Blog

  • Chicken Alfredo Primavera

    Chicken Alfredo Primavera

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tablespoons Butter
    • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 5 boneless Chicken
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cut into 1/2-inch cubes Squash
    • 1 Head chopped Broccoli
    • 8-ounce sliced mushrooms
    • 1 red Pepper
    • 1 chopped onion
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 cup white wine
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • 16 ounces bowtie pasta
    • pinch Salt
    • pinch Pepper
    • chopped Parsley

    Instructions:

    Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of each chicken breast with seasoned salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the boiling water with a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Add the pasta and give it a stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a cutting board; allow it to rest. Turn the heat down to medium and dd the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil to the same pan you used to cook the chicken. Add the veggies (minus the garlic) and red pepper flakes to the pan and stir to coat with the oil and butter (refrain from seasoning with salt until the veggies are finished browning). Cook, stirring often, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, and reserved pasta water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and allow to simmer and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.

  • Wontons

    Wontons

    Category: Pork

    Area: Chinese

    Ingredients:

    • 1lb Pork
    • 3 chopped Garlic Clove
    • 1 tsp Ginger
    • 1 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
    • 3 finely chopped Carrots
    • 3 finely chopped Celery
    • 6 chopped Spring Onions
    • 1 Packet Wonton Skin
    • Fry Oil
    • Bottle Water

    Instructions:

    Combine pork, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and vegetables in a bowl.
    Separate wonton skins.
    Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of the wonton.
    Brush water on 2 borders of the skin, covering 1/4 inch from the edge.
    Fold skin over to form a triangle, sealing edges.
    Pinch the two long outside points together.
    Heat oil to 450 degrees and fry 4 to 5 at a time until golden.
    Drain and serve with sauce.

  • Beef Bourguignon

    Beef Bourguignon

    Category: Beef

    Area: French

    Ingredients:

    • 3 tsp Goose Fat
    • 600g Beef Shin
    • 100g Bacon
    • 350g Challots
    • 250g Chestnut Mushroom
    • 2 sliced Garlic Clove
    • 1 Bouquet Garni
    • 1 tbs Tomato Puree
    • 750 ml Red Wine
    • 600g Celeriac
    • 2 tbs Olive Oil
    • sprigs of fresh Thyme
    • sprigs of fresh Rosemary
    • 2 Bay Leaf
    • 4 Cardamom

    Instructions:

    Heat a large casserole pan and add 1 tbsp goose fat. Season the beef and fry until golden brown, about 3-5 mins, then turn over and fry the other side until the meat is browned all over, adding more fat if necessary. Do this in 2-3 batches, transferring the meat to a colander set over a bowl when browned.
    In the same pan, fry the bacon, shallots or pearl onions, mushrooms, garlic and bouquet garni until lightly browned. Mix in the tomato purée and cook for a few mins, stirring into the mixture. This enriches the bourguignon and makes a great base for the stew. Then return the beef and any drained juices to the pan and stir through.
    Pour over the wine and about 100ml water so the meat bobs up from the liquid, but isn’t completely covered. Bring to the boil and use a spoon to scrape the caramelised cooking juices from the bottom of the pan – this will give the stew more flavour.
    Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Make a cartouche: tear off a square of foil slightly larger than the casserole, arrange it in the pan so it covers the top of the stew and trim away any excess foil. Then cook for 3 hrs. If the sauce looks watery, remove the beef and veg with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Cook the sauce over a high heat for a few mins until the sauce has thickened a little, then return the beef and vegetables to the pan.
    To make the celeriac mash, peel the celeriac and cut into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Tip in the celeriac and fry for 5 mins until it turns golden. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, bay and cardamom pods, then pour over 200ml water, enough to nearly cover the celeriac. Turn the heat to low, partially cover the pan and leave to simmer for 25-30 mins.
    After 25-30 mins, the celeriac should be soft and most of the water will have evaporated. Drain away any remaining water, then remove the herb sprigs, bay and cardamom pods. Lightly crush with a potato masher, then finish with a glug of olive oil and season to taste. Spoon the beef bourguignon into serving bowls and place a large spoonful of the celeriac mash on top. Garnish with one of the bay leaves, if you like.

  • Madeira Cake

    Madeira Cake

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 175g Butter
    • 175g Caster Sugar
    • 3 Eggs
    • 250g Self-raising Flour
    • 3 tbs Milk
    • Zest of 1 Lemon
    • To Glaze Mixed Peel

    Instructions:

    Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease an 18cm/7in round cake tin, line the base with greaseproof paper and grease the paper.
    Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture curdling.
    Sift the flour and gently fold in, with enough milk to give a mixture that falls slowly from the spoon. Fold in the lemon zest.
    Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and lightly level the top. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
    Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
    To serve, decorate the cake with the candied peel.

  • Montreal Smoked Meat

    Montreal Smoked Meat

    Category: Beef

    Area: Canadian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Beef Brisket
    • 3 tbs Salt
    • 3 tbs Black Pepper
    • 1 tbs Coriander
    • 1 tbs Sugar
    • 1 tsp Bay Leaf
    • 1 tsp Cloves
    • 3 tbs Black Pepper
    • 1 tbs Coriander
    • 1 tbs Paprika
    • 1 tbs Garlic
    • 1 tbs Onion
    • 1 tbs Dill
    • 1 tsp English Mustard
    • 1 tbs Celery Salt
    • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

    Instructions:

    To make the cure, in a small bowl mix together salt, pink salt, black pepper, coriander, sugar, bay leaf, and cloves. Coat entire brisket with the cure and place in an extra-large resealable plastic bag. Place in the coldest part of the refrigerator and cure for 4 days, flipping brisket twice a day.
    Remove brisket from bag and wash as much cure off as possible under cold running water. Place brisket in a large container and fill with water and let soak for 2 hours, replacing water every 30 minutes. Remove from water and pat dry with paper towels.
    To make the rub, mix together black pepper, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, mustard, celery seed, and crushed red papper in a small bowl. Coat entire brisket with the rub.
    Fire up smoker or grill to 225 degrees, adding chunks of smoking wood chunks when at temperature. When wood is ignited and producing smoke, place brisket in, fat side up, and smoke until an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into thickest part of the brisket, about 6 hours.
    Transfer brisket to large roasting pan with V-rack. Place roasting pan over two burners on stovetop and fill with 1-inch of water. Bring water to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, cover roasting pan with aluminum foil, and steam brisket until an instant read thermometer registers 180 degrees when inserted into thickest part of the meat, 1 to 2 hours, adding more hot water as needed.
    Transfer brisket to cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice and serve, preferably on rye with mustard.

  • Bakewell tart

    Bakewell tart

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 175g/6oz plain flour
    • 75g/2½oz chilled butter
    • 2-3 tbsp cold water
    • 1 tbsp raspberry jam
    • 125g/4½oz butter
    • 125g/4½oz caster sugar
    • 125g/4½oz ground almonds
    • 1 free-range egg, beaten
    • ½ tsp almond extract
    • 50g/1¾oz flaked almonds

    Instructions:

    To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water, mixing to form a soft dough.
    Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 20cm/8in flan tin. Leave in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
    Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 (180C fan).
    Line the pastry case with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for about 15 minutes, then remove the beans and foil and cook for a further five minutes to dry out the base.
    For the filing, spread the base of the flan generously with raspberry jam.
    Melt the butter in a pan, take off the heat and then stir in the sugar. Add ground almonds, egg and almond extract. Pour into the flan tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
    Bake for about 35 minutes. If the almonds seem to be browning too quickly, cover the tart loosely with foil to prevent them burning.

  • Moussaka

    Moussaka

    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.

  • Chicken Marengo

    Chicken Marengo

    Category: Chicken

    Area: French

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tbs Olive Oil
    • 300g Mushrooms
    • 4 Chicken Legs
    • 500g Passata
    • 1 Chicken Stock Cube
    • 100g Black Olives
    • Chopped Parsley

    Instructions:

    Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and stir-fry the mushrooms until they start to soften. Add the chicken legs and cook briefly on each side to colour them a little.
    Pour in the passata, crumble in the stock cube and stir in the olives. Season with black pepper – you shouldn’t need salt. Cover and simmer for 40 mins until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with pasta and a salad, or mash and green veg, if you like.

  • Lasagna Sandwiches

    Lasagna Sandwiches

    Category: Pasta

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 1/4 cup Sour Cream
    • 2 tbs Chopped Onion
    • 1/2 tbs Dried Oregano
    • 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 8 slices Bread
    • 8 slices Bacon
    • 8 slices Tomato
    • 4 slices Mozzarella
    • 2 1/2 Tbs Butter

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients; spread on four slices of bread. Layer with bacon, tomato and cheese; top with remaining bread.

    2. In a large skillet or griddle, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Toast sandwiches until lightly browned on both sides and cheese is melted, adding butter if necessary.

    Nutrition Facts
    1 sandwich: 445 calories, 24g fat (12g saturated fat), 66mg cholesterol, 1094mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 21g protein.

  • 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.