International Kitchen

International Kitchen 

1-Blanquette de Veau (France)

Ingredients :

3 lbs veal (stew meat cut into 2-inch cube)
1 onion
1 clove
1 or 2 carrots18 white/pearl onions (peeled)1/2 lb mushrooms
Herbs: 2 sprigs thyme, 3 parsley, 1 rib celery, 1/2 bay leaf
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 lemon juice
Butter
Salt6 / 7 cups water

Directions :

Cut the veal into 2-inch cubes. Stick the onion with a clove. Tie together the celery, thyme, bay and parsley. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter with oil in a dutch oven or casserole. Add the veal. Brown on all sides.

 Add the carrots, onion, herbs and salt. Add water to cover the meat. Cook over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Peel the white pearl onions. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned. Remove the mushrooms. Add 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet, add the onions and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the skillet and keep warm.

 Combine the egg yolks with the cream and half of the lemon juice in a bowl. Remove the meat, the mushrooms and onions and place them in a serving dish.

Pour the cream with the egg-yolk in the meat juice in the casserole. Cook over very low heat for 10 minutes. Do not let the sauce boil. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper if needed. Pour the sauce over the meat in the dish.

2- Paella  ( Spain)

Ingredients :

• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 6 large prawns
• 250g calamari or cuttlefish, cleaned and cut into rings
• Salt and pepper

Sofrito:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup water

Paella:

• 1/4 tsp saffron
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 litre water
• 1/3 cup peas
• 400g rice
• 150g white fish (ling, flathead or snapper), cut into large pieces
• 12 mussels, cleaned
• 2 lemons, in wedges
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Directions :

The resting time at the end is crucial so the flavours can marry. A rested paella always tastes much better than one hot from the stove.  

Heat the paella pan. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil, then the prawns and calamari. Cook for a few minutes until brown all over and season with salt and a little pepper. Remove to a bowl.

For the sofrito

Add the rest of the oil to the same pan and, when hot, add the onion. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened and is golden. Now add the garlic, cook for about 7-8 minutes until lightly coloured and softened. Now add the tomatoes, season liberally with salt and pepper and cook slowly until the sofrito has reduced and there is no liquid left. Add about 1/2 cup of water and continue to cook until the liquid has again reduced. This should all take about 45 mins and can be done ahead of time. The sofrito should have a concentrated flavour and pulpy consistency.

For the paella

While the sofrito is cooking, gently heat the saffron in a small pan for a few minutes, until it changes colour and becomes fragrant. Be careful as it burns easily. Remove from the heat, crush with the back of a spoon and add to 2 tbsp warm water. Add the prawns, calamari and paprika to the finished sofrito and cook, stirring for a few minutes, then add the water and bring to the boil. Taste mixture, adding salt if necessary.

Add the saffron, peas and the rice and bring to the boil. Stir briefly then turn heat to low. Place the pieces of fish and mussels over the rice and poke them in a little so they can cook. Do not stir.

Remove from the heat and cover with a tea-towel for 10 mins, then remove the tea-towel and allow to rest for another 5-10 mins before serving.

Squeeze over the lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

To serve 

Serve directly from the pan.

3-Wiener Schnitzel ( Austria)

Ingredients :

• 4 veal cutlets (about 4 ounces each), pounded very thin, scallopini style
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup all purpose  flour 
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups plain, dry bread crumbs 
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, for service

Directions :

Pat the veal cutlets dry with paper towels. Season them with salt and pepper. Set up a standard breading procedure in 3 shallow bowls or pie plates. Put flour in 1, eggs and water in another, and bread crumbs in the last. Beat the eggs and water together. Dredge  each of the veal cutlets first in flour, then egg wash and then the bread crumbs. Transfer the coated cutlets to a platter.

Heat a large straight sided skillet, filled half way up with vegetable , over medium-high heat. Carefully, transfer the coated cutlets into the hot oil to fry. Since they are so thin, the veal will cook very quickly, about 2 minutes per side. Drain the cutlets on a paper towel lined plate. Serve with Lemon wedges.

 4-Hummus Amongus ( Iran) 

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini paste
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper

Directions :

Drain beans; reserve water.
In a food processor or blender add beans and all the ingredients.
Process until smooth.
If mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved liquid from the beans to dilute to a desired consistency.
Serve at room temperature with pita bread, grilled pork, lamb or chicken.

 5-Bubble and Squeak ( British) 

Ingredients :

1 lb leftover mashed potatoes or 1 lb leftover boiled potatoes or 1 lb leftover roast potato, diced
1 lb leftover cooked cabbage or 1 lb leftover cooked Brussels sprout, finely chopped
2 ounces butter
salt
black pepper
carrot, diced (optional)

Directions :

Mix the cabbage or sprouts with the mashed or diced cooked potatoes and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Method if using mashed potatoes:.
Heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the potato mixture and smooth it flat with a spatula.
Fry over a medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes or until underside is brown, and the Bubble and Squeak sizzles, bubbles and squeaks! (Sorry, could not resist that!).
Place a large plate over the pan and turn the pan and plate over so that the bubble and squeak is on the plate.
Heat the remaining butter in the pan and carefully slide the bubble and squeak back in the pan.
Cook again over a medium heat until the other side is golden brown.
Cut into wedges and serve with eggs and bacon for breakfast, or bread and butter for a light snack or supper dish. This is also wonderful as an accompaniment to stews and casseroles.
Method for diced boiled or roast potatoes:.
If using diced boiled or roast potatoes, mix all the vegetables together as above, and just fry them in a frying pan together; there is no need to press them down into a cake - stir them regularly to achieve an all over colour; then serve them with a spoon, rather than cut into slices. They still taste the same!

6-Australian Cheese, Garlic and Chive Damper

Ingredients :

2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ounce butter, in small pieces
1 cup sharp tasty cheese (grated)
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Directions :

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Sift flour and salt together in a large bowl. Using fingers rub in the chopped butter until it is the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add cheeses,garlic and chives. Mix well.
Combine milk and water. Make a well in flour and pour in all of the liquid, reserving a little for glaze. Mix quickly into a soft dough, using a knife or the hands.
Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead lightly. Press into a round. Place onto a greased baking tray. Glaze with leftover milk and water mixture and sprinkle with extra cheese.
Bake 15-20 minutes in 425°F oven, and serve sliced with butter or olive oil.
Individual dampers can also be shaped and baked for the same time and temperature.

7-Chocolate Chip Cookies (Canada)

Ingredients :

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour (for a firmer cookies, add about 1/4 cup more flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips (President's Choice)
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions :

In a large bowl, cream together butter and shortening; gradually mix in sugars, creaming thoroughly.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt; blend into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Chill for a few minutes or let stand at cool room temperature for 30 minutes.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.
Flatten slightly and smooth edges to make 1/2-inch thick cookie.
Bake in a 375°F oven for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and still slightly under-baked in the centre. Let stand on baking sheet for 5 minutes; remove to racks to let cool completely.


8-African-Style Peanut Chicken

Ingredients :

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small diced tomato
1/2 white onion, diced
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 cup water
1 dash garlic powder
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

Directions :

Diced chicken breasts in to bite sized pieces.
Saute in 1 tbs peanut oil until just before cooked and remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate pan saute diced tomatoes and onion in butter and peanut oil until soft.
Add peanut butter and stir well.
Then add the water and mix well.
Now add chicken to mixture and bring to boil.
At boiling point, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 6 minutes
Serve warm over Rice!


9-Onion Soup 

Ingredients :

4 cups thinly sliced onions
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cups beef broth
4 slices French bread, toasted
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

Directions :

In soup pot, cook onions, sugar, and pepper in oil until caramelized (about 15-20 minutes).
Stir often.
Add broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Ladle into ovenproof bowls.
Top each with bread and cheese.
Broil until cheese is bubbly.

10 - Greek Spaghetti (Greece)

Ingredients :

1 lb cooked spaghetti
1/4 lb romano cheese
1/4 lb mozzarella cheese
1/4 lb provolone cheese
1/2 cup margarine
1 pinch garlic powder

Direction :

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease medium sized casserole dish.
Shred cheese and mix in a small bowl.
Melt margarine in small saucepan and add garlic powder.
Cover bottom of baking dish with 1/3 of the cooked spaghetti.
Place 1/3 of cheese mix on top of noodles and drizzle with 1/3 of margarine mix.
Repeat layering, ending with cheese on the last layer.
If you like garlic you can sprinkle between the layers.
Bake 30 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.