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Category: Beef

Area: Greek

Ingredients:

• 500g Beef
• 1 large Aubergine
• 150g Greek Yogurt
• 1 beaten Egg
• 3 tbs Parmesan
• 400g Tomato
• 4 tbs Tomato Puree
• 350g Potatoes

Instructions:

Heat the grill to high. Brown the beef in a deep ovenproof frying pan over a high heat for 5 mins. Meanwhile, prick the aubergine with a fork, then microwave on High for 3-5 mins until soft. Mix the yogurt, egg and parmesan together, then add a little seasoning.

Stir the tomatoes, purée and potatoes in with the beef with some seasoning and heat through. Smooth the surface of the beef mixture with the back of a spoon, then slice the cooked aubergine and arrange on top. Pour the yogurt mixture over the aubergines, smooth out evenly, then grill until the topping has set and turned golden.

Category: Chicken

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• 300g Mushrooms
• 4 Chicken Legs
• 500g Passata
• 1 Chicken Stock Cube
• 100g Black Olives
• Chopped Parsley

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and stir-fry the mushrooms until they start to soften. Add the chicken legs and cook briefly on each side to colour them a little.
Pour in the passata, crumble in the stock cube and stir in the olives. Season with black pepper – you shouldn’t need salt. Cover and simmer for 40 mins until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with pasta and a salad, or mash and green veg, if you like.

Category: Pasta

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 2 tbs Chopped Onion
• 1/2 tbs Dried Oregano
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 8 slices Bread
• 8 slices Bacon
• 8 slices Tomato
• 4 slices Mozzarella
• 2 1/2 Tbs Butter

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients; spread on four slices of bread. Layer with bacon, tomato and cheese; top with remaining bread.

2. In a large skillet or griddle, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Toast sandwiches until lightly browned on both sides and cheese is melted, adding butter if necessary.

Nutrition Facts
1 sandwich: 445 calories, 24g fat (12g saturated fat), 66mg cholesterol, 1094mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 21g protein.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 300g Digestive Biscuits
• 150g Butter
• 400g Condensed Milk
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 4 Lime
• 300ml Double Cream
• 1 tbls Icing Sugar
• to serve Lime

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Whizz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or put in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin). Mix with the melted butter and press into the base and up the sides of a 22cm loose-based tart tin. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
Put the egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk for a minute with electric beaters. Add the condensed milk and whisk for 3 minutes then add the zest and juice and whisk again for 3 minutes. Pour the filling into the cooled base then put back in the oven for 15 minutes. Cool then chill for at least 3 hours or overnight if you like.
When you are ready to serve, carefully remove the pie from the tin and put on a serving plate. To decorate, softly whip together the cream and icing sugar. Dollop or pipe the cream onto the top of the pie and finish with extra lime zest.

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: Side

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 50g Butter
• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 kg Onion
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 4 sliced Garlic Clove
• 2 tbs Plain Flour
• 250ml Dry White Wine
• 1L Beef Stock
• 4 sliced Bread
• 140g Gruyère

Instructions:

Melt the butter with the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 mins until soft. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 mins more, stirring frequently, until caramelised. The onions should be really golden, full of flavour and soft when pinched between your fingers. Take care towards the end to ensure that they don’t burn.
Add the garlic for the final few mins of the onions’ cooking time, then sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the hot stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins.
To serve, turn on the grill, and toast the bread. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls. Put a slice or two of toast on top of the bowls of soup, and pile on the cheese. Grill until melted. Alternatively, you can complete the toasts under the grill, then serve them on top.

Category: Pasta

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 2 tbs Chopped Onion
• 1/2 tbs Dried Oregano
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 8 slices Bread
• 8 slices Bacon
• 8 slices Tomato
• 4 slices Mozzarella
• 2 1/2 Tbs Butter

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients; spread on four slices of bread. Layer with bacon, tomato and cheese; top with remaining bread.

2. In a large skillet or griddle, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Toast sandwiches until lightly browned on both sides and cheese is melted, adding butter if necessary.

Nutrition Facts
1 sandwich: 445 calories, 24g fat (12g saturated fat), 66mg cholesterol, 1094mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 21g protein.

Category: Chicken

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Chicken
• 25g Butter
• 6 tblsp Olive Oil
• 2 sliced Red Onions
• 3 Large Red Pepper
• 130g Chorizo
• 8 Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• 6 cloves sliced Garlic
• 300g Basmati Rice
• drizzle Tomato Puree
• ½ tsp Paprika
• 4 Bay Leaves
• Handful Thyme
• 350ml Chicken Stock
• 180g Dry White Wine
• 2 Lemons
• 100g Black Olives
• to serve Salt
• to serve Pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Have the chicken joints ready to cook. Heat the butter and 3 tbsp olive oil in a flameproof casserole or large frying pan. Brown the chicken pieces in batches on both sides, seasoning them with salt and pepper as you go. Don't crowd the pan – fry the chicken in small batches, removing the pieces to kitchen paper as they are done.

Add a little more olive oil to the casserole and fry the onions over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned. Add the rest of the oil, then the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to ensure it is well coated in the oil. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, bay leaves and chopped thyme. Pour in the stock and wine. When the liquid starts to bubble, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Press the rice down into the liquid if it isn't already submerged and place the chicken on top. Add the lemon wedges and olives around the chicken.

Cover and cook in the oven for 50 minutes. The rice should be cooked but still have some bite, and the chicken should have juices that run clear when pierced in the thickest part with a knife. If not, cook for another 5 minutes and check again.

Category: Dessert

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 500g Ricotta
• 4 large Eggs
• 3 tbs Flour
• 250g Sugar
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• Grated Zest of 2 Lemons
• 5 tbs Dark Rum
• sprinking Icing Sugar

Instructions:

Mash the ricotta and beat well with the egg yolks, stir in the flour, sugar, cinnamon, grated lemon rind and the rum and mix well. You can do this in a food processor. Beat the egg whites until stiff, fold in and pour into a buttered and floured 25cm cake tin. Bake in the oven at 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas 4 for about 40 minutes, or until it is firm.

Serve hot or cold dusted with icing sugar.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Miniature Marshmallows
• 3 cups Chocolate Chips
• ½ cup Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 ¼ cups Peanuts

Instructions:

Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with wax paper or foil, and coat with non-stick spray.
Pour ½ cup of the miniature marshmallows into the bottom of the lined baking dish.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave the chocolate mixture in 20-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted.
Add the vanilla extract and stir well, until smooth.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the chopped almonds or peanuts, and set aside.
Fold 1 ½ cups of the miniature marshmallows and the remaining chopped nuts into the chocolate mixture.
Transfer the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Immediately top with the reserved chopped nuts and the mallow bits or additional miniature marshmallows, if using.
Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set.
Remove the fudge and wax paper from the pan. Carefully peel all of wax paper from the fudge.
Cut the fudge into bite-sized pieces and serve.