Blog

Category: Dessert

Area: Greek

Ingredients:

• 100g Digestive Biscuits
• 85g Almonds
• 85g Butter
• 250ml Greek Yogurt
• 750g Mascarpone
• 2 Eggs
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 250ml Honey
• To serve Fruit Mix

Instructions:

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Crush the biscuits and most of the almonds inside a plastic food bag using a rolling pin. Mix with the butter, then press into the bottom of a deep, oval, 23cm dish (or something similar in size – a roasting tin, baking dish or cake tin will work). Bake for 10 mins until crisp.

Stir or mash together the yogurt and mascarpone, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the lemon and orange zests, then stir in most of the honey, reserving about 3 tbsp. Spread over the biscuit base, cover loosely with foil and cook for 1 hr. Remove the foil and cook for 15 mins more until lightly golden and the top is firm with just the slightest wobble in the middle. Leave to cool. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.

To serve, scatter with almonds, drizzle over the remaining honey, and hand around fresh fruit to go with it.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Filipino

Ingredients:

• 1 large Egg Plants
• 1 cup Breadcrumbs
• 50g Sesame Seed
• 2 Eggs
• To taste Salt
• To taste Pepper
• For frying Vegetable Oil

Instructions:

Slice eggplant into 1 cm (0.4-inch) slices. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle them with salt. allow them to sit for 30 minutes to render some of their liquid and bitterness.
2. After 30 minutes wash eggplant slices from salt and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
3. In a large bowl/plate place breadcrumbs and sesame seeds. In another bowl beat 2 eggs with pinch salt and pepper.
4. Heal oil in a large skillet over high heat.
5. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in crumbs, and place in hot oil. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.

Category: Chicken

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 500g macaroni
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 packet fajita seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 diced chicken breast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small finely diced onion
• 2 finely diced red pepper
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• garnish chopped parsley

Instructions:

Fry your onion, peppers and garlic in olive oil until nicely translucent. Make a well in your veg and add your chicken. Add your seasoning and salt. Allow to colour slightly.
Add your cream, stock and macaroni.
Cook on low for 20 minutes. Add your cheeses, stir to combine.
Top with roasted peppers and parsley.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 225g Self-raising Flour
• 75g Caster Sugar
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 125g Butter
• 150g Dried Fruit
• 1 Eggs
• 1 tbs Milk
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl and rub in the cubed butter until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then mix in the dried fruit.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg and milk together with the vanilla extract.
Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until the mixture just comes together as a thick, lumpy dough. Add a teaspoon more milk if you really need it to make the mixture stick together.
Place golfball-sized spoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking tray. Leave space between them as they will flatten and spread out to double their size during baking.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden-brown. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a couple of minutes then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool.

Category: Side

Area: Croatian

Ingredients:

• 1 Packet Filo Pastry
• 150g Minced Beef
• 150g Onion
• 40g Oil
• Dash Salt
• Dash Pepper

Instructions:

Fry the finely chopped onions and minced meat in oil. Add the salt and pepper. Grease a round baking tray and put a layer of pastry in it. Cover with a thin layer of filling and cover this with another layer of filo pastry which must be well coated in oil. Put another layer of filling and cover with pastry. When you have five or six layers, cover with filo pastry, bake at 200ºC/392ºF for half an hour and cut in quarters and serve.

Category: Seafood

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 200 g mozzarella balls
• 250 g baby plum tomatoes
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• 350 g farfalle
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 40 g Green Olives
• 200 g tuna
• to taste salt
• to taste pepper

Instructions:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil
Add the pasta, stir once and cook for about 10 minutes or as directed on the packet.
Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Slice the olives. Wash the basil.
Put the tomatoes into a salad bowl and tear the basil leaves over them. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and mix.
When the pasta is ready, drain into a colander and run cold water over it to cool it quickly.
Toss the pasta into the salad bowl with the tomatoes and basil.
Add the sliced olives, drained mozzarella balls, and chunks of tuna. Mix well and let the salad rest for at least half an hour to allow the flavours to mingle.
Sprinkle the pasta with a generous grind of black pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil just before serving.

Category: Dessert

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 125g Custard
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 5 tbs Cocoa
• 1 beaten Egg
• 200g shredded Digestive Biscuits
• 100g Desiccated Coconut
• 50g Almonds
• 100g Butter
• 4 tbs Double Cream
• 3 tbs Custard Powder
• 250g Icing Sugar
• 150g Dark Chocolate
• 50g Butter

Instructions:

Start by making the biscuit base. In a bowl, over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter with the sugar and cocoa powder, stirring occasionally until smooth. Whisk in the egg for 2 to 3 mins until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and mix in the biscuit crumbs, coconut and almonds if using, then press into the base of a lined 20cm square tin. Chill for 10 mins.
For the middle layer, make the custard icing; whisk together the butter, cream and custard powder until light and fluffy, then gradually add the icing sugar until fully incorporated. Spread over the bottom layer and chill in the fridge for at least 10 mins until the custard is no longer soft.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave, then spread over the chilled bars and put back in the fridge. Leave until the chocolate has fully set (about 2 hrs). Take the mixture out of the tin and slice into squares to serve.

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: Lamb

Area: Russian

Ingredients:

• 50g Lamb
• 120g Prunes
• 1 tbs Lemon Juice
• 2 tbs Butter
• 1 chopped Onion
• 450g Lamb
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 600ml Vegetable Stock
• 2 cups Rice
• Pinch Saffron
• Garnish Parsley

Instructions:

Place the raisins and prunes into a small bowl and pour over enough water to cover. Add lemon juice and let soak for at least 1 hour. Drain. Roughly chop the prunes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes. Add cubed lamb, ground lamb, and crushed garlic cloves. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until browned.

Pour 2/3 cup (150 milliliters) of stock into the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is tender.

Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Add rinsed long-grain white rice and a large pinch of saffron. Stir, then cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Add the drained raisins, drained chopped prunes, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for a few minutes, then turn out onto a warmed serving dish and garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Greek

Ingredients:

• 400g Butter Beans
• 3 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 chopped Onion
• 2 chopped Garlic Clove
• 2 tbs Tomato Puree
• 800g Tomatoes
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 1 tbs Dried Oregano
• Pinch Cinnamon
• 2 tbs Chopped Parsley

Instructions:

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Drain, rinse, then place in a pan covered with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then simmer for approx 50 mins until slightly tender but not soft. Drain, then set aside.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, tip in the onion and garlic, then cook over a medium heat for 10 mins until softened but not browned. Add the tomato purée, cook for a further min, add remaining ingredients, then simmer for 2-3 mins. Season generously, then stir in the beans. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, then bake for approximately 1 hr, uncovered and without stirring, until the beans are tender. The beans will absorb all the fabulous flavours and the sauce will thicken. Allow to cool, then scatter with parsley and drizzle with a little more olive oil to serve.