chips (optional) 1 tsp sugar (optional) 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 900g loaf tin with nonstick baking parchment, using a little oil to make it stick. Put the…

Ching-He Huang’s vegan poke bowl Hawaii is one of my favourite places in the world. This is my version of a nutritious, vibrant Hawaiian poke bowl. It’s afresh, fruity, brightly coloured bowl with sweet and salty flavours, on a bed of coconut rice. ■ Serves 3 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 18-23 mins VEGETARIAN 8 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tbsp tamari or light soy sauce 1 tbsp finely sliced chives FOR THE RICE 200g jasmine rice 50ml coconut milk 1 tbsp toasted coconut flakes FOR THE TERIYAKI TOFU 1 tsp rapeseed oil 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and grated 200g smoked tofu, drained, rinsed in cold water and chopped 2 tbsp mirin 2 tbsp tamari or light soy sauce 1 tbsp golden syrup FOR THE…