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Category: Seafood

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 50g/2oz butter
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 150g rice
• 125ml white wine
• 1 litre hot vegetable stock
• The juice and zest of one lemon
• 240g large King Prawns
• 150g salmon
• 100g tips blanched briefly in boiling water asparagus
• ground black pepper
• 50g shavings Parmesan

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a thick-based pan and gently cook the onion without colour until it is soft.
Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains in the butter
Add the wine and cook gently stirring until it is absorbed
Gradually add the hot stock, stirring until each addition is absorbed. Keep stirring until the rice is tender
Season with the lemon juice and zest, and pepper to taste. (there will probably be sufficient saltiness from the salmon to not need to add salt) Stir gently to heat through
Serve scattered with the Parmesan and seasonal vegetables.
Grill the salmon and gently place onto the risotto with the prawns and asparagus

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Spanish

Ingredients:

• 1 sliced Onion
• 4 tbsp Olive Oil
• 25g Butter
• 400g Potatoes
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 8 Eggs
• Handful Parsley
• 1 Baguette
• 4 Vine Tomatoes
• drizzle Olive Oil

Instructions:

Put a large non-stick frying pan on a low heat. Cook the onion slowly in the oil and butter until soft but not brown – this should take about 15 mins. Add the potatoes, cover the pan and cook for a further 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally to make sure they fry evenly.
When the potatoes are soft and the onion is shiny, crush 2 garlic cloves and stir in, followed by the beaten eggs.
Put the lid back on the pan and leave the tortilla to cook gently. After 20 mins, the edges and base should be golden, the top set but the middle still a little wobbly. To turn it over, slide it onto a plate and put another plate on top, turn the whole thing over and slide it back into the pan to finish cooking. Once cooked, transfer to a plate and serve the tortilla warm or cold, scattered with the chopped parsley.
To accompany, take slices of warmed baguette, stab all over with a fork and rub with the remaining garlic, pile on grated tomatoes and season with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

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: Dessert

Area: American

Ingredients:

• 100g Flour
• 2 large Eggs
• 300ml Milk
• 1 tbls Sunflower Oil
• to serve Sugar
• to serve Raspberries
• to serve Blueberries

Instructions:

Put the flour, eggs, milk, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt into a bowl or large jug, then whisk to a smooth batter. Set aside for 30 mins to rest if you have time, or start cooking straight away.
Set a medium frying pan or crêpe pan over a medium heat and carefully wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper. When hot, cook your pancakes for 1 min on each side until golden, keeping them warm in a low oven as you go.
Serve with lemon wedges and sugar, or your favourite filling. Once cold, you can layer the pancakes between baking parchment, then wrap in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.

Category: Dessert

Area: Polish

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Butter
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 cups Flour
• 1 Jar Jam

Instructions:

In a medium bowl mix egg yolks, philly cheese and baking powder using a hand held mixer. Carefully start adding the flour. When the mixture will not be mixing well, and will look like wood chips, put away the blending mixer and using your hands knead the dough.
Create a roll and cover in foil and freeze for 15 minutes. At this time preheat the oven to 375.
Take the dough out and separate into two. Roll and cut out 3 inch trangles.
Make as many as you can and on centre of each put a small spoon of jam. Roll them into a croissant shape.
Place the croissants onto a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
Repeat with the rest of the dough.
When you take them out, put aside and sprinkle with powdered sugar on top.
This makes about 3 batches of 20 cookies each.
Total count about 60 cookies.

Category: Beef

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 25g Butter
• 750g Beef
• 2 tblsp Plain Flour
• 2 cloves minced Garlic
• 175g Onions
• 150g Celery
• 150g Carrots
• 2 chopped Leek
• 200g Swede
• 150ml Red Wine
• 500g Beef Stock
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 3 tbs Thyme
• 3 tblsp chopped Parsley
• 125g Plain Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 60g Suet
• Splash Water

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

For the beef stew, heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof casserole and fry the beef until browned on all sides.

Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Add the garlic and all the vegetables and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Stir in the wine, stock and herbs, then add the Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar, to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for about two hours, or until the meat is tender.

For the dumplings, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Add the suet and enough water to form a thick dough.

With floured hands, roll spoonfuls of the dough into small balls.

After two hours, remove the lid from the stew and place the balls on top of the stew. Cover, return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the dumplings have swollen and are tender. (If you prefer your dumplings with a golden top, leave the lid off when returning to the oven.)

To serve, place a spoonful of mashed potato onto each of four serving plates and top with the stew and dumplings. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Category: Chicken

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs Butter
• 2 chopped Onions
• 4 qt Chicken Stock
• 1.5kg Chicken Breast
• 4kg Potatoes
• 2 tbs Salt
• 1tbsp Black Pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 10x14x2-inch baking pan.
Heat margarine in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook and stir until onion is very tender and dark brown, about 40 minutes more.
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot; stir in chicken breasts, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is no longer pink at the center, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove chicken breasts to a plate using a slotted spoon; reserve broth.
Juice potatoes with an electric juicer; place dry potato flesh into a bowl and discard juice. Stir salt and pepper into potatoes; stir in enough reserved broth to make the mixture the consistency of oatmeal. Set remaining broth aside.
Spread half of potato mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Lay cooked chicken breast evenly over potatoes; scatter caramelized onion evenly over chicken. Spread remaining potato mixture over onions and chicken to cover.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 1 hour. Reheat chicken broth; pour over individual servings as desired.

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: Seafood

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 450g Potatoes
• 2 tblsp Olive Oil
• 4 Eggs
• 1 tbls Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tblsp Capers
• 50g Sunflower Oil
• ½ Red Onions
• 100g Spinach
• 400g Tuna

Instructions:

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Toss the potatoes with 2 tsp oil and some seasoning. Tip onto a large baking tray, then roast for 20 mins, stirring halfway, until crisp, golden and cooked through.
Meanwhile, put eggs in a small pan of water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 8-10 mins, depending on how you like them cooked. Plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool for a few mins. Peel away the shells, then cut into halves.
In a large salad bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, red wine vinegar, capers and chopped tomatoes. Season, tip in the onion, spinach, tuna and potatoes, then gently toss together. Top with the eggs, then serve straight away.

Category: Dessert

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
• 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 1/2 cup Single Cream
• 1/3 cup Butter

Instructions:

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar till the mix is light.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix.
In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
Alternate flour mix and milk to the butter mix.
Pour into a 13 inch by 9 inch greased pan.
MAPLE SAUCE.
In a large casserole, bring to boil the syrup, brown sugar, cream and butter and constantly stir.
Reduce heat and and gently cook 2 minutes or till sauce has reduced a little bit.
Pour sauce gently over cake.
Bake at 325°f (160°c) about 35 minutes or till cake is light brown and when toothpick inserted comes out clean.