MAKE IT HEALTHY! GLUTEN-FREE WEEKNIGHT DINNER IDEAS EASY FOOD ISSUE 125
HALLOWEEN TREATS!
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ü STORECUPBOARD RECIPES ü SLOW-COOKER DINNERS TIVE ü CREATIVE SPUD IDEAS C I D D
SPICE IT UP BAKING WITH AUTUMNAL SPICES, P.92
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• HALLOWEEN SNACKS • SEASONAL FENNEL IDEAS • WEEKNIGHT MEALS • SIMPLE TAPAS • GLUTEN-FREE DINNERS • AUTUMNAL BAKING • PERFECT HOMEMADE SCONES •
WARMING FAVOURITES
SPOOK-TACULAR
OD! We chat to Simon Delaney about his debut cookbook an d share some of his favourite recipe s inside
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Easy Food team Hello
Easy Food readers!
EDITOR Caroline Gray cgray@zahramediagroup.com t: +353 (0)1 255 7566 fave recipe: Apple doughnuts, p.94
What a treat it is to be the guest editor of Easy Food this month. I’ve always been passionate about cooking; honestly, is there anything better than creating something delicious and gobbling it up with family and friends? Food plays such a huge part of so many of life’s best moments — whether it’s easing into the weekend with a big fry-up, celebrating a holiday with the staple favourites, or just laughing Simon Delaney with family around the dinner table after a long day, there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal to make any occasion a special one! With four little ones and my wife, Lisa, at home, I love the hustle and bustle of our kitchen, even if it means there are multiple meals on the go to keep all of the mouths happy!
EDITORIAL TEAM Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle jdoyle@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Khachapuri, p.86 Editorial Intern Emer Brady foodintern@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Curried vegetable and chickpea stew, p.69 Contributors Michael Fleming, Aoife Howard, Jenny Morgan Wallace and Sinead Keegan.
I’ve always been a cooking show devotee — I could easily watch nothing but cooking programmes — and have been delving more into the food world over the past year. I had the best time participating in Celebrity MasterChef Ireland, and this led me to take some even greater leaps from my background in acting to cooking. I did my first live cookery demonstration at Taste of Dublin alongside Neven Maguire and Michelin-starrted chef Daniel Clifford (no pressure, right?!), then went on to do more at Taste of Cavan and Taste of Donegal. I’m also set to do another demo at Savour Kilkenny Festival of Food at the end of the month. From acting in films, television shows and on stage, I’ve grown to love the thrill of performing, and cooking in front of so many people has certainly proven to be another adventure!
DESIGN Art Director Nikki Kennedy fave recipe: Croque Monsieurs, p.73 PHOTOGRAPHY & FOOD STYLING Agnieszka Wypych, Charisse van Kan, Pauline Smyth and Shannon Peare. Some images from Shutterstock.com. TEST KITCHEN Proudly built by QK Living www.qkliving.ie
My aim is to share my love of cooking with as many people as possible, which is why I wanted to write my cookbook, Simply Simon’s: The Diner Cookbook. Putting this together was a lot of hard work, but seeing my recipes come to life was an absolute joy. From my decadent New York-style cheesecake to the ultimate mouth-watering burger, the book is all about recreating diner favourites at home. Be sure to check out some of the recipes that I’m sharing exclusively with Easy Food readers, from p.19.
ADVERTISING Sales Manager Sarah Currey scurrey@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Crunchy popcorn chicken, p.58 ADMINISTRATION Production Consultant Val Citron valeriecitron@gmail.com Circulation Manager John Dempsey jdempsey@zahramediagroup.com Accounts accounts@zahramediagroup.com Syndication Enquiries syndication@zahramediagroup.com
Of course, there’s plenty of easy recipes to make this month; try the handy five-ingredient meals on p.70, or warm up with slow-cooker favourites, from p.66. Halloween is covered with spooky — and healthy! — snacks, p.102, and let the little cooks have a go at a traditional barmbrack, p.105, complete with a step-by-step guide. Dig into this issue of Easy Food and have some fun in the kitchen — I know I will!
Simon
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Managing Director Gina Miltiadou gmiltiadou@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Fennel and orange crispy cookie thins, p.37 Chief Executive John Mullins jmullins@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Beef short rib pies, p.62
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10 FOOD BITES
News, products and cookbooks from the wonderful world of food
16 COMPETITIONS
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CONTENTS
Exciting things for you to win!
WHAT’S IN SEASON? 30 WICKED WATERCRESS!
Make the most of fresh watercress with
these spooktacular recipes!
34 IT’S THE FENNEL COUNTDOWN
If you’ve never cooked with fennel before,
this is a good time to start
36 EAT IRELAND
Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle heads “up
north” to discover why an Armagh apple a
day is a real treat
LARDER LUCK 44 EASY ELEGANCE
Add a touch of luxury to your day with
these simple recipes
52 ROLL ON!
These simple sushi rolls are a delicious treat to make at ahome
Fennel and orange crispy cookie thins
P.37
P.80
Easy and traditional tapas
WHAT’S FOR DINNER? 54 WEEKLY MENU PLANNER
Beef short rib pies
P.62
Keep it simple, keep it quick with a whole week’s worth of easy family meals
76 15 WAYS WITH FREEZER AISLE FOODS Handy ways to use frozen spinach, fish and hash browns
4 Easy Food
SEPTEMBER 2017
COOKING FOR FUN
KIDS’ KITCHEN
80 TIME FOR TAPAS
100 HALE AND HEARTY
Take your tastebuds to sunny Spain with these mix-and-match tapas recipes
Butter chicken curry
P.112
Our Home Ec experts welcome
comfort food back into the kitchen
86 CHALLENGE YOURSELF
105 EASY JUNIORS
This cheesy, eggy bread is the perfect
treat for lovers of savoury food
This traitional barmbrack is the perfect treat to make for Halloween
MAKE IT HEALTHY!
88 BACK TO (COOKING) SCHOOL!
Recipes from Donnybrook Fair’s new
108 FROM THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK
cookbook are perfect for your repertoire
Ginger whoopie pies
P.95
Local butcher Michael Fleming discusses
Gooey graveyard cake
ever-popular bacon
P.125
116 OH MY GOODNESS!
Food blogger Aoife Howard indulges her
sweet tooth with these free-from cookies
Bacon-fried leek and potato soup
P.109
FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS
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OCTOBER 2017
Dive into these luscious baked treats with hints of autumnal spices
HALLOWEEN TREATS!
A
BAKING WITH AUTUMNAL SPICES, P.92
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SPICE IT UP
Mouthwatering dishes to elevate the humble spud
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IT’S A GOSLOW
Let your slow cooker do the work for you with these dinners
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• HALLOWEEN SNACKS • SEASONAL FENNEL IDEAS • WEEKNIGHT MEALS • SIMPLE TAPAS • GLUTEN-FREE DINNERS • AUTUMNAL BAKING • PERFECT HOMEMADE SCONES •
Stay gluten-free with ease with these winter dinners
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MAKE IT HEALTHY! GLUTEN-FREE WEEKNIGHT DINNER IDEAS EASY FOOD ISSUE 125
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GLUTEN BE GONE
FROM THE Cover
We chat to Simon Delaney about his debut cookbook and share some of his favourite recipe inside
Maximise your storecupboard potential with these tasty meals
120 All the knowledge you need to become an expert in the kitchen
122 STEP-BY-STEP SCONES Our handy guide for making perfect scones 124 FROM OUR TEST KITCHEN Food stylist Shannon Peare explains Irish Halloween baking traditions and shares a showstopping festive cake
126 KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Natural cleaning hacks to make your kitchen sparkle!
Per Serving 312kcals, 7.1g fat (3.9g saturated), 57g carbs, 37.9g sugars, 5.9g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.07g sodium
x Readers! Please take note that the nutritional information that appears underneath each recipe is only for one serving. The key for the buttons is in our recipe index on page 6. All Euro/GBP prices are converted at the time of going to print. Prices may vary.
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a in W SOUP MAKER! I
s there anything like a warming soup on a chilly night? Morphy Richards has made it easier than ever to whip up a delicious and wholesome soup in no time with the new Sauté and Soup Maker. The Morphy Richards Sauté and Soup has five functions including sauté, blend, chunky, smooth and juice, meaning that a range of foods can be prepared at the touch of a button. The sauté function sears a range of ingredients such as spices, onions and bacon lardons for added flavour, and this takes place in the same cooking vessel as the soup, reducing time and washing up. The blend function and motorised blending blade in the lid can adjust consistencies to individual tastes.
busy kitchen. Serving soup couldn’t be simpler, as its large easy-pour handle and removable power source from the base ensure that it’s simple and flexible to use and keeps spilling to a minimum. For a chance to win a Sauté and Soup Maker, simply email your contact details to competitions@easyfood.ie with MORPHY RICHARDS in the subject line. The Morphy Richards Sauté and Soup Maker is available from Power City, DID Electrical, Expert & Euronics (RRP €99.95).
Perfect for cooks of all abilities, the handy control panel features an LED countdown display, while the non-stick coating makes cooking and cleaning a breeze. With a large 1.6 litre capacity making up to four servings in one go, it’s the perfect tool for any
18 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
Simon and editor Caroline busy planning!
s from Recipe ’s: Simon Simply ook b k o er Co The Din ney on Dela By Sim Hess l il G ed by Publish /£17.99 €16.99
SIMON SAYS… cook!
Actor, director and TV presenter Simon Delaney takes on a new role…in the kitchen!
We
at Easy Food are lucky to work with Simon Delaney on a regular basis. A familiar face on screen for his work on RTÉ’s "Bachelor’s Walk" as well as "Coronation Street", "The Good Wife", "Moone Boy" and "The
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Fall", Simon is one of the star hosts of TV3’s "SaturdayAM", where Easy Food often presents on the cookery slot. Arriving bright and early to the TV3 studios, the set is always buzzing — producers run through the scheduled segments
to make sure all is in order for the three-hour live show ahead; make-up artists with tools at the ready flit about to put final touches on hosts and guests; camera operators meticulously position equipment on the floor. Nestled in this hive of activity, stationed at the set’s kitchen every Saturday morning is Simon, preparing breakfast for the entire crew. He fries sausages and rashers to set at the edge of the counter, where cast and crew can grab a hot breakfast with some fresh bread and butter. Everyone pitches in a quid or two to fund ingredients, but it’s understood that these weekly brekkies are just a typical Simon move — feeding the hardworking staff that has probably been on set already for hours, and probably won’t get a chance for a bite or cup of tea until midday. After the food is ready, he rushes to get changed and ready for camera, where he’ll keep guests and fellow hosts entertained for three hours without breaking a sweat. This is what we love about Simon — he genuinely loves food and loves sharing it with people. We can think of no better reason, then, to release a cookbook, which is Simon’s most recent foray into the foodie world after his successful stint on "Celebrity MasterChef Ireland" earlier this year. Simon impressed judges, fellow contestants and viewers with his culinary aptitude, expertly tackling daunting kitchen tasks while keeping his upbeat demeanor intact. Simon is used to keeping crowds entertained, which was on show during one of his first big cooking demos at Taste of Dublin this summer.
Easy Food 19
He shared the stage with two veteran chefs — Neven Maguire and "Celebrity MasterChef Ireland" judge Daniel Clifford — whose presence with Simon served as the ultimate seal of culinary approval. Witty banter between the hosts was the perfect backdrop to the informative demo, and guests were certainly hungry for more. Luckily, Simon has obliged by releasing his first cookbook, Simply Simon’s: The Diner Cookbook, a mouth-watering tome of wellloved American diner favourites. Simon is a feeder, and the best sort: he fills friends, family and fans with great food and plenty of laughs. We’ll definitely be pulling up a seat at whatever foodie adventure he tackles next.
Have you always been interested in cooking? I’ve always been interested in food, but I was never an adventurous eater. I liked simple food as a kid, and it was only when I started to cook for myself that I introduced exotic ingredients like chillies into my menu!
How has your work as an actor exposed you to different styles of food? I’ve been lucky to travel around the world with my job, so it has exposed me to different types of cuisine. From Eastern Europe to China, from Russia to the US, I’ve tasted many a strange dish, and many a wonderful dish, and I’ve taken some of those dishes and tried to replicate them at home... to varying degrees of success!
20 Easy Food
What prompted you to sign on to Celebrity MasterChef Ireland? I’m a huge fan of food TV, and of course "MasterChef". It’s the only "reality TV show" that I watch (well, that and "The Apprentice"). I’d been asked several times to do "MasterChef", but because of my work schedule I’d never been available to sign up. I was delighted last year then when the call came; I had the time in my diary, so I was in! Best decision ever.
How did this experience change the way you cook at home? I think it’s changed the way I look at food, particluarly how I prep dishes. That’s all down to finding recipes, finding ingredients, prepping them correctly and of course presenting them well.
That inspired you to write your cookbook? This been on my bucket list for years. Thankfully, after doing the show and finishing reasonably well in the competition, I was approached by a publishing agent about doing a book. I signed up and it’s exciting times!
What was the process like of recreating these dishes? That was the fun part of the book: finding classic Amercian diner dishes, researching recipes and trying to adapt them for the home cook. I’d love the process of taking a dish like the classic American meatloaf and
getting a recipe right for the Irish cook to make at home. There were lots of attempts made on each dish, but hopefully I’ve cracked every one of them!
Are there other areas of food or cooking you’d be interested in exploring? I’m a huge fan of Italian cuisine, so that’s something I’d love to explore more in the kitchen. I really just adore the country; myself and my wife, Lisa, honeymooned there, and it made me fall even more in love with the people and the culture.
What would a typical dinner at home be like? I’d say it would be a one-pot wonder that feeds the masses! With four kids — boys, no less — at home, there are always hungry mouths to feed. It’s also such a busy house that having one dinner for all is the way to go. A good Irish stew, or an American classic like mac and cheese is always a winner.
What would be your ideal dinner? Well, a long one! Something involving 11 courses that includes chocolate, lamb, dauphinoisse potatoes, and more chocolate!
Have you had any kitchen disasters? We don’t have enough space in this magazine! Yes, mainly involving me and sharp knives. I think I can chop like Jamie Oliver, but I actually chop like Oliver Hardy!
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
Chuck-beef burger with Monterey Jack cheese and hot pastrami Serves 4
"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." — Harriet Van Horne "When you mention the word ‘diner’, the word ‘burger’ pops into your head soon after. A good burger is truly one of the great dishes of the world. There are a few things that I wanted to feature in my burger, some of my favourite things. One is fried onions, a must for me: they add a lovely sweetness. The buns: brioche, of course. One of the things I love about eating a burger in a diner in the States is that when you pick it up, the bread almost collapses around the burger. The burger is the star, not the bread. But if you go with brioche buns, it’ll be worth it. Then the hot pastrami: my favourite deli sandwich filler, and amazing on a burger. Then, the small matter of the cheese: I’ve gone for Monterey Jack, a creamy melting cheese that’s a perfect companion for hot beef. Speaking of which, I’ve carried out a ridiculous amount of research into the perfect burger meat. What you’re looking for is an 80/20 mix of beef to fat. I’ve gone for chuck beef: a great cut of the meat and gorgeous in a burger. Your friendly neighbourhood butcher will provide you with the perfect burger meat; just ask. Finally, there’s the sauce, a little zing to spread on the buns, and this sauce recipe cuts through it beautifully. Hungry yet? Let’s cook..." For the burgers: 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp Chinese five-spice 960g minced chuck beef, with 20% fat (your butcher will sort this for you) Salt and black pepper For the burger sauce: 1 tsp smoked paprika 100ml hoisin sauce 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 small gherkins, chopped Juice of ½ a lemon To serve: 8 slices of Monterey Jack cheese 16 thin slices of pastrami Couple of knobs of butter, melted 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
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4 brioche burger buns 2 beef tomatoes, sliced 1 small head of baby gem lettuce, washed Olive oil 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 In a bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, the Chinese five-spice mix and the minced beef, and season well with salt and pepper. Don’t be shy with the salt: these burgers can take it! 3 Divide the mixture into four equal balls. Wet your hands with cold water, and then take the meatballs and shape them into burger patties about 2cm thick. Place them on a lined baking tray, cover and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up. 4 In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside. 5 Take the burgers out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature before you cook them. Heat a little olive oil in a griddle pan or a standard ovenproof pan over a medium heat. When it’s nice and hot, pop the burgers in. Cook for about two minutes
on each side to get a nice char. Place the pan into the oven and cook for about six minutes or until done to your liking. 6 Remove the burgers from the oven, but leave them in the pan. Place a slice of cheese and two slices of the pastrami over each of the burgers, pop them back into the oven and turn the oven off. This will heat the pastrami and melt the cheese. 7 Heat a drizzle of olive oil and a knob of butter in a small pan over a medium heat and sweat down your onions until coloured and soft. Drain on kitchen paper. 8 To serve, spread a little melted butter on the brioche burger buns and heat them in your pan for a minute. Next, spread some of your burger sauce on both halves of the bun and layer on lettuce, a couple of slices of tomato and the fried onions. 9 Add the burger, cheese and pastrami, then skewer the bun top on with a burger skewer (yes, there is such a thing), and enjoy! Per Serving 1472kcals, 86.6g fat (40.5g saturated), 69.3g carbs, 27.2g sugars, 103.4g protein, 2.8g fibre, 3.751g sodium
Easy Food 21
22 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest Delaney guesteditor editorSimon Adrian Martin
Sticky baked buffalo wings, Dublin-style
Simon takes inventory of Easy Food's prop selectio
n
Serves 4
"He was a bold man that first ate an oyster." — Jonathan Swift "An absolute staple of diner menus everywhere. Some diners and restaurants have built their reputation on how good their Buffalo wings are. Here in Dublin, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to spots that serve great wings. Elephant & Castle springs to everyone’s minds when asked where to get good wings in Dublin. I’ve seen their wings almost reduce people to tears. But why is it that chicken wings are called Buffalo wings? I know, it keeps me awake at night too. Unsurprisingly, neither the origin nor the name has anything at all to with actual buffalo. I’m reliably informed that the reason they are called so is that they originated in Buffalo, New York, first being served at the Anchor Bar, owned by Frank and Teressa Bellissimo, who bought the place in 1939. In 1964, Teressa had an idea: why not fry chicken wings up and serve them in a hot sauce? Many theories exist about how she came up with the recipe, but the most reliable is the story that her husband Frank revealed in an interview with the New Yorker in 1980. The bar had received a shipment of wings by accident. They had been expecting other parts of chicken and simply they didn’t know what to do with the wings. His wife started experimenting in the kitchen, and hey-ho she came up with the beloved Buffalo wings. Thank God for deliveries that go wrong. This is my spin on her classic. The ‘Dublin-style’ element comes from one of our most famous exports: Guinness. You’re welcome." For the wings: 1kg chicken wings (about 14-20 wings, depending on their size) 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp fresh lime juice For the sauce: 1 tbsp hoisin sauce 3 tbsp organic honey 1 tbsp soy sauce 150ml Guinness 2 tsp sesame oil 1 garlic clove, crushed
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1 Let’s get started with the wings and the marinade. Get yourself a large resealable food bag and pop the wings in. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce and lime juice. Seal the bag and mix the wings around, making sure they each get a coating of that beautiful marinade. Place in the fridge for around three hours so the ingredients can do their thing. 2 Preheat your oven to 220°C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Spread the wings on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, place a small saucepan over a medium heat and add the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, Guinness, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk together until smooth. Bring to a
simmer and cook for about five minutes until the mixture has thickened. 4 Remove the wings from the oven and brush them with the sauce, making sure to toss them well so they all get a coating. Pop them back in the oven and cook for a further five minutes until glazed and cooked through. 5 To serve, pop these bad boys into a big bowl, and if you fancy a dip, I highly recommend a blue cheese one to go along with them. Per Serving 1293kcals, 57.8g fat (13.2g saturated), 34.4g carbs, 28.5g sugars, 147.1g protein, 0.5g fibre, 1.965g sodium
x Easy Food 23
Simon is right at home in the Easy Food Test Kitchen with food stylists Shannon (left) and Charisse (right).
24 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
Classic baked New York cheesecake Serves 8-10
"Because you don’t live near a bakery doesn’t mean you have to go without cheesecake." — Hedy Lamarr "This is one of my all-time favourite desserts. I’ve had cheesecakes all over the world — set cheesecakes, deconstructed cheesecakes, etc. — but none, and I mean none, compares with a classic baked New York cheesecake. During one of the rounds on MasterChef, we had to come up with a dessert on the spot, and straight away I made a set cheesecake. It’s easier to make than the baked one, so I thought I’d have a go — I’d never made one before then. I knew as both Daniel and Robin tasted it that they wished it was a proper baked cheesecake, and it got mixed results. So this recipe is for them. I promise I’ll cook it for them next time I see them. Now, this recipe takes a little time and effort and you need patience, but I promise you it’ll be worth the effort." For the cheesecake base: 200g gingernut biscuits 100g unsalted butter, melted For the cheesecake filling: 900g soft cream cheese 270g caster sugar ½ tsp salt 70g plain flour Zest and juice of 1 lemon 600g crème fraîche 1 vanilla pod, deseeded 8 free-range eggs 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. 2 This recipe will fill a 28cm baking tin, and make sure you use a springform tin: it’ll make your life a lot easier! Grease the bottom of the tin with a little butter or oil, and line with greaseproof paper. 3 Pulse the gingernut biscuits in a food processor and add the melted butter until you have a mixture similar to wet sand. Spread the mix into the tin and press down until level and firm. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes. 4 Meanwhile, clean your food processor, then add all of the remaining ingredients apart from the eggs and blend. Add the eggs in one at a time, being careful not to add the next
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egg in until the previous one is completely mixed through, or your filling could split. 5 Remove the base from the oven and increase the temperature to 220°C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Pour the mix in on top of the base and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 100°C/80˚C fan/gas mark ¼ and cook for a further 50 minutes. Turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake in there for about an hour.
6 Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Put the cake into the fridge for a minimum of two hours, but overnight is best. I know it sounds like a lot of time, and believe me, the temptation to eat it straight away is huge, but have patience, my friends: good things come to those who wait. Per Serving 876kcals, 70.1g fat (26g saturated), 51.2g carbs, 28.1g sugars, 14.3g protein, 0.4g fibre, 0.490g sodium
Easy Food 25
Coney Island lobster rolls Serves 2
"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.’"— Jim Davis "They say, 'If you haven’t eaten a lobster roll in New England, then you haven’t eaten a lobster roll,' a proud statement from the food aficionados in the US. However, we have some of the best seafood in the world on this side of the pond — including lobsters — and I reckon if any of our New England cousins tried my lobster rolls, they’d be more than happy. The Coney Island reference comes from a restaurant there called Nathan’s Famous, which has been home to the world-famous frankfurter and hot-dog-eating championships every year since 1916. They also did a mean lobster roll back in the day, and this is my homage to that." 2 lobster tails, uncooked Salt and black pepper 1 lime Olive oil, for drizzling 200g crème fraîche 1 small handful of dill, finely chopped 1 small handful of chives, finely chopped 4 small hot dog or Subway-style rolls 1 Preheat your oven to 170°C/150˚C fan/gas mark 3. 2 Pop your lobsters on a lined baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Cut the lime in half and place on the tray, and drizzle a little olive oil over both lobster and the lime. Pop into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. 3 When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove the lobster meat from the shells. 4 Pour any cooking juices from the tray into a bowl, and squeeze the roasted lime halves in. Add the crème fraîche, dill and chives and mix well. 5 Chop the lobster meat into bite-size pieces and add to the crème fraîche mix. Add salt and pepper if needed. 6 To serve, split the four rolls (not all the way through) and divide the filling between them. Garnish with a little sprinkling of dill and a drizzle of the sauce.
Per Serving 859kcals, 52.6g fat (2g saturated), 59.5g carbs, 8.6g sugars, 40.8g protein, 3.7g fibre, 1.031g sodium
26 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
guest editor Simon Delaney
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Easy Food 27
WICKED
WATERCRESS! Make the most of fresh watercress in these spooktacular recipes!
30 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s in season? watercress
Roasted cauliflower brain with green slime hummus and dead man’s finger sandwiches Serves 6-8 1 whole cauliflower 2 tbsp olive oil 150ml white wine Salt and black pepper 3 tbsp tomato ketchup For the green slime: 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas 50g watercress, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves 1 tbsp tahini Juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp ground coriander 6 tbsp olive oil Salt For the dead man’s fingers: ½ a loaf of white bread, thinly sliced and crusts removed Butter, at room temperature 150g cream cheese 50g whole almonds 1 Preheat the oven to 150˚C/130˚C fan/ gas mark 2. Trim the leaves from the cauliflower and cut its base flat so that it sits upright. Rub all over with olive oil. Place the cauliflower into an ovenproof dish and pour over the white wine. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1½ hours. Check after one hour and brush with more oil if it seems dry. Remove from the oven when tender and leave to cool. 2 While the cauliflower is in the oven, make the hummus. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place into a blender with the watercress, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, ground coriander and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, gradually adding the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning and lemon juice to taste if necessary. 3 To make the finger sandwiches, gently flatten the slices of bread with a rolling pin. Spread each slice with a little butter and some cream cheese. 4 Roll up the sandwiches, then use a blunt knife to make indentations to form the knuckles. Trim one end of each roll into a V shape and use a little cream cheese to stick on an almond fingernail. 5 Once the cauliflower has cooled, use a sharp knife to carefully cut a hollow, creating
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a bowl in the top. Fill this with the green hummus, then mix the ketchup with a little warm water and drizzles over the sides of the cauliflower to look like blood. 6 Serve the cauliflower brain with the dead man’s fingers on the side for dipping. Per Serving 571kcals, 33.1g fat (8.2g saturated), 54g carbs, 9.1g sugars, 19.9g protein, 13.8g fibre, 0.549g sodium
cious all y deli For equ tl y less but sligh cipes e re gruesom ng tu fea ri ss, visit te a w rcre ss.co.uk re rc te www.wa
Easy Food 31
GOING
bananas! Simple recipes using this fruity favourite
Banana butter chicken Serves 4 227g butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 500ml tomato passata
38 Easy Food
2 ripe Fyffes bananas, sliced 500ml cream 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp cayenne pepper Pinch of salt 750g chicken fillets, cubed 2 tbsp tandoori masala
1 tbsp olive oil 2 under-ripe Fyffes bananas 1 Heat a pat of the butter in a deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelised. Remove from the pan. 2 Add the remaining butter, passata, ripe bananas, cream, garam masala, cayenne and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and add the onion and garlic. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ËšC/160ËšC fan/gas mark 4. Toss chicken in the tandoori masala and oil until coated. Place on a small baking tray and bake in oven for 15 minutes until cooked through. 4 Add the chicken to the sauce with the slices of under-ripe banana five minutes before serving. Per Serving 663kcals, 44.1g fat (24.4g saturated), 28.6g carbs, 14.9g sugars, 38.3g protein, 4.1g fibre, 0.930g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck bananas
Carved Halloween pineapples and fruit skewers Serves 6 1 pineapple 4 wooden skewers 3 Fyffes bananas, thickly sliced 12 marshmallows Dark or milk chocolate, melted 1 Lay the pineapple on its side on a chopping board. Use a sharp knife to slice off the top and the base. 2 Sit the pineapple upright and dig out the centre of the pineapple with a long sharp knife (a bread knife works well). Make sure to leave about a 1cm border so you leave a sturdy shell to carve
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later. Once you’ve cut all the way around, lift the outer skin away from the centre. Alternatively, and very easily, use one of our handy pineapple corers! Set the pineapple flesh aside for later. 3 Lie the pineapple shell on side and use small, sharp knife to carefully cut out a face. Be careful not to press or cut too rigorously as the pineapple skin isn’t as sturdy as a pumpkin. Once you’ve cut out the eyes and mouth, place the shell on a board and add the top with the leaves. 4 Cut the pineapple flesh into chunks and thread onto skewers with the bananas and marshmallows. Drizzle with melted chocolate and enjoy! Per Serving 214kcals, 1.8g fat (1.1g saturated), 49.9g carbs, 30.2g sugars, 1.5g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.035g sodium
b t p
@FyffesIreland @fyffes @FreddyFyffesIreland
Easy Food 39
EASY
e c n a g e el
Add a touch of luxury to your day with these simple recipes
MORE FOR YOU
44 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck easy elegance
Warm duck salad with beetroot and pomegranate Serves 4 4 medium beetroots 1 pomegranate, halved 1 tbsp Deluxe Linseed Oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard Salt and black pepper 1 pack Deluxe Garlic and Pepper Duck Breasts 50g walnuts 100g green beans, trimmed 1 pack Deluxe Mixed Leaves 1 pack of goat’s or Feta cheese, crumbled 1 orange, to serve 1 Cook the beetroots in boiling water for 20 minutes or until tender. When the beetroots are cool enough to handle, peel and quarter them. 2 Gently press each pomegranate half over a juicer to extract juice and loosen seeds. Place the juice in a bowl, then use a teaspoon to remove the seeds and add to the bowl. 3 Place the oil, vinegar, mustard and two tablespoons of pomegranate juice in a bowl. Season with ½ tsp pepper and a sprinkle of salt, then set aside. 4 Preheat the oven to 190°C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5. Heat an ovenproof non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat. 5 Add the duck and cook for 6-8 minutes, skinside down, until most of the fat has rendered and skin is crisp. Turn, cook for 30 seconds, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further five minutes for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Set aside to rest. 6 In the same pan over a medium heat, gently toss the walnuts until they sizzle and release their oils, then remove from the heat. 7 Place the beetroots, beans, leaves and cheese in a bowl. Toss gently with three tablespoons of the dressing. Pile onto plates. Thinly slice the duck and add to the salads. 8 Drizzle with the remaining dressing and one teaspoon of squeezed orange juice. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and garnish with slices of orange. Per Serving 417kcals, 23.1g fat (7.5g saturated), 27.2g carbs, 19.8g sugars, 28g protein, 5.3g fibre, 0.597g sodium
1 large butternut squash, deseeded, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped 8 sprigs of fresh thyme 170g Deluxe Chorizo, chopped 90g roasted pecan pieces 100g Deluxe Tipperary Blue Cheese, crumbled 4 thin slices of Deluxe Cooleeney Camembert ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
Serves 4
For the brown sugar vinaigrette: 4 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 tbsp dark brown sugar 1 tsp mustard 2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped Pinch of salt and pepper
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium
Roasted butternut squash and chorizo with blue cheese and brown sugar dressing
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heat and add the butternut squash and onion. Pick the leaves from half of the thyme sprigs and add to the pan. 2 Cook for 8-10 minutes until the cubes of squash are browned and tender and the onion is translucent, tossing gently every few minutes. 3 While the squash is cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a small saucepan and heat gently for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. 4 Once cooked, remove the squash, onion and chorizo to a bowl and scatter over the pecans. Crumble over the blue cheese and toss everything together gently. 5 To serve, place a strip of Camembert on top of the warm squash and chorizo to melt. Garnish with the remaining sprigs of thyme and sprinkle with chilli flakes to taste. Per Serving 777kcals, 66.1g fat (19.5g saturated), 23.3g carbs, 12.3g sugars, 25g protein, 5.1g fibre, 1.121g sodium
Easy Food 45
Smoked salmon and asparagus linguine with lemon cream Serves 4 300g Deluxe Linguine 1 tbsp olive oil 10-12 asparagus spears 150ml cream 1 x 95g pack Deluxe Smoked Salmon Zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 spring onions, finely chopped Handful of chives, chopped 1 Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. 2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan on high heat and briefly fry
the asparagus to soften it. Add the cream and allow to come to the boil. Boil for three minutes, then remove from heat. 3 Drain the linguine, reserving a little of the water, then tip into the wok and, using two wooden spoons, toss in the cream mixture until well mixed. Add the salmon, lemon zest and spring onions, then toss again. Add a little of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce, if necessary. Season and add lemon juice to taste. 4 Garnish with chives and lemon slices, with a generous sprinkle of cracked black pepper. Per Serving 307kcals, 8.2g fat (2.2g saturated), 45.5g carbs, 4.3g sugars, 15g protein, 3.3g fibre, 0.322g sodium
MORE FOR YOU 46 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
larder luck potatoes
You say POTATO‌
Elevate the humble spud with these mouth-watering dishes
and Recipes rtesy of u o c s image han o : M re T Potatoes e. id S The A Bit On t this u o b a For more n, visit campaig tato.ie. www.po
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Easy Food 47
IT’S A Let your slow cooker do the work for you with these full-of-flavour dinner options
66 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s for dinner? slow-cooker meals
LOW ‘N’ SLOW MEXICAN CHICKEN Serves 8 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins of black, kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained 450ml chicken stock 2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped ½ an onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped Juice of ½ a lime 1 tsp ground cumin 6 chicken fillets Salt and black pepper To serve: Chopped spring onions, grated Cheddar, chopped avocado, chopped coriander, sour cream, salsa, guacamole and/or hot sauce
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1 In a slow cooker, combine the tinned tomatoes, beans, chicken stock, chillies, onion, garlic, coriander, lime juice and cumin. Add the chicken fillets. 2 Cook on low for 6-8 hours. 3 Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Place on a chopping board and shred with two forks. 4 Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper and add an extra squeeze of lime juice, if desired. 5 Cook for an additional 30 minutes to thicken, then serve with rice and your preferred toppings.
Per Serving 218kcals, 2.2g fat (0.2g saturated), 30.3g carbs, 2.7g sugars, 19.3g protein, 5.5g fibre, 0.827g sodium
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Easy Food 67
SLOW-COOKER BOEUF BOURGUIGNON Serves 6 6 thick-cut streaky bacon rashers, chopped 1.4kg beef chuck roast, cut into 3cm cubes 250ml red wine 2 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, thinly sliced Salt and black pepper 3 carrots, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp tomato purée 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 250ml beef stock, plus extra if necessary 450g button mushrooms, sliced
To serve: Mashed potato, pasta or crusty bread Fresh parsley, chopped 1 Heat a heavy-based pan over a mediumhigh heat. Add the bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Pour off all but one tablespoon of fat from the pan. 2 Return the pan to a medium-high heat. Pat the beef cubes dry with kitchen paper and season with salt and pepper. 3 Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, brown the beef cubes on all sides, adding more bacon fat or olive oil as necessary. As each batch browns, transfer to the slow cooker. 4 Keep the pan over a medium-high heat and add 60ml of the wine. Allow to bubble for 4-5 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the wine over the meat in the slow cooker.
5 Add half of the olive oil to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 7-8 minutes until soft and browned. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 3-4 minutes until softened. 6 Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for two minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. 7 Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the mushrooms with a pinch of salt for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the mushrooms to a clean bowl and set aside. 8 Stir the beef cubes and vegetables together in the slow cooker with some black pepper. Tuck the sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf into the mixture. Pour the stock and the remaining wine over the beef and vegetables — the liquid should come about three-quarters of the way to the top of the ingredients. Add extra stock if necessary. 9 Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until the beef is extremely tender. 10 Stir in the reserved bacon and mushrooms. Cook with the slow cooker on high for 10 minutes until everything is warmed through. 11 Serve with mashed potatoes and a sprinkling of parsley. Per Serving 813kcals, 45.4g fat (15.6g saturated), 14g carbs, 6.4g sugars, 76.6g protein, 3.3g fibre, 1.266g sodium
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68 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
what’s for dinner? slow-cooker meals
CURRIED VEGETABLE AND CHICKPEA STEW Serves 8-10 1 tsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp curry powder 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 x 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 3 garlic cloves, crushed 500ml vegetable stock 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 green and 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized florets
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2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes 250g baby spinach 250ml coconut milk To serve: Couscous, rice or naan bread 1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion with one teaspoon of salt for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add the potatoes and another pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until just translucent around the edges. 2 Stir in the curry powder, sugar, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add 60ml of stock and allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. 3 Transfer the mixture into the bowl of a slow cooker.
4 Add the remaining vegetable stock along with the chickpeas, peppers, cauliflower and tinned tomatoes. Add some black pepper and stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the bowl; add extra stock if necessary. Cover and cook for four hours on high. 5 Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cover with the lid and cook for 10 minutes longer until heated through. Season to taste. 6 Serve with couscous, rice or naan bread. Per Serving 255kcals, 9.2g fat (6.7g saturated), 38.6g carbs, 7.4g sugars, 8.1g protein, 8.3g fibre, 0.478g sodium
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Easy Food 69
TIME FOR Take your tastebuds to sunny Spain with these mix-and-match tapas recipes
80 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun tapas
Gambas al ajillo (prawns in garlic oil) Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter 12 garlic cloves 450g large prawns, peeled, shells reserved 120ml extra-virgin olive oil Pinch of salt Ÿ tsp bicarbonate of soda Pinch of dried chilli flakes 1½ tsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, chopped To serve: Toasted sourdough bread 1 Crush four of the garlic cloves and place in a large bowl. Smash four cloves under the flat side of a knife and place in a large pan.
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Thinly slice the remaining four garlic cloves and set aside. 2 Place the prawns in the bowl with the crushed garlic. Add three tablespoons of the olive oil along with the salt and bicarbonate of soda. Toss to combine thoroughly and set aside at room temperature. 3 Add the prawn shells to the pan with the smashed garlic and add the remaining olive oil and the chilli flakes. Place over a low heat and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is a light golden brown and the shells have darkened. Strain the oil into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the shells to extract as much oil as possible. Discard the shells and garlic. 4 Return the flavoured oil to the pan
and place over a medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced garlic and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. 5 Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the prawns are just cooked through. 6 Stir in the sherry vinegar and parsley and toss to combine. Season to taste and serve immediately with some toasted sourdough. Per Serving 671kcals, 58.5g fat (8.8g saturated), 8.1g carbs, 0.3g sugars, 33.4g protein, 1.6g fibre, 0.243g sodium
x Easy Food 81
Chicken and chorizo paella Serves 4 700ml chicken stock 120ml white wine Pinch of saffron threads 150g chorizo, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 4 chicken thighs, bones and skin removed, cut into 2cm pieces 1 onion, finely chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped 2 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked) 220g paella rice or Arborio rice 150g frozen peas, thawed Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
82 Easy Food
1 Combine the chicken stock with the wine and saffron in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set aside. 2 Heat a large frying pan or paella pan over a high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden, turning occasionally. Transfer to a plate. 3 Heat the oil in the same pan over a medium-high heat. Working in two batches, brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Transfer to the plate with the chorizo. 4 Add the onion and pepper to the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the onion softens. 5 Add the tomatoes and paprika and cook, stirring, for one minute. Return the chorizo
and chicken to the pan and stir to combine. 6 Stir in the rice and pour over the chicken stock mixture. Bring to the boil. 7 Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. 8 Stir in the peas and cook, covered, for five minutes longer or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. 9 Remove from the heat, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Per Serving 748kcals, 26.4g fat (8.6g saturated), 60.3g carbs, 6.9g sugars, 58.9g protein, 5.8g fibre, 1.193g sodium
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OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun tapas
Croquetas de jamón (ham and cheese croquettes) Makes about 18 2 tbsp olive oil 60g unsalted butter ½ a small leek, finely chopped 100g cured Spanish ham (such as Serrano ham or jamon Iberico), finely chopped 60g plain flour 500ml whole milk, warm 40g Manchego cheese, finely grated White pepper Small grating of nutmeg (optional) 2 eggs, beaten 150g breadcrumbs Vegetable oil, for frying 1 Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the leek for one minute, then add three-quarters of the ham. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until
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the leek has softened and the fat from the ham has begun to melt. 2 Turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir in the flour and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring. 3 Gradually stir in the warm milk, beating it in well until it forms a smooth paste. 4 Cook for another 15 minutes until the sauce has the consistency of smooth mashed potato. Stir in the rest of the ham along with the Manchego. Season with white pepper, adding a small grating of nutmeg if desired. 5 Transfer the béchamel sauce to a bowl and allow to cool, then cover with cling film, pressing it on to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge for at least two hours. 6 Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl. Using floured hands, roll spoonfuls of the béchamel into cylinders. Dredge these in the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
7 Pour the oil into a large pan to a depth of 5cm and heat to 160˚C or until it begins to shimmer. Line a plate with several layers of kitchen paper. 8 Working in small batches, fry the croquetas for 2-3 minutes until golden all over. Use a slotted spoon to transfer onto the kitchen paper to drain. Serve immediately.
Per Serving (1 croquette) 135kcals, 8.3g fat (3.8g saturated), 9.9g carbs, 2.1g sugars, 5.2g protein, 0.5g fibre, 0.236g sodium
MAKE IT YOURS: For a veggie version, ditch the ham and add extra Manchego or gently fried, well-drained mushrooms.
Easy Food 83
SUGAR &
spice
Dive into these luscious baked treats with hints of autumnal spices
92 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun baking
Apple cake with cinnamon cream icing Serves 8 100g butter 300g caster sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 250g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped For the icing: 220g cream cheese, at room temperature 40g butter, at room temperature 150g icing sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the stewed apple topping: 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped 1 tsp cinnamon 3 tbsp caramel sauce 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease two round 20cm cake tins and line with parchment paper. 2 Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla until blended. 3 Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir into the butter mixture until blended. 4 Place the apples in a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture resembles chunky apple sauce. Add a splash of water if needed. 5 Stir the apples into the rest of the ingredients. Divide the batter between the
tins and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 6 Leave to cool in the tins for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 7 Beat the cream cheese and butter for the icing until creamy. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and cinnamon until blended. Beat in the vanilla extract. 8 Spread half of the icing over one of the cakes, then top with the other cake and spread the rest of the icing over the top. 9 For the topping, place the apples in a saucepan with the cinnamon. Cook over a medium heat for 12-15 minutes until the apples are soft. Stir in the caramel, then remove from the heat and allow to cool before topping the cake. Per Serving 629kcals, 25.6g fat (15.5g saturated), 96.9g carbs, 67.9g sugars, 7.4g protein, 3.9g fibre, 0.651g sodium
Joanna Reilly “I made the apple cinnamon cake today and I have to say it was gorgeous. As a family, we’re not big into cream cheese frosting but the addition of the cinnamon and vanilla extract made it very tasty. The cake was very moist and had a lovely apple flavour. It was a very easy and enjoyable bake. I made it for my family and we all agreed it would be something I would make again, especially for a birthday cake.”
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Easy Food 93
Apple doughnuts Makes 12 500ml cloudy apple juice 560g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 60g wholemeal flour 100g brown sugar 2 tsp baking powder ¾ tsp salt ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp nutmeg ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp allspice 2 large eggs 90g butter, melted Vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the coating: 100g caster sugar 25g cinnamon 1 Bring the juice to a rapid boil in a small saucepan over a high heat. Cook for about 10-12 minutes until reduced by half, then leave to cool completely. 2 Whisk the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, bicarbonate of soda and spices in a large bowl. 3 In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter and cooled cider. Stir into the dry ingredients until just combined; the dough will be sticky. 4 Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for one hour, or until firm. 5 Meanwhile, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a bowl. 6 Divide the dough in half. Roll each half out
on a floured surface until it is about 1cm thick. Use a floured doughnut cutter to stamp out round doughnuts; reserve the small holes from the centres to make doughnut holes. 7 Heat enough oil in a deep pot so that it comes halfway up the sides. When the oil is hot, lower a few doughnuts into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper. 8 Fry the small doughnut holes for about one minute on each side. 9 Roll the doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture while they are still warm.
Per Serving 493kcals, 25.7g fat (5.5g saturated), 59.9g carbs, 20.3g sugars, 6.5g protein, 2g fibre, 0.26g sodium
r e v o C
Cook the
94 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun baking
Ginger whoopie pies Makes 24 240g plain flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground cloves ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g light brown sugar 100g butter, melted 80g treacle 3 tbsp crystallised ginger, finely chopped 1 large egg 60ml buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla extract
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For the filling: 70g butter, at room temperature 150g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 180g cream cheese, at room temperature ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, salt, cloves and bicarbonate of soda in a medium bowl. 2 Whisk the brown sugar, butter, treacle and crystallised ginger in separate large bowl until combined. Whisk in the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. 3 Gradually stir in the flour mixture until everything is just combined. 4 Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least one hour. 5 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/ gas mark 4 and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
6 Roll tablespoon-sized amounts of dough into balls. Place, spaced well apart, on the baking trays and bake for 11-13 minutes until puffed and just set. Leave to cool slightly on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 7 Beat the butter and icing sugar for the filling with an electric mixer for two minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the cream cheese until combined. Beat in the vanilla. 8 Pipe or pipe the filling onto the flat side of half of the biscuits. Top with the remaining biscuits and dust with icing sugar to serve. Per Serving XXkcals, XXg fat (XXg saturated), XXg carbs, XXg sugars, XXg protein, XXg fibre, XXXg sodium Per Serving 186kcals, 8.7g fat (5.4g saturated), 25.6g carbs, 16.6g sugars, 2g protein, 0.4g fibre, x 0.161g sodium
Easy Food 95
Dark ginger loaf bread Serves 8 Oil or butter, for greasing 175g plain flour 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 tbsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp freshly-ground nutmeg ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 2 tbsp milk 75g treacle 75g golden syrup 75g dark brown soft sugar 75g butter 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/ gas mark 3. Grease a standard 900g loaf tin and line with parchment paper.
96 Easy Food
2 Sift the flour and spices into a large bowl. Mix the bicarbonate of soda and milk together in a jug and set aside. 3 Combine the treacle, golden syrup, sugar and butter in a saucepan with 75ml of water. Heat and gently stir until thoroughly melted. Be sure not to let it boil. 4 Add the syrup to the flour mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Beat in the milk mixture, then the beaten egg. 5 Transfer the mixture to the tin and bake on the lower shelf of the oven for 1¼-1½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely. Per Serving 267kcals, 10.4g fat (5.3g saturated), 41.3g carbs, 16.9g sugars, 3.3g protein, 1.1g fibre, 0.164g sodium
OCTOBER 2017
cooking for fun baking
Speculoos biscuits Makes 24 430g plain flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp salt 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¾ tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp ground mace ¼ tsp white pepper Pinch of ground cloves 120g butter, at room temperature 200g dark brown sugar To serve: Icing sugar 1 Whisk together the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. 2 Beat the butter and brown sugar
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together in a separate mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in half of the flour mixture. Beat in 80ml of water, then the remaining flour mixture. 3 Shape the dough into three discs and wrap in clingfilm. Refrigerate for one hour. 4 Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/ gas mark 3 and line two baking trays with parchment paper. 5 Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about ½cm thick. Use a biscuit cutter to stamp out biscuits, then transfer to the baking trays. Place the trays in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120˚C/100˚C fan/gas mark ½. Bake for 60-70 minutes until they are just light golden around the edges. Leave to cool on wire racks.
Per Serving 135kcals, 4.3g fat (2.6g saturated), 22.4g carbs, 8.2g sugars, 1.9g protein, 0.8g fibre, 0.109g sodium
Easy Food 97
GRAPEFRUIT JACK-O-LANTERNS Makes 4
SNACKS! There’s no trick to making these healthy Halloween treats!
102 Easy Food
4 large grapefruits 2 apples, chopped 2 small oranges, segmented A handful of grapes 1 tsp cinnamon 2 tbsp honey 60g pistachios, shelled 2 tbsp dried cranberries 2 tbsp raisins 1 Using a serrated knife, cut off the top of each grapefruit.
Use a spoon to scoop out the inside fruit. 2 Chop the fruit, place in a mixing bowl and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix gently to combine. 3 Use a small, sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into each grapefruit. Gently fill each grapefruit with the fruit mixture to serve. Per Serving 343kcals, 7.6g fat (0.8g saturated), 72.1g carbs, 57.8g sugars, 6.3g protein, 9.9g fibre, 0.083g sodium
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OCTOBER 2017
kids’ kitchen healthy Halloween
MONSTER BITES Makes 8 2 green apples, quartered Peanut or other nut butter 32 sunflower seeds 2-3 strawberries, sliced Candy eyes 1 Cut the middle out of each quarter of the apple to create a mouth.
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2 Coat the inside of the gap with a filling of peanut butter. 3 Place four sunflower seeds on the top of each “mouth” so thay they look like teeth. Place one small strawberry slice inside each mouth for the tongue. 4 Stick the eyes to the top with a small dab of peanut butter.
Top tip:
If you don’t want es, to use candy ey simpl y add a or dollop of peanut p nut butter and to n. isi ra a th wi each
Per Serving 87kcals, 5.1g fat (0.6g saturated), 9.9g carbs, 6.4g sugars, 2.3g protein, 2.2g fibre, 0.002g sodium
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Easy Food 103
BE GONE
Stay gluten-free with ease with these delicious, warming dinners
110 Easy Food
OCTOBER 2017
make it healthy gluten-free dinners
Hot and sour noodles Serves 4-6 200g dried rice noodles 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp chilli oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3 spring onions, finely chopped 200g mushrooms, sliced 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks 3 tbsp gluten-free tamari Juice of 2 limes Pinch of sugar 2 heads of baby pak choi, finely chopped Handful of peanuts, crushed
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1 Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain well, then drizzle over the sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together. 2 Meanwhile, heat the chilli oil in a large pan or wok over a high heat. Cook the garlic, onion, carrot and mushrooms for 1-2 minutes until softened. Add the pak choi and cook for 2-3 minutes longer. 3 Stir in the tamari, lime juice, sugar and the rice noodles. 4 Divide between serving bowls. Garnish with peanuts and serve immediately. Per Serving 256kcals, 8.3g fat (1.3g saturated), 37.2g carbs, 4.3g sugars, 10g protein, 3.6g fibre, 0.057g sodium
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Easy Food 111