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Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 50g Butter
• 250g Self-raising Flour
• 1 small Vanilla
• 50g Suet
• 150ml Milk
• 100g Raspberry Jam
• to serve Custard

Instructions:

Put a deep roasting tin onto the bottom shelf of the oven, and make sure that there’s another shelf directly above it. Pull the roasting tin out on its shelf, fill two-thirds with boiling water from the kettle, then carefully slide it back in. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Tear off a large sheet of foil and greaseproof paper (about 30 x 40cm). Sit the greaseproof on top of the foil and butter it.
Tip butter, flour and vanilla seeds into a food processor; pulse until the butter has disappeared. Tip into a mixing bowl. Stir through the suet, pour in the milk and work together with a cutlery knife until you get a sticky dough. You may need a drop more milk, depending on your flour.
Tip the dough out onto a floured surface, quickly pat together to smooth, then roll out to a square roughly 25 x 25cm. Spread the jam all over, leaving a gap along one edge, then roll up from the opposite edge. Pinch the jam-free edge into the dough where it meets, and pinch the ends roughly, too. Carefully lift onto the greased paper, join-side down (you might find a flat baking sheet helpful for this), loosely bring up the paper and foil around it, then scrunch together along the edges and ends to seal. The roly-poly will puff quite a bit during cooking so don’t wrap it tightly. Lift the parcel directly onto the rack above the tin and cook for 1 hr.
Let the pudding sit for 5 mins before unwrapping, then carefully open the foil and paper, and thickly slice to serve.

Category: Breakfast

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Flour
• 2 Puff Pastry
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC), and prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until fully combined. Lightly flour the surface and roll out puff pastry on top to flatten. Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 9 equal squares. On the top right and bottom left of the pastry, cut an L shape approximately ½ inch (1 cm) from the edge.
NOTE: This L shape should reach all the way down and across the square, however both L shapes should not meet at the ends. Your pastry should look like a picture frame with two corners still intact.
Take the upper right corner and fold down towards the inner bottom corner. You will now have a diamond shape.
Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling in the middle, then place berries on top.
Repeat with the remaining pastry squares and place them onto the parchment covered baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and puffed.
Enjoy!

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: Seafood

Area: Malaysian

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 finely sliced Red Chilli
• 2 ½ tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 400ml can coconut milk
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 100g rice noodles
• 2 juice of 1, the other halved lime
• 150g king prawns
• ½ small pack coriander

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the chilli. Cook for 1 min, then add the curry paste, stir and cook for 1 min more. Dissolve the stock cube in a large jug in 700ml boiling water, then pour into the pan and stir to combine. Tip in the coconut milk and bring to the boil.
Add the fish sauce and a little seasoning. Toss in the noodles and cook for a further 3-4 mins until softening. Squeeze in the lime juice, add the prawns and cook through until warm, about 2-3 mins. Scatter over some of the coriander.
Serve in bowls with the remaining coriander and lime wedges on top for squeezing over.

Category: Chicken

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 rashers (100g) chopped dry-cured Bacon
• 12 small Shallots
• 2 (460g) Chicken Legs
• 4 (650g) Chicken Thighs
• 2 (280g) Chicken Breasts
• 3 finely chopped Garlic
• 3 tbsp Brandy
• 600ml Red Wine
• 150ml Chicken Stock
• 2 tsp tomato puree
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• garnish parsley
• 250g chestnut mushroom
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp butter

Instructions:

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan or flameproof dish. Tip in the bacon and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Add the shallots to the pan and fry, stirring or shaking the pan often, for 5-8 mins until well browned all over. Remove and set aside with the bacon.
Pat the chicken pieces dry with kitchen paper. Pour the remaining oil into the pan, then fry half the chicken pieces, turning regularly, for 5-8 mins until well browned. Remove, then repeat with the remaining chicken. Remove and set aside.
Scatter in the garlic and fry briefly, then, with the heat medium-high, pour in the brandy or Cognac, stirring the bottom of the pan to deglaze. The alcohol should sizzle and start to evaporate so there is not much left.
Return the chicken legs and thighs to the pan along with any juices, then pour in a little of the wine, stirring the bottom of the pan again. Stir in the rest of the wine, the stock and tomato purée, drop in the bouquet garni, season with pepper and a pinch of salt, then return the bacon and shallots to the pan. Cover, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, add the chicken breasts and cook for 50 mins-1hr.
Just before ready to serve, heat the oil for the mushrooms in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the mushrooms and fry over a high heat for a few mins until golden. Remove and keep warm.
Lift the chicken, shallots and bacon from the pan and transfer to a warmed serving dish. Remove the bouquet garni. To make the thickener, mix the flour, olive oil and butter in a small bowl using the back of a teaspoon. Bring the wine mixture to a gentle boil, then gradually drop in small pieces of the thickener, whisking each piece in using a wire whisk. Simmer for 1-2 mins. Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken, then pour over the wine sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Category: Dessert

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 parts Yeast
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 6 tblsp Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 ½ tsp Salt
• 2-1/2 cups Flour
• for frying Oil
• garnish Lemon
• garnish Sugar
• garnish Cinnamon

Instructions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water, a big pinch of sugar and yeast. Allow to sit until frothy.
Into the same bowl, add 1/2 cup sugar, warm milk, melted butter, eggs and salt, and whisk until combined.
Place a dough hook on the mixer, add the flour with the machine on, until a smooth but slightly sticky dough forms.
Place dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to proof for 1 1/2 hours.
Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll out into long oval-like shapes about 1/4 inch thick that resemble a beaver’s tail.
In a large, deep pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Gently place beavertail dough into hot oil and cook for 30 to 45 seconds on each side until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels, and garnish as desired. Toss in cinnamon sugar, in white sugar with a squeeze of lemon, or with a generous slathering of Nutella and a handful of toasted almonds. Enjoy!

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 1 Banana
• 3 tbsp Cacao
• 1 Avocado
• 2 tblsp Honey
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 tbsp Water
• pinch Sea Salt

Instructions:

1. Blend all the mousse ingredients together in your food processor until smooth. Add the cacao powder first and, as you blend, have all the ingredients to hand in order to adjust the ratios slightly as the size of avocados and bananas varies so much. The perfect ratio in order to avoid the dish tasting too much of either is to use equal amounts of both.

2. Taste and add a few drops of stevia if you feel you need more sweetness.

3. Fill little cups or shot glasses with the mousse, sprinkle with the cacao powder or nibs and serve.

Tip If you don’t have a frozen banana to hand you can just use a normal one and then chill the mousse before serving for a cooling dessert.

Category: Lamb

Area: Russian

Ingredients:

• 50g Lamb
• 120g Prunes
• 1 tbs Lemon Juice
• 2 tbs Butter
• 1 chopped Onion
• 450g Lamb
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 600ml Vegetable Stock
• 2 cups Rice
• Pinch Saffron
• Garnish Parsley

Instructions:

Place the raisins and prunes into a small bowl and pour over enough water to cover. Add lemon juice and let soak for at least 1 hour. Drain. Roughly chop the prunes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes. Add cubed lamb, ground lamb, and crushed garlic cloves. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until browned.

Pour 2/3 cup (150 milliliters) of stock into the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is tender.

Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Add rinsed long-grain white rice and a large pinch of saffron. Stir, then cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Add the drained raisins, drained chopped prunes, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for a few minutes, then turn out onto a warmed serving dish and garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.

Category: Side

Area: Turkish

Ingredients:

• 2 large Potatoes
• 2 tbs Butter
• 150g Cheese
• 1 large Onion
• 1 large Red Pepper
• Pinch Red Chilli Flakes

Instructions:

If you order kumpir in Turkey, the standard filling is first, lots of butter mashed into the potato, followed by cheese. There’s then a row of other toppings that you can just point at to your heart’s content – sweetcorn, olives, salami, coleslaw, Russian salad, allsorts – and you walk away with an over-stuffed potato because you got ever-excited by the choices on offer.

Grate (roughly – you can use as much as you like) 150g of cheese.
Finely chop one onion and one sweet red pepper.
Put these ingredients into a large bowl with a good sprinkling of salt and pepper, chilli flakes (optional).

Category: Pork

Area: Irish

Ingredients:

• Knob Butter
• 2 Pork Chops
• 4 Bacon
• 2 Potatoes
• 1 Carrots
• 1/2 Swede
• 1/2 Cabbage
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 100ml Cider
• 100g Chicken Stock

Instructions:

STEP 1
Heat the butter in a casserole dish until sizzling, then fry the pork for 2-3 mins on each side until browned. Remove from the pan.

STEP 2
Tip the bacon, carrot, potatoes and swede into the pan, then gently fry until slightly coloured. Stir in the cabbage, sit the chops back on top, add the bay leaf, then pour over the cider and stock. Cover the pan, then leave everything to gently simmer for 20 mins until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

STEP 3
Serve at the table spooned straight from the dish.