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Category: Pasta

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 300g Spaghetti
• 1 tbls Olive Oil
• 1 finely chopped Onion
• 2 cloves minced Garlic
• 1 Red Chilli
• 1 tbls Tomato Puree
• 425g Pilchards
• 70g Black Olives
• Shaved Parmesan

Instructions:

Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and chilli for 3-4 mins to soften. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min, then add the pilchards with their sauce. Cook, breaking up the fish with a wooden spoon, then add the olives and continue to cook for a few more mins.

Drain the pasta and add to the pan with 2-3 tbsp of the cooking water. Toss everything together well, then divide between plates and serve, scattered with Parmesan.

Category: Beef

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 500g Minced Beef
• 1 chopped Onion
• 1 tbls Tomato Puree
• 1 ½ tbsp Plain Flour
• 75g Mushrooms
• 250ml Beef Stock
• Dash Worcestershire Sauce
• 400g Shortcrust Pastry
• 1 Egg Yolks

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the beef mince for 4-5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns.
Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute, then add the chopped mushrooms, the stout or beef stock and a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside and leave to cool, then turn the meat mixture into a one litre pie dish.
Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the pie dish. Gently drape the pastry over the dish, pressing firmly onto the edges. Trim, then shape the edges into a fluted shape.
Cut some leaf shapes out of the pastry trimmings and decorate the top of the pie, sticking them to the pastry with the beaten egg yolk.
Make three or four slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape, then brush the pie with the rest of the beaten egg yolk and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown.
To serve, slice into wedges.

Category: Chicken

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Potatoes
• 30g Butter
• 5 tblsp Double Cream
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 30g Butter
• 7 Shallots
• 3 chopped Carrots
• 2 sticks Celery
• 1 finely chopped Garlic Clove
• 4 tbsp White Wine
• 1 tbls Tomato Puree
• 400g Tinned Tomatos
• 350ml Chicken Stock
• 600g Chicken
• 16 Black Olives
• 2 tbs Parsley
• 50g Gruyere cheese

Instructions:

For the topping, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and push through a potato ricer, or mash thoroughly. Stir in the butter, cream and egg yolks. Season and set aside.
For the filling, melt the butter in a large pan. Add the shallots, carrots and celery and gently fry until soft, then add the garlic. Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and stock and cook for 10–15 minutes, until thickened. Add the shredded chicken, olives and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Put the filling in a 20x30cm/8x12in ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potato. Grate over the Gruyère. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until piping hot and the potato is golden-brown.

Category: Starter

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 250g Flour
• 125g Butter
• 1 Egg
• Pinch Salt
• 300g Cheese
• 100ml milk Milk
• 3 Eggs
• 100g Parmesan Cheese
• 350g Plum tomatoes
• 3tbsp White Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Honey
• Topping Basil

Instructions:

Crust: make a dough from 250g flour (I like mixing different flours like plain and wholegrain spelt flour), 125g butter, 1 egg and a pinch of salt, press it into a tart form and place it in the fridge. Filling: stir 300g cream cheese and 100ml milk until smooth, add in 3 eggs, 100g grated parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Take the crust out of the fridge and prick the bottom with a fork. Pour in the filling and bake at 175 degrees C for about 25 minutes. Cover the tart with some aluminium foil after half the time. In the mean time, slice about 350g mini tomatoes. In a small pan heat 3tbsp olive oil, 3tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, salt and pepper and combine well. Pour over the tomato slices and mix well. With a spoon, place the tomato slices on the tart, avoiding too much liquid on it. Decorate with basil leaves and enjoy

Category: Beef

Area: Egyptian

Ingredients:

• 1lb Beef
• 1 Onion
• 1 Chicken Stock Cube
• 2 Tomatoes
• 4 Garlic Clove
• 1 tbs Tomato Puree
• 2 cups Rice
• 1/4 cup Noodles
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 2 cups Olive Oil
• 1 Pita Bread
• 1 tbs Cumin
• 3 tbs White Wine Vinegar
• To taste Salt
• To taste Pepper

Instructions:

To prepare bread for bottom of dish: Take pita bread and rip into bite size pieces. In a frying pan, add about a 1/4 stick of butter, add bread pieces and fry until golden brown and crisp. Put these pieces in a glass baking dish, preferably a square sized dish. Set aside.
Then add to same pan, a little more butter, salt, approximately 2 cloves of crushed fresh garlic, and a teaspoon or so of cumin stir around a bit until you can smell aroma, then add fried bread pieces to this mixture, stir to coat bread and put back into glass baking dish. Set aside.
To prepare meat: put some butter in a pot, stir fry meat until brown, add 1 onion quartered, salt & pepper, 1 cube of chicken bouillon and water to cover meat. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer, cover and cook until tender, approximately 2 hours. After meat has cooled, take out chunks of meat and put in a bowl, set aside. Reserve soup from the meat separately.
To prepare the rice: Put some butter into a pot, add shareya (fideo noodles) like a handful or so, keep stirring until golden brown, not too dark, but very golden. Then add two cups of rice, stir a little bit until some of the rice turns an opaque white. Add 2-1/4 cups of water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to simmer, cook until tender. Test the rice tenderness after about 35 minutes.
Now take some of the soup from meat and add to the top of the bread pieces in baking dish to saturate.Add cooked rice on top of bread pieces. Slowly spoon remainder of soup onto rice, looking at glass dish sides to see level of soup, should reach just to top of rice, don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be exact. Now you’re ready to make the sauce and fry the meat to put on top.
To prepare red sauce: In a pan, add a little oil or butter, crushed tomato, a half teaspoon of tomato paste, salt & pepper, 2 cloves of fresh crushed garlic and cumin. Add also approximately 3 tablespoons of vinegar, stir this until you smell aroma and it is a bit smooth. It should be a bit thick, not watery, but if too thick you can add a bit of water. Spread with a wooden spoon atop the rice to cover.
To fry meat: In a pan add a bit of butter or oil, the meat, just a touch of tomato paste, about a tablespoon of fresh crushed garlic, salt & pepper, a teaspoon of cumin. Cook until meat is golden fried.
Spoon this atop the rice and serve. Enjoy!

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.

Category: Chicken

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 1.2 kg Chicken
• 5 thinly sliced Onion
• 2 finely chopped Tomatoes
• 8 cloves chopped Garlic
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• ¼ cup Vegetable oil
• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 3 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 Green chilli
• 1 cup Yogurt
• ¾ cup Cream
• 3 tsp Dried fenugreek
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• To taste Salt

Instructions:

Take a large pot or wok, big enough to cook all the chicken, and heat the oil in it. Once the oil is hot, add sliced onion and fry them until deep golden brown. Then take them out on a plate and set aside.
To the same pot, add the chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft. This would take about 5 minutes.
Then return the fried onion to the pot and stir. Add ginger paste and sauté well.
Now add the cumin seeds, half of the coriander seeds and chopped green chillies. Give them a quick stir.
Next goes in the spices – turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Sauté the spices well for couple of minutes.
Add the chicken pieces to the wok, season it with salt to taste and cook the chicken covered on medium-low heat until the chicken is almost cooked through. This would take about 15 minutes. Slowly sautéing the chicken will enhance the flavor, so do not expedite this step by putting it on high heat.
When the oil separates from the spices, add the beaten yogurt keeping the heat on lowest so that the yogurt doesn’t split. Sprinkle the remaining coriander seeds and add half of the dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
Finally add the cream and give a final mix to combine everything well.
Sprinkle the remaining kasuri methi and garam masala and serve the chicken handi hot with naan or rotis. Enjoy!

Category: Pork

Area: Portuguese

Ingredients:

• 2 Pork
• 200ml White Wine
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 2 Lemon
• 1/2 Lemon Juice
• Dash Olive Oil
• To serve Mayonnaise
• 1 kg Potatoes
• For frying Vegetable Oil

Instructions:

STEP 1

Cut the tenderloins into 5 equal-size pieces leaving the tail ends a little longer. Take a clear plastic bag and slip one of the pieces in. Bash it into an escalope the size of a side-plate with a rolling pin and repeat with the remaining pieces.

STEP 2

Put the wine, paprika, some salt and pepper and the juice of ½ a lemon in a bowl and add the pork. Leave to marinate for 20-30 minutes, while you get your barbecue to the stage where the coals are glowing but there are no flames.

STEP 3

To make the chips, fill a basin with cool water and cut the potatoes into 3cm-thick chips. Soak them in the water for 5 minutes and then change the water. Leave for 5 more minutes. Drain and then pat dry on a towel or with kitchen paper.

STEP 4

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or a deep heavy-based pan with a lid to 130C and lower the chips into the oil (in batches). Blanch for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain well. Place on a tray to cool. Reheat the oil to 180C (make sure it’s hot or your chips will be soggy) and lower the basket of chips into the oil (again, do this in batches). Leave to cook for 2 minutes and then give them a little shake. Cook for another minute or so until they are well coloured and crisp to the touch. Drain well for a few minutes, tip into a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.

STEP 5

The pork will cook quickly so do it in 2 batches. Take the pieces out of the marinade, rub them with oil, and drop them onto the barbecue (you could also use a chargrill). Cook for 1 minute on each side – they may flare up as you do so. This should really be enough time as they will keep on cooking. Take them off the barbecue and pile onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batch.

STEP 6

Serve by piling a plate with chips, drop the pork on top of each pile and pouring the juices from the plate over so the chips take up the flavours. Top with a spoon of mayonnaise and a wedge of lemon.

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: 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.