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  • Soy-Glazed Meatloaves with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Carrots

    Soy-Glazed Meatloaves with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Carrots

    Category: Beef

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 5 Potatoes
    • 12 ounces Carrots
    • 1 Scallions
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 1 Slice Bread
    • 1 Garlic Powder
    • 2 Soy Sauce
    • 1 Ground Beef
    • 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
    • 2 tsp Sugar
    • 2 tbsp Butter

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Dice potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens; finely chop whites. Peel and finely chop garlic.

    2. In a medium bowl, soak bread with 2 TBSP water (4 TBSP for 4 servings); break up with your hands until pasty. Stir in beef, sriracha, scallion whites, half the garlic, salt (we used 3/4 tsp kosher salt; 11/2 tsp for 4), and pepper. Form into two 1-inch-tall loaves (four loaves for 4). Place on one side of a baking sheet. Toss carrots on empty side of same sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. (For 4, spread meatloaves out across whole sheet and add carrots to a second sheet.) Bake for 20 minutes (we'll glaze the meatloaves then).

    3. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until very
    tender, 12-15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup potato cooking liquid, then drain. While potatoes cook, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic powder, 1/4 cup ketchup (1/2 cup for 4 servings), and 2 tsp sugar (4 tsp for 4).

    4. Once meatloaves and carrots have baked 20 minutes, remove from oven. Spoon half the ketchup glaze over meatloaves (save
    the rest for serving); return to oven until carrots are browned and tender, meatloaves are cooked through, and glaze is tacky, 4-5 minutes more.

    5. Meanwhile, melt 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings) in pot used for potatoes over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook
    until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add potatoes and 1/4 tsp wasabi. Mash, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as necessary until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (If you like things spicy, stir in more wasabi!)

    6. Divide meatloaves, mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots between plates. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve with remaining ketchup glaze on the side for dipping.

  • Tunisian Orange Cake

    Tunisian Orange Cake

    Category: Dessert

    Area: Tunisian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 large Orange
    • 300g Caster Sugar
    • 75 ml Olive Oil
    • 280g Flour
    • 1 tbs Baking Powder
    • 4 large Eggs
    • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 190 C / Gas 5. Grease a 23cm round springform tin.
    Cut off the hard bits from the top and bottom of the orange. Slice the orange and remove all seeds. Puree the orange with its peel in a food processor. Add one third of the sugar and the olive oil and continue to mix until well combined.
    Sieve together flour and baking powder.
    Beat the eggs and the remaining sugar with an electric hand mixer for at least five minutes until very fluffy. Fold in half of the flour mixture, then the orange and the vanilla, then fold in the remaining flour. Mix well but not for too long.
    Pour cake mixture into prepared tin and smooth out. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 C / Gas 2 and bake again for 30 minutes Bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire cake rack.

  • Creamy Tomato Soup

    Creamy Tomato Soup

    Category: Starter

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
    • 2 chopped Onions
    • 2 sticks Celery
    • 300g Carrots
    • 500g Potatoes
    • 4 Bay Leaf
    • 5 tblsp Tomato Puree
    • 2 tblsp Sugar
    • 2 tblsp White Vinegar
    • 1½ kg Chopped Tomatoes
    • 500g Passata
    • 3 Vegetable Stock Cube
    • 400ml Whole Milk

    Instructions:

    Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.
    Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. The soup can now be cooled and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
    To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil. Serve in small bowls with cheesy sausage rolls.

  • Strawberries Romanoff

    Strawberries Romanoff

    Category: Dessert

    Area: Russian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 pint Strawberries
    • 4 tbs Sugar
    • 4 tbs Grand Marnier
    • 1 cup Cream
    • 1/4 cup Sour Cream

    Instructions:

    In a medium bowl, combine hulled and quartered strawberries, 4 Tbsp sugar and 4 Tbsp liqueur, stir to combine then cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, stirring once or twice.

    Two photos of cut strawberries in a bowl with one having sugar being added to the bowl Two photos of cut up strawberries for Strawberry Romanoff

    Just before serving, in a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup cold heavy cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, fold in 1/4 cup sour cream just until well blended.

    To serve, stir strawberries then divide between 6 serving glasses or bowls. You can spoon a little syrup over the berries if you like. You can also use this syrup to soak a cake. Spoon cream over strawberries, dividing evenly. You can also use an ice cream scoop with trigger release for a nice rounded puff of cream. Serve right away or chill and enjoy within 2 hours of assembly.

  • Eton Mess

    Eton Mess

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 500g strawberries
    • 400ml double cream
    • 3 x 7.5cm meringue nests
    • 1 tbsp ginger cordial
    • sprigs of fresh Mint

    Instructions:

    Purée half the strawberries in a blender. Chop the remaining strawberries, reserving four for decoration.
    Whip the double cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the strawberry purée and crushed meringue. Fold in the chopped strawberries and ginger cordial, if using.
    Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into four cold wine glasses. Serve garnished with the remaining strawberries and a sprig of mint.

  • Mushroom & Chestnut Rotolo

    Mushroom & Chestnut Rotolo

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 30g Mushrooms
    • 240g Chestnuts
    • 3 Challots
    • 3 cloves Garlic
    • 3 sprigs Rosemary
    • 500g Wild Mushrooms
    • 2 tblsp Soy Sauce
    • 125ml White Wine
    • 350g Lasagne Sheets
    • 4 tbsp Breadcrumbs
    • 1/2 handful Sage
    • to serve Truffle Oil

    Instructions:

    Soak the dried mushrooms in 350ml boiling water and set aside until needed. Blitz ¾ of the chestnuts with 150ml water until creamy. Roughly chop the remaining chestnuts.
    Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the shallots with a pinch of salt until softened, then add the garlic, chopped chestnuts and rosemary, and fry for 2 mins more. Add the wild mushrooms, 2 tbsp oil and some seasoning. Cook for 3 mins until they begin to soften. Drain and roughly chop the dried mushrooms (reserve the soaking liquid), then add those too, along with the soy sauce, and fry for 2 mins more.
    Whisk the wine, reserved mushroom liquid and chestnut cream together to create a sauce. Season, then add half to the mushroom mixture in the pan and cook for 1 min until the sauce becomes glossy. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs, then set the mixture aside.
    Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and get a large bowl of ice water ready. Drop the lasagne sheets into the boiling water for 2 mins or until pliable and a little cooked, then immediately plunge them into the cold water. Using your fingers, carefully separate the sheets and transfer to a clean tea towel. Spread a good spoonful of the sauce on the bottom two thirds of each sheet, then, rolling away from yourself, roll up the shorter ends. Cut each roll in half, then position the rolls of pasta cut-side up in a pie dish that you are happy to serve from at the table. If you have any mushroom sauce remaining after you’ve rolled up all the sheets, simply push it into some of the exposed rolls of pasta.
    Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the pasta, then bake for 10 mins or until the pasta no longer has any resistance when tested with a skewer.
    Meanwhile, put the breadcrumbs, the last 2 tbsp olive oil, sage leaves and some seasoning in a bowl, and toss everything together. Scatter the rotolo with the crumbs and sage, then bake for another 10 mins, until the top is golden and the sage leaves are crispy. Leave to cool for 10 mins to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce, then drizzle with a little truffle oil, if you like, before taking your dish to the table.

  • 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.

  • Corba

    Corba

    Category: Side

    Area: Turkish

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup Lentils
    • 1 large Onion
    • 1 large Carrots
    • 1 tbs Tomato Puree
    • 2 tsp Cumin
    • 1 tsp Paprika
    • 1/2 tsp Mint
    • 1/2 tsp Thyme
    • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
    • 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
    • 4 cups Vegetable Stock
    • 1 cup Water
    • Pinch Sea Salt

    Instructions:

    Pick through your lentils for any foreign debris, rinse them 2 or 3 times, drain, and set aside. Fair warning, this will probably turn your lentils into a solid block that you’ll have to break up later
    In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté the olive oil and the onion with a pinch of salt for about 3 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for another 3 minutes.
    Add the tomato paste and stir it around for around 1 minute. Now add the cumin, paprika, mint, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper as quickly as you can and stir for 10 seconds to bloom the spices. Congratulate yourself on how amazing your house now smells.
    Immediately add the lentils, water, broth, and salt. Bring the soup to a (gentle) boil.
    After it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot halfway, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils have fallen apart and the carrots are completely cooked.
    After the soup has cooked and the lentils are tender, blend the soup either in a blender or simply use a hand blender to reach the consistency you desire. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
    Serve with crushed-up crackers, torn up bread, or something else to add some extra thickness. You could also use a traditional thickener (like cornstarch or flour), but I prefer to add crackers for some texture and saltiness. Makes great leftovers, stays good in the fridge for about a week.

  • Thai Green Curry

    Thai Green Curry

    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.

  • Chocolate Avocado Mousse

    Chocolate Avocado Mousse

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Banana
    • 3 tbsp Cacao
    • 1 Avocado
    • 2 tblsp Honey
    • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
    • 1 tsp Vanilla
    • 2 tbsp Water
    • pinch Sea Salt

    Instructions:

    1. Blend all the mousse ingredients together in your food processor until smooth. Add the cacao powder first and, as you blend, have all the ingredients to hand in order to adjust the ratios slightly as the size of avocados and bananas varies so much. The perfect ratio in order to avoid the dish tasting too much of either is to use equal amounts of both.

    2. Taste and add a few drops of stevia if you feel you need more sweetness.

    3. Fill little cups or shot glasses with the mousse, sprinkle with the cacao powder or nibs and serve.

    Tip If you don’t have a frozen banana to hand you can just use a normal one and then chill the mousse before serving for a cooling dessert.