Easy Cook

Easter is surely the most welcome weekend of the year. Four days away from work to relax with friends and family, and cook and eat to your heart’s desire. In this month’s issue, we’re going all out with 24 pages of menus to cover every day of the celebrations. We kick off with Rick and Jack Stein’s menu for four (p48), showcasing, as you’d imagine, fish. For Sunday, enjoy a Greek Easter feast (p52), with gorgeous slow-cooked lamb as the star of the table. For non-meat eaters, a veggie spiral pie takes centre stage (p56). Plus, we have lots of ideas for the bank holidays and bakes galore – check out the chocolate orange cake on page 66. A thing of wonder! Have a great break. IN THIS ISSUE ✹…

■ Serves 10 ■ Prep 30 mins plus 1 hr chilling ■ Cook 30 mins 185g unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, plus extra for the tin 185g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 3 eggs 275g golden caster sugar 85g plain flour 40g cocoa powder 5 fondant-filled eggs 150g chocolate mini eggs TO DECORATE a few chenille Easter chicks (optional) 1 Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Or, microwave in 30-second bursts. Leave to cool to room temperature. 2 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Butter a 20cm square tin, then line with two long strips of folded baking parchment – one strip running from top to bottom, the other running from left to right. Line the base of the tin with a piece…

Macaroni cheese lasagne Comfort is a big bowl of cheesy baked pasta, and what’s more comforting than a timeless mac ‘n’ cheese or hearty lasagne? Here, we’ve combined both into one gloriously rich recipe, complete with an indulgent, meaty ragu. ■ Serves 6-8 ■ Prep 10 mins plus resting ■ Cook 1 hr 20 mins ragu only 2 tbsp olive oil 400g lean beef mince 50g smoked pancetta, chopped ½ onion, finely chopped ½ celery stick, finely chopped ½ carrot, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 150ml red wine 1 tbsp tomato purée 400g can chopped tomatoes 250ml beef stock 2 bay leaves 1 rosemary sprig 1 tsp sugar 400g macaroni 80g grated mozzarella a few whole basil leaves, to serve (optional) FOR THE SAUCE 50g butter 50g plain flour 2 tsp English mustard 800ml semi-skimmed milk small grating of nutmeg 100g grated parmesan 100g mature cheddar, grated 1 Heat half…

19 budget-friendly recipes Cheesy chicken bake with new potatoes ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 45 mins 8 skin-on chicken thighs 85g garlic & herb soft cheese 500g new potatoes, halved 4 medium tomatoes, halved 1 garlic clove, crushed large pinch of caster sugar 6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked from 4 olive oil, for drizzling 1 Heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Carefully lift the skin on the chicken thighs and spread the soft cheese between the skin and flesh. Put the chicken thighs in a roasting tin, skin-side up, and arrange the potatoes and tomatoes, cut-side up, around them. 2 Scatter the garlic over the tomatoes along with a light sprinkle of sugar (this helps bring out their natural sweetness). Scatter over the thyme leaves and sprigs, season and drizzle…

Smart ideas to help you be a bit greener LOVE ME TENDER As well as being energy efficient, using a slow cooker to cook your Easter lamb will enhance flavours and produce tender results. It does the work while you enjoy yourself. Slow cooker lamb shoulder ■ Serves 4-6 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 8 hrs 15 mins 1.75kg bone-in lamb shoulder 2 tsp sunflower oil 200ml red wine 2 carrots, roughly chopped 2 onions, quartered 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped 2 bay leaves a few rosemary sprigs a few thyme sprigs 300ml lamb, chicken or vegetable stock flour or cornflour, for thickening the gravy cooked potatoes and seasonal greens, to serve (optional) 1 Pat the lamb dry using kitchen paper, rub the oil all over, then season. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and…

Why cook with an air fryer? Air fryers have become a must-have kitchen gadget because essentially, they are tabletop ovens with the capacity to impart deep-fat fryer taste and texture without the excess fat. Air fryers cook significantly faster than ovens and use up to 95 per cent less oil than deep-frying without compromising on flavour – they have a lot going for them, especially when it comes to saving calories and energy! Air fryer fry-up Perfect for lazy weekend mornings, this classic English breakfast includes all the key ingredients: sausages, bacon, mushrooms, beans and an egg muffin. ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 30 mins 1 English muffin ½ tsp butter, softened 200g mushrooms, roughly chopped ½ tsp olive oil 1 tomato, halved across the middle 2 sausages 2 hash browns 1 egg 2…