Rachel Allen - Easy Meals

* Add the mushrooms and thyme, season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to medium–low. Stir well, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 10–15 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and browned.

* Meanwhile, toast the bread and butter it, then place on plates.

* Stir the cream into the mushrooms, increasing the heat to allow it to bubble for 1–2 minutes, then taste for seasoning and serve on the buttered toast.

Spiced baked eggs

Here’s a slightly different way of serving eggs, and one that’s incredibly easy, too. As the eggs cook gently in the oven, they take on the flavour of the spices and the silkiness of the cream. They’re perfect with toast.

Serves 4 (v)

PREPARATION TIME

5 minutes

COOKING TIME

8–12 minutes

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp smoked paprika

Good pinch of cayenne pepper

4 eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp single or regular cream

To serve

4 slices of bread

25g (1oz) butter

Four 100ml (3½fl oz) ramekins

* Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

* In a small bowl, mix together the spices. Break each egg into a separate ramekin and sprinkle half the spice mixture over each egg. Season with salt and pepper, then add a tablespoon of cream to each dish.

* Place in the oven and cook for 8–12 minutes or until the white is just set and the yolk is still ever so slightly soft.

* Just before the eggs are ready, toast the bread and butter it, then remove the eggs from the oven and serve with the buttered toast.

Variation

Baked eggs with smoked mackerel: Divide 1 fillet of flaked smoked mackerel between the ramekins before adding the eggs, then proceed as above but omitting the spices.

Spiced beans and corn salsa toppings for baked potatoes

These toppings are a fabulous way of dressing up baked potatoes.They are also great with nachos or tortilla chips.

Each recipe serves 4 (v)

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes each

COOKING TIME

15 minutes for the spiced beans topping

Spiced beans topping

2 tsp each coriander and cumin seeds

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 onions, peeled and chopped

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 x 400g tins of pinto, kidney or black beans

1 x 200g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp caster sugar

* Toast and grind the coriander and cumin seeds. Place the seeds in a small frying pan on a high heat and cook, tossing frequently, for about 1 minute or until they are browned. Grind them into a powder with a pestle and mortar or place them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them, then set aside.

* Pour the sunflower oil into a large frying pan on a medium heat. When hot, add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and lightly browned.

* Stir in the ground spices and the cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse the beans and then stir them in. Season with salt and pepper and use your spoon to mash a few of the beans. Next, stir in the tomatoes and the sugar, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 3 minutes or until the mixture is heated through. Taste for seasoning.

* Serve with baked potatoes and some crème fraîche or natural yoghurt, if you like.

Corn salsa topping

1 x 200g tin of sweetcorn

½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped

½ red or green chilli, deseeded and chopped

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp olive oil

* Drain and rinse the sweetcorn, then mix all the ingredients together and season to taste.

* Serve with baked potatoes, and some crème fraîche or natural yoghurt if you like.

Thai chickpea and mushroom curry

Green curry paste is an incredibly useful ingredient to have in your store cupboard – creating in an instant that subtle and complex balance of flavours that Thai food is all about. This delicious vegetable curry is substantial enough to serve on its own or with rice. To make it vegetarian, look for mock fish sauce, which is made from soy beans and often seaweed, or you can use soy sauce instead.

Serves 4

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

20 minutes

1 tbsp sunflower oil

250g (9oz) mushrooms, quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1–2 tbsp Thai green curry paste

1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

150g (5oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) chunks

1 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla) or soy sauce for a vegetarian alternative

Juice of ½ lime

Chopped coriander, to serve (optional)

* Pour the sunflower oil into a large saucepan on a medium–high heat and, when hot, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden.

* Stir in the curry paste and sugar, then stir in the coconut milk. Season with salt and add the chickpeas and potatoes.

* Bring to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, then stir in the fish sauce or soy sauce and lime juice. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh coriander (if using).

Tarka dahl

Dahl is a traditional and simple Indian dish made from lentils. Red lentils are such a useful ingredient to have in your store cupboard. They are full of nutrients, easy to cook and have a glorious nutty flavour that can be enhanced by different spices.

Serves 4–6 (v)

PREPARATION TIME

5 minutes

COOKING TIME

15 minutes

400g (14oz) red lentils

8 slices of peeled root ginger 5mm (¼in) thick

1 bay leaf

50g (2oz) butter

10 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

4 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

* Place the lentils in a saucepan, along with the ginger, bay leaf and 1.5 litres (2½ pints) water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, skimming off and discarding any foam that rises to the surface, until the lentils are soft.

* While the lentils are cooking, melt the butter in a small frying pan on a medium–high heat. When the butter starts to foam, add the garlic, cumin and chilli flakes and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes or until the garlic is lightly browned.

* Serve the cooked lentils on a bed of boiled rice with the garlic butter poured over the top and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Poached eggs with bacon lentils

I can usually find lentils lurking somewhere in my store cupboard, and by adding bacon and serving them with poached eggs, they make a really substantial lunch or supper.

Serves 4

PREPARATION TIME

5 minutes

COOKING TIME

25 minutes

4 eggs

Splash of vinegar

4 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

For the bacon lentils

4 tbsp olive oil

200g (7oz) bacon (in the piece or about 6 rashers), cut into 2cm (¾in) dice

300g (11oz) Puy lentils

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper