Blog

  • Golabki (cabbage roll)

    Golabki (cabbage roll)

    Category: Beef

    Area: Polish

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Cabbage
    • 2 tbs Butter
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 1 lb Ground Beef
    • 1/2 lb Ground Pork
    • 1 1/2 cups Rice
    • 1 tsp Garlic
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
    • 3 cans Tomato Puree

    Instructions:

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place cabbage head into water, cover pot, and cook until cabbage leaves are slightly softened enough to remove from head, 3 minutes. Remove cabbage from pot and let cabbage sit until leaves are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

    Remove 18 whole leaves from the cabbage head, cutting out any thick tough center ribs. Set whole leaves aside. Chop the remainder of the cabbage head and spread it in the bottom of a casserole dish.

    Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot butter until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool.

    Stir onion, beef, pork, rice, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

    Place about 1/2 cup beef mixture on a cabbage leaf. Roll cabbage around beef mixture, tucking in sides to create an envelope around the meat. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture. Place cabbage rolls in a layer atop the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish; season rolls with salt and black pepper.

    Whisk tomato soup, tomato juice, and ketchup together in a bowl. Pour tomato soup mixture over cabbage rolls and cover dish wish aluminum foil.

    Bake in the preheated oven until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked through, about 1 hour.

  • Bread omelette

    Bread omelette

    Category: Breakfast

    Area: Indian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Bread
    • 2 Egg
    • 0.5 Salt

    Instructions:

    Make and enjoy

  • Chicken & mushroom Hotpot

    Chicken & mushroom Hotpot

    Category: Chicken

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 50g Butter
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 100g Mushrooms
    • 40g Plain Flour
    • 1 Chicken Stock Cube
    • pinch Nutmeg
    • pinch Mustard Powder
    • 250g Chicken
    • 2 Handfuls Sweetcorn
    • 2 large Potatoes
    • 1 knob Butter

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the butter in a medium-size saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add the onion and leave to cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan with the onions.

    Once the onion and mushrooms are almost cooked, stir in the flour – this will make a thick paste called a roux. If you are using a stock cube, crumble the cube into the roux now and stir well. Put the roux over a low heat and stir continuously for 2 mins – this will cook the flour and stop the sauce from having a floury taste.

    Take the roux off the heat. Slowly add the fresh stock, if using, or pour in 500ml water if you’ve used a stock cube, stirring all the time. Once all the liquid has been added, season with pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and mustard powder. Put the saucepan back onto a medium heat and slowly bring it to the boil, stirring all the time. Once the sauce has thickened, place on a very low heat. Add the cooked chicken and vegetables to the sauce and stir well. Grease a medium-size ovenproof pie dish with a little butter and pour in the chicken and mushroom filling.

    Carefully lay the potatoes on top of the hot-pot filling, overlapping them slightly, almost like a pie top.

    Brush the potatoes with a little melted butter and cook in the oven for about 35 mins. The hot-pot is ready once the potatoes are cooked and golden brown.

  • Fettucine alfredo

    Fettucine alfredo

    Category: Pasta

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 227g Clotted Cream
    • 25g Butter
    • 1 tsp Corn Flour
    • 100g Parmesan Cheese
    • Grated Nutmeg
    • 250g Fettuccine
    • Chopped Parsley

    Instructions:

    In a medium saucepan, stir the clotted cream, butter and cornflour over a low-ish heat and bring to a low simmer. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
    Meanwhile, put the cheese and nutmeg in a small bowl and add a good grinding of black pepper, then stir everything together (don’t add any salt at this stage).
    Put the pasta in another pan with 2 tsp salt, pour over some boiling water and cook following pack instructions (usually 3-4 mins). When cooked, scoop some of the cooking water into a heatproof jug or mug and drain the pasta, but not too thoroughly.
    Add the pasta to the pan with the clotted cream mixture, then sprinkle over the cheese and gently fold everything together over a low heat using a rubber spatula. When combined, splash in 3 tbsp of the cooking water. At first, the pasta will look wet and sloppy: keep stirring until the water is absorbed and the sauce is glossy. Check the seasoning before transferring to heated bowls. Sprinkle over some chives or parsley, then serve immediately.

  • Beetroot Soup (Borscht)

    Beetroot Soup (Borscht)

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Ukrainian

    Ingredients:

    • 3 Beetroot
    • 4 tbs Olive Oil
    • 1 Chicken Stock Cube
    • 6 cups Water
    • 3 Potatoes
    • 1 can Cannellini Beans
    • Garnish Dill

    Instructions:

    Chop the beetroot, add water and stock cube and cook for 15mins. Add the other ingredients and boil until soft. Finally add the beans and cook for 5mins. Serve in the soup pot.

  • Skillet Apple Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Zucchini

    Skillet Apple Pork Chops with Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Zucchini

    Category: Pork

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Potatoes
    • 1 Apples
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 1 Lemon
    • 2 Pork
    • 1 Zucchini
    • 1 Chicken Stock
    • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
    • 1 1/2 tsp Sugar
    • 2 tbsp Butter

    Instructions:

    Serves 2

    1.

    Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Dice sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack for 12 minutes (we'll roast the zucchini then).

    2.

    Meanwhile, halve and core apple; thinly slice into half-moons. Peel and finely chop garlic. Quarter lemon. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Toss on a second baking sheet with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

    3.

    Pat pork dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate.

    4.

    Once sweet potatoes have roasted 12 minutes, transfer baking sheet with zucchini to middle rack and continue roasting until both veggies are browned and softened, 12-15 minutes more.

    5.

    Meanwhile, melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in pan used for pork over medium-high heat. Add apple and season with salt and pepper. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, until apple is slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add 1/z cup water (3/4 cup for 4), stock concentrate, and 11/2 tsp sugar (3 tsp for 4). Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened and apple is very tender, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

    6.

    Remove pan with apple from heat; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and a squeeze of lemon juice. Divide pork, zucchini, and sweet potatoes between plates. Top pork with glazed apple sauce. Top zucchini with a squeeze of lemon juice.

  • Vegetarian Chilli

    Vegetarian Chilli

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 400g Roasted Vegetables
    • 1 can Kidney Beans
    • 1 can Chopped Tomatoes
    • 1 Packet Mixed Grain

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Cook the vegetables in a casserole dish for 15 mins. Tip in the beans and tomatoes, season, and cook for another 10-15 mins until piping hot. Heat the pouch in the microwave on High for 1 min and serve with the chilli.

  • Mediterranean Pasta Salad

    Mediterranean Pasta Salad

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 200 g mozzarella balls
    • 250 g baby plum tomatoes
    • 1 bunch fresh basil
    • 350 g farfalle
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 40 g Green Olives
    • 200 g tuna
    • to taste salt
    • to taste pepper

    Instructions:

    Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil
    Add the pasta, stir once and cook for about 10 minutes or as directed on the packet.
    Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Slice the olives. Wash the basil.
    Put the tomatoes into a salad bowl and tear the basil leaves over them. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and mix.
    When the pasta is ready, drain into a colander and run cold water over it to cool it quickly.
    Toss the pasta into the salad bowl with the tomatoes and basil.
    Add the sliced olives, drained mozzarella balls, and chunks of tuna. Mix well and let the salad rest for at least half an hour to allow the flavours to mingle.
    Sprinkle the pasta with a generous grind of black pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil just before serving.

  • Spring onion and prawn empanadas

    Spring onion and prawn empanadas

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Portuguese

    Ingredients:

    • 1 bunch Spring Onions
    • Dash Olive Oil
    • 1 finely sliced Red Chilli
    • 1 clove Garlic
    • 350g Prawns
    • 75g Feta
    • 15g Butter
    • 250g Plain Flour
    • 1 Seperated Egg
    • 1/2 tsp White Wine Vinegar

    Instructions:

    STEP 1

    To make the dough, rub the butter into the flour and then add the egg white and half the yolk (keep the rest), vinegar, a pinch of salt and enough cold water to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and then wrap and rest for 30 minutes.

    STEP 2

    Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4. Trim the green ends of the spring onions and then finely slice the rest. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry them gently until soft but not browned. Add the chilli and garlic, stir and then add the prawns and cook until they are opaque. Season well. Scoop out the prawns and bubble the juices until they thicken, then add back the prawns.

    STEP 3

    Divide the empanada dough into eight balls and roll out to thin circles on a floured surface. Put some filling on one half of the dough, sprinkle the feta on top and fold the other half over. Trim the edge and then fold and crimp the dough together so the empanada is tightly sealed, put it on an oiled baking sheet either on its side or sitting on its un-crimped edge like a cornish pasty. Repeat with the remaining dough and mixture. Mix the leftover egg yolk with a splash of water and brush the top of the empanadas.

    STEP 4

    Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and slightly crisp around the edges.

  • Croatian lamb peka

    Croatian lamb peka

    Category: Beef

    Area: Croatian

    Ingredients:

    • 600g Potatoes
    • 1 chopped Courgettes
    • 1 chopped Carrots
    • 1 chopped Green Pepper
    • 1 small Aubergine
    • 1 Large Chopped Onion
    • 800g Lamb Shoulder
    • 1 tbs Garlic Sauce
    • 1 tbs Tomato Puree
    • 80 ml Olive Oil
    • Sprinking Thyme
    • 250ml White Wine
    • Pinch Pepper

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 200°C fan / 220°C / 425°F / Gas mark 7
    If you have not bought diced lamb, cut your lamb shoulder or leg into large chunks and place to one side.
    Chunks of chopped lamb of a red chopping board
    Make oil marinade –
    Mix 80ml of olive oil in a bowl with garlic puree, sundried tomato puree ,black pepper and salt.
    olive oil, gia sundried tomato puree and gia garlic puree and black pepper mixed together in a silver bowl to make Croatian peka
    Add potatoes and vegetables into a large lidded casserole dish.
    Chopped up vegetables which consist of chopped up red onion, courgette, potatoes red peppers in a cast iron pan
    Place diced lamb on top of the vegetables, pour the marinade and wine over the top.
    Chunks of lamb covered in in a sundried tomato oil sauce which is on top of chopped red onion, aubergine, courgette and potatoes in a cast iron pan
    Add the rosemary, thyme and sage, trying to keep the herbs on top.
    So you can easily remove the herb stalks once cooked.
    Chunks of lamb coated in a sundried tomato oil sauce and covered with thyme, rosemary and sage which is on top of chopped red onion, aubergine, courgette and potatoes in a cast iron pan
    Place lid on the casserole dish and cook for 1hr 30 minute
    If you do not have a lid cover very well with kitchen foil
    Cast iron dish with lid on in the oven
    Take the lid off, remove any thick herb stems. Stir in 2 tbsp of olive oil.
    Cook for a further 20-30 mins.
    Cooked Croatian Lamb Peka in a cast iron pan in the oven
    Serve with fresh homemade bread to dip into the juices.