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Category: Chicken

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1 Chicken Breast
• 1/4 cup Pickle Juice
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1 tbs Icing Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Celery Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 1 Sesame Seed Burger Buns

Instructions:

Wrap the chicken loosely between plastic wrap and pound gently with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/2 inch thick all around.
Cut into two pieces, as even as possible.
Marinate in the pickle juice for 30 minutes to one hour (add a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce now for a spicy sandwich).
Beat the egg with the milk in a bowl.
Combine the flour, sugar, and spices in another bowl.
Dip the chicken pieces each into the egg on both sides, then coat in flour on both sides.
Heat the oil in a skillet (1/2 inch deep) to about 345-350.
Fry each cutlet for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through.
Blot on paper and serve on toasted buns with pickle slices.

Category: Chicken

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Potatoes
• 30g Butter
• 5 tblsp Double Cream
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 30g Butter
• 7 Shallots
• 3 chopped Carrots
• 2 sticks Celery
• 1 finely chopped Garlic Clove
• 4 tbsp White Wine
• 1 tbls Tomato Puree
• 400g Tinned Tomatos
• 350ml Chicken Stock
• 600g Chicken
• 16 Black Olives
• 2 tbs Parsley
• 50g Gruyere cheese

Instructions:

For the topping, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and push through a potato ricer, or mash thoroughly. Stir in the butter, cream and egg yolks. Season and set aside.
For the filling, melt the butter in a large pan. Add the shallots, carrots and celery and gently fry until soft, then add the garlic. Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and stock and cook for 10–15 minutes, until thickened. Add the shredded chicken, olives and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Put the filling in a 20x30cm/8x12in ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potato. Grate over the Gruyère. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until piping hot and the potato is golden-brown.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 400g Roasted Vegetables
• 1 can Kidney Beans
• 1 can Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 Packet Mixed Grain

Instructions:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Cook the vegetables in a casserole dish for 15 mins. Tip in the beans and tomatoes, season, and cook for another 10-15 mins until piping hot. Heat the pouch in the microwave on High for 1 min and serve with the chilli.

Category: Side

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 375g Plain Flour
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 7g Yeast
• 75g Milk
• 3 Large Eggs
• To Glaze Eggs
• 180g Butter
• 250g Brie
• 8 slices Prosciutto

Instructions:

Mix the flour, 1 tsp salt, caster sugar, yeast, milk and eggs together in a mixer using the dough attachment for 5 mins until the dough is smooth. Add the butter and mix for a further 4 mins on medium speed. Scrape the dough bowl and mix again for 1 min. Place the dough in a container, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 6 hrs before using.
Wrap the Brie in the prosciutto and set aside. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 25cm circle. Place the wrapped Brie in the middle of the circle and fold the edges in neatly. Put the parcel onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and brush with beaten egg. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins, then brush again with beaten egg and chill for a further 30 mins. Leave to rise for 1 hr at room temperature. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, then bake for 22 mins. Serve warm.

Category: Beef

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 2 onions
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 500g lean minced beef
• 90g mushrooms
• 1tsp dried oregano
• 400g can tomatoes
• 300ml hot beef stock
• 1tbsp tomato puree
• 1tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 350g spaghetti
• Topping parmesan

Instructions:

Put the onion and oil in a large pan and fry over a fairly high heat for 3-4 mins. Add the garlic and mince and fry until they both brown. Add the mushrooms and herbs, and cook for another couple of mins.

Stir in the tomatoes, beef stock, tomato ketchup or purée, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling, salted water, according to packet instructions. Drain well, run hot water through it, put it back in the pan and add a dash of olive oil, if you like, then stir in the meat sauce. Serve in hot bowls and hand round Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 Egg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, and egg.
Scoop out a spoonful of dough and roll it into a ball. Place the cookie balls onto a nonstick baking sheet.
For extra decoration and to make them cook more evenly, flatten the cookie balls by pressing a fork down on top of them, then press it down again at a 90º angle to make a criss-cross pattern.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.
Remove from baking sheet and cool.
Enjoy!

Category: Pasta

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 320g Spaghetti
• 6 Egg Yolks
• As required Salt
• 150g Bacon
• 50g Pecorino
• As required Black Pepper

Instructions:

STEP 1
Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.

STEP 2
Finely chop the 100g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50g pecorino cheese and 50g parmesan and mix them together.

STEP 3
Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside.

STEP 4
Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).

STEP 5
Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it.

STEP 6
While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic.

STEP 7
Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.

STEP 8
Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don’t worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don’t throw the pasta water away yet.

STEP 9
Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.

STEP 10
Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn’t scramble, and everything is coated.

STEP 11
Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don’t want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.

STEP 12
Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.

Category: Beef

Area: Mexican

Ingredients:

• 1kg Beef
• 3 Onions
• 4 cloves Garlic
• Dash Olive oil
• 300g Chorizo
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp All spice
• 1 tsp Cloves
• 1 large Cinnamon stick
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 tsp dried Oregano
• 2 ancho Ancho Chillies
• 3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 x 400g Plum Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• 2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 x 400g tins Borlotti Beans

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 120C/225F/gas mark 1.

Take the meat out of the fridge to de-chill. Pulse the onions and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole and sear the meat on all sides until golden.

Set to one side and add another small slug of oil to brown the chorizo. Remove and add the onion and garlic, spices, herbs and chillies then cook until soft in the chorizo oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the vinegar, tomatoes, ketchup and sugar.

Put all the meat back into the pot with 400ml water (or red wine if you prefer), bring up to a simmer and cook, covered, in the low oven.

After 2 hours, check the meat and add the beans. Cook for a further hour and just before serving, pull the meat apart with a pair of forks.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 350g Butternut Squash
• 3 parts Garlic
• 3 tbs Olive Oil
• 350g Linguine Pasta
• Small bunch Sage

Instructions:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the squash and garlic on a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 35-40 mins until soft. Season.
Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain, reserving the water. Use a stick blender to whizz the squash with 400ml cooking water. Heat some oil in a frying pan, fry the sage until crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. Tip the pasta and sauce into the pan and warm through. Scatter with sage.

Category: Chicken

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Butter
• 2 chopped Onions
• 4 qt Chicken Stock
• 1.5kg Chicken Breast
• 4kg Potatoes
• 2 tbs Salt
• 1tbsp Black Pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 10x14x2-inch baking pan.
Heat margarine in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook and stir until onion is very tender and dark brown, about 40 minutes more.
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot; stir in chicken breasts, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is no longer pink at the center, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove chicken breasts to a plate using a slotted spoon; reserve broth.
Juice potatoes with an electric juicer; place dry potato flesh into a bowl and discard juice. Stir salt and pepper into potatoes; stir in enough reserved broth to make the mixture the consistency of oatmeal. Set remaining broth aside.
Spread half of potato mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Lay cooked chicken breast evenly over potatoes; scatter caramelized onion evenly over chicken. Spread remaining potato mixture over onions and chicken to cover.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 1 hour. Reheat chicken broth; pour over individual servings as desired.