Mocha Brownies

Makes 12

100g butter, plus extra for greasing

150g good-quality plain dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), chopped

1 tsp strong instant coffee

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g ground almonds

175g caster sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature, separated

To serve:

Icing sugar

1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and grease and line a 20cm square baking tin.

2 Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth.

3 Remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Stir in the coffee and vanilla extract.

4 Mix in the almonds and sugar until combined.

5 Lightly beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl, then stir into the chocolate mix.

6 Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.  Fold some of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest until completely incorporated.

7 Transfer to the tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until risen and firm on top but slightly gooey in the centre. Leave to cool in the tin then turn out and slice into squares. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Per Serving 257kcals, 16.1g fat (7.7g saturated), 24.8g carbs, 22.1g sugar, 4.8g protein, 1.5g fibre, 0.08g sodium

Rhubarb and Custard Trifles

Makes 8

2 tbsp butter, softened

200g sugar

1 egg

250ml buttermilk

Zest and juice from 1 orange

250g flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

200g rhubarb, chopped

400g custard

1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 and grease and line a 23cm square cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, buttermilk and orange zest until combined.

2 Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and the salt into a separate bowl. Gradually beat into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the rhubarb.

3 Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely, then cut into cubes.

4 Stir together the orange juice and custard until combined.

5 Layer pieces of the rhubarb sponge with the orange custard in individual serving glasses. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Per Serving 368kcals, 9.9g fat (3.4g saturated), 62.3g carbs, 32.7g sugars, 8g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.41g sodium

Serves 4

2 slices of wholemeal bread, torn into pieces

40g Parmesan, grated

120ml olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

Black pepper

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

500g asparagus, trimmed

150g mushrooms, sliced

300g salad leaves

2 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped

1 Preheat the oven to 220˚C/200˚C fan/gas mark 7. Place the bread in a food processor and pulse into large crumbs. Toss in a bowl with the Parmesan and two teaspoons of the olive oil.

2 Whisk together remaining oil with the shallot, vinegar, soy sauce and thyme and a pinch of black pepper in a separate bowl.

3 Spread the asparagus and mushrooms on a baking tray and drizzle over three tablespoons of the dressing. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

4 Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the vegetables and cook for another 8-10 minutes until browned.

5 Toss the salad leaves with enough of the remaining dressing to coat. Pile on serving plates and top with the roasted vegetables and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the egg and serve warm or at room temperature.

Try this recipe for Mixed Beans and Chorizo, Eric Flavin’s favourite accompaniment to his Gluten-Free Flatbread from the June issue of Easy Food!

Mixed Bean and Chorizo

Serves 6

½ tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

125g chorizo, finely sliced

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 x 400g tin of mixed beans, drained

80ml white wine

3 tsp tomato purée

1 tsp cumin

1      Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for three minutes until soft. Add the chorizo and cook for four minutes, or until the oil begins to turn red.

2      Stir in the tomatoes, beans, wine, tomato purée and cumin. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve on gluten-free flat bread.

Hoisin Ginger Beef Burgers with Pickled Onions

Serves 4

For the burgers:

500g beef mince

2 spring onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves,

chopped

3cm piece of ginger, grated

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

A pinch of ground white pepper

For the pickled onions:

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp water

Juice from 1 lime

To serve:

4 slices Gruyère

Brioche rolls

Sweet chilli sauce

1 tomato, sliced

Mixed salad leaves

1 Combine all the ingredients for the burger with your hands. Form into four patties and set aside.

2 Separate the onion into rings, cover with the salt and water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water and discard the liquid. Return the onions to the bowl and add the lime juice.

3 Heat a barbecue to a medium-high heat and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the burgers for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until desired doneness.

4 During the last two minutes of cooking, add a slice of Gruyère to each burger.

5 Halve the rolls and place, cut-side down, on the barbecue for the last minute of cooking.

6 Spread a spoonful of chilli sauce on the bottom of half of the bun and top with a burger, then some pickled onion, tomato and salad leaves.

Per serving 497kcal, 20.5g fat (8.2g saturated), 26.5g carbs, 3.3g sugar, 49.1g protein, 2.1g fibre, 0.89g sodium

The Art of the Perfect Burger

Don’t over mix the ingredients for the burgers. Try to form patties so that they are packed just tightly enough to hold their shape. To make sure the burgers don’t stick to the barbecue, do one of three things before cooking: 1) rub the burgers with a bit of oil, 2) coat the barbecue grates with oil or cooking spray, 3) lay a piece of heavy-duty foil over the grates and cook the burgers on top. Cook burgers on a medium-high barbecue for 6-8 minutes for medium or 8-10 minutes for well-done burgers, flipping once, until cooked through. If the barbecue is too hot, the burger will burn on the outside before it cooks inside. Don’t press down on your burgers with a spatula during cooking – it dries out the meat and expels all the juices.

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Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Serves 4-6

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

8 chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

200ml white wine

300g mushrooms, sliced

100ml double cream

280g frozen peas

A small handful of fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

To serve:

Roasted new potatoes

1      Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the garlic and thyme for two mintes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin-side down, for five minutes until the skin is crisp.

2      Flip the chicken over, pour in the wine and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the wine has almost evaporated. Remove the chicken to a plate.

3      Add the mushrooms and cook for five mintues until browned. If the pan becomes dry, just add a bit more oil.

4      Add the cream and simmer for three minutes until it reduces by half. Add the peas and chicken and warm through. Stir through the tarragon and serve with roasted new potatoes.

Roast Rhubarb, Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese Salad

Serves 4

4 sticks of rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces

4 tbsp honey

6-8 small beetroots, unpeeled but tops trimmed

2 tbsp olive oil

300g baby spinach leaves

50g walnuts, halved

100g goat’s cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt and black pepper

1      Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Drizzle the beetroots with the oil, then individually wrap them in tinfoil and place on a baking tray.

2      Place the tray in the oven to bake for 40-50 minutes until the beetroots are very tender. Leave to cool slightly before peeling and dicing them.

3      Meanwhile, place the rhubarb on a baking tray and drizzle with honey.

4      Toss the rhubarb in the honey and place in the oven, on another shelf, to roast for 10 minutes or until beginning to soften. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray.

5      To make the dressing, whisk together the oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

6      In a large serving bowl, add the spinach leaves and walnuts, drizzle with the dressing and toss together. Top with the goat’s cheese, beetroot and rhubarb and serve.

Per Serving 438kcals, 27.1g fat (8.1g saturated), 39.1g carbs, 30.8g sugars, 15.8g protein, 6.5g fibre, 0.27g sodium

Spanish Tomato Salad

Serves 4

½ red onion, chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp olive oil

300g cherry tomatoes

A large handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Salt and black pepper

200g chorizo, sliced

300g fresh spinach leaves

1      Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/gas mark 5. Toss the onion with the chilli, cumin, oregano and two teaspoons of olive oil in a baking tray and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another 8-10 minutes.

2      Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the chorizo for three minutes, or until the edges begin to curl. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper.

3      Stir the coriander leaves into the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper, then drizzle over the vegetables.

4      Line a serving dish with the spinach leaves and top with the vegetable mixture and chorizo slices. Serve warm.

Per Serving 241kcals, 18.1g fat (5.1g saturated), 7.9g carbs, 2.9g sugars, 13g protein, 3g fibre, 0.44g sodium

2 oranges, scrubbed and roughly chopped (with skin on and pips removed)

5 eggs, separated

200g caster sugar

225g ground almonds

2 tbsp flaked almonds

To decorate:

Icing sugar

1 Place the oranges into a saucepan with one tablespoon of water. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until soft.

2 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Line the bottom and sides of a 23cm springform tin with parchment paper.

3 Drain the cooking liquid and transfer the oranges to a food processor. Pulse until they resemble crumbs.

4 Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Whisk in half of the caster sugar until the mixture is glossy.

5 Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick. Whisk in the oranges and fold in the ground almonds.

6 Stir a large spoonful of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Transfer to the tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

7 Bake for 50-55 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely and serve with the icing sugar dusted over.

Per Serving 328kcals, 17.4g fat (2g saturated), 37g carbs, 30.6g sugar, 10.2g protein, 4.7g fibre, 0.04g sodium

• Budget-friendly
• Freezer-friendly
• Kid-friendly
• Vegetarian
• Gluten-free