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  • Cabbage Soup (Shchi)

    Cabbage Soup (Shchi)

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Russian

    Ingredients:

    • 3 tbs Unsalted Butter
    • 1 large Onion
    • 1 medium Cabbage
    • 1 Carrots
    • 1 Celery
    • 1 Bay Leaf
    • 8 cups Vegetable Stock
    • 2 large Potatoes
    • 2 large Tomatoes
    • Garnish Sour Cream
    • Garnish Dill

    Instructions:

    Add the butter to a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and sauté until translucent.
    Add the cabbage, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
    Add the bay leaf and vegetable stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
    Add the potatoes and bring it back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
    Add the tomatoes (or undrained canned tomatoes) and bring the soup back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    emove and discard the bay leaf from the pot.
    Serve topped with fresh sour cream and fresh dill.

  • Cajun spiced fish tacos

    Cajun spiced fish tacos

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Mexican

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tbsp cajun
    • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 4 fillets white fish
    • 1 tsp vegetable oil
    • 8 flour tortilla
    • 1 sliced avocado
    • 2 shredded little gem lettuce
    • 4 shredded spring onion
    • 1 x 300ml salsa
    • 1 pot sour cream
    • 1 lemon
    • 1 clove finely chopped garlic

    Instructions:

    Cooking in a cajun spice and cayenne pepper marinade makes this fish super succulent and flavoursome. Top with a zesty dressing and serve in a tortilla for a quick, fuss-free main that's delightfully summery.

    On a large plate, mix the cajun spice and cayenne pepper with a little seasoning and use to coat the fish all over.

    Heat a little oil in a frying pan, add in the fish and cook over a medium heat until golden. Reduce the heat and continue frying until the fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Cook in batches if you don’t have enough room in the pan.

    Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by combining all the ingredients with a little seasoning.
    Soften the tortillas by heating in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Pile high with the avocado, lettuce and spring onion, add a spoonful of salsa, top with large flakes of fish and drizzle over the dressing.

  • Ful Medames

    Ful Medames

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Egyptian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups Broad Beans
    • 1/3 cup Parsley
    • Dash Olive Oil
    • 3 Lemons
    • 4 Garlic Clove
    • Sprinking Cumin

    Instructions:

    As the cooking time varies depending on the quality and age of the beans, it is good to cook them in advance and to reheat them when you are ready to serve. Cook the drained beans in a fresh portion of unsalted water in a large saucepan with the lid on until tender, adding water to keep them covered, and salt when the beans have softened. They take 2–2 1/2 hours of gentle simmering. When the beans are soft, let the liquid reduce. It is usual to take out a ladle or two of the beans and to mash them with some of the cooking liquid, then stir this back into the beans. This is to thicken the sauce.
    Serve the beans in soup bowls sprinkled with chopped parsley and accompanied by Arab bread.
    Pass round the dressing ingredients for everyone to help themselves: a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil, the quartered lemons, salt and pepper, a little saucer with the crushed garlic, one with chili-pepper flakes, and one with ground cumin.
    The beans are eaten gently crushed with the fork, so that they absorb the dressing.
    Optional Garnishes
    Peel hard-boiled eggs—1 per person—to cut up in the bowl with the beans.
    Top the beans with a chopped cucumber-and-tomato salad and thinly sliced mild onions or scallions. Otherwise, pass round a good bunch of scallions and quartered tomatoes and cucumbers cut into sticks.
    Serve with tahina cream sauce (page 65) or salad (page 67), with pickles and sliced onions soaked in vinegar for 30 minutes.
    Another way of serving ful medames is smothered in a garlicky tomato sauce (see page 464).
    In Syria and Lebanon, they eat ful medames with yogurt or feta cheese, olives, and small cucumbers.
    Variations
    A traditional way of thickening the sauce is to throw a handful of red lentils (1/4 cup) into the water at the start of the cooking.
    In Iraq, large brown beans are used instead of the small Egyptian ones, in a dish called badkila, which is also sold for breakfast in the street.

  • Montreal Smoked Meat

    Montreal Smoked Meat

    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.

  • Salmon Eggs Eggs Benedict

    Salmon Eggs Eggs Benedict

    Category: Breakfast

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 4 Eggs
    • 2 tbs White Wine Vinegar
    • 2 English Muffins
    • To serve Butter
    • 8 slices Smoked Salmon
    • 2 tsp Lemon Juice
    • 2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
    • 3 Yolkes Egg
    • 125g Unsalted Butter

    Instructions:

    First make the Hollandaise sauce. Put the lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk with a balloon whisk until light and frothy. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until mixture thickens. Gradually add the butter, whisking constantly until thick – if it looks like it might be splitting, then whisk off the heat for a few mins. Season and keep warm.

    To poach the eggs, bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the vinegar. Lower the heat so that the water is simmering gently. Stir the water so you have a slight whirlpool, then slide in the eggs one by one. Cook each for about 4 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon.

    Lightly toast and butter the muffins, then put a couple of slices of salmon on each half. Top each with an egg, spoon over some Hollandaise and garnish with chopped chives.

  • Spaghetti Bolognese

    Spaghetti Bolognese

    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.

  • Tonkatsu pork

    Tonkatsu pork

    Category: Pork

    Area: Japanese

    Ingredients:

    • 4 Pork Chops
    • 100g Flour
    • 2 Beaten Eggs
    • 100g Breadcrumbs
    • Fry Vegetable Oil
    • 2 tbs Tomato Ketchup
    • 2 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
    • 1 tbs Oyster Sauce
    • 2 tblsp Caster Sugar

    Instructions:

    STEP 1
    Remove the large piece of fat on the edge of each pork loin, then bash each of the loins between two pieces of baking parchment until around 1cm in thickness – you can do this using a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin. Once bashed, use your hands to reshape the meat to its original shape and thickness – this step will ensure the meat is as succulent as possible.

    STEP 2
    Put the flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs into three separate wide-rimmed bowls. Season the meat, then dip first in the flour, followed by the eggs, then the breadcrumbs.

    STEP 3
    In a large frying or sauté pan, add enough oil to come 2cm up the side of the pan. Heat the oil to 180C – if you don’t have a thermometer, drop a bit of panko into the oil and if it sinks a little then starts to fry, the oil is ready. Add two pork chops and cook for 1 min 30 secs on each side, then remove and leave to rest on a wire rack for 5 mins. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.

    STEP 4
    While the pork is resting, make the sauce by whisking the ingredients together, adding a splash of water if it’s particularly thick. Slice the tonkatsu and serve drizzled with the sauce.

  • General Tso’s Chicken

    General Tso's Chicken

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Chinese

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 Chicken Breast
    • 3/4 cup Plain Flour
    • 1 Egg
    • 2 tbs Starch
    • 1 tbs Baking Powder
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1/2 tsp Onion Salt
    • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
    • 3/4 cup Water
    • 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
    • 1/4 cup Duck Sauce
    • 3 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 2 tbs Honey
    • 1 tbs Rice Vinegar
    • 2 tbs Sesame Seed Oil
    • 1/2 tbs Gochujang
    • 2 tbs Starch
    • 1 clove Garlic
    • 2 chopped Spring Onions
    • 1 tsp Ginger

    Instructions:

    DIRECTIONS:
    STEP 1 – SAUCE
    In a bowl, add 2 Cups of water, 2 Tablespoon soy sauce, 2 Tablespoon white vinegar, sherry cooking wine, 1/4 Teaspoon white pepper, minced ginger, minced garlic, hot pepper, ketchup, hoisin sauce, and sugar.
    Mix together well and set aside.
    STEP 2 – MARINATING THE CHICKEN
    In a bowl, add the chicken, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of white pepper, 2 egg whites, and 3 Tablespoon of corn starch
    STEP 3 – DEEP FRY THE CHICKEN
    Deep fry the chicken at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes or until it is golden brown and loosen up the chicken so that they don't stick together.
    Set the chicken aside.
    STEP 4 – STIR FRY
    Add the sauce to the wok and then the broccoli and wait until it is boiling.
    To thicken the sauce, whisk together 2 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 4 Tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly add to your stir-fry until it's the right thickness.
    Next add in the chicken and stir-fry for a minute and serve on a plate

  • Summer Pudding

    Summer Pudding

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 300g Strawberries
    • 250g Blackberries
    • 100g Redcurrants
    • 500g Raspberries
    • 175g Caster Sugar
    • 7 Slices Bread

    Instructions:

    Bring out the juices: Wash fruit and gently dry on kitchen paper – keep strawberries separate. Put sugar and 3 tbsp water into a large pan. Gently heat until sugar dissolves – stir a few times. Bring to a boil for 1 min, then tip in the fruit (not strawberries). Cook for 3 mins over a low heat, stirring 2-3 times. The fruit will be softened, mostly intact and surrounded by dark red juice. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice.
    Line the bowl with cling film and prepare the bread: Line the 1.25-litre basin with cling film as this will help you to turn out the pudding. Overlap two pieces of cling film in the middle of the bowl as it’s easier than trying to get one sheet to stick to all of the curves. Let the edges overhang by about 15cm. Cut the crusts off the bread. Cut 4 pieces of bread in half, a little on an angle, to give 2 lopsided rectangles per piece. Cut 2 slices into 4 triangles each and leave the final piece whole.
    Build the pud: Dip the whole piece of bread into the juice for a few secs just to coat. Push this into the bottom of the basin. Now dip the wonky rectangular pieces one at a time and press around the basin’s sides so that they fit together neatly, alternately placing wide and narrow ends up. If you can’t quite fit the last piece of bread in it doesn’t matter, just trim into a triangle, dip in juice and slot in. Now spoon in the softened fruit, adding the strawberries here and there as you go.
    Let flavours mingle then serve: Dip the bread triangles in juice and place on top – trim off overhang with scissors. Keep leftover juice for later. Bring cling film up and loosely seal. Put a side plate on top and weight down with cans. Chill for 6 hrs or overnight. To serve, open out cling film then put a serving plate upside-down on top and flip over. serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream.

  • Home-made Mandazi

    Home-made Mandazi

    Category: Breakfast

    Area: Kenyan

    Ingredients:

    • 750g Self-raising Flour
    • 6 tablespoons Sugar
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 cup Milk

    Instructions:

    This is one recipe a lot of people have requested and I have tried to make it as simple as possible and I hope it will work for you. Make sure you use the right flour which is basically one with raising agents. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste and try using different flavours to have variety whenever you have them.
    You can use Coconut milk instead of regular milk, you can also add desiccated coconut to the dry flour or other spices like powdered cloves or cinnamon.
    For “healthy looking” mandazis do not roll the dough too thin before frying and use the procedure I have indicated above.

    1. Mix the flour,cinnamon and sugar in a suitable bowl.
    2. In a separate bowl whisk the egg into the milk
    3. Make a well at the centre of the flour and add the milk and egg mixture and slowly mix to form a dough.
    4. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes or until it stops sticking to the sides of the bowl and you have a smooth surface.
    5. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
    6. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 1cm thick piece.
    7. Using a sharp small knife, cut the dough into the desired size setting aside ready for deep frying.
    8. Heat your oil in a suitable pot and gently dip the mandazi pieces to cook until light brown on the first side then turn to cook on the second side.
    9. Serve them warm or cold