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SPECIAL BAKING FEATURE: HOMEMADE C AKES AND SIMPLE BAKES! EASY FOOD ISSUE 138

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• ALL ABOUT WILD GARLIC • SIMPLE WEEKNIGHT DINNERS • COOKING WITH IRISH BEEF • BAKING FOR EVERY SKILL LEVEL • EASTER BUFFET • CHOCOLATE DESSERTS • EATING FOR EXERCISE •

Budget dinners with Irish beef

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•Our all-time favourite recipes •Vegan chocolate creations •Step-by-step treats

quick & easy

weeknight cooking

Test your bakin g

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Digital Interns Domenica Soldo foodintern@zahramediagroup.com Kate Durnin foodteam@zahramediagroup.com Contributors Amy Meegan, Michael Fleming, Rebecca O’Brien, Maria Plantry, Jenni Murphy and Barry Kerrigan. DESIGN Rory Maguire and Siobhán O’Riordan PHOTOGRAPHY & FOOD STYLING Agnieszka Wypych, Charisse van Kan, Pauline Smyth, Shannon Peare, Síomha Guiney, Sophie Barr and Kasia Ratajczak. Some images from Shutterstock.com. TEST KITCHEN Built by QK Living www.qkliving.ie ADVERTISING Sarah Currey scurrey@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Potato croquettes, p.104 ADMINISTRATION Production Consultant Val Citron valeriecitron@gmail.com Circulation Manager John Dempsey jdempsey@zahramediagroup.com Accounts accounts@zahramediagroup.com Syndication Enquiries syndication@zahramediagroup.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS Managing Director Gina Miltiadou gmiltiadou@zahramediagroup.com fave recipe: Garlic roasted radishes p.33

Caroline Gray

Spring has officially sprung, and we’ve been reaping the delicious rewards in the test kitchen! We’re ready to swap out some of those heavier winter meals for refreshing recipes that make our plates colourful and our tastebuds sing. That’s not to say we’ve retired heartier fare for the year — rather, we like to lighten up some of our favourites by incorporating seasonal ingredients. The Sunday roast is only too gorgeous when baked with a breadcrumb and fresh herb crust, and mashed or roasted potatoes tossed with basil pesto is springtime on a plate.

While we’re talking pesto, it’s the time of year for this verdant sauce to get an upgrade from one of our favourite seasonal staples: wild garlic! These little treasures will be popping up near shady woodlands and besides streams, and they pack a serious flavour punch. Check out our feature on this seasonal gem from p.40. We’re also exploring radishes, a woefully overlooked salad vegetable that we love for its sharp crunch, crisp flavour and oh-so-vibrant hue — flip to p.30 to see why it’s one of our favourite fresh ingredients. It’s also Easter time, heralding all things sweet and chocolate! Team Easy Food dishes on our best chocolate recipes from issues past, p.80, while food stylist Shannon Peare walks us through the basics of all things chocolate, p.126, and decadent vegan chocolate treats make a statement on p. 114. Make Easter easy with a pick-and-mix buffet from p.92, or check out a show-stopping main and dessert on p.52. We’re also covering the breadth of baking, with everything from simple beginner bakes to expert creations from Mary Berry, Donna Hay and Tessa Huff — just flip to p.18 to have a go at one of their gorgeous treats — trust us, your friends will thank you for it! It’s time to throw open the kitchen windows, tie up those apron strings and spring back into fresh cooking!

x Caroline

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22/03/2019 13:49

April

CONTENTS

REGULARS

Bacon balsamic braised radishes

08 YOUR SAY

P.32

Your comments, photos and questions

12 FOOD BITES

News, products and cookbooks from the wonderful world of food

WHAT’S IN SEASON? 30 YOU LOOK RADISHING

Add some crunch to your kitchen with

fresh, peppery radishes

36 NEW WAYS WITH SEASONAL PRODUCE

Tasty ways to use peppers, asparagus

and spinach

40 A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

Wild garlic is easy to find and one of the

tastiest treats of the season

LARDER LUCK 52 EASTER SUNDAY LUNCH

Hop to it this Easter with this elegant

spread from Catherine Fulvio

Slow-cooked shoulder of lamb

P.68

Leek, sausage and bean gratin

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

P.61

56 WEEKLY MENU PLANNER

Keep it simple, keep it quick with our whole week’s worth of family meals

72 FROM THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK

Local butcher Michael Fleming tells us that times, they are a-changing

4 Easy Food

EF138_04-05_Contents.indd 4

APRIL 2019

22/03/2019 13:50

70 LIGHT AND LOVING IT

KIDS’ KITCHEN

100 SOUPER SOUPS

Make the most of longer evenings with these simple ideas

back to basics with homemade soups

COOKING FOR FUN

103 EASY JUNIORS

90 EAT IRELAND

organic means to this farmer and his oats

to make

Kilbeggan organic porridge with mushrooms, eggs and greens

96 FAMILY FEASTING

croquettes, easy enough for little ones

Everyone will love these potato

Recipe Editor Jocelyn Doyle finds out what

P.128

This month’s Home Ec expert goes

Easter surprise cake

Enjoy a delicious Easter dinner with these simple recipes

P.91

Potato croquettes

P.104

MAKE IT HEALTHY!

106 FUNCTIONAL FOODS

Nutritionist Amy Meegan delves into the nutritionally rich history of beans

110 PASTA PRIMAVERA

From The Cover P.18 Whether you’re a beginner baker or a pâtisserie pro, these BAKE WITH THE BEST

stunning bakes are sure to impress!

EASTER PARADE

www.easyfood.ie

EF138_04-05_Contents.indd 5

DAY

CHOCOLATE HEAVEN!

C A R R OT C A K E S Q U A R E S

R 39.90 (incl. VAT)

APRIL 2019

Entertain a crowd with ease with these gorgeous buffet dishes

FRY

04 4 0

P.92

FISH

AUS $8.50 APRIL 2019

Because fish on a Friday should feel like a real treat

EASTER

UK £4.30

FRY-DAY FISH FIX

Budget dinners with Irish beef

R 44.90 (incl. VAT)

P.74

FRESH SPRING FLAVOURS STRESS-FREE

9 771649 771649 425127 425127 9

Learn how protein fits into your fitness regimen

• ALL ABOUT WILD GARLIC • SIMPLE WEEKNIGHT DINNERS • COOKING WITH IRISH BEEF • BAKING FOR EVERY SKILL LEVEL • EASTER BUFFET • CHOCOLATE DESSERTS • EATING FOR EXERCISE •

PROTEIN POWER

P.44

EASY FOOD ISSUE 138

P.108

SPECIAL BAKING FEATURE: HOMEMADE C AKES AND SIMPLE BAKES!

ROI 34.50 EF138_001_OFC_Cover.indd 1

P.94

•Our all-time favourite recipes •Vegan chocolate creations •Step-by-step treats

quick & easy

weeknight cooking

Test your baking

experti

se! Baking gurus Mary Berry, Donna Hay and Tessa Huff share their best bakes for every skill level 22/03/2019 12:03

HEARTY FAMILY FAVOURITES

Make meals the whole family will love using quality Irish beef

Soak in springtime flavours with these light pasta dinners

FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS 120 All the knowledge you need to become an expert in the kitchen

126 CRACKING CHOCOLATE Food Stylist Shannon Peare examines the basics of baking with chocolate

P.80

CHOOSY CHOCOLATE

Team Easy Food shares our all-time favourite chocolate recipes

Per Serving 312kcals, 7.1g fat (3.9g saturated), 57g carbs, 37.9g sugars, 5.9g protein, 0.7g fibre, 0.07g sodium

P.114

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.

LET THEM EAT CHOCOLATE!

Enjoy Easter chocolate with these vegan treats

All Euro/GBP prices are converted at the time of going to print. Prices may vary.

Easy Food 5

22/03/2019 2:55 p.m.

RECIPE INDEX LF DF GF

•

Lemon and parsley potato salad

•

Easy green salad

•

Roasted tomato and garlic soup

101

•

Bean nachos

107

•

Farfalle and caponata

110

•

Mafaldine pasta prima vera

111

•

Calamarata pasta with roasted red onion and radicchio

112

•

Vegan Easter eggs

117

•

Chocolate-coated raw cookies with raspberry and coconut

•

Mix-and-match meringues

•

Fancy-pants peanut butter chocolate cupcakes

•

MEAT

LF DF GF

Bacon and balsamic braised radishes

•

Pepper, potato and chorizo hash

•

Ale-marinated steak

•

Low carb beef lasagne with creamy cheese topping

•

Balsamic steak salad

•

Rib roast with caramelised onion butter

•

Hearty beef steak and Guinness stew

•

Beef lettuce cups

•

Slow-cooker beef ragout

•

Spaghetti Bolognese

•

Asian lamb chops

•

Leek, sausage and bean gratin

•

Cheeseburger tacos

•

Slow-cooked shoulder of lamb

•

Lamb burgers with grilled red onions

•

Lemon and ginger glazed ham

•

Spring lamb with creamy Feta and mint sauce

•

Potato croquettes

104

•

Roasted peppers with tomatoes, garlic and anchovies

•

Hot smoked salmon kedgeree

•

Mediterranean style tuna fusilli

•

Asian-style fish ‘n’ chips

•

Pan-fried sea bass with tomato, basil and white wine

•

Cuban fish sandwiches

•

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

Creamy chicken and asparagus pasta

•

Creamy spinach-stuffed chicken

•

Chicken thighs with harissa and chickpeas

•

Turkey sausage muffins

109

•

VEGETARIAN Herbed egg salad tartines with quick pickled radishes

•

Fudgy brownies

•

Chocolate chip blondies

•

COVER RECIPE: Carrot cake traybake

•

Vegan chocolate hot cross buns

116

•

Piccoli tiramisù

•

Rum and raisin ice cream

•

Apple and lemon sandwich cake

•

Banoffee cheesecake

•

Salted dark chocolate layer cake with milk chocolate

•

Pink lemonade cake

•

Dark chocolate and almond dates

•

S’mores dip

•

German chocolate cake

•

Sea salt chocolate tart

•

Pain au chocolat pudding

•

Chocolate berry meringue cake

Creamy chocolate mousse

Vegan chocolate chilli cake

115

•

Easter surprise cake

128

•

Thai radish and carrot salad

•

Radish and potato salad

•

Super speedy red pepper pasta

•

Cheesy garlic asparagus

•

Soft-boiled eggs with asparagus soldiers

•

Garlic and chilli spinach

•

Saag paneer

•

Creamy wild garlic soup

•

Gnocchi and vegetable traybake

•

Charoset quinoa

•

Ready-to-pop corn

•

Chocolate peanut crunchies

•

EF138_006_Recipe_Index.indd 6

• •

Radish raita

•

Irish wild garlic pesto

•

• •

•

Garlic roasted radishes

6 Easy Food

•

• •

•

POULTRY

•

BAKED GOODS

•

Applesauce cake with cream cheese and honey frosting

•

Chocolate and strawberry turnovers

• •

•

FISH AND SEAFOOD

•

Kilbeggan organic porridge with mushrooms, eggs and

• •

DESSERTS

SAUCES

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

Budget-Friendly

Freezable

Kid-Friendly

Dairy-Free

Vegetarian

Low-Fat

Diabetes-Friendly

Gluten-Free

APRIL 2019

22/03/2019 13:51

What’s inside A sneak peek at what you’ll find in this issue

DON'T MAKE US RUN...

We're full of chocolate! Easter is as good an excuse as any to celebrate all things chocolate, and this issue is no exception. Food Stylist Shannon has been taking us back to basics when it comes to baking, p.126, and you can cut out and keep our handy guide to melting methods, p.130. The team behind Easy Food has also been picking our all-time favourite chocolate recipes, and we’ve even included some vegan chocolate recipes — no chocoholic left behind!

S’mores dip p80

Easter surprise cake p128

PROTEIN POWER

Protein is an important part of any diet and is one of the macronutrients our bodies need. Flip to p.108 for a breakdown of why it matters, but don’t worry — it’s easy to get enough. As usual, we have plenty of protein-rich meal options scattered throughout, incorporating foods like chicken fillets, tuna, salmon, eggs, nuts and legumes. For an easy protein-based treat, try our dates stuffed with almond butter, p.63.

Vegan Easter eggs p118

TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

It’s all too easy to get stuck in a food rut, and when it comes to fruit and vegetables we all know that eating a wide variety gives us the best benefits. This season, why not branch out a bit? Our ravishing radish recipes (p.30) are sure to wake up those tastebuds; if you’ve always found radishes a little bitter for your tastes, flip to p.120, where we’ve got tips on how to take that edge off. We’ve also been getting ready for wild garlic season, a time of year we adore. Wild garlic is so easy to find that it’s the perfect introduction to foraging, and once you’ve had wild garlic pesto (p.41), you’ll be hooked.

Wild garlic pesto p41

Garlic roasted radishes p33

Dark chocolate and almond dates p63

Bacon and balsamic braised radishes p32

A FISHY ON A LITTLE DISHY

Mediterranean-style tuna fusilli p60

We know Irish people don’t eat enough fish, but we really don’t know why! Tasty, healthy and available in abundance, it’s also – contrary to belief – easy to prepare and super quick to cook. We’ve put together some fun and flavoursome fish recipes from p.74 to prove that fish on a Friday can be a real treat, and included two great midweek dinner options in our Weekly Menu Planner, from p.56. If you haven’t brought fresh fish home before, we’ve also got some tips on how to store it correctly, p.124.

Asian-style fish ‘n’ chips p75 www.easyfood.ie

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Cuban fish sandwiches p77

Hot-smoked salmon kedgeree p58

Turkey sausage muffins p109 Easy Food 7

22/03/2019 2:58 p.m.

Bake with Whether you’re a beginner baker or a pâtisserie pro, these stunning bakes are sure to impress F O R T H E B E G I NNE R

Piccoli tiramisù Serves 4-6

250g full-fat mascarpone cheese 300ml double cream 2 tsp vanilla extract 4 tbsp icing sugar, sifted 125ml strong coffee, cooled 6 tbsp brandy 12 sponge fingers (see note) 50g dark chocolate, coarsely grated 1 You will need 4-6 small tumblers. Measure the mascarpone and about 50ml of the cream into a large bowl, whisking until smooth. Slowly add the remaining cream and whisk again into soft peaks, being careful not to overmix or it will be too thick. Fold in the vanilla extract and icing sugar. 2 Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the coffee and brandy. Break six of the sponge fingers in half and dip into the coffee and brandy mixture (see note). Arrange the soaked sponge fingers in the base of the tumblers. Spoon half of the cream mixture on top and half of the grated chocolate. 2 Break the remaining sponge fingers and soak in the coffee and brandy. Place on the cream layer, then spoon the remaining cream mixture on top, levelling neatly. 2 Chill for a few hours, if possible, then sprinkle with the remaining chocolate before serving at room temperature.

18 Easy Food

EF138_018-028_Baking.indd 18

Mary’s tips... If you can’t find sponge fingers, use trifle sponges or slices of sponge cake instead, though they are less robust once dipped, so take care when assembling. Give the sponge fingers a really good dunking in the coffee and brandy.There’s plenty to go around and, ideally, you want them to absorb all the flavour and add moisture to the dish.

APRIL 2019

22/03/2019 14:07

baking

the best F O R T H E B E G I NNE R

Rum and raisin ice cream Makes 1 litre

150g raisins 50ml dark rum 300ml pouring double cream 1 × 397g tin of full-fat condensed milk 1 You will need a 1-litre freezer-proof container or eight ramekins (see note). 2 Place the raisins in a saucepan. Add the rum and gently heat it until just boiling. Spoon into a bowl, then cover and leave to soak overnight until all the raisins are plump and the rum has been absorbed (see recipe introduction). 3 Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk into soft peaks using an electric hand whisk. Carefully fold in the condensed milk, then the raisins and any excess rum and mix well. 4 Spoon into the freezer-proof container or ramekins and freeze for a minimum of 12 hours or overnight. Serve scoops of ice cream with fresh fruit.

Mary’s tips... Spooned into ramekins, the ice cream will freeze more quickly – in just a few hours. Don’t overfill them as the mixture will expand as it freezes – ramekins with a capacity of 150ml would be ideal.

Recipes and images courtesy of

Mary Berry’s Quick Cooking By Mary Berry Published by BBC Books Photography by Georgia Glynn Smith

www.easyfood.ie

EF138_018-028_Baking.indd 19

Easy Food 19

22/03/2019 14:07

You look radishing

Add some crunch to your kitchen with fresh, peppery radishes

In season April to October Radishes love… • Avocados • Basil • Butter • Cheese, especially blue, feta • Chives • Coriander • Cream cheese • Cucumbers • Eggs • Dill • Fish, crab & prawns • Lemon • Lettuces • Mint • Olive oil • Onions • Parsley • Spring onions • Thyme • Vinegar

30 Easy Food

EF138_030-034_Whats in season_Radish.indd 30

APRIL 2019

22/03/2019 14:12

whatâ€™s in season? radishes

Herbed egg salad tartines with quick pickled radishes Serves 4

For the pickled radishes: 300ml white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt 200g radishes, sliced For the egg tartines: 8 eggs 4 tbsp mayonnaise Salt and black pepper 8 slices of sourdough bread, toasted 3 spring onions, very thinly sliced 4 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped 2 tbsp fresh chives, snipped 1 tsp lemon zest, grated, and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp olive oil 1 For the pickled radishes, combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the radishes and set aside for one hour. 2 Gently lower the eggs into a large saucepan of boiling water and cook for 8-9 minutes. Immediately use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a bowl of iced water and allow to cool. 3 Peel the eggs and chop them roughly. Gently stir the eggs together with the mayonnaise and some salt and pepper. Spoon over the sourdough toast. 4 In a small bowl, combine the spring onions, dill, chives and lemon. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. 5 Pile the herb mixture on top of the egg and top with the pickled radishes. Per Serving (2 tartines) 377kcals, 17.1g fat (3.7g saturated), 42.8g carbs (5.1g sugars), 22.4g protein, 9.6g fibre, 0.875g sodium

www.easyfood.ie

EF138_030-034_Whats in season_Radish.indd 31

Easy Food 31

22/03/2019 14:12

A walk on the wild side Wild garlic is easy to find and one of the tastiest treats of the season

ild garlic grows all over the island of Ireland and is one of the easiest wild foods to find and forage. From mid-March until the middle of April, you’ll find it in damp, shaded places: near streams, in woodlands and growing along country lanes. Identifying garlic The leaves are spear-shaped, pointed and bright green, with a single green stalk bearing a few small, white flowers. Some people prefer the younger, milder leaves; once the plant has flowered, the flavour is stronger, and you can collect both leaves and flowers at the same time. If you haven’t foraged for garlic before, we recommend waiting until the flowers appear,

as this will make the plant easier to identify. If you have any doubts, crush the leaves between your fingers — they should release a strong, unmistakable smell of garlic. Foraging responsibly The golden rule of foraging is leave one third for the birds and one third for regrowth. Use scissors to snip off mid-sized to larger leaves and flower heads. Don’t dig up the bulbs, and never strip a plant of all of its leaves or remove all of the flowers or plants in a small area. Preparing your haul Shake the flowers to remove any lingering insects, then wash the flowers and leaves in cold water and spread out on a clean cloth. Pat dry with a cloth or kitchen paper.

Top tips Spread your pesto over bread, or bake it into your next loaf; stir through pasta; serve over chicken, fish or lamb; enjoy in sandwiches; toss through roast vegetables; use on pizza instead of tomato sauce; or use as a base for a homemade salad dressing.

40 Easy Food

EF138_040-042_Wild Garlic.indd 40

APRIL 2019

22/03/2019 14:17

what’s in season? wild garlic

Irish wild garlic pesto Makes 2 medium jars

200g wild garlic leaves, stems removed, washed, dried and roughly chopped 120g Irish hard cheese (e.g. 15 Fields, Coolea, Cáis na Tíre), grated 350ml cold pressed Irish rapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling 100g hazelnuts, skinned and roughly chopped Juice of ½ a lemon Salt and black pepper 1 In the bowl of a food processor, combine the wild garlic leaves, cheese, oil, hazelnuts and lemon juice. 2 Whizz until smooth, adding a little more oil if you prefer a looser consistency. 3 Season to taste with salt and black pepper. 4 Transfer to clean jars and top with an extra drizzle of oil to create a seal. Per Serving 254kcals, 25.1g fat (2.1g saturated), 1.7g carbs (0.4g sugars), 3.3g protein, 0.9g fibre, 0.067g sodium

www.easyfood.ie

EF138_040-042_Wild Garlic.indd 41

Easy Food 41

22/03/2019 14:17

Weekly

MENU PLANNER

Keep it simple, keep it quick with our tasty midweek meals

56 Easy Food

EF138_056-066_Weekly budget.indd 56

APRIL 2019

22/03/2019 14:24

what's for dinner? weeknight meals

Monday Gnocchi and vegetable traybake Serves 4

450g fresh potato gnocchi 2 medium peppers, deseeded and chopped into chunks 250g cherry tomatoes 1 red onion, chopped into chunks 1 courgette, chopped into chunks 4 garlic cloves, crushed Â˝ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) 2 tsp fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and black pepper 6 tbsp Ricotta 6 tsp fresh basil pesto 1 Preheat the oven to 230ËšC/210ËšC fan/gas mark 8. Line a large rimmed baking tray with parchment paper. 2 Place the gnocchi, peppers, tomatoes, onion, courgette, garlic, chilli flakes (if using) and rosemary in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to combine. 3 Spread the gnocchi and vegetable out evenly on the prepared baking tray. 4 Roast for around 18 minutes until the gnocchi are golden and the vegetables are soft and lightly caramelised, tossing halfway through. Dollop over the Ricotta and pesto and return to the oven for 2-3 minutes until the Ricotta is melted and bubbling. 5 Divide the gnocchi and vegetables amongst serving bowls and serve immediately. Per Serving 313kcals, 9.7g fat (2.3g saturated), 49g carbs (5.4g sugars), 9.1g protein, 4.1g fibre, 0.523g sodium

Meat-free Monday!

www.easyfood.ie

EF138_056-066_Weekly budget.indd 57

Easy Food 57

22/03/2019 14:24

LIGHT

and lovin’ it Make the most of longer evenings with these simple ideas

Recipes reprinted from

Now & Again: Go-To Recipes, Inspired Menus + Endless Ideas for Reinventing Leftovers by Julia Turshen Chronicle Books, €30.50/£26 Photographs by David Loftus

70 Easy Food

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APRIL 2019

22/03/2019 14:37

what’sentertaining for dinner? make ahead festive

Lamb burgers with grilled red onions Serves 4

60g mayonnaise 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 garlic clove, minced A small handful of fresh dill fronds, finely chopped Kosher salt 2 large red onions, cut into slices 2cm thick 2 tbsp olive oil 455g lamb mince, at room temperature 4 hamburger buns 4 large leaves butter lettuce (also known as Bibb or Boston lettuce) 4 large tomato slices 1 In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, and dill. 2 Season the mixture to taste with salt and reserve it.

www.easyfood.ie

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3 Get your outdoor grill going (gas or charcoal) with high heat and make sure the grate is superclean. If your grill needs it, brush the grate with some neutral oil (I like to fold up a paper towel and drizzle it with oil and then use tongs to rub it on the grate). 4 Put the onions on a sheet pan (or whatever you will use to carry them to the grill) and drizzle with the olive oil and season liberally with salt. Use your hands to make sure the onions are well coated. You can stick a metal skewer (or a wooden skewer that’s been soaked in water for at least 15 minutes) horizontally through each onion slice to keep it together while it grills (I can never be bothered to do this, but it does work well if you get stressed about flipping things on the grill). 5 Divide the lamb into four equal portions and shape each portion into a thin patty. 6 Aggressively sprinkle both sides of each patty with salt (don’t be shy). 7 Place the onions and the patties on the grill and cook them, turning them as little as

possible, until the burgers are nicely browned on both sides and firm to the touch, about 3 minutes per side, and the onions are browned and softened, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the burgers and onions to a sheet pan or something else large to collect them as they’re done and let them hang out while you toast the buns. Place the buns, cut-side down, on the grill until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. 8 Arrange the buns, cut-side up, on a work surface. Divide the mayonnaise mixture evenly among the toasted sides and spread to cover. Place a burger on the bottom half of each bun and divide the onions, tomatoes, and lettuce among them. Put the tops on the burgers and serve immediately. Per Serving 500kcals, 22.1g fat (4.8g saturated), 36.4g carbs (9.8g sugars), 40.4g protein, 4g fibre, 0.42g sodium

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The Easy Food team gets into the Easter spirit with our all-time favourite chocolate recipes

Caroline Gray Editor “S’mores were one of my favourite treats as a kid, and this dessert-y dip took me right back to childhood. It was the easiest thing to make with only three ingredients and is ready in just minutes. I think it was gone out of our test kitchen in minutes, too…”

S ’mores dip Serves 6

250g milk chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate 8 large marshmallows, cut in half Digestive biscuits, for dipping 1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Arrange the chocolate in an even layer in the bottom of a small baking dish or a cast iron pan. 2 Arrange the marshmallows on top of the chocolate until covered. 3 Bake for 6-8 minutes, until the marshmallows are browned and puffed. Remove and leave to sit for 2-3 minutes. 4 Break the biscuits in half and use to dip into the s’mores mixture. Per Serving 385kcals, 18.9g fat (10g saturated), 48.9g carbs, 32.8g sugars, 4.9g protein, 1.8g fibre, 0.178g sodium

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cooking cookingfor forfun fun| chocolate

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EASTER PARADE Entertain a crowd with ease with these gorgeous buffet dishes

LEMON AND GINGER GLAZED HAM Serves 10-12 1 x 3kg ham joint 1l ginger ale 2 carrots, roughly chopped 2 celery, roughly chopped 1 small leek, roughly chopped 2 bay leaves 16 black peppercorns 1 bouquet garni 2 lemons, halved For the glaze: 100g brown sugar 100g lemon curd ½ tsp ground ginger 1 Place the ham in a large pot, add the ginger ale and add just enough cold water to cover. Add the carrots, celery, leeks, bay leaves, peppercorns and bouquet garni. Squeeze in the juice from the halved lemons and add them to the pot. 2 Bring slowly to a boil, skimming off any white foam from the surface. Simmer very gently for about two hours until cooked throughout. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 3 Place the oven rack at its lowest position. Remove the ham from its liquid and allow to cool slightly. 4 Place the ham in a roasting tin and use a small sharp knife to strip off the skin. Score the fat in a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. 5 In a bowl, stir together the glaze ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Brush the glaze thickly over the ham. 6 Bake the ham for 40 minutes until golden brown, basting with more of the glaze every 20 minutes or so. 7 Increase the heat to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7 and cook for a final 20 minutes without opening the oven. 8 Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Per Serving 413kcals, 15.4g fat (0g saturated), 16.3g carbs (9.7g sugars), 50.2g protein, 0.4g fibre, 0.14g sodium

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cooking for fun easter

LEMON AND PARSLEY POTATO SALAD Serves 10-12 For the dressing: 140ml extra-virgin olive oil 120ml lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp Dijon mustard Pinch of sugar Salt and black pepper For the salad: 2 tbsp salt 2kg baby potatoes, larger ones halved Handful of fresh chives, snipped Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 In a jar, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing. Close tightly and shake to combine. 2 Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the salt. Add potatoes and return to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for five minutes or until just cooked; they will keep cooking from residual heat. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl. 3 While the potatoes are hot, pour over half of the dressing. Stir to combine gently. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or up to six hours. 4 Stir in the chives and parsley. Drizzle over the remaining dressing. Carefully toss to coat everything, then serve. Per Serving 196kcals, 11.3g fat (1.7g saturated), 21.4g carbs (0.3g sugars), 4.5g protein, 4.3g fibre, 0.223g sodium

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Easter surprise cake Serves 14-16

For the sponge: 260g caster sugar 260g unsalted butter, softened 4 eggs, beaten 60g cocoa powder 90ml boiling water 260g self-raising flour 2 tsp baking powder For the buttercream: 250g unsalted butter, softened 500g icing sugar 100g dark chocolate, melted For the filling: Mini Eggs, Smarties and other small chocolate eggs (save some to decorate) 1 Preheat the oven to 180ËšC/160ËšC fan/gas mark 4. Line the bottom and sides of three 15cm tins with parchment paper. 2 Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly stream in the eggs, mixing between each addition. 3 In a small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and boiling water. Beat this into the butter mixture. 4 Sieve the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture. Fold in until just combined. 5 Divide the mixture evenly amongst the tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. 6 For the buttercream, beat together the softened butter and icing sugar until smooth, scraping down the sides. Pour in the melted chocolate and beat until mixed. 7 Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the cooled sponges in half horizontally. Use a 7Â˝cm round cutter to cut the middle out of 5 out of 6 of the sliced sponges. 8 Place one of the cut sponges onto a board or plate, using a teaspoon of buttercream on the board to help the cake stick. Spread over some of the buttercream and add the next sponge on top. Repeat this step for all five of the cut sponges. 9 Before adding the uncut sponge on top, pour a variety of Mini Eggs and chocolates into the hole in the centre. Top with the uncut sponge. 10 Using a palette knife, spread the buttercream over the top and sides of the

will be crumbs in the icing, so place the cake into the fridge for 30 minutes to set. 11 Once set, spread over more buttercream to cover any crumbs and smooth out the buttercream. Refrigerate the cake until set. 12 Decorate the bottom and edges of the

TOP TIP

Use the leftover sponge to make cake pops. Mix together the scrap sponge with chocolate buttercream.

cake with mini eggs and bunny cut-outs.

Roll into small balls, stick a cake

Cut your Easter showstopper at the table to

pop stick into the bottom of each

surprise your guests! Per Serving 575kcals, 31.1g fat (19.1g saturated), 74.9g carbs (60.2g sugars), 4.9g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.212g sodium

ball and refrigerate until set. Dip the cake pops into melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles.

cake, making sure to fill in any gaps. There

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE...

ENJOY THE TASTES OF ITALY WITH THE MAY ISSUE OF EASY FOOD!

The next guest editor is….

GENNARO CONTALDO Chef and restaurateur, Gennaro Contaldo is the ultimate source of all things cooking when it comes to Italian food! Sure, he only taught Jamie Oliver all about making pasta, and still scours his homeland of Italy to bring delicious, achievable dishes to life for eager eaters across the globe. He’s sharing some of his favourite Italian meals with Easy Food readers, and giving us an exclusive insider look into what makes this cuisine shine. Buon appetito!

GE NN AR O CO NT AL DO

ON SALTEH

! APRIL 30

INSIDE...

recipes > Authentic Italian making > Step-by-step pasta > Speedy desserts dinners > Simple weeknight party > Gluten-free dinner > Summery cocktails > Kids’ treats

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