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  • Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

    Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Italian

    Ingredients:

    • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
    • 8 cloves chopped Garlic
    • 3 tbsp Caster Sugar
    • 2 tblsp Red Wine Vinegar
    • 3 400g Cans Chopped Tomatoes
    • Bunch Basil Leaves
    • 2 tubs Mascarpone
    • 3 tbsp Milk
    • 85g Parmesan
    • 2 sliced Mozzarella
    • 1kg Spinach
    • 100g Parmesan
    • 3 tubs Ricotta
    • pinch Nutmeg
    • 400g Cannellini Beans

    Instructions:

    First make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the garlic for 1 min. Add the sugar, vinegar, tomatoes and some seasoning and simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, until thick. Add the basil and divide the sauce between 2 or more shallow ovenproof dishes (see Tips for freezing, below). Set aside. Make a sauce by beating the mascarpone with the milk until smooth, season, then set aside.

    Put the spinach in a large colander and pour over a kettle of boiling water to wilt it (you may need to do this in batches). When cool enough to handle squeeze out the excess water. Roughly chop the spinach and mix in a large bowl with 100g Parmesan and ricotta. Season well with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.

    Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Using a piping bag or plastic food bag with the corner snipped off, squeeze the filling into the cannelloni tubes. Lay the tubes, side by side, on top of the tomato sauce and spoon over the mascarpone sauce. Top with Parmesan and mozzarella. You can now freeze the cannelloni, uncooked, or you can cook it first and then freeze. Bake for 30-35 mins until golden and bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 mins before serving.

  • Ayam Percik

    Ayam Percik

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Malaysian

    Ingredients:

    • 6 Chicken Thighs
    • 16 Challots
    • 1 1/2 Ginger
    • 6 Garlic Clove
    • 8 Cayenne Pepper
    • 2 tbs Turmeric
    • 1 1/2 Cumin
    • 1 1/2 Coriander
    • 1 1/2 Fennel
    • 2 tbs Tamarind Paste
    • 1 can Coconut Milk
    • 1 tsp Sugar
    • 1 cup Water

    Instructions:

    In a blender, add the ingredients for the spice paste and blend until smooth.
    Over medium heat, pour the spice paste in a skillet or pan and fry for 10 minutes until fragrant. Add water or oil 1 tablespoon at a time if the paste becomes too dry. Don't burn the paste. Lower the fire slightly if needed.
    Add the cloves, cardamom, tamarind pulp, coconut milk, water, sugar and salt. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to boil. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. It will reduce slightly. This is the marinade/sauce, so taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Don't worry if it's slightly bitter. It will go away when roasting.
    When the marinade/sauce has cooled, pour everything over the chicken and marinate overnight to two days.
    Preheat the oven to 425 F.
    Remove the chicken from the marinade. Spoon the marinade onto a greased (or aluminum lined) baking sheet. Lay the chicken on top of the sauce (make sure the chicken covers the sauce and the sauce isn't exposed or it'll burn) and spread the remaining marinade on the chicken. Roast for 35-45 minutes or until internal temp of the thickest part of chicken is at least 175 F.
    Let chicken rest for 5 minutes. Brush the chicken with some of the oil. Serve chicken with the sauce over steamed rice (or coconut rice).

  • Crock Pot Chicken Baked Tacos

    Crock Pot Chicken Baked Tacos

    Category: Chicken

    Area: Mexican

    Ingredients:

    • 4 – 6 Chicken Breasts
    • 1 bottle Vinaigrette Dressing
    • 1½ tablespoon Cumin
    • 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic
    • 1 can Refried Beans
    • 12 Hard Taco Shells
    • 2 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese
    • Halved Grape Tomatoes
    • Sliced and Seeded Jalapeno
    • Peeled and Sliced Avocado
    • 2 tablespoons Green Salsa
    • 3 tablespoons Sour Cream
    • 1 tablespoon Milk

    Instructions:

    Put the uncooked chicken breasts in the crock pot. Pour the full bottle of salad dressing over the chicken. Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients over the top and mix them in a bit with a spoon.
    Cover your crock pot with the lid and cook on high for 4 hours.
    Remove all the chicken breasts from the crock pot and let cool.
    Shred the chicken breasts and move to a glass bowl.
    Pour most of the liquid over the shredded chicken.
    FOR THE TACOS:
    Make the guacamole sauce by mixing the avocado and green salsa together. Pour the guacamole mixture through a strainer until smooth and transfer to a squeeze bottle. Cut the tip off the lid of the squeeze bottle to make the opening more wide if needed.
    Make the sour cream sauce by mixing the sour cream and milk together until you get a more liquid sour cream sauce. Transfer to a squeeze bottle.
    In a 9x 13 glass baking dish, fill all 12+ tacos with a layer of refried beans, cooked chicken and shredded cheese.
    Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes just until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
    Out of the oven top all the tacos with the sliced grape tomaotes, jalapeno and cilantro.
    Finish with a drizzle of guacamole and sour cream.
    Enjoy!

  • Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa and Black Beans

    Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa and Black Beans

    Category: Vegetarian

    Area: Mexican

    Ingredients:

    • 4 whole Green Pepper
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 small finely diced Onion
    • 2 cloves minced Garlic
    • 1 cups Quinoa
    • 1 can Black Beans
    • 1 cup Sweetcorn
    • 1 can Diced Tomatoes
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin
    • ½ tsp Chili Powder
    • ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
    • To taste Salt
    • To taste Pepper
    • 1 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese
    • Chopped Cilantro

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or a similar-sized casserole dish.
    2. Place the bell pepper halves in the prepared baking dish, cut side up. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly softened.
    3. While the bell peppers are baking, prepare the filling. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, and cook for another 1 minute, until fragrant.
    4. Stir in the cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until heated through. Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese, if using.
    5. Remove the bell peppers from the oven, and carefully stuff each pepper half with the quinoa and black bean mixture. Top the stuffed peppers with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, if using.
    6. Return the stuffed peppers to the oven, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender.
    7. Remove from the oven, and allow the stuffed peppers to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

  • Stuffed Lamb Tomatoes

    Stuffed Lamb Tomatoes

    Category: Lamb

    Area: Greek

    Ingredients:

    • 4 large Tomatoes
    • Pinch Sugar
    • 4 tbs Olive Oil
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 2 finely chopped Garlic Clove
    • 200g Lamb
    • 1 tbs Cinnamon
    • 2 tbs chopped Tomato Puree
    • 50g Rice
    • 100ml Chicken Stock
    • 4 tbs Dill
    • 2 tbs Chopped Parsley
    • 1 tbs Mint

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Slice the tops off the tomatoes and reserve. Scoop out most of the pulp with a teaspoon, being careful not to break the skin. Finely chop the pulp, and keep any juices. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with a little sugar to take away the acidity, then place them on a baking tray.

    Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and garlic, then gently cook for about 10 mins until soft but not coloured. Add the lamb, cinnamon and tomato purée, turn up the heat, then fry until the meat is browned. Add the tomato pulp and juice, the rice and the stock. Season generously. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside to cool a little, then stir in the herbs.

    Stuff the tomatoes up to the brim, top tomatoes with their lids, drizzle with 2 tbsp more olive oil, sprinkle 3 tbsp water into the tray, then bake for 35 mins. Serve with salad and crusty bread, hot or cold.

  • French Onion Chicken with Roasted Carrots & Mashed Potatoes

    French Onion Chicken with Roasted Carrots & Mashed Potatoes

    Category: Chicken

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Chicken Breasts
    • 12 ounces Carrots
    • 5 Potatoes
    • 1 Onion
    • 1 Beef Stock
    • 1 1/2 cup Mozzarella
    • 2 tbsp Sour Cream
    • Butter
    • Sugar
    • Vegetable Oil
    • Salt
    • Pepper

    Instructions:

    1

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion.

    2

    Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

    3

    Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot; cover to keep warm.

    4

    While potatoes cook, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and softened, 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar (2 tsp for 4 servings). Stir in stock concentrate and 2 TBSP water (¼ cup for 4); season with salt and pepper. Cook until jammy, 2-3 minutes more. Turn off heat; transfer to a small bowl. Wash out pan.

    5

    Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for onion over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side. In the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, top with caramelized onion and cheese. Cover pan until cheese melts. (If your pan doesn’t have a lid, cover with a baking sheet!)

    6

    Heat pot with drained potatoes over low heat; mash with sour cream, 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings), salt, pepper, and a splash of water (or milk, for extra richness) until smooth. Divide chicken, roasted carrots, and mashed potatoes between plates.

  • Mulukhiyah

    Mulukhiyah

    Category: Beef

    Area: Egyptian

    Ingredients:

    • 800g Mulukhiyah
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 300g Beef
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • 1 Litre Water
    • 1 Garlic Clove
    • 1/2 cup Olive Oil

    Instructions:

    Saute the onions in the 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
    Add the beef cubes or the chicken cutlets, sear for 3-4 min on each side
    Add 1 liter of water or just enough to cover the meat
    Cook over medium heat until the meat is done (I usually do this in the pressure cooker and press them for 5 min)

    Add the frozen mulukhyia and stir until it thaws completely and then comes to a boil

    In another pan add the 1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil and the cloves of garlic and cook over medium low heat until you can smell the garlic (don’t brown it, it will become bitter)

    Add the oil and garlic to the mulukhyia and lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes
    Add salt to taste

    Serve with a generous amount of lemon juice.

    You can serve it with some short grain rice or some pita bread

  • BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes

    BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes

    Category: Pork

    Area: American

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Potatoes
    • 1 Red Onions
    • 2 cloves Garlic
    • 1 Lime
    • 2 Bread
    • 1 lb Pork
    • Barbeque Sauce
    • Hotsauce
    • Tomato Ketchup
    • Sugar
    • Vegetable Oil
    • Salt
    • Pepper

    Instructions:

    1

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry all produce. Cut sweet potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

    2

    Meanwhile, halve and peel onion. Slice as thinly as possible until you have ¼ cup (½ cup for 4 servings); finely chop remaining onion. Peel and finely chop garlic. Halve lime; squeeze juice into a small bowl. Halve buns. Add 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) to a separate small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Brush onto cut sides of buns.

    3

    To bowl with lime juice, add sliced onion, ¼ tsp sugar (½ tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine; set aside to quick-pickle.

    4

    Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds more. Add pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

    5

    While pork cooks, in a third small bowl, combine BBQ sauce, pickling liquid from onion, 3 TBSP ketchup (6 TBSP for 4 servings), ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4), and ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4). Once pork is cooked through, add BBQ sauce mixture to pan. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

    6

    Meanwhile, toast buns in oven or toaster oven until golden, 3-5 minutes. Divide toasted buns between plates and fill with as much BBQ pork as you’d like. Top with pickled onion and hot sauce. Serve with sweet potato wedges on the side.

  • Minced Beef Pie

    Minced Beef Pie

    Category: Beef

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tbs Vegetable Oil
    • 500g Minced Beef
    • 1 chopped Onion
    • 1 tbls Tomato Puree
    • 1 ½ tbsp Plain Flour
    • 75g Mushrooms
    • 250ml Beef Stock
    • Dash Worcestershire Sauce
    • 400g Shortcrust Pastry
    • 1 Egg Yolks

    Instructions:

    Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
    Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the beef mince for 4-5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns.
    Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute, then add the chopped mushrooms, the stout or beef stock and a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside and leave to cool, then turn the meat mixture into a one litre pie dish.
    Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the pie dish. Gently drape the pastry over the dish, pressing firmly onto the edges. Trim, then shape the edges into a fluted shape.
    Cut some leaf shapes out of the pastry trimmings and decorate the top of the pie, sticking them to the pastry with the beaten egg yolk.
    Make three or four slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape, then brush the pie with the rest of the beaten egg yolk and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown.
    To serve, slice into wedges.

  • Beef Sunday Roast

    Beef Sunday Roast

    Category: Beef

    Area: British

    Ingredients:

    • 8 slices Beef
    • 12 florets Broccoli
    • 1 Packet Potatoes
    • 1 Packet Carrots
    • 140g plain flour
    • 4 Eggs
    • 200ml milk
    • drizzle (for cooking) sunflower oil

    Instructions:

    Cook the Broccoli and Carrots in a pan of boiling water until tender.

    Roast the Beef and Potatoes in the oven for 45mins, the potatoes may need to be checked regularly to not overcook.

    To make the Yorkshire puddings:
    Heat oven to 230C/fan 210C/gas 8. Drizzle a little sunflower oil evenly into 2 x 4-hole Yorkshire pudding tins or a 12-hole non-stick muffin tin and place in the oven to heat through
    To make the batter, tip 140g plain flour into a bowl and beat in four eggs until smooth. Gradually add 200ml milk and carry on beating until the mix is completely lump-free. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the batter into a jug, then remove the hot tins from the oven. Carefully and evenly pour the batter into the holes. Place the tins back in the oven and leave undisturbed for 20-25 mins until the puddings have puffed up and browned. Serve immediately.

    Plate up and add the Gravy as desired.