Blog

  • Oxtail with broad beans

    Oxtail with broad beans

    Category: Beef

    Area: Jamaican

    Ingredients:

    • 450g Oxtail
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 1 Spring Onions
    • 2 cloves minced Garlic
    • 1 tsp Ginger
    • 1 chopped Scotch Bonnet
    • 2 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 1 chopped Fresh Thyme
    • 2 tbs Vegetable Oil
    • 350ml Water
    • 200g Broad Beans
    • 1 tbs Corn Flour
    • 2 tbs Water

    Instructions:

    Toss the oxtail with the onion, spring onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, soy sauce, thyme, salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the oxtail in the pan until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Place into a pressure cooker, and pour in 375ml water. Cook at pressure for 25 minutes, then remove from heat, and remove the lid according to manufacturer's directions.
    Add the broad beans and pimento berries, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tablespoons water, and stir into the simmering oxtail. Cook and stir a few minutes until the sauce has thickened, and the broad beans are tender.

  • Sugar Pie

    Sugar Pie

    Category: Dessert

    Area: Canadian

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups Brown Sugar
    • ¼ cup Butter
    • 2 Eggs
    • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • ½ cup Plain Flour
    • 1 1/2 cups Milk

    Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie dish.
    Place the brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl, and beat them together with an electric mixer until creamy and very well combined, without lumps. Beat in eggs, one at a time, incorporating the first egg before adding the next one. Add the vanilla extract and salt; beat the flour in, a little at a time, and then the milk, making a creamy batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish.
    Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes; remove pie, and cover the rim with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Return to oven, and bake until the middle sets and the top forms a crusty layer, about 15 more minutes. Let the pie cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

  • Callaloo Jamaican Style

    Callaloo Jamaican Style

    Category: Miscellaneous

    Area: Jamaican

    Ingredients:

    • 1 bunch Kale
    • 2 strips Bacon
    • 3 cloves Chopped Garlic
    • 1 medium Onion
    • 1/2 tsp Paprika
    • 1 Sprig Thyme
    • 1 Tomato
    • 1 Red Pepper
    • 4 Banana
    • Splash Vegetable Oil

    Instructions:

    Cut leaves and soft stems from the kale branches, them soak in a bowl of cold water for about 5-10 minutes or until finish with prep.
    Proceed to slicing the onions, mincing the garlic and dicing the tomatoes. Set aside
    Remove kale from water cut in chunks.
    Place bacon on saucepan and cook until crispy. Then add onions, garlic, thyme, stir for about a minute or more
    Add tomatoes; scotch bonnet pepper, smoked paprika. Sauté for about 2-3 more minutes.
    Finally add vegetable, salt, mix well, and steamed for about 6-8 minutes or until leaves are tender. Add a tiny bit of water as needed. Adjust seasonings and turn off the heat.
    Using a sharp knife cut both ends off the plantain. This will make it easy to grab the skin of the plantains. Slit a shallow line down the long seam of the plantain; peel only as deep as the peel. Remove plantain peel by pulling it back.
    Slice the plantain into medium size lengthwise slices and set aside.
    Coat a large frying pan with cooking oil spray. Spray the tops of the plantains with a generous layer of oil spray and sprinkle with salt, freshly ground pepper.
    Let the plantains "fry" on medium heat, shaking the frying pan to redistribute them every few minutes.
    As the plantains brown, continue to add more cooking oil spray, salt and pepper (if needed) until they have reached the desired color and texture.
    Remove and serve with kale

  • Yaki Udon

    Yaki Udon

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Japanese

    Ingredients:

    • 250g Udon Noodles
    • 2 tbs Sesame Seed Oil
    • 1 sliced Onion
    • 0.25 Cabbage
    • 10 Shiitake Mushrooms
    • 4 Spring Onions
    • 4 tbsp Mirin
    • 2 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 1 tblsp Caster Sugar
    • 1 tblsp Worcestershire Sauce

    Instructions:

    Boil some water in a large saucepan. Add 250ml cold water and the udon noodles. (As they are so thick, adding cold water helps them to cook a little bit slower so the middle cooks through). If using frozen or fresh noodles, cook for 2 mins or until al dente; dried will take longer, about 5-6 mins. Drain and leave in the colander.
    Heat 1 tbsp of the oil, add the onion and cabbage and sauté for 5 mins until softened. Add the mushrooms and some spring onions, and sauté for 1 more min. Pour in the remaining sesame oil and the noodles. If using cold noodles, let them heat through before adding the ingredients for the sauce – otherwise tip in straight away and keep stir-frying until sticky and piping hot. Sprinkle with the remaining spring onions.

  • Eggplant Adobo

    Eggplant Adobo

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Filipino

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb Egg Plants
    • 2 tbs Sugar
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1 tsp Pepper
    • 1 whole Garlic
    • 3 tbs Olive Oil
    • 4 oz Ground Pork
    • 3 tbs Rice Vinegar
    • 2 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 2 Bay Leaf

    Instructions:

    1. Slice 1 lb. small Japanese or Italian eggplant (about 3) into quarters lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 2"-wide pieces. Place in a medium bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Toss to evenly coat eggplant and let sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
    2. Peel and thinly slice 8 garlic cloves. Add 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil and half of garlic to a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until light golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic chips to a plate; season lightly with salt.
    3. Place 4 oz. ground pork in same pot and break up into small pieces with wooden spoon. Season with ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt and cook, undisturbed, until deeply browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to another plate, leaving fat behind in the pot.
    4. Place eggplant on a clean kitchen towel and blot away any moisture the salt has drawn out.
    5. Working in batches and adding more oil if needed, cook eggplant in the same pot until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate with pork.
    6. Pour 1½ cups of water into the pot and scrape up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add remaining garlic, 3 Tbsp. coconut vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar. Bring to a simmer, then return pork and eggplant to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until eggplant is tender and silky and sauce is reduced by half, 20–25 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper and add a little more sugar if needed.
    7. Top with garlic chips and serve with cooked white rice.

  • 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.

  • Apple & Blackberry Crumble

    Apple & Blackberry Crumble

    Category: Dessert

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 120g Plain Flour
    • 60g Caster Sugar
    • 60g Butter
    • 300g Braeburn Apples
    • 30g Butter
    • 30g Demerara Sugar
    • 120g Blackberries
    • ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
    • to serve Ice Cream

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the flour and sugar into a large bowl. Add the butter, then rub into the flour using your fingertips to make a light breadcrumb texture. Do not overwork it or the crumble will become heavy. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins or until lightly coloured.
    Meanwhile, for the compote, peel, core and cut the apples into 2cm dice. Put the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and melt together over a medium heat. Cook for 3 mins until the mixture turns to a light caramel. Stir in the apples and cook for 3 mins. Add the blackberries and cinnamon, and cook for 3 mins more. Cover, remove from the heat, then leave for 2-3 mins to continue cooking in the warmth of the pan.
    To serve, spoon the warm fruit into an ovenproof gratin dish, top with the crumble mix, then reheat in the oven for 5-10 mins. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

  • Sushi

    Sushi

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Japanese

    Ingredients:

    • 300ml Sushi Rice
    • 100ml Rice wine
    • 2 tbs Caster Sugar
    • 3 tbs Mayonnaise
    • 1 tbs Rice wine
    • 1 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 1 Cucumber

    Instructions:

    STEP 1
    TO MAKE SUSHI ROLLS: Pat out some rice. Lay a nori sheet on the mat, shiny-side down. Dip your hands in the vinegared water, then pat handfuls of rice on top in a 1cm thick layer, leaving the furthest edge from you clear.

    STEP 2
    Spread over some Japanese mayonnaise. Use a spoon to spread out a thin layer of mayonnaise down the middle of the rice.

    STEP 3
    Add the filling. Get your child to top the mayonnaise with a line of their favourite fillings – here we’ve used tuna and cucumber.

    STEP 4
    Roll it up. Lift the edge of the mat over the rice, applying a little pressure to keep everything in a tight roll.

    STEP 5
    Stick down the sides like a stamp. When you get to the edge without any rice, brush with a little water and continue to roll into a tight roll.

    STEP 6
    Wrap in cling film. Remove the mat and roll tightly in cling film before a grown-up cuts the sushi into thick slices, then unravel the cling film.

    STEP 7
    TO MAKE PRESSED SUSHI: Layer over some smoked salmon. Line a loaf tin with cling film, then place a thin layer of smoked salmon inside on top of the cling film.

    STEP 8
    Cover with rice and press down. Press about 3cm of rice over the fish, fold the cling film over and press down as much as you can, using another tin if you have one.

    STEP 9
    Tip it out like a sandcastle. Turn block of sushi onto a chopping board. Get a grown-up to cut into fingers, then remove the cling film.

    STEP 10
    TO MAKE SUSHI BALLS: Choose your topping. Get a small square of cling film and place a topping, like half a prawn or a small piece of smoked salmon, on it. Use damp hands to roll walnut-sized balls of rice and place on the topping.

    STEP 11
    Make into tight balls. Bring the corners of the cling film together and tighten into balls by twisting it up, then unwrap and serve.

  • Laksa King Prawn Noodles

    Laksa King Prawn Noodles

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Malaysian

    Ingredients:

    • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
    • 1 finely sliced Red Chilli
    • 2 ½ tbsp Thai red curry paste
    • 1 vegetable stock cube
    • 400ml can coconut milk
    • 2 tsp fish sauce
    • 100g rice noodles
    • 2 juice of 1, the other halved lime
    • 150g king prawns
    • ½ small pack coriander

    Instructions:

    Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the chilli. Cook for 1 min, then add the curry paste, stir and cook for 1 min more. Dissolve the stock cube in a large jug in 700ml boiling water, then pour into the pan and stir to combine. Tip in the coconut milk and bring to the boil.
    Add the fish sauce and a little seasoning. Toss in the noodles and cook for a further 3-4 mins until softening. Squeeze in the lime juice, add the prawns and cook through until warm, about 2-3 mins. Scatter over some of the coriander.
    Serve in bowls with the remaining coriander and lime wedges on top for squeezing over.

  • Kung Po Prawns

    Kung Po Prawns

    Category: Seafood

    Area: Chinese

    Ingredients:

    • 400g Prawns
    • 2 tbs Soy Sauce
    • 1 tsp Tomato Puree
    • 1 tsp Corn Flour
    • 1 tsp Caster Sugar
    • 1 tsp Sunflower Oil
    • 85g Peanuts
    • 3 Large Chilli
    • 1 tbs Brown Sugar
    • 6 cloves Garlic Clove
    • 450g Water Chestnut
    • to taste Ginger

    Instructions:

    Mix the cornflour and 1 tbsp soy sauce, toss in the prawns and set aside for 10 mins. Stir the vinegar, remaining soy sauce, tomato purée, sugar and 2 tbsp water together to make a sauce.

    When you’re ready to cook, heat a large frying pan or wok until very hot, then add 1 tbsp oil. Fry the prawns until they are golden in places and have opened out– then tip them out of the pan.

    Heat the remaining oil and add the peanuts, chillies and water chestnuts. Stir-fry for 2 mins or until the peanuts start to colour, then add the ginger and garlic and fry for 1 more min. Tip in the prawns and sauce and simmer for 2 mins until thickened slightly. Serve with rice.