CHEF-EXPLORER

I am Exploring Lancashire at the moment though the weather isn't making it any easier! England has had the wettest 2 months on record! Something about the 'Jet Stream'. Which should be blowing above the British Isles this time of year.Just my luck to go 'Chef-Exploring' in me old country to find that the Jet Stream has drooped! Anyway, such is life, one can still eat and explore regardless of weather. I know that 'Lancashire Hop-Pot' is a common dish in these parts and usually served up in winter, but no matter, its raining, so give it a try. For those of you who have never made it, its traditional to use the cheap cuts and offal of Lamb as that's where the flavour is LANCASHIRE HOTPOT (4 Portions) 1 kg lamb neck chops (about 8) 3 Tabs Dripping or olive oil 180g prepared lambs kidneys 400g sliced leeks 200g sliced celery (2 sticks approx) 400g sliced carrots 1 kg thinly sliced potatoes 1 tab fresh thyme leaves 2 tabs chopped pa...

Here is the traditional recipe for the Pate callled Leverpostej DENMARK 2012 Old fashioned Danish Leverpostej. Ingredients. 500g pork liver 200g unsalted bacon 4-5 anchovy fillets 2 onions 60gflour ½ l milk 2 whole eggs 2 tsp salt Coarsely ground pepper 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme Method • Mince liver, bacon, anchovies and onions in mincer 1-2 times depending of how coarse you want the Leverpostej. • Whisk flour and cold milk together in a pan, heat up while whisking and boil through. Take the pan of the heat and cool down a bit. • Stir in liver mixture and then the eggs. Stir well. Add salt pepper and thyme. • Pour the mixture in an ovenproof dish. Bake in the oven in bain mari at 175c. Cooking time depends on the size of the dish. ¾ hour -1 ½ hour. • The Leverpostej is baked without lid and in the bottom of the oven. Handy tip.. The leverpostej can also be frozen before it is baked. You then just take it out of the freezer and b...

COUNTRY NO 10:           AUSTRIA The SPOTLIGHT     The ALPS, Mozart, sound of Music,  Freud, schnitzel and strudel.  A night at the Opera in Vienna and the xmas markets, mulled wine, snow capped mountains, the Waltz. OR in my imagination, Waltzing along the streets of Vienna, Wiener Schnitzel in one hand and Gluhwein (Mulled Wine) in T’other, foldaway ski’s on your back, singing  “The hills are alive….!! Here is a traditional Schnitzel dish for you, but with an Aussie twist! Macadamia nuts are native to here, but you could miss them out or use a ' local nut' that you know!! PORK SCHNITZEL MACADAMIA Ingredients (6 portions) 6 pork leg schnitzels 100g ground macadamia nuts 250g fresh breadcrumbs 2 tbs. flour, seasoned with salt & pepper 2 eggs, beaten 100ml olive oil 1 tbs. lemon juice 50g butter Lemon wedges Parsley sprigs ...

I must be on a roll (No, not a bread one!) or a rush as I also just discussed on my radio show, the next BIG A= Australia where I live...and believe me the word BIG does lend itself to this great island continent! And no not just big and deadly Spiders, Snakes and Sharks (and that odd Croc!), but a nation with a big heart as well as a big country. I have explored it from top to bottom and there is  nothing on Earth like it, from the Tropical Daintree Rain forest in Queensland to the Great Barrier Reef, to the ancient Aboriginal culture and the Red Center of the Outback to the very cosmopolitan cities of Sydney and Perth. Throw in some excellent wine and food and you got an excellent recipe for a 'Taste of the World' like no other! My recipe for the Aussie section is again on my website and one included in my book 'A Taste of the World'= 'The Great Australian BIGHT'. The last bit includes Shark and Crocodile in the recipe and NOT you on their menu! The Great...

Just about to finish the 'A''s in the A-Z of the world. Here is a 'trip' to Azerbaijan I did with my students in Perth. Like next doors Armenia, they love the kebab too, but also a very authentic fruit laded Rice Pilaff, flavoured with the incomparable Saffron. Also included are traditional BBQ'd seasonal veg.  Ingredients 4 tablespoons butter, melted 200g   pitted dried apricots   100g  pitted dates 100g raisins 300g  skinless, boneless chicken cut into 2-inch (5cm) cubes 1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half lengthways, then thinly sliced in half-circles 1/3 teaspoon ground   saffron ground black pepper   500g long-grain white Basmati rice   (you can also use long-grain American rice) 100g  dried or fresh plums, pitted salt I .2 Litre chicken stoc k Method 1.      Lightly brown the onions and chicken in the butter, then stir in the rice. 2.      Cut up the ...

ARMENIAN ‘Khorovats’ and Green Bean Bulgar Salad It's hard to visit Armenia without learning at least one word: khorovats. Difficult for many visitors to pronounce, but unavoidable and usually delicious. It is the word used in Armenia for barbecuing solid things - from meat to tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. The meat of choice in Armenia is pork, while lamb, beef, chicken and fish are often available as well. In the summer, it is almost routine to add tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and sometimes sliced potatoes to the BBQ. * Funny that because they are all ‘New World Vegatables? * Khorovats are not to be confused with kebab - which means minced (ground) meat. They are whole or solid chunks In   western Armenia   the word khorovats is not used, but kebab is applied to all meats put on skewers and barbecued, regardless of whether it is ground or whole. Kebab by western Armenians is much more likely to be marinated and or spiced. Bulgar wheat is quite popular in the m...

Over to ARGENTINA and just Barbecued these great Beef Ribs.... ARGENTINAN BBQ BEEF RIBS CHIMICHURRI Ingredient   STAGE 1: CHIMICHURRI   8 chopped cloves of garlic 1 tab of oregano 250ml Olive oil 60ml white wine vinegar ½ t-spoon ground chilli 1 level t-spoon salt Fresh ground pepper 30ml water Bunch Italian Parsley STAGE 2: 1 Kg Beef short Ribs Local sausages and Seasonal veg Oil S & P BBQ Hot! Method Blend all stage 1 ingredients into a ‘Pesto’ like puree. Marinate steaks and veg in oil and salt & pepper 5 minutes before Barbecuing. Serve with a spoonful of Chimichurri on top or to your taste and Argentinian Rice recipe. Asado Grill