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Category: Pasta

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 320g Spaghetti
• 6 Egg Yolks
• As required Salt
• 150g Bacon
• 50g Pecorino
• As required Black Pepper

Instructions:

STEP 1
Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.

STEP 2
Finely chop the 100g pancetta, having first removed any rind. Finely grate 50g pecorino cheese and 50g parmesan and mix them together.

STEP 3
Beat the 3 large eggs in a medium bowl and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set everything aside.

STEP 4
Add 1 tsp salt to the boiling water, add 350g spaghetti and when the water comes back to the boil, cook at a constant simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).

STEP 5
Squash 2 peeled plump garlic cloves with the blade of a knife, just to bruise it.

STEP 6
While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. Drop 50g unsalted butter into a large frying pan or wok and, as soon as the butter has melted, tip in the pancetta and garlic.

STEP 7
Leave to cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crisp. The garlic has now imparted its flavour, so take it out with a slotted spoon and discard.

STEP 8
Keep the heat under the pancetta on low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water with a pasta fork or tongs and put it in the frying pan with the pancetta. Don’t worry if a little water drops in the pan as well (you want this to happen) and don’t throw the pasta water away yet.

STEP 9
Mix most of the cheese in with the eggs, keeping a small handful back for sprinkling over later.

STEP 10
Take the pan of spaghetti and pancetta off the heat. Now quickly pour in the eggs and cheese. Using the tongs or a long fork, lift up the spaghetti so it mixes easily with the egg mixture, which thickens but doesn’t scramble, and everything is coated.

STEP 11
Add extra pasta cooking water to keep it saucy (several tablespoons should do it). You don’t want it wet, just moist. Season with a little salt, if needed.

STEP 12
Use a long-pronged fork to twist the pasta on to the serving plate or bowl. Serve immediately with a little sprinkling of the remaining cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish does get a little dry before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water and the glossy sauciness will be revived.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 8 cloves chopped Garlic
• 3 tbsp Caster Sugar
• 2 tblsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 3 400g Cans Chopped Tomatoes
• Bunch Basil Leaves
• 2 tubs Mascarpone
• 3 tbsp Milk
• 85g Parmesan
• 2 sliced Mozzarella
• 1kg Spinach
• 100g Parmesan
• 3 tubs Ricotta
• pinch Nutmeg
• 400g Cannellini Beans

Instructions:

First make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic for 1 min. Add the sugar, vinegar, tomatoes and some seasoning and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until thick. Add the basil and divide the sauce between 2 or more shallow ovenproof dishes (see Tips for freezing, below). Set aside. Make a sauce by beating the mascarpone with the milk until smooth, season, then set aside.

Put the spinach in a large colander and pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt it (you may need to do this in batches). When cool enough to handle squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop the spinach and mix in a large bowl with 100g Parmesan and ricotta. Season well with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Using a piping bag or plastic food bag with the corner snipped off, squeeze the filling into the cannelloni tubes. Lay the tubes, side by side, on top of the tomato sauce and spoon over the mascarpone sauce. Top with Parmesan and mozzarella. You can now freeze the cannelloni, uncooked, or you can cook it first and then freeze. Bake for 30-35 mins until golden and bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 mins before serving.

Category: Beef

Area: Malaysian

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb Minced Beef
• 1 Onion
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tbs Chilli
• 1/2 Baguette
• To taste Salt
• To taste Pepper
• Top Mayonnaise

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Heat a pan or griddle with a little vegetable oil.
Pour the mixture onto the pan and place a piece of open-faced baguette on top.
Press on the bread with a spatula and grill for 2 minutes.
Turn the bread over to make it a little crispy.
Remove from pan and cut the bread into small portions.
Add mayonnaise and/or Sambal before cutting the sandwich (optional).

Category: Chicken

Area: Indian

Ingredients:

• 1.2 kg Chicken
• 5 thinly sliced Onion
• 2 finely chopped Tomatoes
• 8 cloves chopped Garlic
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• ¼ cup Vegetable oil
• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 3 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 2 Green chilli
• 1 cup Yogurt
• ¾ cup Cream
• 3 tsp Dried fenugreek
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• To taste Salt

Instructions:

Take a large pot or wok, big enough to cook all the chicken, and heat the oil in it. Once the oil is hot, add sliced onion and fry them until deep golden brown. Then take them out on a plate and set aside.
To the same pot, add the chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft. This would take about 5 minutes.
Then return the fried onion to the pot and stir. Add ginger paste and sauté well.
Now add the cumin seeds, half of the coriander seeds and chopped green chillies. Give them a quick stir.
Next goes in the spices – turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Sauté the spices well for couple of minutes.
Add the chicken pieces to the wok, season it with salt to taste and cook the chicken covered on medium-low heat until the chicken is almost cooked through. This would take about 15 minutes. Slowly sautéing the chicken will enhance the flavor, so do not expedite this step by putting it on high heat.
When the oil separates from the spices, add the beaten yogurt keeping the heat on lowest so that the yogurt doesn’t split. Sprinkle the remaining coriander seeds and add half of the dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
Finally add the cream and give a final mix to combine everything well.
Sprinkle the remaining kasuri methi and garam masala and serve the chicken handi hot with naan or rotis. Enjoy!

Category: Side

Area: Croatian

Ingredients:

• 500g Sardines
• Dash Vegetable Oil
• To Glaze Flour
• Dash Salt

Instructions:

Wash the fish under the cold tap. Roll in the flour and deep fry in oil until crispy. Lay on kitchen towel to get rid of the excess oil and serve hot or cold with a slice of lemon.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: French

Ingredients:

• 75g Butter
• 1kg Leek
• ½ tsp Salt
• 300ml Creme Fraiche
• 1 Egg
• 3 Egg Yolks
• ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
• 225g Plain Flour
• ½ tsp Salt
• 60g Butter
• 60g Lard
• 50g Cheddar Cheese
• 2 tbs Water

Instructions:

For the pastry, sift the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor, add the butter and lard, then whizz together briefly until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Tip the mixture into a bowl, then stir in the cheese and enough of the water for the mixture to come together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out thinly and line a 23cm x 4cm loose-?bottomed fluted flan tin. Prick the base with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes.
02.Melt the 75g butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then add the leeks and the salt. Cover and cook for ?10 minutes until soft. Uncover the pan, increase the heat and cook ?for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated. Spoon onto a plate and leave to cool.
03.Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans or rice and blind bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are biscuit-coloured. Remove the paper and beans/rice and return the case to the oven for 7-10 minutes until the base is crisp and lightly golden. Remove and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5.
04.Put the crème fraîche into a bowl with the whole egg, egg yolks and nutmeg. Lightly beat together, then season. Stir in the leeks. Spoon ?the mixture into the tart case and bake for 35-40 minutes until set ?and lightly golden. Remove from ?the oven and leave for 10 minutes. Take out of the tin and serve.

Category: Dessert

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 100g Almonds
• 180g Butter
• 180g Muscovado Sugar
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 3 tbs Apricot Jam
• 225g Plain Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 Large Eggs
• 100g Ground Almonds
• 2 tbs Milk
• 500g Dried Fruit
• 100g Glace Cherry
• 1 tbs Milk
• 2 tsp Caster Sugar

Instructions:

Put the almonds into a small bowl and pour over boiling water to just cover. Leave for 5 mins then drain in a sieve and leave to dry.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160 C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a deep loose-based 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
Put the butter in a large bowl and beat well until soft. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the orange zest and apricot jam.
Sieve together the flour and baking powder. Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, stir in a little flour.
Add the remaining flour and ground almonds and mix well. Mix in the milk and then add the dried fruit and cherries and mix gently together.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon. Arrange the whole almonds close together in neat circles on the top of the cake. Bake in the oven for 45 mins.
Lower the oven temperature to 160C/140 C fan/Gas Mark 3 and cook for a further 60–80 minutes. Check the cake after 50 minutes by inserting a wooden or metal skewer into the cake. When it’s done it should have just a few crumbs attached. Check every 10 minutes – it’s important not to overcook this cake so the centre will be a little soft.
When cooked, remove the cake briefly from the oven, put the milk and sugar into a small pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Brush over the top of the cake and return the cake to the oven for 2-3 mins. Remove and allow the cake to cool in the tin. When quite cold remove from the tin and wrap in foil and keep for at least 2 days before cutting.

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: Beef

Area: Malaysian

Ingredients:

• 1lb Beef
• 5 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 3 Cloves
• 3 Star Anise
• 3 Cardamom
• 1 cup Coconut Cream
• 1 cup Water
• 2 tbs Tamarind Paste
• 6 Lime
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 5 Challots

Instructions:

Chop the spice paste ingredients and then blend it in a food processor until fine.
Heat the oil in a stew pot, add the spice paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the beef and the pounded lemongrass and stir for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, tamarind juice, water, and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently until the meat is almost cooked. Add the kaffir lime leaves, kerisik (toasted coconut), sugar or palm sugar, stirring to blend well with the meat.
Lower the heat to low, cover the lid, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is really tender and the gravy has dried up. Add more salt and sugar to taste. Serve immediately with steamed rice and save some for overnight.

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.