Blog

  • 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.

  • Fish Soup (Ukha)

    Fish Soup (Ukha)

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Russian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tbs Olive Oil
    • 1 sliced Onion
    • 2 medium Carrots
    • 3 cups Fish Stock
    • 3 cups Water
    • 4 large Potatoes
    • 3 Bay Leaf
    • 1 Cod
    • 1 Salmon

    Instructions:

    In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions start to caramelize. Add the carrots and cook until the carrots start to soften, about 4 more minutes.
    Add the stock, water, potatoes, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the millet and cook for 15 more minutes until millet and potatoes are cooked.
    Gently add the fish cubes. Stir and bring the soup to a simmer. The fish will cook through very fast, so make sure to not overcook them. They are done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
    Garnish the soup with chopped fresh dill or parsley before serving.

  • Bitterballen (Dutch meatballs)

    Bitterballen (Dutch meatballs)

    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.

  • Kidney Bean Curry

    Kidney Bean Curry

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Indian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tbls Vegetable Oil
    • 1 finely chopped Onion
    • 2 cloves chopped Garlic
    • 1 part Ginger
    • 1 Packet Coriander
    • 1 tsp Cumin
    • 1 tsp Paprika
    • 2 tsp Garam Masala
    • 400g Chopped Tomatoes
    • 400g Kidney Beans
    • to serve Basmati Rice

    Instructions:

    Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to colour. Add the garlic, ginger and coriander stalks and cook for a further 2 mins, until fragrant.

    Add the spices to the pan and cook for another 1 min, by which point everything should smell aromatic. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and kidney beans in their water, then bring to the boil.

    Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 mins until the curry is nice and thick. Season to taste, then serve with the basmati rice and the coriander leaves.

  • Lamb Pilaf (Plov)

    Lamb Pilaf (Plov)

    Category: Lamb

    Area: Russian

    Ingredients:

    • 50g Lamb
    • 120g Prunes
    • 1 tbs Lemon Juice
    • 2 tbs Butter
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 450g Lamb
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 600ml Vegetable Stock
    • 2 cups Rice
    • Pinch Saffron
    • Garnish Parsley

    Instructions:

    Place the raisins and prunes into a small bowl and pour over enough water to cover. Add lemon juice and let soak for at least 1 hour. Drain. Roughly chop the prunes.

    Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes. Add cubed lamb, ground lamb, and crushed garlic cloves. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until browned.

    Pour 2/3 cup (150 milliliters) of stock into the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the lamb is tender.

    Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Add rinsed long-grain white rice and a large pinch of saffron. Stir, then cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

    Add the drained raisins, drained chopped prunes, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through for a few minutes, then turn out onto a warmed serving dish and garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.

  • Chakchouka

    Chakchouka

    Category: Miscellaneous

    Area: Tunisian

    Ingredients:

    • 4 Tomatoes
    • 2 tbs Olive Oil
    • 1 Diced Onion
    • 1 sliced Red Pepper
    • 1 sliced Green Pepper
    • 3 Cloves Crushed Garlic
    • 1 tsp Cumin
    • 1 tsp Paprika
    • 3/4 teaspoon Salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
    • 4 Eggs

    Instructions:

    In a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the peppers and garlic, and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt, and chili powder. Mix well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes until the mixture has thickened to your desired consistency. (Taste the sauce at this point and adjust for salt and spice, as desired.) Using the back of a spoon, make four craters in the mixture, large enough to hold an egg. Crack one egg into each of the craters. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the eggs have set. Serve immediately with crusty bread or pita.

  • Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Corned Beef and Cabbage

    Category: Beef

    Area: Irish

    Ingredients:

    • 3 Lbs Beef Brisket
    • 10 Small Potatoes
    • 5 Carrots
    • 1 head Cabbage

    Instructions:

    1

    Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.

    2

    Add whole potatoes and peeled and cut carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.

    3

    Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

  • Lamb Tzatziki Burgers

    Lamb Tzatziki Burgers

    Category: Lamb

    Area: Greek

    Ingredients:

    • 25g Bulgur Wheat
    • 500g Lamb Mince
    • 1 tsp Cumin
    • 1 tsp Coriander
    • 1 tsp Paprika
    • 1 clove finely chopped Garlic
    • For frying Olive Oil
    • 4 Bun
    • Grated Cucumber
    • 200g Greek Yogurt
    • 2 tbs Mint

    Instructions:

    Tip the bulghar into a pan, cover with water and boil for 10 mins. Drain really well in a sieve, pressing out any excess water.

    To make the tzatziki, squeeze and discard the juice from the cucumber, then mix into the yogurt with the chopped mint and a little salt.

    Work the bulghar into the lamb with the spices, garlic (if using) and seasoning, then shape into 4 burgers. Brush with a little oil and fry or barbecue for about 5 mins each side until cooked all the way through. Serve in the buns (toasted if you like) with the tzatziki, tomatoes, onion and a few mint leaves.

  • Key Lime Pie

    Key Lime Pie

    Category: Dessert

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 300g Digestive Biscuits
    • 150g Butter
    • 400g Condensed Milk
    • 3 Egg Yolks
    • 4 Lime
    • 300ml Double Cream
    • 1 tbls Icing Sugar
    • to serve Lime

    Instructions:

    Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Whizz the biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or put in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin). Mix with the melted butter and press into the base and up the sides of a 22cm loose-based tart tin. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
    Put the egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk for a minute with electric beaters. Add the condensed milk and whisk for 3 minutes then add the zest and juice and whisk again for 3 minutes. Pour the filling into the cooled base then put back in the oven for 15 minutes. Cool then chill for at least 3 hours or overnight if you like.
    When you are ready to serve, carefully remove the pie from the tin and put on a serving plate. To decorate, softly whip together the cream and icing sugar. Dollop or pipe the cream onto the top of the pie and finish with extra lime zest.

  • Chelsea Buns

    Chelsea Buns

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 500g White Flour
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 7g Yeast
    • 300ml Milk
    • 40g Butter
    • 1 Eggs
    • Dash Vegetable Oil
    • 25g Butter
    • 75g Brown Sugar
    • 2 tsp Cinnamon
    • 150g Dried Fruit
    • 2 tbs Milk
    • 2 tbs Caster Sugar

    Instructions:

    Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the yeast.
    Meanwhile, warm the milk and butter in a saucepan until the butter melts and the mixture is lukewarm.
    Add the milk mixture and egg to the flour mixture and stir until the contents of the bowl come together as a soft dough. (You may need to add a little extra flour.)
    Tip the dough onto a generously floured work surface. Knead for five minutes, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer feels sticky.
    Lightly oil a bowl with a little of the vegetable oil. Place the dough into the bowl and turn until it is covered in the oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and set aside in a warm place for one hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
    Lightly grease a baking tray.
    For the filling, knock the dough back to its original size and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out into a rectangle 0.5cm/¼in thick. Brush all over with the melted butter, then sprinkle over the brown sugar, cinnamon and dried fruit.
    Roll the dough up into a tight cylinder , cut ten 4cm/1½in slice and place them onto a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving a little space between each slice. Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
    Preheat oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
    Bake the buns in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown.
    Meanwhile, for the glaze, heat the milk and sugar in a saucepan until boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
    Remove the buns from the oven and brush with the glaze, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.