Category: Uncategorized

Category: Lamb

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Cumin
• 1 tbs Rapeseed Oil
• 2 finely chopped Red Onions
• 6 Garlic Clove
• 3 finely chopped Green Chilli
• 1 finely chopped Red Pepper
• 1 tsp Nutmeg
• 2 tsp Coriander
• 1kg Lamb Mince
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 3 tbs Coriander
• 340g Plain Flour
• ½ tsp Salt
• 90 ml Milk
• 150g Lard
• Beaten Egg Yolks

Instructions:

Heat a large frying pan and toast the cumin seeds for a few minutes, then set aside. Heat the oil in the same pan and fry the onion, garlic, chilli, pepper and a good pinch of salt for around eight minutes, until there is no moisture left. Remove from the heat, stir in the toasted cumin seeds, ground mace (or nutmeg) and ground coriander. Leave to cool.
In a large bowl mix together the minced lamb, white pepper, fresh coriander, and the cooled spiced onion mixture until combined. Set aside, covered, in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and generously grease a 20cm/8in diameter loose-bottomed or springform round cake tin with lard.
To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Put the milk, lard and 90ml/3fl oz of water in a saucepan and heat gently. When the lard has melted, increase the heat and bring to the boil.
Pour the boiling liquid into the flour, and use a wooden spoon to combine until cool enough to handle. Bring together into a ball.
Dust a work surface with flour and, working quickly, knead the dough briefly – it will be soft and moist. Set aside a third of the pastry and roll the rest out on a well-floured surface. Line the pie dish with the pastry, pressing it right up the sides until it pokes just over the top of the tin.
Add the filling into the pastry-lined tin bit by bit. As you reach the top, form a slight peak. Roll out the reserved pastry and top the pie with it. Pinch the edges to seal and trim the excess. Poke a hole in the top of the pie and insert a small tube made from aluminium foil to allow steam to escape.
Brush the top of the pie with a little beaten egg yolk, and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes (put a tray on the shelf below to catch any drips). Then reduce the temperature to 160C/325F/Gas 3 and cook for a further 1¼ hours until golden-brown. Leave to cool completely before refrigerating for two hours, or overnight.
Run a knife around the edge of the pie, remove from the tin and serve with chutneys, salads or pickles.

Category: Beef

Area: Croatian

Ingredients:

• 600g Potatoes
• 1 chopped Courgettes
• 1 chopped Carrots
• 1 chopped Green Pepper
• 1 small Aubergine
• 1 Large Chopped Onion
• 800g Lamb Shoulder
• 1 tbs Garlic Sauce
• 1 tbs Tomato Puree
• 80 ml Olive Oil
• Sprinking Thyme
• 250ml White Wine
• Pinch Pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200°C fan / 220°C / 425°F / Gas mark 7
If you have not bought diced lamb, cut your lamb shoulder or leg into large chunks and place to one side.
Chunks of chopped lamb of a red chopping board
Make oil marinade –
Mix 80ml of olive oil in a bowl with garlic puree, sundried tomato puree ,black pepper and salt.
olive oil, gia sundried tomato puree and gia garlic puree and black pepper mixed together in a silver bowl to make Croatian peka
Add potatoes and vegetables into a large lidded casserole dish.
Chopped up vegetables which consist of chopped up red onion, courgette, potatoes red peppers in a cast iron pan
Place diced lamb on top of the vegetables, pour the marinade and wine over the top.
Chunks of lamb covered in in a sundried tomato oil sauce which is on top of chopped red onion, aubergine, courgette and potatoes in a cast iron pan
Add the rosemary, thyme and sage, trying to keep the herbs on top.
So you can easily remove the herb stalks once cooked.
Chunks of lamb coated in a sundried tomato oil sauce and covered with thyme, rosemary and sage which is on top of chopped red onion, aubergine, courgette and potatoes in a cast iron pan
Place lid on the casserole dish and cook for 1hr 30 minute
If you do not have a lid cover very well with kitchen foil
Cast iron dish with lid on in the oven
Take the lid off, remove any thick herb stems. Stir in 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Cook for a further 20-30 mins.
Cooked Croatian Lamb Peka in a cast iron pan in the oven
Serve with fresh homemade bread to dip into the juices.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 300g Plain Flour
• 75g Butter
• 100g Cream Cheese
• 1 tbls Icing Sugar
• 150g Butter
• 200ml Maple Syrup
• 250g Light Brown Soft Sugar
• 100g Dark Brown Soft Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 400g Pecan Nuts
• 200g Dark Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

First, make the pastry. Tip the ingredients into a food processor with 1 /4 tsp salt. Blend until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle 2-3 tsp cold water into the funnel while the blade is running – the mixture should start to clump together. Tip onto a work surface and bring together, kneading briefly into a ball. Pat into a disc, wrap in cling film, and chill for at least 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and leave at room temperature for 5 mins to soften. Flour the work surface, then unwrap the pastry and roll to a circle the thickness of a £1 coin. Use the pastry to line a deep, 23cm round fluted tin – mine was about 3cm deep. Press the pastry into the corners and up the sides, making sure there are no gaps. Leave 1cm pastry overhanging (save some of the pastry scraps for later). Line with baking parchment (scrunch it up first to make it more pliable) and fill with baking beans. Blind-bake for 15-20 mins until the sides are set, then remove the parchment and beans and return to the oven for 5 mins until golden brown. Trim the pastry so it’s flush with the top of the tin – a small serrated knife is best for this. If there are any cracks, patch them up with the pastry scraps.

Meanwhile, weigh the butter, syrup and sugars into a pan, and add 1 /4 tsp salt. Heat until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 mins. Reduce oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the syrup mixture, vanilla and pecans, and mix until well combined. Pour half the mixture into the tart case, scatter over half the chocolate chips, then cover with the remaining filling and chocolate chips. Bake on the middle shelf for 50-55 mins until set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hrs before serving.

Category: Breakfast

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Flour
• 2 Puff Pastry
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC), and prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until fully combined. Lightly flour the surface and roll out puff pastry on top to flatten. Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 9 equal squares. On the top right and bottom left of the pastry, cut an L shape approximately ½ inch (1 cm) from the edge.
NOTE: This L shape should reach all the way down and across the square, however both L shapes should not meet at the ends. Your pastry should look like a picture frame with two corners still intact.
Take the upper right corner and fold down towards the inner bottom corner. You will now have a diamond shape.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling in the middle, then place berries on top.
Repeat with the remaining pastry squares and place them onto the parchment covered baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and puffed.
Enjoy!

Category: Lamb

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 500g Lamb Shoulder
• 1 tbls Flour
• Dash Vegetable Oil
• 1 sliced Onion
• 2 sliced Carrots
• 350ml/12fl Vegetable Stock
• 500g Potatoes
• 450g Shortcrust Pastry
• To Glaze Eggs

Instructions:

Dust the meat with flour to lightly coat.
Heat enough vegetable oil in a large saucepan to fill the base, and fry the onion and meat until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the carrots, stock and more seasoning to taste.
Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for at least an hour or until the meat is tender. Take your time cooking the meat, the longer you leave it to cook, the better the flavour will be.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Add the drained potato cubes to the lamb.
Turn the mixture into a pie dish or casserole and cover with the shortcrust pastry. Make three slits in the top of the pastry to release any steam while cooking.
Brush with beaten egg and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
Serve.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 750g Pumpkin
• 350g Shortcrust Pastry
• Dusting Plain Flour
• 140g Caster Sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Nutmeg
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 Beaten Eggs
• 25g Butter
• 175g Milk
• 1 tblsp Icing Sugar

Instructions:

Place the pumpkin in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 mins or until tender. Drain pumpkin; let cool.
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 15 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and paper, and cook for a further 10 mins until the base is pale golden and biscuity. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half the cinnamon. Mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir to combine. Pour into the tart shell and cook for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Continue to bake for 35-40 mins until the filling has just set.
Leave to cool, then remove the pie from the tin. Mix the remaining cinnamon with the icing sugar and dust over the pie. Serve chilled.

Category: Dessert

Area: Tunisian

Ingredients:

• 250g Cashew Nuts
• 100g Icing Sugar
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 2 tbs Orange Blossom Water
• To Glaze Icing Sugar
• 100g Almonds

Instructions:

Preheat the oven at 180 C / Gas 4. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
In a bowl, mix the cashews and icing sugar. Add the egg yolks and orange blossom water and mix to a smooth homogeneous paste.
Take lumps of the cashew paste and shape into small balls. Roll the balls in icing sugar and transfer to the baking tray. Push an almond in the centre of each ghribia.
Bake until the biscuits are lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them, they burn quickly.

Category: Seafood

Area: Greek

Ingredients:

• 500g Raw king prawns
• 3 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 Chopped onion
• pinch Freshly chopped parsley
• 250ml White wine
• 1 (400g) tin Chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon Minced garlic
• 1 (200g) pack Cubed Feta cheese

Instructions:

Place the prawns in a pot and add enough water to cover. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Add the onion; cook and stir until soft. Mix in the parsley, wine, tomatoes, garlic and remaining olive oil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.
While the sauce is simmering, the prawns should become cool enough to handle. First remove the legs by pinching them, and then pull off the shells, leaving the head and tail on.
When the sauce has thickened, stir in the prawns. Bring to a simmer again if the sauce has cooled with the prawns, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the feta and remove from the heat. Let stand until the cheese starts to melt. Serve warm with slices of crusty bread.
Though completely untraditional, you can add a few tablespoons of stock or passata to this recipe to make a delicious pasta sauce. Toss with pasta after adding the feta, and serve.

Category: Seafood

Area: Spanish

Ingredients:

• 400g Mussels
• 8 Prawns
• 2 pinches Saffron
• 350g Vermicelli Pasta
• 5 tblsp Olive Oil
• 1 large Onions
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbs Paprika
• 1 tail Monkfish
• 4 Baby Squid
• 650ml Fish Stock
• 2 large Tomatoes
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• Topping Parsley

Instructions:

Boil the kettle. Empty the mussels into a colander and run under cold water. Throw away any with broken shells. Pick through the shells, tapping each one on the side of the sink – they should be closed or should slowly close when tapped – if they stay open, throw them away. If any of the shells still have barnacles or stringy beards attached, pull them off with a cutlery knife and rinse the shells well. Keep in the colander, covered with a cold, damp cloth, until you’re ready to cook. Peel the prawn shells on the body section only – leave the heads and tails intact. Score down the backs and pull out any gritty entrails. Chill until you’re ready to cook.
Put the saffron in a small cup, cover with 50ml kettle-hot water and set aside for 10 mins. If using vermicelli, put in a bowl and crush to little pieces (about 1cm long) with your hands.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan with at least a 3cm lip, or a 40cm paella pan. Add the onion and stir around the pan for 5 mins until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, then tip in the vermicelli and cook for 5 mins, stirring from time to time, until the vermicelli is toasted brown. Stir in the paprika.
Keeping the heat moderate, stir through the monkfish, squid and saffron with its water, seasoning well. Spread the ingredients out in an even layer, then pour over the hot stock and scatter the tomatoes on top. Bring to a simmer, then cover the whole dish with a tight-fitting lid (or foil). Turn the heat to medium and cook for 6 mins.
Uncover and stir to incorporate the dry top layer of pasta. Push the mussels into the pasta so the hinges are buried in the bottom of the dish, and they stand straight up. Arrange the prawns on top, cover tightly and cook for another 6 mins or until the mussels are open, the prawns are pink and the pasta is cooked through. Leave to simmer for another 2-3 mins to cook off most of the remaining liquid (leave a little in the pan to prevent the pasta from sticking together). Allow to sit for 2-3 mins, then squeeze over the lemon juice and arrange the wedges on top. Scatter with parsley before serving.

Category: Vegan

Area: Spanish

Ingredients:

• 6 small Baby Aubergine
• 4 small Fennel
• 1 thinly sliced Red Pepper
• 1 medium Courgettes
• 1 finely chopped Onion
• 300g Paella Rice
• 1 tsp Paprika
• pinch Saffron
• 200ml White Wine
• 700ml Vegetable Stock
• 100g Frozen Peas
• 1 chopped Lemon
• Handful Parsley
• pinch Salt
• pinch Black Pepper

Instructions:

1 Put the fennel, aubergine, pepper and courgette in a roasting tray. Add a glug of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss around to coat the veggies in the oil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning a couple of times until the veg are pretty much cooked through and turning golden.

2 Meanwhile, heat a paella pan or large frying pan over a low– medium heat and add a glug of olive oil. Sauté the onion for 8–10 minutes until softened. Increase the heat to medium and stir in the rice, paprika and saffron. Cook for around 1 minute to start toasting the rice, then add the white wine. Reduce by about half before stirring in two-thirds of the stock. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes without a lid, stirring a couple of times.

3 Stir in the peas, add some seasoning, then gently mix in the roasted veg. Pour over the remaining stock, arrange the lemon wedges on top and cover with a lid or some aluminium foil. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

4 To ensure you get the classic layer of toasted rice at the bottom of the pan, increase the heat to high until you hear a slight crackle. Remove from the heat and sit for 5 minutes before sprinkling over the parsley and serving.