Blog

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 250g Butter
• 350g Plain Flour
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 25g Butter
• 200g Currants
• 50g Mixed Peel
• 100g Muscovado Sugar
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 1 tsp Allspice
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• 1 beaten Eggs
• spinkling Sugar

Instructions:

To make the pastry, dice the butter and put it in the freezer to go really hard. Tip flour into the bowl of a food processor with half the butter and pulse to the texture of breadcrumbs. Pour in the lemon juice and 100ml iced water, and pulse to a dough. Tip in the rest of the butter and pulse a few times until the dough is heavily flecked with butter. It is important that you don’t overdo this as the flecks of butter are what makes the pastry flaky.
On a floured surface roll the pastry out to a neat rectangle about 20 x 30cm. Fold the two ends of the pastry into the middle (See picture 1), then fold in half (pic 2). Roll the pastry out again and refold the same way 3 more times resting the pastry for at least 15 mins each time between roll and fold, then leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 mins before using.
To make the filling, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Take it off the heat and stir in all the other ingredients until completely mixed, then set aside.
To make the cakes, roll the pastry out until it’s just a little thicker than a £1 coin and cut out 8 rounds about 12cm across. Re-roll the trimming if needed. Place a good heaped tablespoon of mixture in the middle of each round, brush the edges of the rounds with water, then gather the pastry around the filling and squeeze it together (pic 3). Flip them over so the smooth top is upwards and pat them into a smooth round. Flatten each round with a rolling pin to an oval until the fruit just starts to poke through, then place on a baking tray. Cut 2 little slits in each Eccles cakes, brush generously with egg white and sprinkle with the sugar (pic 4).
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Bake the Eccles cakes for 15-20 mins until just past golden brown and sticky. Leave to cool on a rack and enjoy while still warm or cold with a cup of tea. If you prefer, Eccles cakes also go really well served with a wedge of hard, tangy British cheese such as Lancashire or cheddar.

Category: Breakfast

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 3 Medium Potatoes
• 1 tbs Olive Oil
• 2 strips Bacon
• Minced Garlic Clove
• 1 tbs Maple Syrup
• Garnish Parsley
• Pinch Salt
• Pinch Pepper
• To taste Allspice

Instructions:

Before you do anything, freeze your bacon slices that way when you're ready to prep, it'll be so much easier to chop!
Wash the potatoes and cut medium dice into square pieces. To prevent any browning, place the already cut potatoes in a bowl filled with water.
In the meantime, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Tilt the skillet so the oil spreads evenly.
Once the oil is hot, drain the potatoes and add to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and Old Bay as needed.
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring the potatoes often, until brown. If needed, add a tablespoon more of oil.
Chop up the bacon and add to the potatoes. The bacon will start to render and the fat will begin to further cook the potatoes. Toss it up a bit! The bacon will take 5-6 minutes to crisp.
Once the bacon is cooked, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the minced garlic and toss. Season once more. Add dried or fresh parsley. Control heat as needed.
Let the garlic cook until fragrant, about one minute.
Just before serving, drizzle over the maple syrup and toss. Let that cook another minute, giving the potatoes a caramelized effect.
Serve in a warm bowl with a sunny side up egg!

Category: Beef

Area: Dutch

Ingredients:

• 100g Butter
• 150g Flour
• 700ml Beef Stock
• 30g Onion
• 1 tbs Parsley
• 400g Beef
• Pinch Salt
• Pinch Pepper
• Pinch Nutmeg
• 50g Flour
• 2 Beaten Eggs
• 50g Breadcrumbs

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a skillet or pan. When melted, add the flour little by little and stir into a thick paste. Slowly stir in the stock, making sure the roux absorbs the liquid. Simmer for a couple of minutes on a low heat while you stir in the onion, parsley and the shredded meat. The mixture should thicken and turn into a heavy, thick sauce.

Pour the mixture into a shallow container, cover and refrigerate for several hours, or until the sauce has solidified.

Take a heaping tablespoon of the cold, thick sauce and quickly roll it into a small ball. Roll lightly through the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Make sure that the egg covers the whole surface of the bitterbal. When done, refrigerate the snacks while the oil in your fryer heats up to 190C (375F). Fry four bitterballen at a time, until golden.

Serve on a plate with a nice grainy or spicy mustard.

Category: Beef

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 300g Puff Pastry
• Beaten Egg White
• Beaten Egg Yolks
• 2 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 70 ml Beef
• 200g Lamb Kidney
• 2 chopped Onions
• 30g Plain Flour
• 85 ml Beef Stock
• pinch Salt
• pinch Pepper
• Dash Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, and brown the beef all over. (You may need to do this in batches.) Set aside, then brown the kidneys on both sides in the same pan. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Return the beef to the pan, sprinkle flour over and coat the meat and onions
Add the stock to the pan, stir well and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer for 1½ hours without a lid. If the liquid evaporates too much, add more stock.
Remove from the heat. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and allow to cool completely. Place the cooked meat mixture into a pie dish.
Roll out the pastry to 5mm/¼in thick and 5cm/2in larger than the dish you are using.
Using a rolling pin, lift the pastry and place it over the top of the pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges with your fingers and thumb.
Brush the surface with the beaten egg mixture and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden-brown and puffed.
Serve with creamy mash and steamed vegetables to soak up the gravy.

Category: Dessert

Area: Tunisian

Ingredients:

• 250g Cashew Nuts
• 100g Icing Sugar
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 2 tbs Orange Blossom Water
• To Glaze Icing Sugar
• 100g Almonds

Instructions:

Preheat the oven at 180 C / Gas 4. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
In a bowl, mix the cashews and icing sugar. Add the egg yolks and orange blossom water and mix to a smooth homogeneous paste.
Take lumps of the cashew paste and shape into small balls. Roll the balls in icing sugar and transfer to the baking tray. Push an almond in the centre of each ghribia.
Bake until the biscuits are lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them, they burn quickly.

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: Seafood

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 4 Mackerel
• 18 dried Red Chilli
• 1 inch Ginger
• 8 cloves Garlic
• 1.5 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp Cumin
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• Cinnamon stick
• 4 Cloves
• 2 Cardamom
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 2 marble sized Tamarind ball
• 2.5 tbsp Vinegar
• for frying Oil

Instructions:

Soak all the spices, ginger, garlic, tamarind pulp and kashmiri chilies except oil in vinegar.
Add sugar and salt.
Also add turmeric powder.
Combine all nicely and marinate for 35-40 mins.
Grind the mixture until soft and smooth. Add more vinegar if required but ensure the paste has to be thick so add vinegar accordingly. If the masala paste is thin then it would not stick to the fish.
Rinse the fish slit from the center and give some incision from the top. You could see the fish below for clarity.
Now stuff the paste into the center and into the incision. Coat the entire fish with this paste. Marinate the fish for 30 mins.
Place oil in a shallow pan, once oil is quite hot shallow fry the stuffed mackerels.
Fry until golden brown from both sides
Serve the recheado mackerels hot with salad, lime wedges, rice and curry.
Notes
1. Ensure the masala paste is thick else the result won't be good.
2. If you aren't able to find kashmiri chilies then use bedgi chilies or kashmiri red chili powder.
3. You could use white vinegar or coconut vinegar.
4. Any left over paste could be stored in the fridge for future use.
5. Cinnamon could be avoided as it's a strong spice used generally for meat or chicken.

Category: Beef

Area: Greek

Ingredients:

• 500g Beef
• 1 large Aubergine
• 150g Greek Yogurt
• 1 beaten Egg
• 3 tbs Parmesan
• 400g Tomato
• 4 tbs Tomato Puree
• 350g Potatoes

Instructions:

Heat the grill to high. Brown the beef in a deep ovenproof frying pan over a high heat for 5 mins. Meanwhile, prick the aubergine with a fork, then microwave on High for 3-5 mins until soft. Mix the yogurt, egg and parmesan together, then add a little seasoning.

Stir the tomatoes, purée and potatoes in with the beef with some seasoning and heat through. Smooth the surface of the beef mixture with the back of a spoon, then slice the cooked aubergine and arrange on top. Pour the yogurt mixture over the aubergines, smooth out evenly, then grill until the topping has set and turned golden.

Category: Breakfast

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 4 Sausages
• 4 Bacon
• 4 Mushrooms
• 3 Tomatoes
• 2 sliced Black Pudding
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Slice Bread
• 100g Baked Beans

Instructions:

Heat the flat grill plate over a low heat, on top of 2 rings/flames if it fits, and brush sparingly with light olive oil.
Cook the sausages first. Add the sausages to the hot grill plate/the coolest part if there is one and allow to cook slowly for about 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. After the first 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium before beginning to cook the other ingredients. If you are struggling for space, completely cook the sausages and keep hot on a plate in the oven.
Snip a few small cuts into the fatty edge of the bacon. Place the bacon straight on to the grill plate and fry for 2-4 minutes each side or until your preferred crispiness is reached. Like the sausages, the cooked bacon can be kept hot on a plate in the oven.
For the mushrooms, brush away any dirt using a pastry brush and trim the stalk level with the mushroom top. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil. Place stalk-side up on the grill plate and cook for 1-2 minutes before turning and cooking for a further 3-4 minutes. Avoid moving the mushrooms too much while cooking, as this releases the natural juices, making them soggy.
For the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes across the centre/or in half lengthways if using plum tomatoes , and with a small, sharp knife remove the green 'eye'. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place cut-side down on the grill plate and cook without moving for 2 minutes. Gently turn over and season again. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until tender but still holding their shape.
For the black pudding, cut the black pudding into 3-4 slices and remove the skin. Place on the grill plate and cook for 1½-2 minutes each side until slightly crispy.
For 'proper' fried bread it's best to cook it in a separate pan. Ideally, use bread that is a couple of days old. Heat a frying pan to a medium heat and cover the base with oil. Add the bread and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until crispy and golden. If the pan becomes too dry, add a little more oil. For a richer flavour, add a knob of butter after you turn the slice.
For the fried eggs, break the egg straight into the pan with the fried bread and leave for 30 seconds. Add a good knob of butter and lightly splash/baste the egg with the butter when melted. Cook to your preferred stage, season and gently remove with a fish slice.
Once all the ingredients are cooked, serve on warm plates and enjoy straight away with a good squeeze of tomato ketchup or brown sauce.

Category: Dessert

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ cup Plain Flour
• 1 1/2 cups Milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie dish.
Place the brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl, and beat them together with an electric mixer until creamy and very well combined, without lumps. Beat in eggs, one at a time, incorporating the first egg before adding the next one. Add the vanilla extract and salt; beat the flour in, a little at a time, and then the milk, making a creamy batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes; remove pie, and cover the rim with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Return to oven, and bake until the middle sets and the top forms a crusty layer, about 15 more minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.