INGREDIENTS

MINCEMEAT

• 1 lemon boiled for 1 hour until soft and left to cool
• 200g raisins
• 200g sultanas
• 1 Bramley cooking apple, peeled and chopped
• 200g dried mixed fruit
• 150g mixed peel
• 200g suet
• 200g dark brown muscovado sugar
• 200g currants
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 100ml brandy
• 100ml sherry

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

• 450g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 120g unsalted butter, cold, plus extra for greasing the tins
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 140ml of water

METHOD

First make the mincemeat. Cut the cooled boiled lemon in half and take out all the pips. Place it in a food processor and add the raisins, sultanas, apple, mixed fruit and mixed peel. Blitz to a paste. Turn this out into a bowl and add the suet, sugar, currants, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, ground ginger, brandy and sherry. Mix together well and set aside. This mincemeat can be stored in a dark, cool cupboard and keeps well for up to a year.

To make the pastry, tip the flour into a food processor, add the baking powder, sugar, salt and butter, then blitz until the mixture has a crumb-like texture. Add the egg and gradually add the water and process until the pastry forms a ball. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and set aside in the fridge to chill.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6 and grease the mince pie tins. Roll out half the pastry and cut out rounds for the bottom of the pies. Place these into their little nests in the tins. Add a good dessert spoon of mincemeat to each. Roll out the remaining pastry and, using a smaller pastry cutter, cut out the lids. Brush the tops with beaten egg. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

Great served with whipped cream, brandy butter or ice cream.

Makes a 20 cm square or 23 cm round cake

INGREDIENTS

• 150ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing the tin.
• 280g plain flour
• 650g sultanas
• 300g raisins
• 200g chopped dates
• 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of mixed spice
• 120ml barley malt syrup (or molasses)
• 180g brown rice syrup (or golden syrup)
• 4 free-range eggs, beaten
• 20g dried pineapple (rehydrated in 50ml water)
• 50g grated carrot
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• Finely grated zest of 1½ lemons

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 140°C/Gas 1. Grease a 20 cm square or 23 cm round cake tin with a little of the sunflower oil and line it with 3 layers of baking parchment.

Sift flour into a large bowl, add sultanas, raisins, dates, bicarb, salt, cardamom and mixed spice and stir well. Add the barley malt syrup and brown rice syrup and mix them in thoroughly. Stir in the beaten eggs, then the sunflower oil. Add the pineapple and the water you soaked it in, grated carrot and orange and lemon zest and give it all a good old stir until everything is well combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin – it should reach about three-quarters of the way up the tin. Cover the top with a sheet of greaseproof paper and put the cake in the preheated oven. Bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes, then test it with a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake. If the skewer comes out more or less clean, the cake is cooked. If not, put it back into the oven for a further 15 minutes, then test again. The cake might need a up to 2 hours and 45 minutes, depending on your oven and tin.

Once the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool in the tin. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Wrap the cake in greaseproof paper and foil and store in a cool, dry place until Christmas.

If you want an extra boozy Christmas cake, feed it once a week!

Make some holes in the top with a skewer and carefully pour over some brandy/rum or calvados. Allow if to soak in, then wrap the cake up again.

Decorate as you like.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH

• 300 ml of milk
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 50 g of butter
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 egg

METHOD

Directions for the dough:

Mix the milk, salt, sugar and butter in a saucepan and put it on heat. When it comes to boil, turn off the heat and add 1 cup of flour. Mix it thoroughly. Let it cool down.

Add 1 egg and mix it once more. Add the rest of flour (2 cups) and knead the dough. Leave it for 10 minutes.

How to make the filling:

Many kinds of filling are possible: cottage cheese, meet, cabbage, cherry etc.
This example uses potatoes and mushrooms:

Fry chopped mushrooms and onions in a pan. Make mashed potatoes and add the mushrooms there. Add the salt or pepper if you wish.

Final step:

Make thin dough and squeeze circles using a glass (or a cup). Add filling on each circle. Fold the circles with a crimping motion. Boil them in water for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

15 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to bake

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

FOR PAVLOVA:

• 3/4 cup egg whites (be careful not to get any yolk into white)
• pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups castor sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

FOR TOPPING:

• In season fresh berries (i.e. with strawberries, banana and fresh passionfruit drizzled on top)
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1 tsp castor sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a tray with greaseproof paper or use a stoneware dinner plate (ovenproof) that has been greased and sprinkled evenly with 1 tablespoon cornflour and 1 tablespoon castor sugar.

Scald bowl (not plastic) and beaters with hot water. Dry with clean tea towel. Add eggwhite into warm bowl with a pinch of salt.

Beat for 2 minutes on high speed.

While continuing to beat add castor sugar slowly taking about 3 minutes.

Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla beat for about 30 seconds and then if necessary fold mixture gently with a spatula.

Pile mixture onto plate and flatten out a little to about 20 cm diameter. Mixture will spread and flatten during baking.

Bake in a pre-heated oven 120 degrees C for 90 minutes. When baked switch off oven and leave oven door ajar with a wooden spoon and leave in oven till cooled.

Don't worry if Pavlova cracks or pieces of Pavlova come off, as the filling will cover it all up.

Beat 300 ml cream with 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, spread over cold Pavlova and use your favourite fruits to decorate.

NOTES

If eggs are not at room temperature place in a bowl of warm water while you get other ingredients and dishes ready.

Do not use a plastic bowl and make sure not a trace of yolk or grease gets into eggwhite as it will not beat properly.

Make sure the bowl and beaters you use for beating the egg white is very clean and free of any grease as it also affects the eggwhite and will not beat up properly.

If using bananas cut into slices and sprinkle with a teaspoon sugar and a squeeze or two of lemon juice and mix through so that banana doesn't go dark. You can also add a little sugar to the passionfruit pulp to make it less tart.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken:

• 1 large whole chicken (not cut up).
• 1 whole stem of garlic clove
• 3 tbsp./10g chopped ginger
• ½ tbsp. black pepper powder
• 1 tsp coriander seed powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice (or the juice of 1 large lemon)
• 1 tbsp. Oil

Stuffing:

If you are using fresh coconut milk, use the second discharge of the coconut liquid (tui la pili). If you are using water, then I would recommend coconut powder.

• 1/3 cup Basmati rice
• 2/3 cup water / coconut milk
• 1 tbsp. coconut powder (only if you are using water above)
• 1 tbsp. crushed garlic.
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• 1 cup/140g chopped chicken/beef liver
• ½ tbsp. pilau masala
• Salt (optional, since the rice has salt already)

METHOD

Chicken:

• In a pesto, crush all ingredients but chicken, lemon juice and ghee, make sure you mash very well.
• Add lemon juice and ghee, mix well
• Marinade the outside of the chicken first.
• Then marinade inside the skin of the chicken; (it is very easy to penetrate your fingers or hands between the skin and the meat of the chicken). This will help to increase the spicy flavour to the chicken.
• Let it stand in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Or until next day.
• Now follow the recipe of stuffing next page

Stuffing:

• In a small pot, boil water (mixed with coconut powder)/coconut milk.
• Reduce heat to medium low, add chicken cube. Mix well until it dissolves in water.
• Add rice, simmer until almost cooked. It should not more than 10 minutes. You do not have to dry the water completely.
• In a different pan, heat oil, stir onions and garlic until translucent.
• Add, liver and pilau masala, stir for 5 minutes,
• Add salt if used, (but be careful because the rice may have enough salt).
• Add the rice in the liver, mix until mixed well.
• The mixture should be very moist so that it can cook well in the chicken without drying out.

Roasting:

• Preheat the oven at 450 Fahrenheit (230 °C)
• Add stuffing in the chicken; secure the stuffing by tying legs nicely together.
• Put the chicken in the oven, cook for 30 minutes uncovered.
• Lower the heat to 350 Fahrenheit, cover the chicken, and continue to roast for 30 more minutes. If you have a 4.5 pound chicken or less, it should be cooked by now. If not continue until cooked.
• Serve warm. Let stand outside the oven for 15 minutes before you serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (Coriander)
• 1 red chili, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 white onion, sliced thinly
• 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced into half moons
• Salt

METHOD

Mix all ingredients together with a large spoon and season with the salt.

Refrigerate 20 minutes before serving to let the salt draw the moisture from the vegetables to create its own sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups Sun Rice Basmati Rice
• 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2cm piece ginger, peeled, grated
• 1 cinnamon stick, halved
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 cups Chicken stock salt reduced
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 1/2 peas
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered, to serve
• 1/4 cup roasted cashews, to serve

METHOD

Wash rice in cold water until water runs clear. Place in a bowl. Cover with cold water. Set aside for 20 minutes to soak. Drain rice in a colander, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until rice feels dry. Combine saffron and 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes or until soft.

Add ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom pods. Cook for 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes

.

Bring stock to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add boiling stock, saffron mixture, cloves, garam masala and sultanas to rice. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 18 minutes (do not remove lid). Remove from heat. Add peas and stir with a fork. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork. Transfer to serving bowl. Top with egg and fried cashews.

Serve.

Avocado and shrimp salad

INGREDIENTS

• 35 Large shrimps (cooked and cut up into small pieces) leave a few uncut.
• 6 avocados (Ripe then cut into big piece)
• ¾ cup onions or Chives or Green onions
• ¾ cup finely chopped tomatoes (size of peas)
• 1/3 cup coriander leaves cilantro (chopped)
• ¾ cup finely chopped red sweet peppers or tomatoes.
• 3 large limes
• Salt

METHOD

• In a big bowl mix sweet peppers, tomatoes, salt and lime juice, and let stand for at least 3 hours.
• Do not discharge the liquid from the tomatoes and peppers.
• In a big bowl add all ingredients.
• Serve immediately.

Swahili Fruit salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup/150g cut up Jackfruit (buy 1pound can; drain)
• 1 cup/170g cut up mango (buy a mango that is about 400g)
• 2 large bananas (cut up)
• 1 cup cut up avocado
• 1 cup/150g cut up pineapple
• 1 cup/150g cut up kiwi (3 regular size kiwis)
• 1 cup/150g cut up papaya (buy at least 250g papaya)
• 1 cup/140g cut up watermelon
• 2 cup orange juice
• Sugar (optional if you did not use clear coconut water)

METHOD

• In a small pot, boil for one minute orange juice and sugar. Remove from heat, put aside to cool.
• In a large salad bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients with the boiled mixture. Let stand for half an hour in a cool place.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Roasted Meat

This recipe for Nyama Choma (roasted meat) features an innovative use of curry powder in a marinade. Roasted meat is popular in Eastern Africa. This recipe works well with any red meat; beef short ribs are the favourite of many Tanzanians.

INGREDIENTS

• Two to three pounds of beef short ribs -- or any meat suitable for roasting
• Two cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of one or two lemons
• Turmeric
• Coriander
• Paprika
• Salt & black pepper

METHOD

Combine the lemon juice, garlic, and spices (to taste) in a large glass dish, mix well. Add meat. Stir to coat meat with marinade. Allow to marinate at least one hour.

Grill meat over charcoal, or broil it in a hot oven. It should set off your smoke detector. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness

INGREDIENTS

For the filling:

• 2 packs of unflavored gelatin (0.5 ounce in total)
• 2 tbsp. of cold water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 ½ cups of sweetened canned mango pulp
• 1 cup of white granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (35%)
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract (essence) OR more if you need
• ¼ tsp. grated nutmeg

For 2 – 9” graham cracker pie crusts:

• 2 cups graham crackers crumbs
• ½ cup (1stick) unsalted butter, melted
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

METHOD

2 – 9” graham cracker pie crusts

In a mixing bowl, mix the graham crumbs, melted butter and cinnamon thoroughly and press into the bottom and sides of the 9” pie plates.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200 °C) for 10 minutes.

Cool completely.

Pie filling

Put 2 tbsp. of cold water in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder over it and set aside.

Heat the milk until almost boiling then pour over the gelatin mixture a little at a time and mix until dissolved completely. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the mango pulp, sugar and nutmeg. Then mix thoroughly until sugar melts. Set aside.

Add the whipping cream and the vanilla extract (essence) in a chilled bowl. Whip by using a hand blender until soft peaks are formed. Approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

Finally fold the mango mixture into the whipped cream and pour into the two 9” baked pie crusts. Refrigerate for 6 – 8 hours OR overnight before serving.

Serve with whipped cream and butterscotch topping.

It is a light dessert after any festive dinner. Enjoy with a coffee or tea.

INGREDIENTS

• 300 g raisins
• 3 tbsp dark rum
• 140 ml milk
• 2 cubes fresh yeast
• 90 g sugar
• 540 g flour
• ½ tsp mixed stollen spices or ground mace
• 1 lemon, untreated and zest grated
• ½ tsp salt
• 85 g clarified butter
• 250 g butter
• 120 g ground almonds
• 30 g marzipan
• 50 g candied lemon peel
• 50 g candied orange peel
• 100 g clarified butter
• 75 g sugar
• 100 g powdered sugar

METHOD

Prepare the ingredients:

One day before you start cooking, place the raisins in a bowl, mix with the rum and leave to soften. Weigh out the other ingredients (apart from the milk and yeast) and leave at room temperature.

Prepare the starter dough:

The next day, warm half of the milk and pour into a large bowl. Crumble in the yeast and mix with a fork until smooth. Add a pinch of sugar and 3 tablespoons of flour. Mix well. Cover and leave in a warm place for approx. 20 minutes to activate.

Knead the dough:

Add the remaining flour and milk to the starter dough along with the spices, lemon zest, sugar, salt, clarified butter, butter, almonds and marzipan and knead with a hand mixer fitted with dough hooks. Tip the dough onto the work surface and flatten slightly. Place the candied lemon peel, candied orange peel and raisins in the center. Fold the sides over and knead carefully by hand.

Shape the dough:

Leave the dough to rise for one hour. Pre-heat the oven to 175°C (345°F). Knead the dough once more on a floured surface and shape into an oval loaf. Press a rolling pin into the center so that two bulges form above and below.

Create the final stollen shape:

Roll one of the halves so that it is flatter and fold it over the other half, but not all the way to the edge. Use the edges of your hands to finish shaping the stollen into an oval loaf shape and place diagonally on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake on the second shelf from the bottom of the oven for approx. 60 minutes.

Brush with clarified butter:

With the stollen still hot on the baking tray, brush it several times over with liquid clarified butter. Sprinkle with sugar and use a sieve to dust over two thirds of the powdered sugar. Leave to cool. Dust with the rest of the powdered sugar.

Sometimes your stollen may spread out to the sides, but that won’t affect the taste. Once baked, transfer the stollen along with the parchment paper to a cooling rack carefully, as it can easily fall apart. It should be wrapped in aluminum foil and stored for 14 days in a cool place before being served.

INGREDIENTS

For the baking tray: parchment paper

For the dough:

• 200 g flour
• 1 pinch baking powder
• 100 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 1 medium egg
• 125 g butter or margarine
• 100 g ground almonds

To decorate:

• Approx. 50 g powdered sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar

METHOD

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven. No fan: approx. 180°C / 355°F ; fan: approx. 160°C / 320°F.

For the dough:

Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the other ingredients and use a (hand) mixer fitted with dough hooks to form a dough, starting at the slowest speed and gradually increasing to the highest speed. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

Roll the dough to the thickness of a pencil and cut into pieces 4–5 cm long. Roll the ends to make them slightly thinner and bend each piece into a crescent shape (Fig. 1) before transferring to the baking tray. Bake in the center of the oven.

Baking time: approx. 10 minutes.

To decorate:

Remove the parchment paper from the baking tray with the cookies on it and gather the cookies together in the center of the sheet. Sieve the powdered sugar, mix in the vanilla sugar and sprinkle some of this mixture over the cookies immediately after baking. Leave the cookies to cool and dust them with the sugar mixture again.

INGREDIENTS

• 70 g butter
• 70 g sugar
• 140 g flour
• 4 yolks

METHOD

Melt the butter carefully in a pan. Stir in the sugar and half of the flour. Remove from the heat. Stir in the egg yolks and finally the remaining 70 g of flour. Leave to cool in the refrigerator for approx. one hour.

Shape the dough into a long roll, slice into small discs and shape these into rolls about as thick as your little finger. Arrange the small rolls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C / 355°F.

The egg yolks give these cookies a very distinctive taste. You can also try dipping half of each cookie in melted chocolate to coat it.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 egg whites
• 250 g powdered sugar
• 300 g ground almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp rum

METHOD

Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and add the powdered sugar spoonful by spoonful. Remove 4 heaped tablespoons of the mixture to use as glaze later. Mix the almonds and spices into the rest of the egg whites. Roll out the mixture between two sheets of plastic wrap until approx. ½ cm (¼ in) thick. (Tip: If the mixture is too wet, just add a few more ground almonds or breadcrumbs.)

Cut out star shapes and arrange on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Mix the remaining beaten egg whites with the rum to form a spreadable glaze and spread it over the stars.

Bake on the middle shelf at approx. 150°C / 300°F. for 10–20 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

Bockwurst sausages (as many as you need – approx. 2 per person)

Potato salad (six portions):

• 2 kg potatoes (waxy)
• 250 ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar (mild, e.g. Marc de Champagne)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, with green peppercorns
• 6 small pickled gherkins (finely chopped)
• 200 g mayonnaise (homemade or a very good shop-bought mayo)
• A small amount of liquid from the pickled gherkins

METHOD

Boil the potatoes with a little salt, then strain and peel. Once cool, cut into thin slices (by hand rather than using a vegetable slicer, as this will produce slices that are too thin).

Bring the stock to the boil, add the finely chopped onion and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the vinegar. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Then stir in the mustard. Pour the stock and onion mixture over the potato slices, mix and leave to stand. Dice the pickled gherkins finely and add to the potatoes. Mix the mayonnaise with some of the liquid from the pickled gherkins and pour it over the potatoes. Stir in carefully and leave to stand.

This is the basic recipe for potato salad. In summer, you can make it with sun-dried tomatoes (cut into smaller pieces), finely chopped spring onions, sliced radishes or chopped olives. It can also be served with leftover steak or roast meats, fresh herbs, or anything else you have to hand – bell peppers, tomato, cucumbers and so on.

Parsley potatoes and green salad

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 carp, ready to cook (approx. 1.5 kg)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 250 ml + 4 tbsp vinegar
• 1 kg potatoes
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 250 ml milk
• 1 tbsp horseradish (from a jar)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 shallot
• 200 g lettuce
• ½ bunch parsley
• 2 slices of lemon and dill to garnish

METHOD

Wash the carp, taking care not to damage the skin. Season inside with salt and pepper. Bring 250 ml vinegar to the boil. Place an upturned cup inside the carp to keep it upright. Carefully place the carp on the drip tray of the oven. Pour the vinegar over the carp evenly until it turns blue. Pour over 1 liter of boiling, salted water. Leave to steam in the preheated oven for 40–50 minutes (electric: 150°C / 300°F; fan: 125°C / 255°F; gas mark 1).

Peel, wash and halve the potatoes, then boil in salted water for approx. 20 minutes. For the sauce, melt 2 tbsp butter in a pan. Stir in the flour and cook out briefly. Pour in the vegetable stock and milk, stirring constantly. Bring to the boil, boil for 3–5 minutes and stir in the horseradish. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together 4 tbsp vinegar, salt, pepper and honey. Stir in the oil gradually, drop by drop. Peel the shallot, dice finely and stir into the vinaigrette. Top, wash and spin-dry the lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces. Wash and dry the parsley, and tear off leaves from the stems to chop. Melt 2 tbsp butter. Toss the potatoes and parsley in the butter. Arrange the potatoes and carp on a plate. Garnish with lemon and dill. Serve with the salad

Serves four

INGREDIENTS

• 750 ml water
• 200 g prunes
• 2 black teabags
• 1 liter red wine (fruity)
• 250 ml rum
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 500 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 5 cloves
• 250 g sugar

METHOD

Bring the water to the boil with the prunes, add the teabags and brew for five minutes.

Remove the teabags and mix all the liquid ingredients together . Add the cinnamon sticks and cloves (in a tea infuser). Add the remaining ingredients.

Do not allow to boil – warm at a low heat. (Keep warm)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 carp fillets a 150 g
• all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• bread crumbs
• fat for frying
• lemon
• salt

Ingredients for potato salad:

• 1 kg potatoes for salad
• 4 carrots
• 1/4 kg celery root
• 4 eggs
• sterilized green peas or 200 g frozen peas
• 200 g ham
• 150 g pickles (gherkins)
• 150–200 g mayonnaise
• salt and pepper

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

METHOD

Potato salad:

Preferably the day before, boil potatoes in skin for about 15 20 minutes, depending on their size, check with a knife whether they are soft. Let them cool down, peel and cut into cubes about 1 × 1 cm.

Peel carrot and celery root and cook them in salted water 10 15 minutes until tender but not overcooked. Take them out of water, let cool down and cut in small pieces. Prepare hard-boiled eggs, peel and cut in pieces. Defrost green peas (or rinse the sterilized one and drain).

Cut ham and pickles in small cubes (leaving the brine for seasoning). Mix all ingredients carefully in a bowl, add mayonnaise and some pickle brine with mixed salt and pepper.

Carp:

Salt the carp fillets and dip them in flour, then in egg and milk mixture and finally in breadcrumbs. Fry on all sides in hot oil until golden brown. Add lemon for each serving.

In the evening before cooking the meat (2-3 kg pork rib) you need to score the skin and rub it in with salt and pepper. Wrap it in clingfilm and put it in a cold place over night.

The next day you start with heating up the oven, taking a large pan and filling it with just a little bit of water, place the rib skin down and cover with foil. After about 40 minutes the foil is removed and the meat turned.

To make sure you get a nice crackling, place a plate upside-down right in the middle underneath the meat and cook it for another 40-60 minutes.

There are plenty of side dishes served with ribbe so there should be something for everyone:

• potatoes,
• medisterkaker (traditional meatballs),
• gravy,
• sausages,
• purple cabbage,
• sour cabbage (not the same as sauerkraut, it is pickled without any fermentation),
• pickled beets
• and cranberry jam.

The second most popular is probably pinnekjøtt. More than 1,5 million people in Norway have pinnekjøtt for their Christmas dinner every year.

Pinnekjøtt is dried lamb or mutton. To prepare your own meat you will need a whole side of lamb or mutton which is placed in a large container. You then start to fill it up with water, adding salt bit by bit. Stir, and then add a raw potato. If the potato floats, you have enough salt, if not, you need to add more.

You then add a bit of sugar and let it sit for about 9 days. Once this has been done, you can take it out of the water and hang them up to dry. Make sure you have plenty of time, because they will now have to hang in a well ventilated, cool room for about 2 months.

When preparing it for the Christmas dinner you need to start early. The first day you will need to soak it in water for at least 12 hours, changing the water 2-3 times.

On the second day (Christmas Eve) the meat is placed in a large pan with water and brought to a boil. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 1,5-2 hours, filling up the water so it doesn’t get dry. It’s ready when it starts falling off the bone.

The stock is kept and served with the meat. Other side dishes usually served with it are mashed swede, boiled potatoes and sausage.

The third popular is lutefisk, which is famous for its slightly unusual taste.

Lutefisk is dried whitefish (normally cod) treated with lye. The first step is soaking the fish in cold water for several days. The saturated fish is then soaked in a solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. The fish swells during this soaking, and its protein content decreases by more than 50 percent, producing a jelly-like consistency.

To make the fish edible, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water is needed. Eventually, the lutefisk is ready to be cooked.

As the fish has a very mild taste it is served with a variety of side dishes like

• bacon,
• green peas,
• potatoes,
• lefse,
• gravy,
• white sauce,
• melted or clarified butter.

This varies from family to family and region to region.

And last but not least, the one thing always served for Christmas no matter what you eat, is aquavit - The Water of Life.

The traditional aquavit in Norway is the Linje Aquavits (line aquavits).

These are sent in oak barrels with ships from Norway to Australia and back again, passing the equator twice, before they are bottled. Because of the movement and climate the aquavit changes an gets a better flavour and matures faster than a normal aquavit.

You can use ham instead of bacon and spring onions instead of normal, so it cuts out the step of sautéing and the use of another pan. Now there’s no excuse not to try this super-easy, mess free savoury, lunch or supper.

INGREDIENTS

5 medium zucchini, grated

1 cup greated tasty cheese

150 g sliced of shaved ham, diced

2 spring inions, finely sliced

1 cup self-raising flour

5 Eggs

½ cup of plain oil

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20x28cm (approx) slice tin lined with baking paper.

In a large bowl, combine zucchini, cheese, ham, spring onions and seasoning. Sprinkle over the flour and toss gently to dust the ingriedents

Beat the eggs and oil, then pour over the zucchini mixture. Mix well and spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden, puffed and selt in the venter.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Oreo crumbs (from about 24 Oreos)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

• 750g cream cheese, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 300ml thickened cream
• 200g whittaker's white chocolate, chopped
• 200g whittaker's milk chocolate, chopped
• 200g whittaker's dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 tsp powdered gelatine

Berry coulis (optional):

• 55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
• 300g raspberries or Strawberry's
• Extra Berry's for display

METHOD

To make berry coulis, place sugar and 50ml water in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Add raspberries and stand for 5 minutes. Process mixture by placing it in a food processor until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Cheesecake mix

Meanwhile, grease and line a 23cm cake pan with removable base with melted butter. Process biscuits in a processor until mixture resembles crumbs. Poor the biscuit crumbs into a bowl and mix the butter into the biscuit crumbs. Press mixture over base of prepared pan and refrigerate until needed.

To make filling, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar (on medium speed) until smooth and combined. Add cream and beat until smooth. Set aside.

Place 60ml boiling water in a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle over gelatine. Stir until dissolved. With the motor running, With the motor running, gradually add to cream cheese mixture and beat.

To melt chocolate, place boiling water in a bowl, and place a second bowl on top (don’t let the bowl touch the water). and stir the chocolate vigorously (do not allow the chocolate to be unattended or you will over heat the cholate and it will not be smooth). To combine. Add a third of the cream cheese mixture to each bowl of melted chocolate and stir to combine. (Do each chocolate level separately, starting with the white cholate) in between beach layer place the cake in the freezer, to allow the previous layer to cool in time for the next one.

Once all three layers are completed place the cake in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to set.

Slice cheesecake and place on serving plates. Drizzle over coulis and serve with extra raspberries to the side if you would like.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 frozen octopus, about 4 kg (the smaller it is, the harder it is to cook)
• 1 onion (large or medium-large)
• 6 large garlic cloves
• 1 bunch of coriander
• Olive oil to cover the oven dish or glass container (pyrex) about 1 finger high
• 2 kg of small potatoes (to cook in the oven)

METHOD

The day before, leave the octopus in its packaging outside the freezer in order to unfreeze it. Put it inside a container because you will be needing the water.

On the next day, open the packaging and collect the water in the container. Remove the eyes and clean the ink bag without adding any extra water. The octopus usually is already cleaned because it is frozen in high seas.

Put the octopus into a big pan or pot, so that it may cook without overflowing, alongside the the water that resulted from the defrosting. Peel the onion and place it over the octopus (as a whole), and let it cook.

Wash the potatoes with the skin thoroughly, and place them in the oven dish with a considerable amount of salt. Put them into the pre-heated oven (it should be quite hot), and let them cook for about 1 hour. Check if they are cooked before taking them out. Outside, punch (literally) each one of them. Keep aside.

When the octopus is tender (normally, when the onion is cooked the octopus is cooked), place it in a plate and cut it into big pieces.

Peel and slice the garlic.

Put the olive oil and the sliced garlic into another oven dish. Place it into the oven for a while, so the olive oil heats up and mixes with the garlic flavor.

Take the dish out of the oven, put the pieces of octopus inside (make sure the octopus is well oiled) and over it spread chopped coriander.

Put it all in the oven and let it cook until is slightly brown. You may reheat the potatoes in the oven in case they got cold meanwhile.

Serve in both oven dishes with a good Portuguese red wine!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb center cut, filet mignon
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 10 medium mushrooms, roughly chopped
• butter, room temperature
• 1 sprig Thyme
• salt and pepper
• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 3 egg yolks, whipped (for glaze)

Red wine sauce made with brown chicken stock:

• 1 pint brown chicken stock (or veal stock)
• 1/2 bottle of red wine
• bay leaves
• salt and pepper

METHOD

In a hot pan, sear the filet of beef on each side then brush with mustard and allow to cool.

Rough chop and sauté the mushrooms. Season with thyme, salt and pepper.

Place plastic wrap on a cutting board or flat surface. Place the beef on plastic wrap and cover with mushrooms.

Use the plastic wrap to wrap the mushrooms around the beef and twist to secure firmly. Set in fridge for 10 minutes. Remove plastic wrap.

Roll out pastry and wrap around the beef, pressing the pastry edges to seal at the base and trimming away any excess.

Brush once with the egg wash and bake in a 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes. Check halfway with a thermometer, the internal temperature should be approximately 115°F for medium rare. Pastry should be golden brown.

Red wine sauce made:

In a small sauce pan, reduce the red wine until almost dry. Add stock and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

and Scallops with Smoked Duck Breast

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 16 scallops
• 150 g smoked duck breast
• 16 medium-sized oysters
• 8 chive stalks
• 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 40 cl crème fraîche or heavy cream
• 50 g shallots
• 15 g semi-salted butter
• 10 cl port wine
• 10 cl brown veal stock
• 10 cl white wine
• Freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Prepare the sauce: Peel, wash and finely chop the shallots. Wash and chop the chives into small pieces.

Degrease the smoked duck breast, reserving the fat for later. Cut the duck meat into small cubes.

Melt the butter in a skillet with the duck fat, sauté the shallots. Deglaze the skillet with port wine and reduce. Add the veal stock and white wine. Cook the mixture five minutes over low heat to reduce again.

Add the duck meat and the crème fraîche. Pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes then stir. Add the chives.

Turn on the oven broiler.

Shuck the oysters, save the water from the shells, filter it and pour it into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil.

Detach the oyster flesh, poach it for 30 seconds in the water and remove.

Trim the scallops into round shapes and poach them for 30 seconds in the same water.

Put the poached scallops and oysters back into the shells. Cover with the sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and quickly brown under the oven broiler.

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

• 3 kg turkey
• 1 kg canned chestnuts
• 2 slices plain loaf white bread
• 100 g ground beef
• 100 g ground veal
• 100 g butter
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 300 g crème fraîche or heavy cream
• 1 bunch parsley
• 2 chopped shallots
• 1 egg
• 80 g cognac

METHOD

Select a nice 3-kilo turkey at your butcher. Or order one from a restaurant owner you might know or from your local market. Ask the butcher or supplier to remove the giblets but make sure to get the liver, heart and gizzards for the stuffing.

Stuffing:

Soak the bread in the crème fraîche or heavy cream, like for French toast. Coarsely chop the giblets, mix with the ground meat.

Sauté the shallots and parsley in a small amount of butter. Add the cognac (or port wine if no cognac is available).

Add the egg to the fried mixture while whisking. Add 5 to 6 chestnuts and the meat and mix all together.

Stuff the turkey generously and securely truss it with kitchen string. Spread butter on the entire turkey, sprinkle with salt and rub this mixture into the carcass. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Butter a large roasting pan. Place the turkey in the pan together with the remaining chestnuts and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 120°C (gas mark 4). After 30 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 220°C (gas mark 7) for one hour.

Remove the dish from the oven and carefully turn over the turkey. Cook the turkey for another hour. Baste regularly with the pan juices.

Serve with Celery Root Gratin with Thyme or Fennel Gratin.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 100 g dark chocolate
• 50 g chocolate drops
• 100 g white chocolate
• 25 cl water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons whisky
• 5 cl liquid whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 130 g flour
• 165 g sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 125 g butter
• 30 g sugar powder

METHOD

Prepare the dark chocolate mousse:

Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave), then set aside.

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and mix with dark chocolate and honey.

Mount the egg whites until peaks form. Gently add them into the chocolate mixture, using a spatula to fold the chocolate into the egg whites.

Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Prepare the white chocolate mousse:

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave), then set aside.

In another bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until it thickens and begins to form stiff peaks. Add the white chocolate to the whip cream. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Prepare the genoise sponge cake:

Preheat oven to 150°C (gas mark 5). Line and butter a baking pan with parchment paper.

Melt the butter over very low heat (or microwave).

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Whisk the egg whites until stiff.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until the mixture begins to turn white. Gently fold in the egg whites with a spatula.

Remove the pulp from the vanilla pod with the tip of a knife. Add the vanilla spores to the mixture. Then gradually add the flour. Gently mix with the spatula, then

mix in the melted butter.

Pour into the baking pan and bake about 25 minutes. The genoise should be golden brown but soft to the touch. Be careful not to burn yourself when checking the cake’s baking time. Let the cake cool. Turn over the genoise and remove the parchment paper.

Mix the water and powdered sugar. Add the whiskey. Pour the syrup over the cake.

Assemble the Bûche:

With a spatula, cover the cake with a layer of dark chocolate and then a layer of white chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped pieces of chocolate. Gently roll up the cake with the filling. Wrap in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Before serving, prepare the icing by melting the dark chocolate and add the icing sugar. Drizzle on top of the bûche and refrigerate before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups good-quality honey
• 3 cups peeled almonds
• 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1 lemon rind, grated
• 1/2 orange rind, grated
• paper-thin wafers

METHOD

Pour the honey into a double boiler and simmer until candy thermometer reaches 140° C, stirring repeatedly with a wooden spoon.

Heat oven to 100º C and toast the hazelnuts and almonds until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove and transfer to a bowl. Put the sugar into a small pan with 6 to 8 tablespoons of water and cook until temperature reaches 130° C.

Beat the egg whites until a small teaspoon will stand up on its own in the center and then slowly fold them into the hot honey. Mix well for 5 minutes. Add the hot caramelized sugar and mix again.

Add hot almonds, hazelnuts, grated lemon and orange rinds; mix well for a couple of minutes. Pour the entire mixture into a rectangular low baking mold or Pyrex pan lined with paper-thin wafers (hosts) - called ostie and easily found in Italy, but perhaps requiring a bit more effort in the other countries. Otherwise, rice paper or buttered baking paper will also work. Cover with wafers or rice/baking paper. Press and level the mixture with a metal spatula.

Put torrone into the fridge for 15 minutes. Then turn upside down on a board and cut into small rectangular pieces.

Store the candy in a suitable container with wax paper in between.

INGREDIENTS

In the preparation of “chipa guasu” are used:

• medium size onions,
• water,
• salt,
• eggs,
• cinnamon,
• Paraguay cheese (a very fresh cheese),
• Criollo cheese,
• milk,
• corn grains.

METHOD

Chopped onions, water and salt, are boiled in a pot for about 10 minutes, and then let cool down. The pork fat is whipped until it turns creamy and a much lighter color, then the eggs are added one by one along pieces of fresh cheese, all without stop whipping. The boiled onions are added to this creamy preparation, and also the grains of corn (that have been previously mollified), Criollo cheese, milk and cinnamon.

Mix all together and the result is a paste that is put in a buttered or floured oven tray.

It’s cooked in the oven, at low heat (around 200°C) for about an hour and a half.

INTERESTING FACTS

“Chipa guasu” is prepared similar to sopa paraguaya, substituting corn grains for corn flour.

According to some scholars in Paraguay, Paraguayan popular gastronomy established itself as a small family industry after the Paraguayan War, fought between 1864 and 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance composed of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Its high caloric content owes to the scarcity of food that plagued the country during and after the conflict. Basic foodstuffs were limited and fresh groceries almost nonexistent, leading to hearty meals intended to provide a full day's nourishment.

Clericó (or Clericot) is a fruity alcoholic beverage consumed in Paraguay, especially in the days around the year-end holidays (Christmas and New Year).

It is prepared by mixing a salad of citrus and tropical fruits such as orange, melon, apple, pineapple, peach, grape, with an alcoholic drink (mainly red wine or white wine), some sugar and ice.

Generally avoided fruits include watermelon, based on an urban myth that the combination of wine with watermelon has lethal effects.

It is a custom in many parts of the country to invite the people who are visiting the house in December or early January to a clericó.

INGREDIENTS

• 300 grams minced pork
• 2 Tablespoon toasted sticky rice powder
• 3 Tablespoon sliced shallots
• 1 Tablespoon dried Thai red chili powder
• 2 Tablespoon Thai fish sauce
• 2 Tablespoon juiced limes
• 1 Tablespoon mint leaves
• 1 Tablespoon sliced green onion leaves
• 1 Tablespoon sliced parsley leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

METHOD

• Put minced pork in to a bowl
• Add 1 tablespoon juiced limes and mix them together
• Boil 2 minutes over high heat in a Microwave oven
• Add fish sauce, juiced limes, chili powder, sugar, rice powder, mix them together
• Add sliced shallots, mint leaves, sliced green onion leaves, sliced parsley leaves, mix them together
• Serve to a dish and eat with sticky rice and vegetable such as long beans, cucumbers.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium potatoes
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 250 g fish (herring in oil)
• Mayonnaise
• 5 eggs, hard-boiled
• 3 beets, boiled

METHOD

Wash the potatoes and carrots and boil before peeling (ideally boil them the day before as they will be easier to peel the day after).

The salad is prepared on a flat, oval-shaped dish. For the first layer, use half of the fish and then the potatoes. For the second layer, use the rest of the herring, which should be chopped into small pieces. For the third layer, use the onion, also finely chopped. For the fourth layer, use 4–5 tablespoons of mayonnaise. For the fifth layer, use the boiled carrots, coarsely grated.

For the sixth layer, use the eggs, either coarsely grated or finely chopped (save one yolk to garnish). Use mayonnaise for the seventh layer and coarsely grated beets for the eighth. Use mayonnaise once again for the ninth and final layer.

Sculpt the salad into shape and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or (ideally) overnight. Then add any finishing touches to garnish, and enjoy!

In The Netherlands on Christmas Day, family members seek each other’s company, whether forced or not. Christmas is a real family celebration, where expectations run high.

In the twentieth century it was tradition to dish up a roasted turkey during the feast of Christmas. However, a typical Dutch custom nowadays is to organize a ‘gourmet’ dinner. We simply call it “gourmetten”.

It is a form of recreational dining where everyone at the table is preparing his or her own dish in a small pan on a small burner. This may sound as if people are faced with quite a job, but the opposite is true. Sitting at a beautifully Christmas decorated table, there are large plates full of delicacies, ready to be roasted in the little pans.

The Dutch number one favorites are

• haunches of venison and ostrich steak covered with a red wine sauce
• pheasant breast wrapped in bacon with mustard
• guinea fowl with oyster mushrooms
• hare stew and aubergine au gratin.

All kind of sauces and vegetables accompany this dainty food.

Together with well-known Christmas carols, candles and a Christmas tree with presents at its foot, the Dutch people are having a merry Christmas.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients A:

1 whole chicken or 4 chicken whole legs (cut into bite pieces)

Ingredients B:

• 3 garlic
• 2.5 cm turmeric
• a pinch of salt

Spicy Sauce:

35 dried chillies, cut and soaked in hot water

4 big onions

7 garlics

2.5cm ginger

2 stickslemongrass

(Ground the above ingredients into paste)

Seasoning

• 5 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp chilli sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• A pinch of salt to taste
• 1/4 cup cooking oil

Garnishing:

• 2 tbsp shallot crisps
• 1 stalk chopped coriander leaves.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

• 1 Goose (ready to cook)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• 5 Apples
• 1 tsp. Thyme
• ¼ l hot Water
• ⅛ l Lager
• 3 tbsp. Water
• 3 tbsp. Red wine
• 2 tbsp. Flour

METHOD

Rub in the goose with salt, pepper and garlic powder; core the apples and fill goose with it, sprinkle thyme and sew the goose.

Perforate skin with a fork so the fat can leak out.

Put the goose in a roaster, add water and put it in the oven (250°C/ 485°F) for 2 ½ hours. From time to time pours over goose with gravy.

After half the cooking time flip goose over and add beer about 15 minutes before it is done. When done, remove goose from oven and keep it warm.

Skim fat from gravy, boil it with water and pour it through a strainer; thicken sauce with red wine and flour, season with salt and pepper.

TIPP

As a side dish: red cabbage and potato dumplings potato dumplings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Small smoked chicken (remove skin and bone of it) and tear intor thin shreds
• 3 Green apples
• 1 can of corn without water
• 1 can of pineapple in syrup diced (without the syrup)
• 300 grams of white grape passes pitted
• 500 grams of mayonnaise
• 1 can of serum-free sour cream

METHOD

Mix all ingredients and add 3 chopped green apples. Finaly add nuts or chopped almonds.

For decoration

• 1 Pineapple cut into slices
• Pitted prunes
• Cherries
• Branches of parsley

INGREDIENTS

• 1 mint branch
• 1 cup of red wind
• 1 cup of vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 3 potatoes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 table spoon Worcestshire sauce
• 1 lamb palette
• Rosemary to special taste

METHOD

Beat all ingredients on a blender except potatores.

Let the evening sauce of lamb for every day.

Tale the lamb in the oven with aluminiu, foil and soak for 1 hour and a half.

Pell the gowns and cut into pieces, cook the potatoes until soft. Place the potatoes in sheep’s platter, play rosemary over the potatoes and leave until the potaotes and the lamb golden brown.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ glass oil
• 1 glass dry red wine
• Wheat flour to give point
• Honey

METHOD

Put the wine and the pinch of salt with oil and take them to the fire in deep pan. When starts boiling turn off the fire and place the flour up to give point.

To get the right point, wait for the dough is not sticking to the finges but feeling it oily.

To make balls with the dough as the size of a large olive and knead it slightly with a fork. Fry in hot oil until crisp.

After fried and dry, add the honey in the small wine balls and ready.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

• 500 gr of cooked eels
• 1 piece of dry chilli pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

Peel and cut the garlic cloves in thin slices, then brown them in an earthenware dish with 8 spoons of extra virgin olive oil and a small piece of dry chilli pepper.

Before the garlic get overly browned, add the eels and gently fry briefly, stirring all the time. 1 minute.

To be served in an earthenware dish.

INGREDIENTS

• Rice (any fragrant rice): 1/3 cup
• Ghee/Clarified butter: 1 tablespoon
• Whole Milk / Full Cream Milk: 1 and 1/2 litres
• Condensed Milk: 1/3 of a can
• Date Palm Jaggery: approximately 3/4 cup or to taste. (If Jaggery is unavailable, please substitute with brown sugar or sugar free sweeteners for the calorie conscious!)
• Pistachios: 2-3 tablespoons, chopped or any nuts, you like.

METHOD

• In a thick bottom pan, boil the milk on low-medium heat, stirring continuously.
• Wash and soak the rice in water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain out.
• Heat the ghee/butter in a small pan, add the rice and fry for couple of minutes.
• Once the milk starts to thicken, add the rice. Stir it constantly on low to medium heat so that the bottom doesn't get burnt.
• When rice is cooked, add condensed milk and stir to mix it nicely. Let it boil for couple of minutes.
• Add the jiggery/sugar to the Payesh. (If using jaggery warm it up in a Microwave for 30 seconds to a minute till soft before adding) Again boil for 4 to 5 minutes while stirring continuously.
  Chef’s tip:
  Sometimes, milk curdles when you add the jaggery. So add the jaggery only at the end and add a small quantity at a time and check.
• Check the sweetness and take off the heat. Add chopped pistachios and serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 60g plain flour
• 30g powdered sugar
• 10g unsalted butter
• 4 soup spoon honey
• 3 eggs
• 1 table spoon baking powder
• 1 table spoon cinnamon

METHOD

Mix all ingredients and make a pastry, which is placed in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours. Using Christmas pastry cutters, cut shapes from the dough and re-roll the remaining dough.

Bake them in the oven at 180 °C for 7-10 min. After baking, spread each gingerbread with beaten eggs. Leave to cool down and then decorate them.

For decoration, we prepare a coating made of 1 egg white beaten, 150g powdered sugar and a pinch of salt.

This meal is cooked mostly in the Eastern part of Slovakia.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 dcl sauerkraut juice
• 1 onion
• 2 soup spoon lard
• 0,5 l bouillon of pork
• salt
• pepper
• 2 garlic clove
• 6 soup spoon plain flour
• caraway seed
• pinch of red pepper
• pinch of marjoram
• 3 dcl water
• handful of dried mushrooms
• roasted bacon with onion

METHOD

Fry onion with lard, pour sauerkraut juice and bouillon over onions, add dried mushrooms, salt, pepper, caraway seeds, red pepper, garlic and a bit of water and cook 30-35 min.

In the other pan, roast flour and add part of the onion and bacon. When the mushrooms are done, add marjoram and the prepared flour, stir and remove from the stove.

Fill in a deep plate and add the rest of the roasted bacon and onion.

INGREDIENTS

for ca. 60-80 dumplings (quantity depends on their size)

Dumpling dough:

• 4 glasses (640 g) all-purpose flour
• ca. 2 glasses (500 ml) hot water (or milk)
• 2 spoons oil
• 1 heaped teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 1 -1,3 kg sour cabbage (sauerkraut)
• 50 - 100 g dried mushrooms (quantity depends your individual taste)
• 1 large carrot
• 1 small parsnip
• 1 piece of celery
• 3 bay leaves 6 pimento corns
• ground pepper
• 2 large onions
• 3 spoons oil or clarified butter

METHOD

It’s best to start making dumplings by preparing the filling.

Put the cabbage in a pot, add 4 pimento corns, 2 bay leaves, add some water and cook until it’s soft (adding water from time to time, so that the cabbage doesn’t burn).

Pour boiling water on the mushrooms and drain after 4 minutes. In pot boil water with half a spoon of salt, put one bay leaf, 2 pimento corns, the carrot, parsnip, celery and the mushrooms. Cook for about 1 hour (until the mushrooms are soft).

While the cabbage and the mushrooms are cooking, warm the oil or the butter on a pan and fry the onions (previously slices into tiny squares) until they’re golden.

Drain the cooked cabbage off using a sieve. Retrieve mushrooms and vegetables from the stock. Find and throw away the pimento corns and bay leaves. Grind the cabbage together with the mushrooms and vegetables using a grinder with large holes (you can also slice the ingredients finely). Add the fried onions to the filling, spice with quite a lot of ground pepper (if needed, you can also add salt). Mix everything together, if the filling is too dry you can use a little bit of the mushroom stock.

Pour flour into a deep but quite narrow bowl, add salt and oil. Boil water and pour it onto flour to create a layer of ca. 1.5 cm. When it cool down a little bit, mix everything with your hands to create the dough. If it’s too thick, add some warm (not boiling!) water, if it’s too watery, add more flour. Knead the dough quickly and divide into parts. Roll out one part, cut out circles with a glass or a mug (depending on how large your dumplings should become). Place a small portion of the filling into the middle of each circle. Fold the dough over the filling into a half moon shape and pinch the edges to seal. Continue with the remainder of the dumplings.

Boil water in a large pot, add 1-2 teaspoons of salt, put the dumplings in water and cook for 3-4 minutes after they appeared on the surface.

Dumplings cooked like that you can serve with golden-fried fine sliced onion

INGREDIENTS

Roast pork

• Loin of pork with rind (2 kg)
• Salt
• 3 bay leaves

Caramelized potatoes

• 1 dl. sugar
• 25 g. butter
• 1 kg. boiled and peeled small potatoes

White potatoes:

• White boiled potatoes

Red cabbage:

• 1 kg. red cabbage
• 2 dl. vinegar
• 1½ dl. red currant juice
• 150 g. sugar
• 1 tsk. Salt

METHOD

Roast pork

• Turn the oven on 200 degrees
• Scratch the rind thoroughly, without cutting into the meat
• Place the roast on a grid and rub the top of the roast/rind with salt and pepper and put the bay leaves into the rind
• Put into the oven for approx. 1½ - 2 hours until the crackling is crispy
• Let the roast rest for 10 minutes

Caramelized potatoes

• Put sugar in a heavy frying pan over low heat. Wait until sugar melts and turns golden (watch out). Add butter and melt.
• Put in the drained potatoes and heat and stir gently until well glazed.

White potatoes

• Serve white boiled potatoes

Red cabbage

• Slice the red cabbage into fine short strips and put it in a pot.
• Pour the vinegar on the red cabbage and let it simmer for 30 minutes
• Put sugar, the juice and salt into the pot and let everything simmer for 30 minutes or until the red cabbage has the right texture and taste

Brown sauce

• Use the gravy from the roast and heat it up in a pot and put ½ liter of cream into the sauce and use a flour thickening.
• Taste the sauce with salt and pepper and use browning to have the wished brown color.