Blog

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 350g Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbs Sugar
• 1 cup Butter
• 1/2 cup Water
• 450g Rhubarb
• 450g Strawberries
• 3 tbs Cornstarch
• 150g Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbs Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbs Milk
• Spinkling Sugar

Instructions:

Pie Crust: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse

meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim any overhanging pastry to an edge of 1/2 inch (1.5 cm). Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, while you make the filling.

Remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 13 inch (30 cm) circle. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into about 3/4 inch (2 cm) strips. Place the strips of pastry on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling: Place the cut strawberries and rhubarb in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch, sugar, and ground cinnamon.

Remove the chilled pie crust from the fridge. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture over the bottom of the pastry crust. Add the remaining sugar mixture to the strawberries and rhubarb and gently toss to combine. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle the fruit with about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and dot with 2 tablespoons of butter.

Remove the lattice pastry from the refrigerator and, starting at the center with the longest strips and working outwards, place half the strips, spacing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on top of the filling. (Use the shortest pastry strips at the outer edges.) Then, gently fold back, about halfway, every other strip of pastry. Take another strip of pastry and place it perpendicular on top of the first strips of pastry. Unfold the bottom strips of pastry and then fold back the strips that weren't folded back the first time. Lay another strip of pastry perpendicular on top of the filling and then continue with the remaining strips. Trim the edges of the pastry strips, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Seal the edges of the pastry strips by folding them under the bottom pastry crust and flute the edges of the pastry. Brush the lattice pastry with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Put a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil, on the oven rack (to catch any spills.)

Place the pie plate on the hot baking sheet and bake the pie for about 35 minutes and then, if the edges of the pie are browning too much, cover with a foil ring. Continue to bake the pie for about another 10 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown color and the fruit juices begin to bubble.

Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for several hours. Serve at room temperature with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Reheat before serving. This pie can be frozen.

Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.

Category: Lamb

Area: Tunisian

Ingredients:

• 4 tbs Olive Oil
• 750g Lamb
• 1 1/2 tsp Saffron
• 1 Large Chopped Onion
• 25 ml Water
• 30g Parsley
• 1 tbs Butter
• 1 Lemon

Instructions:

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Season with saffron, salt and pepper to taste; stir in all but 4 tablespoons of the onion, and pour in the water. Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 15 minutes.
Uncover the pan, stir in the butter and allow the sauce reduce 5 to 10 minutes to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then pour into a serving dish. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped onions and parsley. Garnish with lemon wedges to serve.

Category: Beef

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 5 Potatoes
• 12 ounces Carrots
• 1 Scallions
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 Slice Bread
• 1 Garlic Powder
• 2 Soy Sauce
• 1 Ground Beef
• 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Dice potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens; finely chop whites. Peel and finely chop garlic.

2. In a medium bowl, soak bread with 2 TBSP water (4 TBSP for 4 servings); break up with your hands until pasty. Stir in beef, sriracha, scallion whites, half the garlic, salt (we used 3/4 tsp kosher salt; 11/2 tsp for 4), and pepper. Form into two 1-inch-tall loaves (four loaves for 4). Place on one side of a baking sheet. Toss carrots on empty side of same sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. (For 4, spread meatloaves out across whole sheet and add carrots to a second sheet.) Bake for 20 minutes (we'll glaze the meatloaves then).

3. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until very
tender, 12-15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup potato cooking liquid, then drain. While potatoes cook, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic powder, 1/4 cup ketchup (1/2 cup for 4 servings), and 2 tsp sugar (4 tsp for 4).

4. Once meatloaves and carrots have baked 20 minutes, remove from oven. Spoon half the ketchup glaze over meatloaves (save
the rest for serving); return to oven until carrots are browned and tender, meatloaves are cooked through, and glaze is tacky, 4-5 minutes more.

5. Meanwhile, melt 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings) in pot used for potatoes over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and cook
until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add potatoes and 1/4 tsp wasabi. Mash, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as necessary until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (If you like things spicy, stir in more wasabi!)

6. Divide meatloaves, mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots between plates. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve with remaining ketchup glaze on the side for dipping.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Egyptian

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Broad Beans
• 6 Spring Onions
• 4 Garlic Clove
• 1/4 cup Parsley
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• Spinkling Flour
• As required Vegetable Oil

Instructions:

oak the beans in water to cover overnight.Drain. If skinless beans are unavailable, rub to loosen the skins, then discard the skins. Pat the beans dry with a towel.
Grind the beans in a food mill or meat grinder.If neither appliance is available, process them in a food processor but only until the beans form a paste. (If blended too smoothly, the batter tends to fall apart during cooking.) Add the scallions, garlic, cilantro, cumin, baking powder, cayenne, salt, pepper, and coriander, if using. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Shape the bean mixture into 1-inch balls.Flatten slightly and coat with flour.
Heat at least 1½-inches of oil over medium heat to 365 degrees.
Fry the patties in batches, turning once, until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.Remove with a wire mesh skimmer or slotted spoon. Serve as part of a meze or in pita bread with tomato-cucumber salad and tahina sauce.

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: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 50g Almonds
• 2 large Bramley Apples
• 200g Candied Peel
• 1 whole Nutmeg
• 1kg Raisins
• 140g Plain Flour
• 100g Breadcrumbs
• 100g Muscovado Sugar
• 3 Large Eggs
• 2 tbs Brandy
• 250g Butter

Instructions:

Get everything for the pudding prepared. Chop the almonds coarsely. Peel, core and chop the cooking apples. Sharpen your knife and chop the candied peel. (You can chop the almonds and apples in a food processor, but the peel must be done by hand.) Grate three quarters of the nutmeg (sounds a lot but it's correct).

Mix the almonds, apples, candied peel, nutmeg, raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, light muscovado sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp brandy or cognac in a large bowl.


Holding the butter in its wrapper, grate a quarter of it into the bowl, then stir everything together. Repeat until all the butter is grated, then stir for 3-4 mins – the mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each stir. Ask the family to stir too, and get everyone to make a wish.


Generously butter two 1.2 litre bowls and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom of each. Pack in the pudding mixture. Cover with a double layer of baking parchment, pleating it to allow for expansion, then tie with string (keep the paper in place with a rubber band while tying). Trim off any excess paper.


Now stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top, then put another sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to make a double package (this makes the puddings watertight). Tie with more string, and make a handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan. Watch our video to see how to tie up a pudding correctly.

Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hrs, topping up with water as necessary. Remove from the pans and leave to cool overnight. When cold, discard the messy wrappings and re-wrap in new baking parchment, foil and string. Store in a cool, dry place until Christmas.


To make the brandy butter, cream the butter with the orange zest and icing sugar. Gradually beat in the brandy or cognac and chopped stem ginger. Put in a small bowl, fork the top attractively and put in the fridge to set. The butter will keep for a week in the fridge, or it can be frozen for up to six weeks.


On Christmas Day, boil or oven steam for 1 hr. Unwrap and turn out. To flame, warm 3-4 tbsp brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and set light to it.

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: 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: Lamb

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 12 Cashew nuts
• ½ tbsp Khus khus
• ½ tbsp Cumin seeds
• 3 sliced thinly Onions
• 2 tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 4 whole Garlic
• Leaves Mint
• Leaves Cilantro
• ½ tsp dissolved in ½ cup warm milk Saffron
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 2 Cups Basmati rice
• ½ cup Full fat yogurt
• 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
• ½ Bay leaf
• 1 thin piece Cinnamon
• 3 Cloves
• 2 Cardamom
• 1 lb Lamb
• 1 tsp Red Chilli powder
• 1 tbsp Biryani masala

Instructions:

Grind the cashew, poppy seeds and cumin seeds into a smooth paste, using as little water as possible. Set aside.

Deep fry the sliced onions when it is hot. Don’t overcrowd the oil. When the onions turn light brown, remove from oil and drain on paper towel. The fried onion will crisp up as it drains. Also fry the cashewnuts till golden brown. Set aside.

Wash the rice and soak in water for twenty minutes.
Meanwhile, take a big wide pan, add oil in medium heat, add the sliced onions, add the blended paste, to it add the green chillies, ginger garlic paste and garlic and fry for a minute.
Then add the tomatoes and sauté them well till they are cooked and not mushy.

Then to it add the red chilli powder, biryani powder, mint, coriander leaves and sauté them well.
Add the yogurt and mix well. I always move the skillet away from the heat when adding yogurt which prevents it from curdling.

Now after returning the skillet back to the stove, add the washed lamb and salt and ½ cup water and mix well. Cook for 1 hour and cook it covered in medium low heat or put it in a pressure cooker for 6 whistles. If the water is not drained totally, heat it by keeping it open.

Take another big pan, add thrice the cup of rice you use, and boil it. When it is boiling high, add the rice, salt and jeera and mix well. After 7 minutes exact or when the rice is 80% done. Switch off and drain the rice.

Now, the layering starts. To the lamb, pat and level it. Add the drained hot rice on the top of it. Garnish with fried onions, ghee, mint, coriander leaves and saffron dissolved in milk.

Cover the dish and bake in a 350f oven for 15 minutes or till the cooked but not mushy. Or cook in the stove medium heat for 12 minutes and lowest heat for 5 minutes. And switch off. Mix and serve hot!
Notes
1. If you are cooking in oven, do make sure to cook in a big oven safe pan and cover it tight and then keep in oven for the final step.
2. You can skip biryani masala if you don’t have and add just garam masala (1 tsp and red chilli powder – 3 tsp instead of 1 tsp)
3. If it is spicy in the end, squeeze some lemon, it will reduce the heat and enhance the flavors also.

Category: Chicken

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 12 ounces Carrots
• 5 Small Potatoes
• 1 Onion
• 1 Beef Stock
• 1 1/2 cup Mozzarella
• 2 tbsp Sour Cream
• Butter
• Sugar
• Vegetable Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions:

1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion.

2

Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

3

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot; cover to keep warm.

4

While potatoes cook, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar (2 tsp for 4 servings). Stir in stock concentrate and 2 TBSP water (¼ cup for 4); season with salt and pepper. Cook until jammy, 2-3 minutes more. Turn off heat; transfer to a small bowl. Wash out pan.

5

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for onion over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side. In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, top with caramelized onion and cheese. Cover pan until cheese melts. (If your pan doesn’t have a lid, cover with a baking sheet!)

6

Heat pot with drained potatoes over low heat; mash with sour cream, 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings), salt, pepper, and a splash of water (or milk, for extra richness) until smooth. Divide chicken, roasted carrots, and mashed potatoes between plates.