Blog

Category: Beef

Area: Chinese

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb Beef
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
• 1 pinch Pepper
• 1 Egg White
• 3 tbs Starch
• 4 tbs Oil
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tsp Garlic
• 3/4 cup Onion
• 1/2 cup Carrots
• 3/4 cup Green Pepper
• 1 cup Celery
• 1 cup Mushrooms
• 1 tbs Cooking wine
• 1 cup Water
• 1 tbs Oyster Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Hotsauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbs Soy Sauce

Instructions:

STEP 1 – MARINATING THE BEEF
In a bowl, add the beef, salt, sesame seed oil, white pepper, egg white, 2 Tablespoon of corn starch and 1 Tablespoon of oil.
STEP 2 – STIR FRY
First Cook the beef by adding 2 Tablespoon of oil until the beef is golden brown.
Set the beef aside
In a wok add 1 Tablespoon of oil, minced ginger, minced garlic and stir-fry for few seconds.
Next add all of the vegetables and then add sherry cooking wine and 1 cup of water.
To make the sauce add oyster sauce, hot pepper sauce, and sugar.
add the cooked beef and 1 spoon of soy sauce
To thicken the sauce, whisk together 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 Tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly add to your stir-fry until it's the right thickness.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 120g Plain Flour
• 60g Caster Sugar
• 60g Butter
• 300g Braeburn Apples
• 30g Butter
• 30g Demerara Sugar
• 120g Blackberries
• ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
• to serve Ice Cream

Instructions:

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the flour and sugar into a large bowl. Add the butter, then rub into the flour using your fingertips to make a light breadcrumb texture. Do not overwork it or the crumble will become heavy. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins or until lightly coloured.
Meanwhile, for the compote, peel, core and cut the apples into 2cm dice. Put the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and melt together over a medium heat. Cook for 3 mins until the mixture turns to a light caramel. Stir in the apples and cook for 3 mins. Add the blackberries and cinnamon, and cook for 3 mins more. Cover, remove from the heat, then leave for 2-3 mins to continue cooking in the warmth of the pan.
To serve, spoon the warm fruit into an ovenproof gratin dish, top with the crumble mix, then reheat in the oven for 5-10 mins. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Category: Pork

Area: Vietnamese

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds sliced Pork
• 1 package thin Rice Vermicelli
• 4-6 Egg Rolls
• 3 tablespoons minced Challots
• 1.5 tablespoons minced garlic Garlic
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
• ½ tablespoon thick Soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon Pepper
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Sliced Cucumber
• Leaves Mint
• Crushed Peanuts

Instructions:

Slice the uncooked pork thinly, about ⅛". It helps to slightly freeze it (optional).
Mince garlic and shallots. Mix in a bowl with sugar, fish sauce, thick soy sauce, pepper, and oil until sugar dissolves.
Marinate the meat for 1 hour, or overnight for better results.
Bake the pork at 375F for 10-15 minutes or until about 80% cooked. Finish cooking by broiling in the oven until a nice golden brown color develops, flipping the pieces midway.
Assemble your bowl with veggies, noodles, and garnish. Many like to mix the whole bowl up and pour the fish sauce on top, but I like to make individual bites and sauce it slowly.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 225g Medjool dates
• 175ml Boiling water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 85g butter
• 140g demerara sugar
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 100ml milk
• 1 scoop ice cream
• 175g muscovado sugar
• 50g butter
• 225ml double cream
• 1 tbsp black treacle

Instructions:

Stone and chop the dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour the boiling water over. Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork. Stir in the vanilla extract. Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
While the dates are soaking, make the puddings. Mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar). Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour, then half the milk, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour and milk is used. Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter. The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter. Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.
Meanwhile, put the sugar and butter for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the cream. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Stir in the black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the cream.
Remove the puddings from the oven. Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out. You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they’ll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce. To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes. Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them. Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn’t smudge (no need to chill).
When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling. Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Mexican

Ingredients:

• 4 whole Green Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 small finely diced Onion
• 2 cloves minced Garlic
• 1 cups Quinoa
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 cup Sweetcorn
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• ½ tsp Chili Powder
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
• To taste Salt
• To taste Pepper
• 1 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese
• Chopped Cilantro

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a similar-sized casserole dish.
2. Place the bell pepper halves in the prepared baking dish, cut side up. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly softened.
3. While the bell peppers are baking, prepare the filling. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, and cook for another 1 minute, until fragrant.
4. Stir in the cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until heated through. Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese, if using.
5. Remove the bell peppers from the oven, and carefully stuff each pepper half with the quinoa and black bean mixture. Top the stuffed peppers with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, if using.
6. Return the stuffed peppers to the oven, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender.
7. Remove from the oven, and allow the stuffed peppers to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Category: Miscellaneous

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 8 large Sausages
• 1 Jar Tomato Sauce
• 1200g Butter Beans
• 1 tbls Black Treacle
• 1 tsp English Mustard

Instructions:

In a large casserole, fry the sausages until brown all over – about 10 mins.

Add the tomato sauce, stirring well, then stir in the beans, treacle or sugar and mustard. Bring to the simmer, cover and cook for 30 mins. Great served with crusty bread or rice.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Spanish

Ingredients:

• 1 sliced Onion
• 4 tbsp Olive Oil
• 25g Butter
• 400g Potatoes
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 8 Eggs
• Handful Parsley
• 1 Baguette
• 4 Vine Tomatoes
• drizzle Olive Oil

Instructions:

Put a large non-stick frying pan on a low heat. Cook the onion slowly in the oil and butter until soft but not brown – this should take about 15 mins. Add the potatoes, cover the pan and cook for a further 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally to make sure they fry evenly.
When the potatoes are soft and the onion is shiny, crush 2 garlic cloves and stir in, followed by the beaten eggs.
Put the lid back on the pan and leave the tortilla to cook gently. After 20 mins, the edges and base should be golden, the top set but the middle still a little wobbly. To turn it over, slide it onto a plate and put another plate on top, turn the whole thing over and slide it back into the pan to finish cooking. Once cooked, transfer to a plate and serve the tortilla warm or cold, scattered with the chopped parsley.
To accompany, take slices of warmed baguette, stab all over with a fork and rub with the remaining garlic, pile on grated tomatoes and season with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

Category: Breakfast

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 4 Sausages
• 4 Bacon
• 4 Mushrooms
• 3 Tomatoes
• 2 sliced Black Pudding
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Slice Bread
• 100g Baked Beans

Instructions:

Heat the flat grill plate over a low heat, on top of 2 rings/flames if it fits, and brush sparingly with light olive oil.
Cook the sausages first. Add the sausages to the hot grill plate/the coolest part if there is one and allow to cook slowly for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. After the first 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium before beginning to cook the other ingredients. If you are struggling for space, completely cook the sausages and keep hot on a plate in the oven.
Snip a few small cuts into the fatty edge of the bacon. Place the bacon straight on to the grill plate and fry for 2-4 minutes each side or until your preferred crispiness is reached. Like the sausages, the cooked bacon can be kept hot on a plate in the oven.
For the mushrooms, brush away any dirt using a pastry brush and trim the stalk level with the mushroom top. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil. Place stalk-side up on the grill plate and cook for 1-2 minutes before turning and cooking for a further 3-4 minutes. Avoid moving the mushrooms too much while cooking, as this releases the natural juices, making them soggy.
For the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes across the centre/or in half lengthways if using plum tomatoes , and with a small, sharp knife remove the green 'eye'. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place cut-side down on the grill plate and cook without moving for 2 minutes. Gently turn over and season again. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until tender but still holding their shape.
For the black pudding, cut the black pudding into 3-4 slices and remove the skin. Place on the grill plate and cook for 1½-2 minutes each side until slightly crispy.
For 'proper' fried bread it's best to cook it in a separate pan. Ideally, use bread that is a couple of days old. Heat a frying pan to a medium heat and cover the base with oil. Add the bread and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until crispy and golden. If the pan becomes too dry, add a little more oil. For a richer flavour, add a knob of butter after you turn the slice.
For the fried eggs, break the egg straight into the pan with the fried bread and leave for 30 seconds. Add a good knob of butter and lightly splash/baste the egg with the butter when melted. Cook to your preferred stage, season and gently remove with a fish slice.
Once all the ingredients are cooked, serve on warm plates and enjoy straight away with a good squeeze of tomato ketchup or brown sauce.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 450ml Vegetable Oil
• 400g Plain Flour
• 2 tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda
• 550ml Sugar
• 5 Eggs
• ½ tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 500g grated Carrots
• 150g Walnuts
• 200g Cream Cheese
• 150g Caster Sugar
• 100g Butter

Instructions:

For the carrot cake, preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3. Grease and line a 26cm/10in springform cake tin.
Mix all of the ingredients for the carrot cake, except the carrots and walnuts, together in a bowl until well combined. Stir in the carrots and walnuts.
Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and set aside to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Meanwhile, for the icing, beat the cream cheese, caster sugar and butter together in a bowl until fluffy. Spread the icing over the top of the cake with a palette knife.

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.