Gina Mullins, South African-born publisher of EasyFood magazine, is on the money with her new EasyFood Cookbook, a collection of 120 favourite budget recipes, illustrated with jump-off-the-page photographs.
Mullins, who now lives in Avoca with her husband and business partner John and their two young children, worked in TV in South Africa and in publishing in Australia before arriving in Ireland six years ago. Almost immediately they spotted a gap in the market for a certain type of food magazine. We felt there was a need for a magazine that celebrated the home cook,” she says.
The recipes in the book, and the magazine, are instantly approachable – and you won’t have to track down too many unusual ingredients to have simple, colourful and nutritious suppers on the table. Step-by-step photos guide the novice cook through the more tricky techniques, and there is a wealth of really useful additional info, such as what to substitute if you are in the middle of a recipe and find you are missing an ingredient; how to get the best out of your freezer; and making the most of cheap cuts of meat (such as the beef and mushroom pie, pictured).
EasyFood Cookbook (€9.95), published by Zahra Publishing, is available from newsagents, and by calling 01-6544015.