Blog

Category: Pasta

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 227g Clotted Cream
• 25g Butter
• 1 tsp Corn Flour
• 100g Parmesan Cheese
• Grated Nutmeg
• 250g Fettuccine
• Chopped Parsley

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, stir the clotted cream, butter and cornflour over a low-ish heat and bring to a low simmer. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
Meanwhile, put the cheese and nutmeg in a small bowl and add a good grinding of black pepper, then stir everything together (don’t add any salt at this stage).
Put the pasta in another pan with 2 tsp salt, pour over some boiling water and cook following pack instructions (usually 3-4 mins). When cooked, scoop some of the cooking water into a heatproof jug or mug and drain the pasta, but not too thoroughly.
Add the pasta to the pan with the clotted cream mixture, then sprinkle over the cheese and gently fold everything together over a low heat using a rubber spatula. When combined, splash in 3 tbsp of the cooking water. At first, the pasta will look wet and sloppy: keep stirring until the water is absorbed and the sauce is glossy. Check the seasoning before transferring to heated bowls. Sprinkle over some chives or parsley, then serve immediately.

Category: Dessert

Area: Greek

Ingredients:

• 100g Digestive Biscuits
• 85g Almonds
• 85g Butter
• 250ml Greek Yogurt
• 750g Mascarpone
• 2 Eggs
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 250ml Honey
• To serve Fruit Mix

Instructions:

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Crush the biscuits and most of the almonds inside a plastic food bag using a rolling pin. Mix with the butter, then press into the bottom of a deep, oval, 23cm dish (or something similar in size – a roasting tin, baking dish or cake tin will work). Bake for 10 mins until crisp.

Stir or mash together the yogurt and mascarpone, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the lemon and orange zests, then stir in most of the honey, reserving about 3 tbsp. Spread over the biscuit base, cover loosely with foil and cook for 1 hr. Remove the foil and cook for 15 mins more until lightly golden and the top is firm with just the slightest wobble in the middle. Leave to cool. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.

To serve, scatter with almonds, drizzle over the remaining honey, and hand around fresh fruit to go with it.

Category: Beef

Area: Irish

Ingredients:

• 3 Lbs Beef Brisket
• 10 Small Potatoes
• 5 Carrots
• 1 head Cabbage

Instructions:

1

Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.

2

Add whole potatoes and peeled and cut carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.

3

Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Category: Beef

Area: Vietnamese

Ingredients:

• White Rice
• 1 Onion
• 1 Lime
• 3 Garlic Clove
• 1 Cucumber
• 3 oz Carrots
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 2 oz Soy Sauce

Instructions:

Add'l ingredients: mayonnaise, siracha

1

Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse until water runs clear. Add to a small pot with 1 cup water (2 cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15 minutes. Keep covered off heat for at least 10 minutes or until ready to serve.

2

Meanwhile, wash and dry all produce. Peel and finely chop garlic. Zest and quarter lime (for 4 servings, zest 1 lime and quarter both). Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. Halve, peel, and medium dice onion. Trim, peel, and grate carrot.

3

In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, juice from half the lime, ¼ tsp sugar (½ tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, a pinch of garlic, a squeeze of lime juice, and as much sriracha as you’d like. Season with salt and pepper.

4

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add beef, remaining garlic, and 2 tsp sugar (4 tsp for 4 servings). Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until beef is browned and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Turn off heat; taste and season with salt and pepper.

5

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest and 1 TBSP butter. Divide rice between bowls. Arrange beef, grated carrot, and pickled cucumber on top. Top with a squeeze of lime juice. Drizzle with sriracha mayo.

Category: Chicken

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 5 boneless Chicken
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cut into 1/2-inch cubes Squash
• 1 Head chopped Broccoli
• 8-ounce sliced mushrooms
• 1 red Pepper
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 16 ounces bowtie pasta
• pinch Salt
• pinch Pepper
• chopped Parsley

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of each chicken breast with seasoned salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the boiling water with a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Add the pasta and give it a stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a cutting board; allow it to rest. Turn the heat down to medium and dd the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil to the same pan you used to cook the chicken. Add the veggies (minus the garlic) and red pepper flakes to the pan and stir to coat with the oil and butter (refrain from seasoning with salt until the veggies are finished browning). Cook, stirring often, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, and reserved pasta water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and allow to simmer and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.

Category: Pork

Area: Chinese

Ingredients:

• 1lb Pork
• 3 chopped Garlic Clove
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tbs Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
• 3 finely chopped Carrots
• 3 finely chopped Celery
• 6 chopped Spring Onions
• 1 Packet Wonton Skin
• Fry Oil
• Bottle Water

Instructions:

Combine pork, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vegetables in a bowl.
Separate wonton skins.
Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of the wonton.
Brush water on 2 borders of the skin, covering 1/4 inch from the edge.
Fold skin over to form a triangle, sealing edges.
Pinch the two long outside points together.
Heat oil to 450 degrees and fry 4 to 5 at a time until golden.
Drain and serve with sauce.

Category: Beef

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp Goose Fat
• 600g Beef Shin
• 100g Bacon
• 350g Challots
• 250g Chestnut Mushroom
• 2 sliced Garlic Clove
• 1 Bouquet Garni
• 1 tbs Tomato Puree
• 750 ml Red Wine
• 600g Celeriac
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• sprigs of fresh Thyme
• sprigs of fresh Rosemary
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 4 Cardamom

Instructions:

Heat a large casserole pan and add 1 tbsp goose fat. Season the beef and fry until golden brown, about 3-5 mins, then turn over and fry the other side until the meat is browned all over, adding more fat if necessary. Do this in 2-3 batches, transferring the meat to a colander set over a bowl when browned.
In the same pan, fry the bacon, shallots or pearl onions, mushrooms, garlic and bouquet garni until lightly browned. Mix in the tomato purée and cook for a few mins, stirring into the mixture. This enriches the bourguignon and makes a great base for the stew. Then return the beef and any drained juices to the pan and stir through.
Pour over the wine and about 100ml water so the meat bobs up from the liquid, but isn’t completely covered. Bring to the boil and use a spoon to scrape the caramelised cooking juices from the bottom of the pan – this will give the stew more flavour.
Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Make a cartouche: tear off a square of foil slightly larger than the casserole, arrange it in the pan so it covers the top of the stew and trim away any excess foil. Then cook for 3 hrs. If the sauce looks watery, remove the beef and veg with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Cook the sauce over a high heat for a few mins until the sauce has thickened a little, then return the beef and vegetables to the pan.
To make the celeriac mash, peel the celeriac and cut into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Tip in the celeriac and fry for 5 mins until it turns golden. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, bay and cardamom pods, then pour over 200ml water, enough to nearly cover the celeriac. Turn the heat to low, partially cover the pan and leave to simmer for 25-30 mins.
After 25-30 mins, the celeriac should be soft and most of the water will have evaporated. Drain away any remaining water, then remove the herb sprigs, bay and cardamom pods. Lightly crush with a potato masher, then finish with a glug of olive oil and season to taste. Spoon the beef bourguignon into serving bowls and place a large spoonful of the celeriac mash on top. Garnish with one of the bay leaves, if you like.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 175g Butter
• 175g Caster Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 250g Self-raising Flour
• 3 tbs Milk
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• To Glaze Mixed Peel

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease an 18cm/7in round cake tin, line the base with greaseproof paper and grease the paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture curdling.
Sift the flour and gently fold in, with enough milk to give a mixture that falls slowly from the spoon. Fold in the lemon zest.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and lightly level the top. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
To serve, decorate the cake with the candied peel.

Category: Beef

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 1 Beef Brisket
• 3 tbs Salt
• 3 tbs Black Pepper
• 1 tbs Coriander
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 1 tsp Bay Leaf
• 1 tsp Cloves
• 3 tbs Black Pepper
• 1 tbs Coriander
• 1 tbs Paprika
• 1 tbs Garlic
• 1 tbs Onion
• 1 tbs Dill
• 1 tsp English Mustard
• 1 tbs Celery Salt
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions:

To make the cure, in a small bowl mix together salt, pink salt, black pepper, coriander, sugar, bay leaf, and cloves. Coat entire brisket with the cure and place in an extra-large resealable plastic bag. Place in the coldest part of the refrigerator and cure for 4 days, flipping brisket twice a day.
Remove brisket from bag and wash as much cure off as possible under cold running water. Place brisket in a large container and fill with water and let soak for 2 hours, replacing water every 30 minutes. Remove from water and pat dry with paper towels.
To make the rub, mix together black pepper, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, mustard, celery seed, and crushed red papper in a small bowl. Coat entire brisket with the rub.
Fire up smoker or grill to 225 degrees, adding chunks of smoking wood chunks when at temperature. When wood is ignited and producing smoke, place brisket in, fat side up, and smoke until an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into thickest part of the brisket, about 6 hours.
Transfer brisket to large roasting pan with V-rack. Place roasting pan over two burners on stovetop and fill with 1-inch of water. Bring water to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, cover roasting pan with aluminum foil, and steam brisket until an instant read thermometer registers 180 degrees when inserted into thickest part of the meat, 1 to 2 hours, adding more hot water as needed.
Transfer brisket to cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice and serve, preferably on rye with mustard.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 175g/6oz plain flour
• 75g/2½oz chilled butter
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• 1 tbsp raspberry jam
• 125g/4½oz butter
• 125g/4½oz caster sugar
• 125g/4½oz ground almonds
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 50g/1¾oz flaked almonds

Instructions:

To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water, mixing to form a soft dough.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 20cm/8in flan tin. Leave in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (180C fan).
Line the pastry case with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for about 15 minutes, then remove the beans and foil and cook for a further five minutes to dry out the base.
For the filing, spread the base of the flan generously with raspberry jam.
Melt the butter in a pan, take off the heat and then stir in the sugar. Add ground almonds, egg and almond extract. Pour into the flan tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
Bake for about 35 minutes. If the almonds seem to be browning too quickly, cover the tart loosely with foil to prevent them burning.