Easy Meals

Spiced lamb pittas (#ulink_a00f8376-fb6f-515c-bb79-b08d8f53c1ec)

This deliciously spicy mince mixture tastes wonderful served with lightly toasted pitta breads and a few spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt. Use beef mince instead of lamb if that’s what you have to hand, it's still delicious.

Serves 4–6

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

20–25 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

450g (1lb) lamb mince

225g (8oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm (¼in) dice

75g (3oz) frozen peas

To serve

4–6 pitta breads

About 150ml (5fl oz) natural Greek yoghurt

* Pour the olive oil into a large frying pan on a high heat and, when hot, add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Fry, stirring frequently, for 6–8 minutes or until the onion is cooked and golden at the edges.

* Add the spices and mince and cook for 4–5 minutes or until the mince loses its raw colour. Tip in the potatoes and 50ml (2fl oz) water, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8–10 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender, then add the peas and cook, uncovered, for a further 2 minutes.

* Shortly before the spiced mince is ready, toast the pitta breads and pour the Greek yoghurt into a small serving bowl. Season the cooked lamb to taste and serve with the toasted pittas and yoghurt.

Lamb meatballs (#ulink_330d641d-c9d8-5fb7-92c1-5781981ef03b)

These delicately aromatic meatballs are very happy resting on a bed of couscous – a seriously useful store cupboard ingredient that is ready to serve after only a few minutes soaking in stock or hot water. The meatballs can be stored in the freezer before cooking (defrost them well before use).

Serves 4–6

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes, plus chilling

COOKING TIME

10–15 minutes

6 green cardamom pods

500g (1lb 2oz) lamb mince

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 onion, peeled and grated

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce:

200ml (7fl oz) natural Greek yoghurt

1 tsp turmeric

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cucumber, cut into 2cm (¾in) chunks (optional)

* Place the cardamom pods on a chopping board, lay the flat side of a large knife over the top and press down to lightly crush. Remove the seeds (discarding the pods) and crush to a powder with a pestle and mortar or place in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.

* Place the crushed seeds in a bowl with the lamb mince, lemon zest, onion and garlic, then season with salt and pepper and mix together. To check the seasoning, fry 1 teaspoon of the mixture in a frying pan for 1–2 minutes or until cooked through, then taste to see whether you need to add more salt or pepper to the mixture.

* Using wet hands, form the mixture into 20–24 meatballs, each about 3–4cm (1¼–1½in) in diameter, then leave to chill in the fridge (for up to 24 hours) until you are ready to cook them.

* Pour the olive oil into a frying pan on a medium heat and, when hot, add the meatballs and fry them for 8–12 minutes, tossing occasionally, until well browned and cooked through.

* To make the sauce, simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled over the meatballs on a bed of couscous.

Chocolate, toffee and peanut squares (#ulink_882486e1-ddf9-552a-97fd-7b10db908cc5)

One of my guilty pleasures is a tin of boiled condensed milk. The sugars in the milk caramelise to make a thick toffee-like sauce. It’s perfect for cooking or eating straight from the tin (with or without a spoon!). It’s also possible to buy ready-boiled condensed milk, which is sold in jars as dulce de leche. If you want to make your own, boil unopened tins of condensed milk for 2 hours – I like to prepare a few tins at a time and then keep them in the cupboard where they’ll store for months.

Makes about 24 squares (v)