Blog

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.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Mexican

Ingredients:

• 4 whole Green Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 small finely diced Onion
• 2 cloves minced Garlic
• 1 cups Quinoa
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 cup Sweetcorn
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• ½ tsp Chili Powder
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
• To taste Salt
• To taste Pepper
• 1 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese
• Chopped Cilantro

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a similar-sized casserole dish.
2. Place the bell pepper halves in the prepared baking dish, cut side up. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly softened.
3. While the bell peppers are baking, prepare the filling. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, and cook for another 1 minute, until fragrant.
4. Stir in the cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until heated through. Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese, if using.
5. Remove the bell peppers from the oven, and carefully stuff each pepper half with the quinoa and black bean mixture. Top the stuffed peppers with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, if using.
6. Return the stuffed peppers to the oven, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender.
7. Remove from the oven, and allow the stuffed peppers to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 175g/6oz digestive biscuits
• 75g/3oz butter
• 200g/7oz Bramley apples
• 75g/3oz Salted Butter
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 75g/3oz ground almonds
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 50g/1¾oz flaked almonds

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Put the biscuits in a large re-sealable freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin into fine crumbs. Melt the butter in a small pan, then add the biscuit crumbs and stir until coated with butter. Tip into the tart tin and, using the back of a spoon, press over the base and sides of the tin to give an even layer. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You can do this in a food processor if you have one. Process for 2-3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, then add the ground almonds and almond extract and blend until well combined.
Peel the apples, and cut thin slices of apple. Do this at the last minute to prevent the apple going brown. Arrange the slices over the biscuit base. Spread the frangipane filling evenly on top. Level the surface and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden-brown and set.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the tin. An easy way to do this is to stand the tin on a can of beans and push down gently on the edges of the tin.
Transfer the tart, with the tin base attached, to a serving plate. Serve warm with cream, crème fraiche or ice cream.

Category: Chicken

Area: Thai

Ingredients:

• 225g new Potatoes
• 100g green beans
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 4 tsp Thai green curry paste
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2 tsp Thai fish sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 450g boneless Chicken
• 2 fresh kaffir leaves lime
• handfull basil
• Boiled Rice

Instructions:

Put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Throw in the beans and cook for a further 3 minutes, by which time both should be just tender but not too soft. Drain and put to one side.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil until very hot, then drop in the garlic and cook until golden, this should take only a few seconds. Don’t let it go very dark or it will spoil the taste. Spoon in the curry paste and stir it around for a few seconds to begin to cook the spices and release all the flavours. Next, pour in the coconut milk and let it come to a bubble.
Stir in the fish sauce and sugar, then the pieces of chicken. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Tip in the potatoes and beans and let them warm through in the hot coconut milk, then add a lovely citrussy flavour by stirring in the shredded lime leaves (or lime zest). The basil leaves go in next, but only leave them briefly on the heat or they will quickly lose their brightness. Scatter with the lime garnish and serve immediately with boiled rice.

Category: Chicken

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 2 Juice lemons
• 4 tsp paprika
• 2 finely chopped red onions
• 16 skinnless chicken thighs
• For brushing vegetable oil
• 300ml Greek yogurt
• large piece ginger
• 4 garlic clove
• ¾ tsp garam masala
• ¾ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric

Instructions:

Mix the lemon juice with the paprika and red onions in a large shallow dish. Slash each chicken thigh three times, then turn them in the juice and set aside for 10 mins.
Mix all of the marinade ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Give everything a good mix, then cover and chill for at least 1 hr. This can be done up to a day in advance.
Heat the grill. Lift the chicken pieces onto a rack over a baking tray. Brush over a little oil and grill for 8 mins on each side or until lightly charred and completely cooked through.

Category: Goat

Area: Kenyan

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Goat Meat
• 1 kg Corn Flour
• 2 Tomatoes
• Pinch Salt
• 1 Onion
• 1 Green Chilli
• 1 bunch Coriander Leaves

Instructions:

1. Steps for the Meat:
Roast meat over medium heat for 50 minutes and salt it as you turn it.

2. Steps for Ugali:
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the cornmeal slowly, letting it fall through the fingers of your hand.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring regularly, smashing any lumps with a spoon, until the mush pulls away from the sides of the pot and becomes very thick, about 10 minutes.

4.Remove from heat and allow to cool.

5. Place the ugali into a large serving bowl. Wet your hands with water, form a ball and serve.

6. Steps for Kachumbari: Mix the tomatoes, onions, chili and coriander leaves in a bowl.

7. Serve and enjoy!

Category: Dessert

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 250g Plain chocolate
• 175g Butter
• 2 tablespoons Milk
• 5 Eggs
• 175g Granulated Sugar
• 125g Flour

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line the base of an 8 in round spring form cake tin with baking parchment
Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of gently simmering water and stir until it melts. (or melt in the microwave for 2-3 mins stirring occasionally)
Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour if the mixture begins to curdle. Fold in the remaining flour with the cooled, melted chocolate and milk. Mix until smooth.
Spread the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 50-55 mins or until firm in the centre and a skewer comes out cleanly. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.

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.

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!

Category: Goat

Area: Kenyan

Ingredients:

• 1 kg Goat Meat
• 1 kg Corn Flour
• 2 Tomatoes
• Pinch Salt
• 1 Onion
• 1 Green Chilli
• 1 bunch Coriander Leaves

Instructions:

1. Steps for the Meat:
Roast meat over medium heat for 50 minutes and salt it as you turn it.

2. Steps for Ugali:
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the cornmeal slowly, letting it fall through the fingers of your hand.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring regularly, smashing any lumps with a spoon, until the mush pulls away from the sides of the pot and becomes very thick, about 10 minutes.

4.Remove from heat and allow to cool.

5. Place the ugali into a large serving bowl. Wet your hands with water, form a ball and serve.

6. Steps for Kachumbari: Mix the tomatoes, onions, chili and coriander leaves in a bowl.

7. Serve and enjoy!