Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i Easy Cook

Do you have repertoire of recipes that are so good you cook them again and again? I fall back on curries and roasts, while my wife revisits salmon teriyaki noodles every Friday. We asked our recipes editor Sara for her ‘forever’ recipes. Some you might expect – like fish pie and sausage pasta – but there are surprises, too. Tex Mex-style chilli is a keeper, as is sweet potato & lentil curry. There's also a glorious chocolate cake. Check them out on page 48 – I'm sure they'll soon become part of your repertoire. And, if you're off to uni (or know someone who is), turn to page 44 for our cheap and easy recipes. They're guaranteed to get top marks! IN THIS ISSUE Jon Watts shares his impressive but…

22 budget -friendly options Sticky sausage & sweet potato salad ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 40 mins 8 pork sausages 600g sweet potatoes, cut into thin wedges 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 3 tbsp honey 200g baby spinach FOR THE DRESSING 5 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the sausages and potatoes in a roasting tin, and toss with the oil. Roast for 30 mins, then mix the mustard and honey together and stir this into the tin. Roast for 10 mins more until the sausages and potatoes are sticky and cooked. 2 Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients and season – the onion will soften slightly in the vinegar. 3 When the sausages…

It's incredible what you can cook at the touch of a button – from chocolate cake to butternut squash risotto, microwaves can save you valuable time and energy. In fact, they're more energy-efficient than turning on the oven – a jacket potato can be ready in just 10 minutes if you use the microwave, rather than baking it in the oven for an hour. They're must-have bits of kitchen kit, so it's no surprise that 93 per cent of households own one. Brownies ■ Makes 8 ■ Prep 10 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 5 mins 150g salted butter 150g caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp milk 2 medium eggs, beaten 50g plain flour 75g unsweetened cocoa powder 80g milk chocolate chips 1 Cut the butter into small pieces, then put in a 20 x…

Easy rice salad boxes ■ Each box serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 25 mins FOR THE RICE BASE & DRESSING 100g brown basmati rice 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 tsp vegetable bouillon ½ tsp dried oregano 2 tsp rapeseed oil (preferably cold-pressed) 2 tsp cider vinegar FOR TUNA SALAD BOX 80g canned sweetcorn (no salt or sugar added) 2 spring onions, chopped ½ red pepper, chopped 120g can tuna in spring water FOR BEETROOT & FETA SALAD BOX 210g canned chickpeas, drained 1 cooked beetroot, sliced then cut into strips 25g feta, crumbled 2-3 walnut halves, broken large handful of rocket 1 For the base, put the rice in a medium pan with the onion, bouillon and oregano. Add 300ml water, then bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 mins until tender…

Cauliflower nuggets ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ Cook 20 mins 1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets 4 tbsp cornflour 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground coriander 4 tbsp dairy-free milk 100g panko breadcrumbs or regular very dry breadcrumbs 4 tbsp neutral-tasting oil (such as vegetable) small handful of finely chopped chives and hot sauce, to serve 1 Steam or boil the cauliflower in a pan of salted water for 5 mins until almost tender. Drain well and transfer to a large baking tray. Sprinkle over the cornflour and spices, and toss to coat. 2 Pour over the milk and toss to coat again, followed by the breadcrumbs, tossing a final time to make sure every crevice is covered in breadcrumbs. Season well with salt and pepper. 3 Drizzle over the oil and bake…

Seafood curry ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 35 mins 1 onion, roughly chopped 100g ginger, peeled and chopped 50ml vegetable oil 2 tsp garam marsala 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 400g can chopped tomatoes 75g ghee 300g skinless white fish (like pollock), cut into large chunks 200g skinless salmon, cut into large chunks 200g raw peeled prawns 100g mussels, cleaned and debearded large handful of coriander leaves 1 Blitz the onion and ginger together in a food processor to a purée. Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat until smoking and sizzle the garam marsala for 30 seconds. Add the purée, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 mins. Add the remaining spices and fry for 1 min, then stir in the chilli and fry for…

■ Serves 5-6 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 45-55 mins 400g apples, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces 400g plums, stoned and cut into chunky wedges 2 tbsp sugar 300g figs, trimmed and quartered 300g blackberries cream, custard or ice cream, to serve FOR THE CRUMBLE 140g plain flour 140g wholemeal flour 175g butter, cut into small pieces 100g light brown soft sugar 1 First make the crumble. Put the flours in a bowl with a pinch of salt, then rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. Stir in the sugar using a fork, and chill until needed. 2 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tip the apples, plums and sugar into a large saucepan with 50ml water. Cook, stirring, for about 5 mins until the apples are soft and…

Cut out & keep  Sardines&tomatoes on toast Canned sardines are a costeffective way to get more heart-healthy oily fish into your diet. Keep a can in the cupboard for a quick dinner or lunch. ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ No cook 1 large garlic clove, halved 2 slices of sourdough bread, toasted 135g can sardines in olive oil 130g ripe cherry tomatoes, halved handful of watercress 1 tbsp chopped parsley ½ lemon, to serve (optional) 1 Rub the cut sides of the garlic over each piece of toast. Combine the sardines and the oil from the can with the tomatoes and watercress in a small bowl, then season. 2 Sit half the mixture on each slice of toast, piled high. Scatter over the parsley and squeeze over the lemon, if using. PER SERVING…

Fresh orange lollies Finely grate ¼ tsp zest from one of 3 oranges, then peel them. Roughly chop the flesh and put in a bowl (or food processor) with the orange zest and 2 ripe pears, peeled and cored. Blitz until as smooth as you can get it, then pour into lolly moulds, poke in lolly sticks and freeze until solid. Makes 4-6 Spicy chickpeas Tip a 400g can chickpeas, drained and patted dry, into a bowl with 1 tsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp chilli powder, and mix to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet, spread the chickpeas out into a single layer, then bake at 220C/200C fan/gas 7 for 25 mins. Cool and sprinkle with sea salt before serving. Serves 4 Avocado & strawberry ices Put 200g ripe…

Whether you're just off to uni or a well-seasoned home cook, it's always good to have an arsenal of recipes that you can turn to again and again. This collection is packed with ‘keepers’ – dishes you'll cook on repeat because they are delicious and reliable, and your family and friends love them. We're confident we've ticked a lot of your boxes, from juicy roast chicken, curry, risotto and chilli, to a luscious chocolate cake and dreamy lemon pud. Happy cooking! 1 Who doesn't love a fudgy chocolate cake? This is a great one to bake for celebrations. For a mocha flavour, add a splash of strong diluted coffee to the batter, or try orange zest for a choc-orange cake. Ultimate chocolate fudge cake ■ Serves 12 ■ Prep 40…

‘Marry me’ pork meatballs The ‘marry me’ part of this dish refers to the sauce. The story goes that someone took chicken with a creamy, sundried tomato sauce into an office in New York in the 1980s and, within weeks, three people who ate it were engaged. As time goes on, I prefer the explanation that the ingredients ‘marry’ together to create the most delicious sauce. ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 20 min 750g pork mince 100g fresh breadcrumbs 100g sundried tomatoes, chopped 40g parmesan, finely grated 1 tsp garlic granules 1 tsp paprika 1½ tbsp vegetable oil FOR THE SAUCE 1 onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated 300ml chicken stock 200ml double cream 2 tbsp sundried tomato purée 40g parmesan, finely grated 20g basil, leaves picked and torn 1 Put the pork in a…

Winter berry trifle ■ Serves 8 ■ 20 mins 1 hr chilling ■ Cook 5 mins 50g frozen mixed berries 4 tbsp golden caster sugar 4 tbsp crème de cassis about 250g madeira cake, sliced 250g mascarpone 500g fresh custard 2 tsp vanilla extract 425ml double cream 1 Gently warm the berries and sugar in a pan until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the cassis. Cool slightly. 2 Arrange a layer of cake in the base of a large trifle dish, then spoon over two-thirds of the berry mixture (you might not need all the liquid). 3 Beat the mascarpone until smooth. Slowly add the custard, then the vanilla. Spoon this over the cake. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Spoon this over the custard. Chill for 1 hr. Before serving, spoon over the rest of…

Each recipe serves 4 Blue cheese & chive dip Mash 100g roquefort. Add 100g soured cream, 75g mayonnaise, 2 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp chopped chives or spring onion tops, then season and stir well. Sprinkle over extra chives. Good with chicken wings or sweet potato wedges. Beetroot, yogurt & lime dip Cut 150g cooked beetroot into chunks and put in a small food processor with 1 crushed garlic clove, 3 chopped spring onions, 3 tbsp Greek yogurt and 2 tsp lime juice. Season well, then whizz until smooth and scrape into a bowl. Serve with grilled halloumi. Cheat's aïoli Put 1 crushed garlic clove in a small bowl with 2 tbsp lemon juice and a good pinch of sea salt. Put a pinch of saffron in a serving…

Baked ratatouille & goat's cheese Ratatouille is a favourite late-summer side dish, but adding a layer of cheese sauce transforms it into the star of the show. All you need is some crusty bread to mop your plate with. You can prepare this recipe ahead, so it's great if you're having friends over and – bonus – it delivers three of your five-a-day. ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 35 mins plus resting ■ Cook 45 min 4 tbsp olive oil 2 red onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 aubergines, diced 2 red peppers, seeded and diced 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp soy sauce 500ml passata 200g young goat's cheese 4 courgettes (a mixture of green and yellow looks nice), thinly sliced FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE 400ml milk 50g unsalted butter 50g plain flour 80g parmesan…

Roasted vegetable & feta tostada ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 325g frozen grilled vegetables 1 tsp Mexican-style seasoning 1 small avocado, peeled, stoned and chopped 1 lime, juiced 75g cherry tomatoes, halved 2 small flour tortillas 2 handfuls of rocket 2 tbsp light feta cheese, crumbled 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the frozen vegetables in a roasting tin, season and toss with the Mexican-style seasoning. Roast for 15 mins until hot. Mix the avocado, lime juice and tomatoes together. Season and set aside. 2 Put the tortillas on a baking sheet and cook above the veg for the final 5 mins of cooking time until crisp. Transfer the hot tortillas to plates, scatter over the rocket and top with the roasted veg. Add some of the…