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Category: Pork

Area: Japanese

Ingredients:

• 4 Pork Chops
• 100g Flour
• 2 Beaten Eggs
• 100g Breadcrumbs
• Fry Vegetable Oil
• 2 tbs Tomato Ketchup
• 2 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tbs Oyster Sauce
• 2 tblsp Caster Sugar

Instructions:

STEP 1
Remove the large piece of fat on the edge of each pork loin, then bash each of the loins between two pieces of baking parchment until around 1cm in thickness – you can do this using a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin. Once bashed, use your hands to reshape the meat to its original shape and thickness – this step will ensure the meat is as succulent as possible.

STEP 2
Put the flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs into three separate wide-rimmed bowls. Season the meat, then dip first in the flour, followed by the eggs, then the breadcrumbs.

STEP 3
In a large frying or sauté pan, add enough oil to come 2cm up the side of the pan. Heat the oil to 180C – if you don’t have a thermometer, drop a bit of panko into the oil and if it sinks a little then starts to fry, the oil is ready. Add two pork chops and cook for 1 min 30 secs on each side, then remove and leave to rest on a wire rack for 5 mins. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.

STEP 4
While the pork is resting, make the sauce by whisking the ingredients together, adding a splash of water if it’s particularly thick. Slice the tonkatsu and serve drizzled with the sauce.

Category: Seafood

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Fennel
• 2 tbs chopped Parsley
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 175g Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• 350g Salmon
• to serve Black Olives

Instructions:

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Trim the fronds from the fennel and set aside. Cut the fennel bulbs in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Cook in boiling salted water for 10 mins, then drain well. Chop the fennel fronds roughly, then mix with the parsley and lemon zest.

Spread the drained fennel over a shallow ovenproof dish, then add the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, then bake for 10 mins. Nestle the salmon among the veg, sprinkle with lemon juice, then bake 15 mins more until the fish is just cooked. Scatter over the parsley and serve.

Category: Starter

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 chopped Onions
• 2 sticks Celery
• 300g Carrots
• 500g Potatoes
• 4 Bay Leaf
• 5 tblsp Tomato Puree
• 2 tblsp Sugar
• 2 tblsp White Vinegar
• 1½ kg Chopped Tomatoes
• 500g Passata
• 3 Vegetable Stock Cube
• 400ml Whole Milk

Instructions:

Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.
Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. The soup can now be cooled and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil. Serve in small bowls with cheesy sausage rolls.

Category: Side

Area: Irish

Ingredients:

• 1kg Potatoes
• 200ml Milk
• 50g Butter
• 2 tbs Mustard
• Bunch Spring Onions
• Bunch Spring Onions

Instructions:

STEP 1
Boil the potatoes for 15 mins or until tender. Drain, then mash.

STEP 2
Heat the milk and half the butter in the corner of the pan, then beat into the mash, along with the wholegrain mustard.

STEP 3
Gently fry the spring onions in the remaining butter for 2 mins until just soft but still a perky green. Fold into the mash and serve. Great with gammon or to top a fish pie.

Category: Vegan

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup Self-raising Flour
• 1/2 cup coco sugar
• 1/3 cup raw cacao
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 flax eggs
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions:

Simply mix all dry ingredients with wet ingredients and blend altogether. Bake for 45 min on 180 degrees. Decorate with some melted vegan chocolate

Category: Starter

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 250g Flour
• 125g Butter
• 1 Egg
• Pinch Salt
• 300g Cheese
• 100ml milk Milk
• 3 Eggs
• 100g Parmesan Cheese
• 350g Plum tomatoes
• 3tbsp White Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Honey
• Topping Basil

Instructions:

Crust: make a dough from 250g flour (I like mixing different flours like plain and wholegrain spelt flour), 125g butter, 1 egg and a pinch of salt, press it into a tart form and place it in the fridge. Filling: stir 300g cream cheese and 100ml milk until smooth, add in 3 eggs, 100g grated parmesan cheese and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Take the crust out of the fridge and prick the bottom with a fork. Pour in the filling and bake at 175 degrees C for about 25 minutes. Cover the tart with some aluminium foil after half the time. In the mean time, slice about 350g mini tomatoes. In a small pan heat 3tbsp olive oil, 3tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, salt and pepper and combine well. Pour over the tomato slices and mix well. With a spoon, place the tomato slices on the tart, avoiding too much liquid on it. Decorate with basil leaves and enjoy

Category: Dessert

Area: Russian

Ingredients:

• 2 pint Strawberries
• 4 tbs Sugar
• 4 tbs Grand Marnier
• 1 cup Cream
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, combine hulled and quartered strawberries, 4 Tbsp sugar and 4 Tbsp liqueur, stir to combine then cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, stirring once or twice.

Two photos of cut strawberries in a bowl with one having sugar being added to the bowl Two photos of cut up strawberries for Strawberry Romanoff

Just before serving, in a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup cold heavy cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, fold in 1/4 cup sour cream just until well blended.

To serve, stir strawberries then divide between 6 serving glasses or bowls. You can spoon a little syrup over the berries if you like. You can also use this syrup to soak a cake. Spoon cream over strawberries, dividing evenly. You can also use an ice cream scoop with trigger release for a nice rounded puff of cream. Serve right away or chill and enjoy within 2 hours of assembly.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 1 Rapeseed Oil
• 1 Onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Paprika
• ½ tsp Cumin
• 1 tblsp Thyme
• 3 Medium Carrots
• 2 small stalks Celery
• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Yellow Pepper
• 2 x 400g tins Tomato
• 250ml Vegetable Stock Cube
• 2 sliced Courgettes
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 250g Lentils

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onions and cook gently for 5 – 10 mins until softened.
Add the garlic, spices, dried thyme, carrots, celery and peppers and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock, courgettes and fresh thyme and cook for 20 – 25 minutes.
Take out the thyme sprigs. Stir in the lentils and bring back to a simmer. Serve with wild and white basmati rice, mash or quinoa.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Russian

Ingredients:

• 3 tbs Unsalted Butter
• 1 large Onion
• 1 medium Cabbage
• 1 Carrots
• 1 Celery
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 8 cups Vegetable Stock
• 2 large Potatoes
• 2 large Tomatoes
• Garnish Sour Cream
• Garnish Dill

Instructions:

Add the butter to a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and sauté until translucent.
Add the cabbage, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
Add the bay leaf and vegetable stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the potatoes and bring it back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes (or undrained canned tomatoes) and bring the soup back to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
emove and discard the bay leaf from the pot.
Serve topped with fresh sour cream and fresh dill.

Category: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 1/4 ounce Yeast
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/3 cup Shortening
• 5 drops Flour
• Sprinking Canola Oil
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Vanilla
• 6 tablespoons Boiling Water
• 1/3 cup Butter

Instructions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2-quart bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise until double, 50-60 minutes. (Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched.) Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 350°. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surface); drain. Dip the doughnuts into creamy glaze set on rack.

Glaze:
Heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.