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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: British

Ingredients:

• 225g Medjool dates
• 175ml Boiling water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 85g butter
• 140g demerara sugar
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 100ml milk
• 1 scoop ice cream
• 175g muscovado sugar
• 50g butter
• 225ml double cream
• 1 tbsp black treacle

Instructions:

Stone and chop the dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour the boiling water over. Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork. Stir in the vanilla extract. Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
While the dates are soaking, make the puddings. Mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar). Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour, then half the milk, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour and milk is used. Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter. The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter. Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.
Meanwhile, put the sugar and butter for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the cream. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Stir in the black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the cream.
Remove the puddings from the oven. Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out. You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they’ll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce. To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes. Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them. Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn’t smudge (no need to chill).
When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling. Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.

Category: Pork

Area: Chinese

Ingredients:

• 200g Pork
• 1 Egg
• Dash Water
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 10g Soy Sauce
• 10g Starch
• 30g Tomato Puree
• 10g Vinegar
• Dash Coriander

Instructions:

Preparation
1. Crack the egg into a bowl. Separate the egg white and yolk.

Sweet and Sour Pork
2. Slice the pork tenderloin into strips.

3. Prepare the marinade using a pinch of salt, one teaspoon of starch, two teaspoons of light soy sauce, and an egg white.

4. Marinade the pork strips for about 20 minutes.

5. Put the remaining starch in a bowl. Add some water and vinegar to make a starchy sauce.

Sweet and Sour Pork
Cooking Instructions
1. Pour the cooking oil into a wok and heat to 190°C (375°F). Add the marinated pork strips and fry them until they turn brown. Remove the cooked pork from the wok and place on a plate.

2. Leave some oil in the wok. Put the tomato sauce and white sugar into the wok, and heat until the oil and sauce are fully combined.

3. Add some water to the wok and thoroughly heat the sweet and sour sauce before adding the pork strips to it.

4. Pour in the starchy sauce. Stir-fry all the ingredients until the pork and sauce are thoroughly mixed together.

5. Serve on a plate and add some coriander for decoration.

Category: Dessert

Area: Canadian

Ingredients:

• 125g Custard
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 5 tbs Cocoa
• 1 beaten Egg
• 200g shredded Digestive Biscuits
• 100g Desiccated Coconut
• 50g Almonds
• 100g Butter
• 4 tbs Double Cream
• 3 tbs Custard Powder
• 250g Icing Sugar
• 150g Dark Chocolate
• 50g Butter

Instructions:

Start by making the biscuit base. In a bowl, over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter with the sugar and cocoa powder, stirring occasionally until smooth. Whisk in the egg for 2 to 3 mins until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and mix in the biscuit crumbs, coconut and almonds if using, then press into the base of a lined 20cm square tin. Chill for 10 mins.
For the middle layer, make the custard icing; whisk together the butter, cream and custard powder until light and fluffy, then gradually add the icing sugar until fully incorporated. Spread over the bottom layer and chill in the fridge for at least 10 mins until the custard is no longer soft.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave, then spread over the chilled bars and put back in the fridge. Leave until the chocolate has fully set (about 2 hrs). Take the mixture out of the tin and slice into squares to serve.

Category: Vegan

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 1 cups green red lentils
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 small zucchini
• sprinking coriander
• 150g spinach
• 10 lasagne sheets
• 35g vegan butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 300ml soya milk
• 1.5 teaspoons mustard
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
2) Boil vegetables for 5-7 minutes, until soft. Add lentils and bring to a gentle simmer, adding a stock cube if desired. Continue cooking and stirring until the lentils are soft, which should take about 20 minutes.
3) Blanch spinach leaves for a few minutes in a pan, before removing and setting aside.
4) Top up the pan with water and cook the lasagne sheets. When cooked, drain and set aside.
5) To make the sauce, melt the butter and add the flour, then gradually add the soya milk along with the mustard and the vinegar. Cook and stir until smooth and then assemble the lasagne as desired in a baking dish.
6) Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes.

Category: Vegetarian

Area: Moroccan

Ingredients:

• 650g/1lb 8 oz Small Potatoes
• 1 tsp Harissa Spice
• 2 tsp olive oil
• juice of half Lemon
• 4 Spring onions
• 150g/6oz Rocket
• 80g/3oz Feta
• 20 chopped Mint
• 2 tablespoons Pine nuts
• Pinch Salt
• Pinch Pepper

Instructions:

Cook potatoes – place potatoes in a pot of cold water, and bring to the boil. Boil 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. You know they are cooked when you can stick a knife in them and the knife goes straight through.
Combine harissa spice, olive oil, salt and pepper and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
Once potatoes are cooked, drain water and roughly chop potatoes in half.
Add harissa mix and spring onions/green onions to potatoes and stir.
In a large salad bowl, lay out arugula/rocket.
Top with potato mix and toss.
Add fetta, mint and sprinkle over pine nuts.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Category: Lamb

Area: British

Ingredients:

• 500g Lamb Shoulder
• 1 tbls Flour
• Dash Vegetable Oil
• 1 sliced Onion
• 2 sliced Carrots
• 350ml/12fl Vegetable Stock
• 500g Potatoes
• 450g Shortcrust Pastry
• To Glaze Eggs

Instructions:

Dust the meat with flour to lightly coat.
Heat enough vegetable oil in a large saucepan to fill the base, and fry the onion and meat until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the carrots, stock and more seasoning to taste.
Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for at least an hour or until the meat is tender. Take your time cooking the meat, the longer you leave it to cook, the better the flavour will be.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Add the drained potato cubes to the lamb.
Turn the mixture into a pie dish or casserole and cover with the shortcrust pastry. Make three slits in the top of the pastry to release any steam while cooking.
Brush with beaten egg and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
Serve.

Category: Beef

Area: Mexican

Ingredients:

• 1kg Beef
• 3 Onions
• 4 cloves Garlic
• Dash Olive oil
• 300g Chorizo
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp All spice
• 1 tsp Cloves
• 1 large Cinnamon stick
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 tsp dried Oregano
• 2 ancho Ancho Chillies
• 3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 x 400g Plum Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• 2 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 x 400g tins Borlotti Beans

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 120C/225F/gas mark 1.

Take the meat out of the fridge to de-chill. Pulse the onions and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole and sear the meat on all sides until golden.

Set to one side and add another small slug of oil to brown the chorizo. Remove and add the onion and garlic, spices, herbs and chillies then cook until soft in the chorizo oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the vinegar, tomatoes, ketchup and sugar.

Put all the meat back into the pot with 400ml water (or red wine if you prefer), bring up to a simmer and cook, covered, in the low oven.

After 2 hours, check the meat and add the beans. Cook for a further hour and just before serving, pull the meat apart with a pair of forks.

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.

Category: Pasta

Area: Italian

Ingredients:

• 280g Linguine Pasta
• 200g Sugar Snap Peas
• 2 tblsp Olive Oil
• 2 cloves chopped Garlic Clove
• 1 large Red Chilli
• 24 Skinned King Prawns
• 12 Cherry Tomatoes
• Handful Basil Leaves
• Leaves Lettuce
• to serve Bread
• 2 tbsp Fromage Frais
• Grated Zest of 2 Lime
• 2 tsp Caster Sugar

Instructions:

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Add the sugar snap peas for the last minute or so of cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, toss in the garlic and chilli and cook over a fairly gentle heat for about 30 seconds without letting the garlic brown. Tip in the prawns and cook over a high heat, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until they turn pink.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until they just start to soften. Drain the pasta and sugar snaps well, then toss into the prawn mixture. Tear in the basil leaves, stir, and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with salad leaves drizzled with the lime dressing, and warm crusty bread.