CHINESE ORIANTAL GREEN BEANS

Chinese : How To Make Oriental Green Beans

An exotic way of cooking green beans. Imported from the shores of Asia, this variation adds spice to a vegetable dish.

SERVING : 2 to 4

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
45 ml vegetable oil
150 g green beans, topped and tailed
2 large red chillies, deseeded and sliced
1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 quarter tsp sea salt
1 quarter tsp vegetable oil

1 wok or deep frying pan
1 slotted spoon
1 spoon
some kitchen paper

PROCESSING METHOD

Heat the oil
* Pour the oil into a wok and heat over a high temperature.

Deep-fry the beans
* When hot, add the beans to the oil and deep-fry for 1- 2 minutes, until just tender and slightly wilted.

Add the chillies
* Add the chillies and cook for a further 30 seconds.

Drain the vegetables
* Remove the vegetables from the oil, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Discard the oil and wipe the wok
* Carefully empty the hot oil from the wok and wipe it clean with kitchen paper.

Add the garlic, hoisin sauce and salt
* Pour the remaining oil into the clean wok and add the garlic, hoisin sauce and salt.

Add the beans and chillies
* Toss the cooked beans and chillies into the sauce and stir-fry for 1 minute, coating them in the sauce.

Serve
Serve at once.

BRITISH ROAST POTATO

British Food : How To Make Roast Potatoes

A perfect accompaniment to meat, fish or vegetarian dishes. What is Sunday lunch like without Roast Potatoes.

SERVING : 6 people

Preparation Time : 5 minutes
Cooking Time : 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS
8 large floury potatoes
100 ml vegetable or olive oil
salt
pepper

1 large saucepan
1 large roasting tin
1 peeler
1 fork

PROCESSING METHOD

Prepare the potatoes
* First, peel the potatoes. It's best to use a proper peeler as you will save a lot of the vegetable in comparison to using a knife.
* Once you have peeled all of the potatoes cut them into egg-sized pieces.

Boil the potatoes
* Gently, bring them to the boil and let them cook for about 8 minutes. Don't leave them to cook entirely.

Drain the water
* Using the lid of the saucepan to stop the potatoes from falling out, drain the water away and let the potatoes cool completely.

Prepare the roasting tin
* Meanwhile, pour enough oil into the roasting tin so that the bottom is covered and place it onto a high tray in the oven to heat thoroughly.

Heat the oven
* Set the oven to 250°C or gas mark 7 and begin to heat the oil.

Scratch the potatoes
* Once cooled, scratch the surface of the potatoes with a fork.

Add the potatoes
* When you see that the oil is sizzling hot, place the potatoes into the roasting tin. Turn them over in the oil to make sure they are covered before cooking.

Leave the potatoes to cook
* Allow the potatoes to cook for 50-60 minutes. About halfway through the time, turn them over to make sure all sides get a crispy finish.

Check the potatoes
* After the time is up, take a look to see what colour the potatoes are. They should end up a golden-brown, be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Drain well and serve up
* Remove the roast potatoes from the tin making sure that they don't carry too much oil and you're ready to serve up.
* Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

ITALIAN CRISP FRIED MUSHROOM RAVIOLI

Italian : How To Make Crisp Fried Mushroom Ravioli

A tasty and original recipe for ravioli made with an authentic tomato and mushroom sauce to serve as a canape.

SERVING : 6

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
200 g ready-made mushroom ravioli
1 ltr vegetable oil for frying
Half onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
150 g wild mushrooms
60 ml dry white wine
60 ml olive oil
400 g canned chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
Salt and pepper

2 saucepans
1 tray
1 wooden spoon
1 slotted spoon
1 hand blender
Kitchen paper

PROCESSING METHOD

Make the sauce
* Place one of the saucepans over a medium heat, then add the olive oil.
* When the oil is warm, add the onions and give them a stir with the wooden spoon.
* Next, add the sliced garlic and stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the mushrooms and stir again.
* Now pour in the white wine and leave it all to cook for about 5 minutes.
* Finally add the chopped tomatoes, stir well and then season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

Puree the sauce
* Add the thyme to the sauce then use the hand blender to puree the sauce in the pan for about a minute.

Fry the ravioli
* Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over a high temperature. Place the tray next to the pan covered in kitchen paper.
* When the oil is hot, use the slotted spoon to carefully add about a third of the ravioli.
* Fry the ravioli, while moving them around with the spoon, until they are brown. This will take about a minute.
* Remove them from the pan using the slotted spoon and place them on the kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
* Cook the remaining ravioli in the same way in two more batches.

Serve
* Pour the sauce into a serving bowl and then stack the ravioli on a plate or on serviettes to one side.
* Eat while hot, dipping the fried ravioli into the tomato sauce.

CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

Bread & Buns : How To Make Chocolate Bread Pudding

A mouth-watering, sticky chocolate dessert or indulgent snack.

SERVINGS : 6 - 8

Preparation Time : 25 minutes
Cooking Time : 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 loaf of brioche or other white bread (about 18 slices)
350 ml milk
450 ml cream
3 egg yolks
3 eggs
100 g sugar
100 g chocolate, neatly chopped
200 g chocolate roughly chopped
a pinch of salt

1 saucepan
2 bowls
1 whisk
1 2 litre mould- buttered
1 spoon
1 wooden spoon
1 small knife
1 sieve
1 cutting board
1 large knife

PROCESSING METHOD

Preheat the oven
* Preheat the oven to 150°C ( 300°F / gas mark 2 ).

Cut the bread
* Using the large knife, cut all the brioche or bread into quarters and put them into a large bowl.

Make the chocolate sauce
* Place the pan on a medium high heat, add the cream and milk and heat.
* As soon as you begin to see small bubbles on the surface, add the 100 gr of neatly-chopped chocolate, the salt, stir in and turn off the heat.

Mix the eggs into the sauce
* To a bowl, add the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar and whisk well to combine.
* Add a small amount of the hot chocolate sauce and whisk together.
* Pour this back into the pan and whisk once again.

Strain the sauce
* Place a sieve over the bowl of bread and strain through the chocolate sauce.
* Shake over the 200 gr of roughly-chopped chocolate and mix, being very careful not to break up the bread.
* Leave to soak for 10-15 minutes.

Transfer to tin
* Pour the bread and chocolate mix into the buttered tin.
* Spread it evenly and pour over any excess sauce.

Bake
* Place the tin into the centre of the oven and bake for roughly 35 - 40 minutes.
* Check to see if it's done by gently piercing the centre of the loaf with a knife point. If a little chocolate is left on the knife it is ready to remove as we don't want it too dry.
* Leave to cool down.

Serve
* Remove from the tin, cut into thick chunky slices and serve hot or cold with raspberry sauce, cream, toffee or simply on its own.

BRITISH CORNISH PASTY

Starters & Appetizers : How To Make A Cornish Pasty

This famous, enclosed meat pie originates from Cornwall in the south of England. It is filling and absolutely delicious served warm at lunch or as a snack.

SERVINGS : 2

Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Cooking Time : 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS
250 g short crust pastry
180 g lamb, chopped very finely
55 g potatoes, chopped very finely
30 g turnip, chopped very finely
1/2 an onion, cut very finely
25 ml cold water
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper

1 pastry brush
1 baking tray
1 bowl
1 knife
parchment paper

PROCESSING METHOD

Preheat the oven
* Set the oven to 230°C ( 450°F / gas mark 8 ).

Mix the ingredients
* Into a large bowl add the meat, onion, turnip and potatoes.
* Season with salt and pepper, add the water and mix together with your hands.

Cut the pastry and fill
* Unroll the pastry and slice it into two halves.
* Spoon roughly 4 tablespoons of the meat mix into the centre of each half.

Fold into pasties
* Fold the pastry over from left to right on each pasty.
* Turn the pasties around and gently push the edges of the pastry together with your fingers, sealing them well.
* Set to one side.

Line the baking tray
* Place a large rectangle of baking parchment onto the baking tray, followed by the pasties.

Brush with egg
* Using a large knife, make two diagonal slits in the pastry, to help the pasties breathe.
* Using the pastry brush, generously brush with the beaten egg.

Bake
* Place the tray into the centre of the oven and leave to cook for roughly 10 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden brown.
* Turn the oven down to 150°C ( 300°F / gas mark 2 ) and cook for a further 40 minutes.
* Remove after this time.

Serve
* Serve the pasties hot or cold for lunch or a filling snack.