Blog

  • Lasagna Sandwiches

    Lasagna Sandwiches

    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.

  • Potato Gratin with Chicken

    Potato Gratin with Chicken

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 800g Potatoes
    • 3 Onions
    • 2 tblsp Olive Oil
    • 100ml Chicken Stock
    • 1 pot Creme Fraiche
    • Topping Parmesan
    • 4 Chicken Breasts
    • 4 Bacon
    • Topping Spinach
    • Topping Peas

    Instructions:

    15 minute potato gratin with chicken and bacon greens: a gratin always seems more effort and more indulgent than ordinary boiled or roasts, but it doesn't have to take 45mins, it's nice for a change and you can control the calorie content by going with full fat to low fat creme fraiche. (It's always tastes better full fat though obviously!) to serve 4: use 800g of potatoes, finely slice and boil in a pan for about 5-8 mins till firmish, not soft. Finely slice 3 onions and place in an oven dish with 2 tblsp of olive oil and 100ml of chicken stock. Cook till the onions are soft then drain the potatoes and pour onto the onions. Season and spoon over cream or creme fraiche till all is covered but not swimming. Grate Parmesan over the top then finish under the grill till nicely golden. serve with chicken and bacon, peas and spinach.

  • Katsu Chicken curry

    Katsu Chicken curry

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Japanese

    Ingredients:

    • 4 pounded to 1cm thickness chicken breast
    • 2 tablespoons plain flour
    • 1 beaten egg
    • 100g fine breadcrumbs
    • 230ml frying vegetable oil
    • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
    • 2 sliced onions
    • 5 chopped cloves garlic
    • 2 sliced carrot
    • 2 tablespoons plain flour
    • 4 teaspoons curry powder
    • 600ml chicken stock
    • 2 teaspoons honey
    • 4 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala

    Instructions:

    Prep:15min › Cook:30min › Ready in:45min

    For the curry sauce: Heat oil in medium non-stick saucepan, add onion and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in carrots and cook over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
    Add flour and curry powder; cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in stock until combined; add honey, soy sauce and bay leaf. Slowly bring to the boil.
    Turn down heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce thickens but is still of pouring consistency. Stir in garam masala. Pour the curry sauce through a sieve; return to saucepan and keep on low heat until ready to serve.
    For the chicken: Season both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate bowls and arrange in a row. Coat the chicken breasts in flour, then dip them into the egg, then coat in breadcrumbs, making sure you cover both sides.
    Heat oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken into hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 3 or 4 minutes each side. Once cooked, place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
    Pour curry sauce over chicken, serve with white rice and enjoy!

  • 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.

  • Chicken Karaage

    Chicken Karaage

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Japanese

    Ingredients:

    • 450 grams Boneless skin Chicken
    • 1 tablespoon Ginger
    • 1 clove Garlic
    • 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon Sake
    • 2 teaspoon Granulated sugar
    • 1/3 cup Potato starch
    • 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
    • 1/3 cup Lemon

    Instructions:

    Add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sake and sugar to a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the chicken, then stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

    Add 1 inch of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed pot and heat until the oil reaches 360 degrees F. Line a wire rack with 2 sheets of paper towels and get your tongs out. Put the potato starch in a bowl

    Add a handful of chicken to the potato starch and toss to coat each piece evenly.

    Fry the karaage in batches until the exterior is a medium brown and the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the fried chicken to the paper towel lined rack. If you want the karaage to stay crispy longer, you can fry the chicken a second time, until it's a darker color after it's cooled off once. Serve with lemon wedges.

  • Parkin Cake

    Parkin Cake

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 200g Butter
    • 1 large Egg
    • 4 tbs Milk
    • 200g Golden Syrup
    • 85g Black Treacle
    • 85g Brown Sugar
    • 100g Oatmeal
    • 250g Self-raising Flour
    • 1 tbs Ground Ginger

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a deep 22cm/9in square cake tin and line with baking parchment. Beat the egg and milk together with a fork.

    Gently melt the syrup, treacle, sugar and butter together in a large pan until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat. Mix together the oatmeal, flour and ginger and stir into the syrup mixture, followed by the egg and milk.

    Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 mins – 1 hr until the cake feels firm and a little crusty on top. Cool in the tin then wrap in more parchment and foil and keep for 3-5 days before eating if you can – it’ll become softer and stickier the longer you leave it, up to 2 weeks.

  • Oxtail with broad beans

    Oxtail with broad beans

    Category: Beef

    Area: Jamaican

    Ingredients:

    • 450g Oxtail
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 1 Spring Onions
    • 2 cloves minced Garlic
    • 1 tsp Ginger
    • 1 chopped Scotch Bonnet
    • 2 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 1 chopped Fresh Thyme
    • 2 tbs Vegetable Oil
    • 350ml Water
    • 200g Broad Beans
    • 1 tbs Corn Flour
    • 2 tbs Water

    Instructions:

    Toss the oxtail with the onion, spring onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, soy sauce, thyme, salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail in the pan until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Place into a pressure cooker, and pour in 375ml water. Cook at pressure for 25 minutes, then remove from heat, and remove the lid according to manufacturer's directions.
    Add the broad beans and pimento berries, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tablespoons water, and stir into the simmering oxtail. Cook and stir a few minutes until the sauce has thickened, and the broad beans are tender.

  • Rogaliki (Polish Croissant Cookies)

    Rogaliki (Polish Croissant Cookies)

    Category: Dessert

    Area: Polish

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup Butter
    • 3 Egg Yolks
    • 8 oz Cream Cheese
    • 1 tsp Baking Powder
    • 3 cups Flour
    • 1 Jar Jam

    Instructions:

    In a medium bowl mix egg yolks, philly cheese and baking powder using a hand held mixer. Carefully start adding the flour. When the mixture will not be mixing well, and will look like wood chips, put away the blending mixer and using your hands knead the dough.
    Create a roll and cover in foil and freeze for 15 minutes. At this time preheat the oven to 375.
    Take the dough out and separate into two. Roll and cut out 3 inch trangles.
    Make as many as you can and on centre of each put a small spoon of jam. Roll them into a croissant shape.
    Place the croissants onto a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
    Repeat with the rest of the dough.
    When you take them out, put aside and sprinkle with powdered sugar on top.
    This makes about 3 batches of 20 cookies each.
    Total count about 60 cookies.

  • Garides Saganaki

    Garides Saganaki

    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.

  • Potato Salad (Olivier Salad)

    Potato Salad (Olivier Salad)

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Russian

    Ingredients:

    • 4 Potatoes
    • 3 Carrots
    • 1 tbs Salt
    • 1/2 tbs White Wine Vinegar
    • 4 Eggs
    • 7 oz Sausages
    • 4 oz Dill
    • 1 can Peas
    • 4 Onions
    • 1 cup Mayonnaise

    Instructions:

    Cut the potatoes and carrots into small uniform cubes.
    Place them in a large pot and fill with water.
    Add salt and vinegar. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let it cool to room temperature.
    Meanwhile, cut the sausage and pickles into small cubes, and chop the green onions.
    Cut the hard-boiled eggs into small cubes as well.
    If using fresh dill, chop them as well.
    In a large bowl, combine potatoes, carrots, sausage, pickles, peas and green onions.
    Add mayo and dill and mix until well combined.
    Salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.