World’s most delicious dishes you’ll want to try
Best bites around the globe
We may not be able to travel to every country on Earth, but a great way to get a taste of a culture is to sample its signature dishes. Try cooking up a storm in your own kitchen or – when dining out is on the cards again – find a great restaurant and let your taste buds set sail on a culinary adventure across the globe. Here’s a selection of popular dishes you shouldn’t miss.
Beef Wellington, England, UK
A dish that’s fallen out of favour and then become popular again more times than we can count, beef Wellington’s origins are as unclear as its connection to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Traditionally, it’s a beef fillet steak, coated in pâté and mushroom duxelles (an extremely finely chopped mixture of mushrooms, shallots and herbs), wrapped in puff pastry, then baked. Its modern-day popularity is largely thanks to Gordon Ramsay who’s made it one of his signature dishes.
Get the recipe for beef Wellington here
Onion soup, France
Very few dishes are as comforting as French onion soup – a blend of mellow, slowly cooked, caramelised onions in a broth laced with white wine and cognac. It’s thought that a version of the soup has existed since at least Roman times, but the modern version originated in 18th-century Paris. The soup is served in a ramekin, topped with a slice of baguette and cheese that’s then melted under a grill.
Peking duck, China
A dish cooked and eaten in Beijing since the Imperial era, today Peking duck is a Chinese restaurant favourite across the world. There are countless methods of preparing and cooking the duck, but originally it was roasted in a closed oven until the kitchens of the Qing Dynasty developed the open-oven style to cook several ducks at the same time. The duck is then served with steamed Chinese pancakes, cucumber, spring onion and sweet bean sauce.
Try this recipe for duck pancakes with hoisin sauce at home
Shakshuka, the Middle East
Claimed as one of their own throughout North Africa and the Middle East, untangling the web of where shakshuka is from is simply impossible. All we know is that it’s an incredibly tasty and filling dish that’s become a popular breakfast and brunch meal throughout the world. Literally translating as a mixture, it’s usually cooked by reducing down tomatoes, onions and a range of spices before the eggs are poached on top.
Get the recipe for prawn laksa here
Clam chowder, USA
Creamy clam chowder is Massachusetts’ finest dish that’s prevalent throughout New England. Made with potatoes, crushed oyster crackers and chunks of local clam, it’s a flavourful and hearty dish to have all year long. The most famous place to eat it, Legal Sea Foods in Boston, began life as a market frequented by Julia Child and has been cooking up perfect chowder for decades.
Get the recipe for clam chowder here
Laksa, Malaysia
A spicy, sweet, sour and fragrant soup from Southeast Asia, laksa is mostly associated with Malaysia. The origins are murky with several theories in different countries and a wide range of laksa exist, from regional varieties to differences in preparation. Typically, either a rich and spicy coconut milk broth or a sour asam broth made with tamarind, the soup is made with thick wheat noodles or rice vermicelli and served with chicken, prawn or fish.
Get the recipe for prawn laksa here
Bouillabaisse, France
Bouillabaisse is synonymous with the South of France, especially the port city of Marseille, and is a wonderful celebration of sea creatures caught just off the coast. The soup is made with a selection of spices and Provençal herbs as well as heady saffron. Various fish and shellfish are then added at different times to cook in the broth. In Marseille the broth is traditionally served separate from the seafood with slices of bread and rouille (a sauce of olive oil, breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper) on the side.
Cacio e pepe, Italy
There are countless divine Italian pasta recipes, but this one is genius in its simplicity. Translating as cheese and pepper, the dish, as its name suggests, uses a handful of basic ingredients: black pepper, cheese, pasta and butter. You’ll find versions made with either spaghetti, linguine or pici, which is a short, thick worm-like pasta, and there’s also debate about what cheese to use – it’s usually either Parmesan or pecorino romano.
Get the recipe for cacio e pepe here
Article courtesy @lovefood.com
