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Category: Lamb

Area: Greek

Ingredients:

• 25g Bulgur Wheat
• 500g Lamb Mince
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Coriander
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 clove finely chopped Garlic
• For frying Olive Oil
• 4 Bun
• Grated Cucumber
• 200g Greek Yogurt
• 2 tbs Mint

Instructions:

Tip the bulghar into a pan, cover with water and boil for 10 mins. Drain really well in a sieve, pressing out any excess water.

To make the tzatziki, squeeze and discard the juice from the cucumber, then mix into the yogurt with the chopped mint and a little salt.

Work the bulghar into the lamb with the spices, garlic (if using) and seasoning, then shape into 4 burgers. Brush with a little oil and fry or barbecue for about 5 mins each side until cooked all the way through. Serve in the buns (toasted if you like) with the tzatziki, tomatoes, onion and a few mint leaves.

Category: Chicken

Area: Chinese

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Sake
• 2 tbs Soy Sauce
• 2 tbs Sesame Seed Oil
• 2 tbs Corn Flour
• 2 tbs Water
• 500g Chicken
• 1 tbs Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
• 1 tbs Brown Sugar
• 4 Chopped Spring Onions
• 6 cloves Garlic Clove
• 220g Water Chestnut
• 100g Peanuts

Instructions:

Combine the sake or rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour dissolved in water. Divide mixture in half.
In a glass dish or bowl, combine half of the sake mixture with the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
In a medium frying pan, combine remaining sake mixture, chillies, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add spring onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. Heat sauce slowly over medium heat until aromatic.
Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and sauté in a large frying pan until juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sautéed chicken and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Filipino

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Egg Plants
• 2 tbs Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1 whole Garlic
• 3 tbs Olive Oil
• 4 oz Ground Pork
• 3 tbs Rice Vinegar
• 2 tbs Soy Sauce
• 2 Bay Leaf

Instructions:

1. Slice 1 lb. small Japanese or Italian eggplant (about 3) into quarters lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 2"-wide pieces. Place in a medium bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Toss to evenly coat eggplant and let sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
2. Peel and thinly slice 8 garlic cloves. Add 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil and half of garlic to a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until light golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic chips to a plate; season lightly with salt.
3. Place 4 oz. ground pork in same pot and break up into small pieces with wooden spoon. Season with ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt and cook, undisturbed, until deeply browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to another plate, leaving fat behind in the pot.
4. Place eggplant on a clean kitchen towel and blot away any moisture the salt has drawn out.
5. Working in batches and adding more oil if needed, cook eggplant in the same pot until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate with pork.
6. Pour 1½ cups of water into the pot and scrape up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add remaining garlic, 3 Tbsp. coconut vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar. Bring to a simmer, then return pork and eggplant to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until eggplant is tender and silky and sauce is reduced by half, 20–25 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper and add a little more sugar if needed.
7. Top with garlic chips and serve with cooked white rice.

Category: Lamb

Area: Moroccan

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4cm piece finely chopped ginger
• 2 cloves peeled and chopped garlic
• 800g peeled and chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 50 vine leaves
• 1 large fennel bulb
• 400g lamb mince
• 1 medium onion
• 1 small peeled and coarsely grated potatoes
• 2 tbsp basmati rice
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ tsp ground clove
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 medium tomatoes

Instructions:

Use pickled vine leaves here, preserved in brine. Small delicate leaves are better than the large bristly ones but, if only large leaves are to hand, then trim them to roughly 12 by 12 cms so that you don't get too many layers of leaves around the filling. And remove any stalks. Drain the preserved leaves, immerse them in boiling water for 10 minutes and then leave to dry on a tea towel before use.
Basmati rice with butter and pine nuts is an ideal accompaniment. Couscous is great, too. Serves four.
First make the filling. Put all the ingredients, apart from the tomatoes, in a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half, coarsely grate into the bowl and discard the skins. Add half a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, and stir. Leave on the side, or in the fridge, for up to a day. Before using, gently squeeze with your hands and drain away any juices that come out.
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a medium pan. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for a minute or two, taking care not to burn them, then add the tomato, lemon juice and sugar. Season, and simmer for 20 minutes.
While the sauce is bubbling away, prepare the vine leaves. Use any torn or broken leaves to line the base of a wide, heavy saucepan. Trim any leaves from the fennel, cut it vertically into 0.5cm-thick slices and spread over the base of the pan to cover completely.
Lay a prepared vine leaf (see intro) on a work surface, veiny side up. Put two teaspoons of filling at the base of the leaf in a 2cm-long by 1cm-wide strip. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then roll it tightly from bottom to top, in a cigar shape. Place in the pan, seam down, and repeat with the remaining leaves, placing them tightly next to each other in lines or circles (in two layers if necessary).
Pour the sauce over the leaves (and, if needed, add water just to cover). Place a plate on top, to weigh the leaves down, then cover with a lid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook on a bare simmer for 70 minutes. Most of the liquid should evaporate. Remove from the heat, and leave to cool a little – they are best served warm. When serving, bring to the table in the pan – it looks great. Serve a few vine leaves and fennel slices with warm rice. Spoon the braising juices on top and garnish with coriander.

Category: Pork

Area: Chinese

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Mushrooms
• 1/3 cup Wood Ear Mushrooms
• 2/3 Cup Tofu
• 1/2 cup Pork
• 2-1/2 cups Chicken Stock
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Hotsauce
• 1-½ cups Vinegar
• 1 tsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbs Cornstarch
• 2 tbs Water
• 1/4 cup Spring Onions

Instructions:

STEP 1 – MAKING THE SOUP
In a wok add chicken broth and wait for it to boil.
Next add salt, sugar, sesame seed oil, white pepper, hot pepper sauce, vinegar and soy sauce and stir for few seconds.
Add Tofu, mushrooms, black wood ear mushrooms to the wok.
To thicken the sauce, whisk together 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 Tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly add to your soup until it's the right thickness.
Next add 1 egg slightly beaten with a knife or fork and add it to the soup and stir for 8 seconds
Serve the soup in a bowl and add the bbq pork and sliced green onions on top.

Category: Chicken

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 5 Potatoes
• 1 Broccoli
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 Chicken Breast
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Honey
• Chicken Stock
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions:

2 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. (For 4 servings, spread potatoes out across entire sheet.) Roast on top rack for 5 minutes (we'll add the broccoli then).

2. Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces, if necessary. Peel and finely chop garlic. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and half the garlic. Microwave until garlic sizzles, 30 seconds.

3. Once potatoes have roasted 5 minutes, remove sheet from oven and add broccoli to empty side; carefully toss with garlic oil, salt, and pepper. (For 4 servings, add broccoli to a second sheet.) Continue roasting until potatoes and broccoli are browned and crispy, 15-20 minutes more.

4. While veggies roast, pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side. (If chicken browns too quickly, reduce heat to medium.) Turn off heat; set chicken aside to rest. Wash out pan.

5. Heat pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and remaining garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in vinegar, honey, stock concentrate, and 1/4 cup water (1/3 cup for 4 servings). Simmer until thick and glossy, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4). Season with salt and pepper.

6. Return chicken to pan and turn to coat in glaze. Divide chicken, broccoli, and potatoes between plates. Spoon any remaining glaze over chicken and serve.

Category: Miscellaneous

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 Carrots
• 2 1/4 cups French Lentils
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• 3 Bay Leaf
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 2 sticks Celery

Instructions:

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add oil. When hot, add chopped vegetables and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add 6 cups water, lentils, thyme, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer.
Simmer lentils until they are tender and have absorbed most of the water, 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, drain any excess water after lentils have cooked. Serve immediately, or allow them to cool and reheat later.
For a fuller taste, use some chicken stock and reduce the water by the same amount.

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: Pork

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Potatoes
• 1 tsp Sunflower Oil
• 500g Minced Pork
• 1 finely chopped Onion
• 1 finely chopped Garlic Clove
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Allspice
• ¼ tsp Nutmeg
• 100ml Vegetable Stock
• 400g Shortcrust Pastry
• To Glaze Egg

Instructions:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Boil the potato until tender, drain and mash, then leave to cool. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the mince and onion and quickly fry until browned. Add the garlic, spices, stock, plenty of pepper and a little salt and mix well. Remove from the heat, stir into the potato and leave to cool.
Roll out half the pastry and line the base of a 20-23cm pie plate or flan tin. Fill with the pork mixture and brush the edges of the pastry with water. Roll out the remaining dough and cover the pie. Press the edges of the pastry to seal, trimming off the excess. Prick the top of the pastry case to allow steam to escape and glaze the top with the beaten egg.
Bake for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve cut into wedges with a crisp green salad. Leftovers are good cold for lunch the next day, served with a selection of pickles.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 175g/6oz plain flour
• 75g/2½oz chilled butter
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• 1 tbsp raspberry jam
• 125g/4½oz butter
• 125g/4½oz caster sugar
• 125g/4½oz ground almonds
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 50g/1¾oz flaked almonds

Instructions:

To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water, mixing to form a soft dough.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 20cm/8in flan tin. Leave in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (180C fan).
Line the pastry case with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for about 15 minutes, then remove the beans and foil and cook for a further five minutes to dry out the base.
For the filing, spread the base of the flan generously with raspberry jam.
Melt the butter in a pan, take off the heat and then stir in the sugar. Add ground almonds, egg and almond extract. Pour into the flan tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
Bake for about 35 minutes. If the almonds seem to be browning too quickly, cover the tart loosely with foil to prevent them burning.