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  • Duck Confit

    Duck Confit

    Category: Miscellaneous

    Area: French

    Ingredients:

    • Handful Sea Salt
    • 4 Bay Leaf
    • 4 cloves Garlic
    • Handful Thyme
    • 4 Duck Legs
    • 100ml White Wine

    Instructions:

    The day before you want to make the dish, scatter half the salt, half the garlic and half of the herbs over the base of a small shallow dish. Lay the duck legs, skin-side up, on top, then scatter over the remaining salt, garlic and herbs. Cover the duck and refrigerate overnight. This can be done up to 2 days ahead.
    Pour the wine into a saucepan that will snugly fit the duck legs in a single layer. Brush the salt off the duck legs and place them, skin-side down, in the wine. Cover the pan with a lid and place over a medium heat. As soon as the wine starts to bubble, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally that the liquid is just barely simmering. (If you own a heat diffuser, it would be good to use it here.) After 2 hours, the duck legs should be submerged in their own fat and the meat should feel incredibly tender when prodded. Leave to cool.
    The duck legs are now cooked and can be eaten immediately – or you can follow the next step if you like them crisp. If you are preparing ahead, pack the duck legs tightly into a plastic container or jar and pour over the fat, but not the liquid at the bottom of the pan. Cover and leave in the fridge for up to a month, or freeze for up to 3 months. The liquid you are left with makes a tasty gravy, which can be chilled or frozen until needed.
    To reheat and crisp up the duck legs, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Remove the legs from the fat and place them, skin-side down, in an ovenproof frying pan. Roast for 30-40 mins, turning halfway through, until brown and crisp. Serve with the reheated gravy, a crisp salad and some crisp golden ptoatoes.

  • Tunisian Lamb Soup

    Tunisian Lamb Soup

    Category: Lamb

    Area: Tunisian

    Ingredients:

    • 500g Lamb Mince
    • 2 cloves minced Garlic
    • 1 Onion
    • 300g Spinach
    • 3 tbs Tomato Puree
    • 1 tbs Cumin
    • 1 Litre Chicken Stock
    • 3 tsp Harissa Spice
    • 400g Chickpeas
    • 1/2 Lemon Juice
    • 150g Macaroni
    • Pinch Salt
    • Pinch Pepper

    Instructions:

    Add the lamb to a casserole and cook over high heat. When browned, remove from the heat and set aside.
    Keep a tablespoon of fat in the casserole and discard the rest. Reduce to medium heat then add the garlic, onion and spinach and cook until the onion is translucent and the spinach wilted or about 5 minutes.
    Return the lamb to the casserole with the onion-spinach mixture, add the tomato puree, cumin, harissa, chicken, chickpeas, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the pan. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.
    Add the pasta and cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

  • Madeira Cake

    Madeira Cake

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 175g Butter
    • 175g Caster Sugar
    • 3 Eggs
    • 250g Self-raising Flour
    • 3 tbs Milk
    • Zest of 1 Lemon
    • To Glaze Mixed Peel

    Instructions:

    Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease an 18cm/7in round cake tin, line the base with greaseproof paper and grease the paper.
    Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture curdling.
    Sift the flour and gently fold in, with enough milk to give a mixture that falls slowly from the spoon. Fold in the lemon zest.
    Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and lightly level the top. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
    Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
    To serve, decorate the cake with the candied peel.

  • Spicy Arrabiata Penne

    Spicy Arrabiata Penne

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound penne rigate
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
    • 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
    • 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
    • 6 leaves basil
    • sprinkling Parmigiano-Reggiano

    Instructions:

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add kosher salt to the boiling water, then add the pasta. Cook according to the package instructions, about 9 minutes.
    In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chile flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chopped basil.
    Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano flakes and more basil and serve warm.

  • Portuguese prego with green piri-piri

    Portuguese prego with green piri-piri

    Category: Beef

    Area: Portuguese

    Ingredients:

    • 1 clove Garlic
    • 2 small Beef Fillet
    • 2 tbs Olive Oil
    • 1 tbs Vinegar
    • Leaves Parsley
    • 2 Ciabatta
    • 2 handfulls Rocket
    • Small bunch Basil Leaves
    • Small bunch Parsley
    • 1 Jalapeno
    • 1 tbs Vinegar
    • 2 chopped Spring Onions
    • 1/2 Garlic
    • 1/2 tsp Caster Sugar

    Instructions:

    STEP 1

    Rub the garlic over the steaks then put in a sandwich bag and tip in the olive oil, sherry vinegar and parsley stalks. Smoosh everything together, then use a rolling pin to bash the steaks a few times. Leave for 1-2 hours.

    STEP 2

    To make the sauce, put all the ingredients into a blender with 1 tbsp water and whizz until as smooth as possible. This will make more than you’ll need for the recipe but will keep for a week in an airtight jar.

    STEP 3

    Heat a griddle or frying pan to high. Brush away the garlic and parsley stalks from the steaks and season well. Sear the steaks for 2 minutes on each side then rest on a plate. Put the ciabatta halves onto the plate, toasted-side down, to soak up any juices.

    STEP 4

    Slice the steaks then stuff into the rolls with the green sauce and rocket.

  • Tourtiere

    Tourtiere

    Category: Pork

    Area: Canadian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 medium Potatoes
    • 1 tsp Sunflower Oil
    • 500g Minced Pork
    • 1 finely chopped Onion
    • 1 finely chopped Garlic Clove
    • ¼ tsp Cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp Allspice
    • ¼ tsp Nutmeg
    • 100ml Vegetable Stock
    • 400g Shortcrust Pastry
    • To Glaze Egg

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Boil the potato until tender, drain and mash, then leave to cool. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the mince and onion and quickly fry until browned. Add the garlic, spices, stock, plenty of pepper and a little salt and mix well. Remove from the heat, stir into the potato and leave to cool.
    Roll out half the pastry and line the base of a 20-23cm pie plate or flan tin. Fill with the pork mixture and brush the edges of the pastry with water. Roll out the remaining dough and cover the pie. Press the edges of the pastry to seal, trimming off the excess. Prick the top of the pastry case to allow steam to escape and glaze the top with the beaten egg.
    Bake for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve cut into wedges with a crisp green salad. Leftovers are good cold for lunch the next day, served with a selection of pickles.

  • Turkey Meatloaf

    Turkey Meatloaf

    Category: Miscellaneous

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tblsp Olive Oil
    • 1 large Onion
    • 1 clove peeled crushed Garlic
    • 2 tblsp Worcestershire Sauce
    • 3 tsp Tomato Puree
    • 500g Turkey Mince
    • 1 large Eggs
    • 85g Breadcrumbs
    • 2 tblsp Barbeque Sauce
    • 800g Cannellini Beans
    • 2 tblsp Parsley

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion for 8-10 mins until softened. Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce and 2 tsp tomato purée, and stir until combined. Set aside to cool.

    Put the turkey mince, egg, breadcrumbs and cooled onion mix in a large bowl and season well. Mix everything to combine, then shape into a rectangular loaf and place in a large roasting tin. Spread 2 tbsp barbecue sauce over the meatloaf and bake for 30 mins.

    Meanwhile, drain 1 can of beans only, then pour both cans into a large bowl. Add the remaining barbecue sauce and tomato purée. Season and set aside.

    When the meatloaf has had its initial cooking time, scatter the beans around the outside and bake for 15 mins more until the meatloaf is cooked through and the beans are piping hot. Scatter over the parsley and serve the meatloaf in slices.

  • Spicy North African Potato Salad

    Spicy North African Potato Salad

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Moroccan

    Ingredients:

    • 650g/1lb 8 oz Small Potatoes
    • 1 tsp Harissa Spice
    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • juice of half Lemon
    • 4 Spring onions
    • 150g/6oz Rocket
    • 80g/3oz Feta
    • 20 chopped Mint
    • 2 tablespoons Pine nuts
    • Pinch Salt
    • Pinch Pepper

    Instructions:

    Cook potatoes – place potatoes in a pot of cold water, and bring to the boil. Boil 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. You know they are cooked when you can stick a knife in them and the knife goes straight through.
    Combine harissa spice, olive oil, salt and pepper and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
    Once potatoes are cooked, drain water and roughly chop potatoes in half.
    Add harissa mix and spring onions/green onions to potatoes and stir.
    In a large salad bowl, lay out arugula/rocket.
    Top with potato mix and toss.
    Add fetta, mint and sprinkle over pine nuts.
    Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

  • Tonkatsu pork

    Tonkatsu pork

    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.

  • Beef Mechado

    Beef Mechado

    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!