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Category: Vegetarian

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 75g Butter
• 1kg Leek
• ½ tsp Salt
• 300ml Creme Fraiche
• 1 Egg
• 3 Egg Yolks
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
• 225g Plain Flour
• ½ tsp Salt
• 60g Butter
• 60g Lard
• 50g Cheddar Cheese
• 2 tbs Water

Instructions:

For the pastry, sift the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor, add the butter and lard, then whizz together briefly until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Tip the mixture into a bowl, then stir in the cheese and enough of the water for the mixture to come together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out thinly and line a 23cm x 4cm loose-?bottomed fluted flan tin. Prick the base with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes.
02.Melt the 75g butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then add the leeks and the salt. Cover and cook for ?10 minutes until soft. Uncover the pan, increase the heat and cook ?for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated. Spoon onto a plate and leave to cool.
03.Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans or rice and blind bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are biscuit-coloured. Remove the paper and beans/rice and return the case to the oven for 7-10 minutes until the base is crisp and lightly golden. Remove and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5.
04.Put the crème fraîche into a bowl with the whole egg, egg yolks and nutmeg. Lightly beat together, then season. Stir in the leeks. Spoon ?the mixture into the tart case and bake for 35-40 minutes until set ?and lightly golden. Remove from ?the oven and leave for 10 minutes. Take out of the tin and serve.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 100g Almonds
• 180g Butter
• 180g Muscovado Sugar
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 3 tbs Apricot Jam
• 225g Plain Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 Large Eggs
• 100g Ground Almonds
• 2 tbs Milk
• 500g Dried Fruit
• 100g Glace Cherry
• 1 tbs Milk
• 2 tsp Caster Sugar

Instructions:

Put the almonds into a small bowl and pour over boiling water to just cover. Leave for 5 mins then drain in a sieve and leave to dry.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160 C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a deep loose-based 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
Put the butter in a large bowl and beat well until soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the orange zest and apricot jam.
Sieve together the flour and baking powder. Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, stir in a little flour.
Add the remaining flour and ground almonds and mix well. Mix in the milk and then add the dried fruit and cherries and mix gently together.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon. Arrange the whole almonds close together in neat circles on the top of the cake. Bake in the oven for 45 mins.
Lower the oven temperature to 160C/140 C fan/Gas Mark 3 and cook for a further 60–80 minutes. Check the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the cake. When it’s done it should have just a few crumbs attached. Check every 10 minutes – it’s important not to overcook this cake so the centre will be a little soft.
When cooked, remove the cake briefly from the oven, put the milk and sugar into a small pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Brush over the top of the cake and return the cake to the oven for 2-3 mins. Remove and allow the cake to cool in the tin. When quite cold remove from the tin and wrap in foil and keep for at least 2 days before cutting.

Category: Beef

Area: Filipino

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 sliced Onion
• 2 Lbs Beef
• 8 ounces Tomato Puree
• 1 cup Water
• 3 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 Slice Lemon
• 1 large Potatoes
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 Bay Leaves
• To taste Salt

Instructions:

0. Make the beef tenderloin marinade by combining soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, olive oil, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
1. Add the cubed beef tenderloin to the bowl with the beef tenderloin marinade. Gently toss to coat the beef. Let it stay for 1 hour.
2. Using a metal or bamboo skewer, assemble the beef kebob by skewering the vegetables and marinated beef tenderloin.
3. Heat-up the grill and start grilling the beef kebobs for 3 minutes per side. This will give you a medium beef that is juicy and tender on the inside. Add more time if you want your beef well done, but it will be less tender.
4. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with Saffron rice.
5. Share and enjoy!

Category: Beef

Area: Malaysian

Ingredients:

• 1lb Beef
• 5 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 3 Cloves
• 3 Star Anise
• 3 Cardamom
• 1 cup Coconut Cream
• 1 cup Water
• 2 tbs Tamarind Paste
• 6 Lime
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 5 Challots

Instructions:

Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until fine.
Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar or palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up. Add more salt and sugar to taste. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

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: Pork

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 2 Potatoes
• 1 Red Onions
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 Lime
• 2 Bread
• 1 lb Pork
• Barbeque Sauce
• Hotsauce
• Tomato Ketchup
• Sugar
• Vegetable Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Cut sweet potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

2

Meanwhile, halve and peel onion. Slice as thinly as possible until you have ¼ cup (½ cup for 4 servings); finely chop remaining onion. Peel and finely chop garlic. Halve lime; squeeze juice into a small bowl. Halve buns. Add 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) to a separate small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Brush onto cut sides of buns.

3

To bowl with lime juice, add sliced onion, ¼ tsp sugar (½ tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine; set aside to quick-pickle.

4

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds more. Add pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

5

While pork cooks, in a third small bowl, combine BBQ sauce, pickling liquid from onion, 3 TBSP ketchup (6 TBSP for 4 servings), ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4), and ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4). Once pork is cooked through, add BBQ sauce mixture to pan. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

6

Meanwhile, toast buns in oven or toaster oven until golden, 3-5 minutes. Divide toasted buns between plates and fill with as much BBQ pork as you’d like. Top with pickled onion and hot sauce. Serve with sweet potato wedges on the side.

Category: Chicken

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1 Chicken Breast
• 1/4 cup Pickle Juice
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 1 tbs Icing Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Celery Salt
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 1 Sesame Seed Burger Buns

Instructions:

Wrap the chicken loosely between plastic wrap and pound gently with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/2 inch thick all around.
Cut into two pieces, as even as possible.
Marinate in the pickle juice for 30 minutes to one hour (add a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce now for a spicy sandwich).
Beat the egg with the milk in a bowl.
Combine the flour, sugar, and spices in another bowl.
Dip the chicken pieces each into the egg on both sides, then coat in flour on both sides.
Heat the oil in a skillet (1/2 inch deep) to about 345-350.
Fry each cutlet for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through.
Blot on paper and serve on toasted buns with pickle slices.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 225g Butter
• 350g Plain Flour
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 280g Mincemeat
• 1 small Egg
• Topping Icing Sugar

Instructions:

To make the pastry, rub 225g cold, diced butter into 350g plain flour, then mix in 100g golden caster sugar and a pinch of salt.

Combine the pastry into a ball – don’t add liquid – and knead it briefly. The dough will be fairly firm, like shortbread dough. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later.

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Line 18 holes of two 12-hole patty tins, by pressing small walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole.

Spoon 280g mincemeat into the pies.

Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids, big enough to cover the pies.

Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal – you don’t need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own. (The pies may now be frozen for up to 1 month).

Beat 1 small egg and brush the tops of the pies. Bake for 20 mins until golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then remove to a wire rack.

To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar.

Category: Beef

Area: Filipino

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg Beef
• 1 Beef Stock Concentrate
• 8 ounces Tomato Puree
• 3 cups Water
• 6 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 tbs White Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbs Pepper
• 4 Bay Leaf
• 1/2 Lemon
• 2 tbs Tomato Sauce
• 3 tbs Butter
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1 chopped Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic

Instructions:

0. Combine beef, crushed peppercorn, soy sauce, vinegar, dried bay leaves, lemon, and tomato sauce. Mix well. Marinate beef for at least 30 minutes.
1. Put the marinated beef in a cooking pot along with remaining marinade. Add water. Let boil.
2. Add Knorr Beef Cube. Stir. Cover the pot and cook for 40 minutes in low heat.
3. Turn the beef over. Add tomato paste. Continue cooking until beef tenderizes. Set aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the potato until it browns. Turn over and continue frying the opposite side. Remove from the pan and place on a clean plate. Do the same with the carrots.
5. Save 3 tablespoons of cooking oil from the pan where the potato was fried. Saute onion and garlic until onion softens.
6. Pour-in the sauce from the beef stew. Let boil. Add the beef. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add butter and let it melt. Continue cooking until the sauce reduces to half.

Category: Pasta

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 280g Linguine Pasta
• 200g Sugar Snap Peas
• 2 tblsp Olive Oil
• 2 cloves chopped Garlic Clove
• 1 large Red Chilli
• 24 Skinned King Prawns
• 12 Cherry Tomatoes
• Handful Basil Leaves
• Leaves Lettuce
• to serve Bread
• 2 tbsp Fromage Frais
• Grated Zest of 2 Lime
• 2 tsp Caster Sugar

Instructions:

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Add the sugar snap peas for the last minute or so of cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, toss in the garlic and chilli and cook over a fairly gentle heat for about 30 seconds without letting the garlic brown. Tip in the prawns and cook over a high heat, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until they turn pink.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until they just start to soften. Drain the pasta and sugar snaps well, then toss into the prawn mixture. Tear in the basil leaves, stir, and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with salad leaves drizzled with the lime dressing, and warm crusty bread.