COOKING UP A STORM: Perfect weekend recipes

There are freezer ingredients galore in this simple vegan dish. With the right ingredients in your store cupboard and freezer, you don’t need fresh produce for this easy curry recipe – and there’s no need to even defrost anything.

“The depth of flavour comes from using a stock cube and peanut butter as the base,” explains Phil Vickery.

Sweet potato, cauliflower and peanut curry recipe

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

l 4tbsp any oil

l 250g frozen chopped onions

l 1tbsp dried garlic granules

l ½tsp dried chilli flakes

l 2tbps frozen chopped ginger

l 400g can coconut milk

l 2 heaped tbsp peanut butter

l 10g vegetable stock cube, crumbled

l 500g frozen cubed sweet potato

l 500g frozen cauliflower florets

l 1–2tbps cornflour

l 300g (about 6 × 50g balls) frozen spinach

l 1–2tsp sugar

l Salt and freshly ground black pepper

l 2 × 250g packets microwaveable basmati rice, warmed, to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan over a high heat and then add the onions, garlic granules, chilli flakes and ginger. Cook for six to eight minutes to drive off the moisture and colour a little.

2. Add the coconut milk, half-fill the can with water, then add to the pan along with the peanut butter and stock cube and whisk. Bring to a simmer, then cook for five minutes.

3. Add the frozen sweet potato and cauliflower and bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Mix the cornflour well with two tablespoons of cold water and then add to the simmering curry: it will thicken pretty much straight away.

5. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed, then drop in the frozen spinach pucks. Cover and simmer for five minutes, then stir in the sugar, turn off the heat and leave for 15 minutes.

6. Stir well and serve with the basmati rice.

Squidgy Creme Egg brownie

How do you make a brownie even better? Add a Creme Egg!

Perfect this recipe for Easter – or scoff it now.

“All the ingredients except the fresh orange zest are from the store cupboard,” says Phil Vickery. “Just remember to allow the brownie to cool a little after taking out of the oven – or, better yet, chill in the fridge – or it will be too soft to cut.”

Ingredients:

l 2tbsp golden syrup

l 110g salted butter, softened

l 150g caster sugar

l 150g bitter chocolate

l 75g plain flour, sifted

l 4 eggs, at room temperature

l Finely grated zest of 1 large orange

l 4 Creme Eggs, halved

l Vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)

Method:

I. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Line a 20 centimetre square baking tray with greaseproof paper, or oil well.

2. Melt the golden syrup, butter, sugar and chocolate together in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

3. Remove the bowl from the pan, then stir in the flour, eggs and orange zest. Mix well but do not overmix, or the finished brownie will be chewy.

4. Pour into the prepared tray, then carefully place the eight Creme Egg halves into the top of the mix, pressing down slightly.

5. Pop into the oven and cook for 35–40 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before cutting. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if you like.

The Canny Cook by Phil Vickery is published by Kyle Books. Photography by Kate Whitaker. Available now.