Blog

Category: Pork

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs Butter
• 4 Bacon
• 1 finely sliced Onion
• 1 chopped Garlic Clove
• 20 Brussels Sprouts
• 400g Potatoes

Instructions:

Melt the fat in a non-stick pan, allow it to get nice and hot, then add the bacon. As it begins to brown, add the onion and garlic. Next, add the sliced sprouts or cabbage and let it colour slightly. All this will take 5-6 mins.
Next, add the potato. Work everything together in the pan and push it down so that the mixture covers the base of the pan – allow the mixture to catch slightly on the base of the pan before turning it over and doing the same again. It’s the bits of potato that catch in the pan that define the term ‘bubble and squeak’, so be brave and let the mixture colour. Cut into wedges and serve.

Category: Chicken

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Chicken
• 25g Butter
• 6 tblsp Olive Oil
• 2 sliced Red Onions
• 3 Large Red Pepper
• 130g Chorizo
• 8 Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• 6 cloves sliced Garlic
• 300g Basmati Rice
• drizzle Tomato Puree
• ½ tsp Paprika
• 4 Bay Leaves
• Handful Thyme
• 350ml Chicken Stock
• 180g Dry White Wine
• 2 Lemons
• 100g Black Olives
• to serve Salt
• to serve Pepper

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Have the chicken joints ready to cook. Heat the butter and 3 tbsp olive oil in a flameproof casserole or large frying pan. Brown the chicken pieces in batches on both sides, seasoning them with salt and pepper as you go. Don't crowd the pan – fry the chicken in small batches, removing the pieces to kitchen paper as they are done.

Add a little more olive oil to the casserole and fry the onions over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned. Add the rest of the oil, then the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to ensure it is well coated in the oil. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, bay leaves and chopped thyme. Pour in the stock and wine. When the liquid starts to bubble, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Press the rice down into the liquid if it isn't already submerged and place the chicken on top. Add the lemon wedges and olives around the chicken.

Cover and cook in the oven for 50 minutes. The rice should be cooked but still have some bite, and the chicken should have juices that run clear when pierced in the thickest part with a knife. If not, cook for another 5 minutes and check again.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 50g Butter
• 175g Peanut Cookies
• 5 Gelatine Leafs
• 500g Ricotta
• 175g Peanut Butter
• 175g Golden Syrup
• 150ml Milk
• 275ml Double Cream
• 2 tblsp Light Brown Soft Sugar
• Crushed Peanut Brittle

Instructions:

Oil and line a 20cm round loose- bottomed cake tin with cling film, making it as smooth as possible. Melt the butter in a pan. Crush the biscuits by bashing them in a bag with a rolling pin, then stir them into the butter until very well coated. Press the mixture firmly into the base of the tin and chill.
Soak the gelatine in water while you make the filling. Tip the ricotta into a bowl, then beat in the peanut butter and syrup. Ricotta has a slightly grainy texture so blitz until smooth with a stick blender for a smoother texture if you prefer.
Take the soaked gelatine from the water and squeeze dry. Put it into a pan with the milk and heat very gently until the gelatine dissolves. Beat into the peanut mixture, then tip onto the biscuit base. Chill until set.
To freeze, leave in the tin and as soon as it is solid, cover the surface with cling film, then wrap the tin with cling film and foil.
To defrost, thaw in the fridge overnight.
To serve, carefully remove from the tin. Whisk the cream with the sugar until it holds its shape, then spread on top of the cheesecake and scatter with the peanut brittle.

Category: Beef

Area: Mexican

Ingredients:

• 1kg Beef
• 3 Onions
• 4 cloves Garlic
• Dash Olive oil
• 300g Chorizo
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Allspice
• 1 tsp Cloves
• 1 large Cinnamon stick
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 tsp dried Oregano
• 2 ancho Ancho Chillies
• 3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 x 400g Plum Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• 2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 x 400g tins Borlotti Beans

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 120C/225F/gas mark 1.

Take the meat out of the fridge to de-chill. Pulse the onions and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole and sear the meat on all sides until golden.

Set to one side and add another small slug of oil to brown the chorizo. Remove and add the onion and garlic, spices, herbs and chillies then cook until soft in the chorizo oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the vinegar, tomatoes, ketchup and sugar.

Put all the meat back into the pot with 400ml water (or red wine if you prefer), bring up to a simmer and cook, covered, in the low oven.

After 2 hours, check the meat and add the beans. Cook for a further hour and just before serving, pull the meat apart with a pair of forks.

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: Vegetarian

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 chopped Onion
• 1 chopped Carrots
• 1 stalk chopped Celery
• 1 tablespoon minced Garlic
• 2 cups Cannellini Beans
• 1 Canned tomatoes
• 4 cups Water
• 1 fresh sprig Rosemary
• 1 fresh sprig Thyme
• 1 pound chopped Kale
• 4 thick slices Wholegrain Bread
• 1 thinly sliced Red Onions
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions:

Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.
Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Drain the beans; if they’re canned, rinse them as well. Add them to the pot along with tomatoes and their juices and stock, rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the soup bubbles steadily; cover and cook, stirring once or twice to break up the tomatoes, until the flavors meld, 15 to 20 minutes.
Fish out and discard rosemary and thyme stems, if you like, and stir in kale. Taste and adjust seasoning. Lay bread slices on top of the stew so they cover the top and overlap as little as possible. Scatter red onion slices over the top, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Put the pot in the oven and bake until the bread, onions and cheese are browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. (If your pot fits under the broiler, you can also brown the top there.) Divide the soup and bread among 4 bowls and serve.

Category: Dessert

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 300g Puff Pastry
• Dusting Plain Flour
• 6 Braeburn Apples
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 85g Butter
• to serve Creme Fraiche

Instructions:

Roll the pastry to a 3mm-thick round on a lightly floured surface and cut a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide. Lightly prick all over with a fork, wrap in cling film on a baking sheet and freeze while preparing the apples.
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Put the sugar in a flameproof 20cm ceramic Tatin dish or a 20cm ovenproof heavy-based frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Cook the sugar for 5-7 mins to a dark amber caramel syrup that’s starting to smoke, then turn off the heat and stir in the 60g diced chilled butter.
To assemble the Tarte Tatin, arrange the apple quarters very tightly in a circle around the edge of the dish first, rounded-side down, then fill in the middle in a similar fashion. Gently press with your hands to ensure there are no gaps. Brush the fruit with the melted butter.
Bake in the oven for 30 mins, then remove and place the disc of frozen puff pastry on top – it will quickly defrost. Tuck the edges down the inside of the dish and, with a knife, prick a few holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for a further 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
Allow to cool to room temperature for 1 hr before running a knife around the edge of the dish and inverting it onto a large serving plate that is deep enough to contain the juices. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Category: Beef

Area: Russian

Ingredients:

• 1 tbls Olive Oil
• 1 Onions
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 250g Mushrooms
• 500g Beef Fillet
• 1tbsp Plain Flour
• 150g Creme Fraiche
• 1 tbsp English Mustard
• 100ml Beef Stock
• Topping Parsley

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan then add the sliced onion and cook on a medium heat until completely softened, so around 15 mins, adding a little splash of water if they start to stick at all. Crush in the garlic and cook for a 2-3 mins further, then add the butter. Once the butter is foaming a little, add the mushrooms and cook for around 5 mins until completely softened. Season everything well, then tip onto a plate.
Tip the flour into a bowl with a big pinch of salt and pepper, then toss the steak in the seasoned flour. Add the steak pieces to the pan, splashing in a little oil if the pan looks particularly dry, and fry for 3-4 mins, until well coloured. Tip the onions and mushrooms back into the pan. Whisk the crème fraîche, mustard and beef stock together, then pour into the pan. Cook over a medium heat for around 5 mins. Scatter with parsley, then serve with pappardelle or rice.

Category: Seafood

Area: Tunisian

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 8 Spring Onions
• 200g Spinach
• 4 Filo Pastry
• 1 can Tuna
• 2 Eggs
• Dash Hotsauce
• 4 Chopped Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cucumber
• 1 tbs Lemon Juice
• 4 tbs Apricot Jam

Instructions:

Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large saucepan and cook the spring onions over a low heat for 3 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the spinach, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for a further 2–3 minutes or until tender and wilted, stirring once or twice. Tip the mixture into a sieve or colander and leave to drain and cool.
Using a saucer as a guide, cut out 24 rounds about 12.5 cm (5 in) in diameter from the filo pastry, cutting 6 rounds from each sheet. Stack the filo rounds in a pile, then cover with cling film to prevent them from drying out.
When the spinach mixture is cool, squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible, then transfer to a bowl. Add the tuna, eggs, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Take one filo round and very lightly brush with some of the remaining oil. Top with a second round and brush with a little oil, then place a third round on top and brush with oil.
Place a heaped tbsp of the filling in the middle of the round, then fold the pastry over to make a half-moon shape. Fold in the edges, twisting them to seal, and place on a non-stick baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling to make 8 briks in all.
Lightly brush the briks with the remaining oil. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice and seasoning to taste. Serve the briks hot with this salad and the chutney.

Category: Miscellaneous

Area: Tunisian

Ingredients:

• 4 Tomatoes
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 Diced Onion
• 1 sliced Red Pepper
• 1 sliced Green Pepper
• 3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 4 Eggs

Instructions:

In a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the peppers and garlic, and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt, and chili powder. Mix well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes until the mixture has thickened to your desired consistency. (Taste the sauce at this point and adjust for salt and spice, as desired.) Using the back of a spoon, make four craters in the mixture, large enough to hold an egg. Crack one egg into each of the craters. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the eggs have set. Serve immediately with crusty bread or pita.