Food of the World - Arancini

They are specialty of Sicily, and the name means "Little Oranges". Isn't it cute?

large pinch of saffron
250ml white wine
100g butter
1 finely chopped onion
1 large crushed garlic clove
750 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp thyme
225 g risotto rice
50g grated parmesan
100 g mozzarella, cubed
75 g breadcrumbs
oil for deep-frying

Leve the saffron to soak in the wine while you prepare the risotto. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the thyme and rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to seal the rice. Add the wine and saffron and stirr until the wine is all absorbed. Add several laddles of stock, stirring continuously, so the rice cooks evenly. Keep adding the stock, stirring frequently. Continue this way for about 20 minutes,or until the rice is creamy. It is not so essential to keep the rice al dente. Remove from the heat and stirr in the parmesan, then spread ot onto a tray covered with clingfilm, leave to cool and,if possible, leave in the fridge overnight.
To make the arancini, roll a small amount of risotto into a walnut-sized ball, press a hole in the middle,place a small piece of mozzarella cheese inside and press around. epeat with the rest of the risotto. Roll each ball in the breadcrumbs. Deep-fry the arancini in batches, drain on paper towels. Serve hot or in a room temperature.

Food of the World - Leek and Potato Soup

Apparently, it can be served hot or cold. Hot version is traditional French, and cold version is called Vichyssoise, as it is believed that it has been served for the first time in Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York by a French chef from Vichy.

50 g butter
1 chopped onion
3 leeks, white part only, sliced
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
200 g potatoes
750 ml chicken stock
220ml single cream

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion, leek, celery and garlic. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring. Add chopped potatoes, stock and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes (covered). Allow to cool a little before puréeing in a blender.
Return to clean saucepan, bring the soup gently to boil and stir in the cream. Season with salt and white pepper and reheat without boiling.
Few tips: you can also make it without celery and / or without cream (a healthier option?)

Stuffed peppers

Delicious hot or cold

Food of the World - Chicken, Coconut and Galangal Soup

This is one of the classic soups of Thailand. There are a few variants of it and you can skip on ingredients if you don't have something at the moment. You can also use prawns, fish or vegetables instead of chicken.

400 ml coconut milk
1 lemon grass stalk
5 cm piece of galangal or you can use ginger instead
3 shallots, smashed
400 g skinless chicken fillets
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar ( I used brown cane sugar)
200 g baby tomatoes (as you can see in the picture, I used normal-sized tomatoes, worked pretty well)
150 g button mushrooms
3 tbsp lemon juice
5 kaffir lime leaves

Put the coconut milk, lemon grass, galangal pieces and shallots in a sucepan or wok and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, fish sauce and palm sugar and simmer, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms and simmer for 2-3 min. Add lemon juice, lime leaves in the last few seconds, taking care not to let the tomatoes lose their shape. It's a bit tricky if you are using whole tomatoes cut into pieces, but unless you stir vigorously, it should work out just fine. Garnish with coriander.

Food of the World - Chargrilled asparagus

24 asparagus spears
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Parmesan shavings

Wash the asparagus and remove the woody ends (hold each spear at both ends and bend it gently - it will snap at its natural breaking point). Put the asparagus in a bowl, add the olive oil and toss well. Heat a griddle or BBQ (I used a simple frying pan though, or you can steam them) and cook for about 10 min. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with Parmesan to serve.

Food of the World - Coq au vin

The book says that this dish was already prepared by Caesar when battling the Gauls, who sent him a scrawny chicken as a message of defiance. Caesar cooked it in wine and herbs and invited them to eat.

1 chicken (1.6kg)
1/2 bottle red wine
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
150 g bacon, diced
30 g butter
10 pickling onions
150 g button mushrooms
1 tbsp oil
15-20 g flour
500 ml chicken stock
50 g brandy
1 tsp tomato purée
1 tbsp chopped parsley

Cut chicken into pieces. Put the wine, bay leaf, thyme and some salt and pepper in a bowl and add the chicken. Cover and leave to marinade, preferably overnight.
Blanch the bacon in boiling water, then drain, pat dry and sauté in a frying pan until golden. Lift out on to a plate. Melt a quarter of the butter in a pan, add the onions and sauté until brown. Set aside. Melt another quarter of butter, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 min. Set aside.
Drain the chicken reserving the marinade, and pat the chicken dry, season. Add the remaining butter and the oil into the pan, add the chicken and fry until golden. Stir in the flour.
Transfer the chicken to a large saucepan or casserole and add the stock. Pour the brandy into the frying pan and deglaze for 30 s. Pour over the chicken. Add the marinade, onions, mushrooms and tomato purée. Cook over moderate heat for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the parsley.