Category: Uncategorized

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 200g Dark Chocolate
• 100g Milk Chocolate
• 250g Salted Butter
• 400g Light Brown Soft Sugar
• 4 large Eggs
• 140g Plain Flour
• 50g Cocoa
• 200g Raspberries

Instructions:

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking parchment. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.
Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Sieve over the flour and cocoa, and stir in. Stir in half the raspberries, scrape into the tray, then scatter over the remaining raspberries. Bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins or, if you prefer a firmer texture, for 5 mins more. Cool before slicing into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Category: Chicken

Area: Thai

Ingredients:

• 225g new Potatoes
• 100g green beans
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 tsp Thai green curry paste
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2 tsp Thai fish sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 450g boneless Chicken
• 2 fresh kaffir leaves lime
• handfull basil
• Boiled Rice

Instructions:

Put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Throw in the beans and cook for a further 3 minutes, by which time both should be just tender but not too soft. Drain and put to one side.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil until very hot, then drop in the garlic and cook until golden, this should take only a few seconds. Don’t let it go very dark or it will spoil the taste. Spoon in the curry paste and stir it around for a few seconds to begin to cook the spices and release all the flavours. Next, pour in the coconut milk and let it come to a bubble.
Stir in the fish sauce and sugar, then the pieces of chicken. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Tip in the potatoes and beans and let them warm through in the hot coconut milk, then add a lovely citrussy flavour by stirring in the shredded lime leaves (or lime zest). The basil leaves go in next, but only leave them briefly on the heat or they will quickly lose their brightness. Scatter with the lime garnish and serve immediately with boiled rice.

Category: Pork

Area: Irish

Ingredients:

• 800g Floury Potatoes
• 50g Butter
• 3 chopped Garlic Clove
• 1 chopped Cabbage
• 8 Spring Onions
• 100ml Double Cream
• 2 tbs Mustard
• 180g Ham
• 4 Eggs

Instructions:

STEP 1
Peel and cut the potatoes into even, medium-sized chunks. Put in a large pan filled with cold salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 10-15 mins until a knife can be inserted into the potatoes easily.

STEP 2
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, cabbage, spring onions and some seasoning. Stir occasionally until the cabbage is wilted but still retains a little bite, then set aside.

STEP 3
Drain the potatoes, leave to steam-dry for a couple of mins, then mash with the cream, mustard and seasoning in the same saucepan. Stir in the cabbage and ham hock. Keep warm over a low heat.

STEP 4
Reheat the pan you used to cook the cabbage (no need to wash first), add a splash of oil, crack in the eggs and fry to your liking. To serve, divide the colcannon between bowls and top each with a fried egg.

Category: Dessert

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 568ml Double Cream
• 100g White Chocolate Chips
• Pod of Vanilla
• 6 Egg Yolks
• 2 tbs Caster Sugar
• Top Caster Sugar

Instructions:

Heat the cream, chocolate and vanilla pod in a pan until the chocolate has melted. Take off the heat and allow to infuse for 10 mins, scraping the pod seeds into the cream. If using the vanilla extract, add straight away. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
Beat yolks and sugar until pale. stir in the chocolate cream. Strain into a jug and pour into ramekins. Place in a deep roasting tray and pour boiling water halfway up the sides. Bake for 15-20 mins until just set with a wobbly centre. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hrs.
To serve, sprinkle some sugar on top of the brûlées and caramelise with a blowtorch or briefly under a hot grill. Leave caramel to harden, then serve.

Category: Dessert

Area: Portuguese

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Plain Flour
• 2 tbs Icing Sugar
• 375g Puff Pastry
• 250g Caster Sugar
• 2 strips Lemon Zest
• 1 Stick Cinnamon
• 2 Eggs
• 4 Egg Yolks
• 50g Corn Flour
• 500ml Whole Milk
• Pod of Vanilla
• To serve Cinnamon

Instructions:

STEP 1
Roll the pastry
Mix the flour and icing sugar, and use this to dust the work surface. Roll the pastry out to make a 45 x 30cm rectangle. Roll up lengthways to create a long sausage shape.

STEP 2
Cutting pastry into rounds
Cut the pastry into 24 wheels, about 1-2cm thick.

STEP 3
Roll out each pastry portion
Roll each wheel lightly with the rolling pin to fit 2 x 12-hole non-stick fairy cake tins.

STEP 4
Press pastry into the tin
Press the pastry circles into the tins and mould into the tins to make thin cases. Chill until needed.

STEP 5
Make the infused syrup
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Make a sugar syrup by bringing the sugar, 200ml water, lemon zest and cinnamon stick to the boil. Reduce until syrupy, allow to cool, then remove the cinnamon and lemon. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and cornflour until smooth in another large pan.

STEP 6
Making custard
Heat the milk and vanilla pod seeds in a separate pan until just below the boil. Gradually pour the hot milk over the eggs and cornflour, then cook on a low heat, continually whisking.

STEP 7
Add syrup to custard
Add the cooled sugar syrup to the custard and whisk until thickened slightly.

STEP 8
Pour custard into the tins
Pour the custard through a sieve. Pour into the pastry cases and bake for 15 minutes until the pastry is golden and the custard has darkened.

STEP 9
cool and dust with icing sugar
Cool completely in the tins then sift over icing sugar and ground cinnamon to serve.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 200g Butter
• 200g Muscovado Sugar
• 200g Plain Flour
• 4 Beaten Eggs
• 50g Ground Almonds
• 100ml Sherry
• 85g Candied Peel
• 85g Glace Cherry
• 250g Raisins
• 250g Currants
• 100g Pecan Nuts
• Grated zest of 1 Lemon
• 1 ½ tbsp Mixed Spice
• 1 ½ tbsp Rose water
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Instructions:

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round, 7.5 cm deep cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 mins until very creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the sides of the bowl half way through. Stir in a spoonful of the flour, then stir in the beaten egg and the rest of the flour alternately, a quarter at a time, beating well each time with a wooden spoon. Stir in the almonds.

Mix in the sherry (the mix will look curdled), then add the peel, cherries, raisins, cherries, nuts, lemon zest, spice, rosewater and vanilla. Beat together to mix, then stir in the baking powder.

Spoon mixture into the tin and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the centre. Bake for 30 mins, then lower temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake a further 2-2¼ hrs, until a skewer insterted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then take out of the tin and peel off the lining paper. When completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil to store until ready to decorate. The cake will keep for several months.

Category: Chicken

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 rashers (100g) chopped dry-cured Bacon
• 12 small Shallots
• 2 (460g) Chicken Legs
• 4 (650g) Chicken Thighs
• 2 (280g) Chicken Breasts
• 3 finely chopped Garlic
• 3 tbsp Brandy
• 600ml Red Wine
• 150ml Chicken Stock
• 2 tsp tomato puree
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• garnish parsley
• 250g chestnut mushroom
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp butter

Instructions:

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan or flameproof dish. Tip in the bacon and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Add the shallots to the pan and fry, stirring or shaking the pan often, for 5-8 mins until well browned all over. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
Pat the chicken pieces dry with kitchen paper. Pour the remaining oil into the pan, then fry half the chicken pieces, turning regularly, for 5-8 mins until well browned. Remove, then repeat with the remaining chicken. Remove and set aside.
Scatter in the garlic and fry briefly, then, with the heat medium-high, pour in the brandy or Cognac, stirring the bottom of the pan to deglaze. The alcohol should sizzle and start to evaporate so there is not much left.
Return the chicken legs and thighs to the pan along with any juices, then pour in a little of the wine, stirring the bottom of the pan again. Stir in the rest of the wine, the stock and tomato purée, drop in the bouquet garni, season with pepper and a pinch of salt, then return the bacon and shallots to the pan. Cover, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, add the chicken breasts and cook for 50 mins-1hr.
Just before ready to serve, heat the oil for the mushrooms in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for a few mins until golden. Remove and keep warm.
Lift the chicken, shallots and bacon from the pan and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Remove the bouquet garni. To make the thickener, mix the flour, olive oil and butter in a small bowl using the back of a teaspoon. Bring the wine mixture to a gentle boil, then gradually drop in small pieces of the thickener, whisking each piece in using a wire whisk. Simmer for 1-2 mins. Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken, then pour over the wine sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Category: Chicken

Area: Chinese

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Chicken
• pinch Salt
• pinch Pepper
• 1 tsp Ginger Cordial
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tbs Spring Onions
• 1/2 cup Rice
• 8 cups Water
• 2 oz Coriander

Instructions:

STEP 1 – MARINATING THE CHICKEN
In a bowl, add chicken, salt, white pepper, ginger juice and then mix it together well.
Set the chicken aside.
STEP 2 – RINSE THE WHITE RICE
Rinse the rice in a metal bowl or pot a couple times and then drain the water.
STEP 2 – BOILING THE WHITE RICE
Next add 8 cups of water and then set the stove on high heat until it is boiling. Once rice porridge starts to boil, set the stove on low heat and then stir it once every 8-10 minutes for around 20-25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, this is optional but you can add a little bit more water to make rice porridge to make it less thick or to your preference.
Next add the marinated chicken to the rice porridge and leave the stove on low heat for another 10 minutes.
After an additional 10 minutes add the green onions, sliced ginger, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of white pepper and stir for 10 seconds.
Serve the rice porridge in a bowl
Optional: add Coriander on top of the rice porridge.

Category: Dessert

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 parts Yeast
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 6 tblsp Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 ½ tsp Salt
• 2-1/2 cups Flour
• for frying Oil
• garnish Lemon
• garnish Sugar
• garnish Cinnamon

Instructions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water, a big pinch of sugar and yeast. Allow to sit until frothy.
Into the same bowl, add 1/2 cup sugar, warm milk, melted butter, eggs and salt, and whisk until combined.
Place a dough hook on the mixer, add the flour with the machine on, until a smooth but slightly sticky dough forms.
Place dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof for 1 1/2 hours.
Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll out into long oval-like shapes about 1/4 inch thick that resemble a beaver’s tail.
In a large, deep pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Gently place beavertail dough into hot oil and cook for 30 to 45 seconds on each side until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels, and garnish as desired. Toss in cinnamon sugar, in white sugar with a squeeze of lemon, or with a generous slathering of Nutella and a handful of toasted almonds. 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.