One World Kitchen - Season 1

Chef Natalia Machado kicks off the exciting new culinary series, One World Kitchen, with incredible mouth-watering dishes from her home country of Argentina. With a glimmering bottle wall as backdrop, she starts things off by showing us how to make a rich duck carpaccio accompanied with a zesty lemon curd and marinated red onions. Then, we see her cook pork tenderloin – chapa style! Wonderfully charred over an open flame, it has an orange confit glaze and is paired with a beautifully balanced pomegranate salsa. Finally, a great meal deserves a great dessert—she finishes off by making the classic deep fried pastry from Argentina—churros.

Vanessa Gianfrancesco is our talented Italian chef on One World Kitchen. In her début episode, she makes a traditional Italian four-course meal in her colourful culinary studio. For the antipasto, she makes tarali—a fennel scented dough rolled into bite size pieces and baked to a golden brown. For her primi course—a flavourful Tuscan bean soup with kale, Italian sausage, cannellini beans and, of course, parmigiano reggiano. A marinated grilled chicken with roasted potatoes is on the menu for her secondi course, and the dish sings with lemon, rosemary and a sweet hint of creamy garlic. To finish: the dolce (something sweet)! Vanessa shows us how to make the creamiest of frozen custards, a chocolate semi-freddo. Fluffy yet dense with a hint of hazelnut, it is the perfect way to end this beautiful Italian meal.

Meet Hana Etsuko Dethlefsen. She's been making Japanese food her whole life, and showcases the cuisine beautifully in her first episode of One World Kitchen. She introduces us to Japan's most important culinary philosophy: Respect the ingredient. That is, use quality ingredients and do as little as possible to them to let them shine. Hana also shows us how to make two of the most popular Japanese foods at home: sushi and tempura. The tempura is light and airy; and hand rolled sushi is surprisingly easy to make.

Introducing Vijaya Selvaraju, One World Kitchen's expert in Indian cuisine. Her goal is to show Canadians that Indian dishes can easily be incorporated into everyday meals. She starts things off by making the simple rice pilaf dish: peas pulao. Infused with Indian flavours such as cumin, cardamom, and clove, this dish comes together quickly and beautifully. Next up, Vijaya shows us some easy onion pakoras with homemade mint chutney. Chicken xacuti, a chicken dish flavoured with toasted coconut and a symphony of spices, is her rich and hearty main course. She finishes off by making pineapple kesari, an elegant dessert made with milk, semolina, nuts, and raisins, scented with the classic Indian spices of saffron and cardamom.

In her premiere episode of One World Kitchen, Pailin Chongchitnant introduces us to some of her favourite and simple to make Thai dishes. She makes a Thai classic—hot and sour soup. Using chicken stock, jalapeno and lemongrass, she shows us how this soup is quickly made with surprisingly common ingredients. Next, she creates her own curry paste while making a decadent beef panang curry. Peanuts and coconut milk make this dish extra-creamy and palm sugar gives it just the right hint of sweetness. Other dishes featured include deep fried shrimp in a tart tamarind sauce and two different kinds of stir frys.

Argentinian chef, Natalia Machado, prepares a series of Argentinian inspired dishes in the OWK culinary studio. First up, crudo no corvino, which means "raw salmon" in Spanish. The fish isn't raw, but is delicately cooked through the citrus juice and spices it is marinated in. Next up, Natalia makes an impressive burnt ricotta salad with pan fried ricotta cheese, grape tomatoes, black olives and arugula. And finally, we see how to prepare lamb in two different ways—braised lamb shank and grilled lamb chop. The lamb shank is browned in oil and sugar to give it a nice crust to start and then slow braised in a rich Malbec broth for hours. She keeps things fresh with the lamb chops by giving them a quick grill and topping them with her take on the classic chimichurri sauce.

Italian chef and instructor, Vanessa Gianfrancesco, shares with us how to make some Italian staples, including gnocchi, polenta and pesto. After making the potato gnocchi dough, she serves them up in two different ways. For the first batch, she delicately boils them and then makes a fabulous homemade pesto to toss them in. For the rest, she browns them in a pan and then creates a rich and tangy cream sauce with gorgonzola cheese. Next she makes a creamy polenta that she has two different ideas for. After firming it up, she slices the polenta into pieces and grills them to be served alongside her prosciutto-wrapped shrimp cooked flambé-style in Sambuca. She cuts the rest of the polenta into strips and deep fries them to create polenta frites. This is served alongside one of her favourite dishes, saltimbocca—a veal cutlet lined with prosciutto and spinach, then pan fried with a Marsala wine sauce.

One World Kitchen's Hana Etsuko Dethlefson shows us how easy it is to incorporate Japanese flavours into everyday meals. First, a wonderfully simple cucumber salad with kelp, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Next, another easy and delightful side dish to incorporate into your routine—spinach gomae, or spinach dressed with sesame seeds. Hotpot is next on the menu, and Hana calls it the dish where there are no rules. In her version, she adds kimchi, meatballs, potatoes and baby bok choy. Hana then shows us there's no need to buy teriyaki sauce when it is so easily made from scratch—just soy sauce, sugar and sweet cooking wine! She shows the versatility of her homemade teriyaki sauce by adding it to two different dishes—scrumptious seared steak and fresh barbequed burgers.

Vijaya Selvaraju is cooking up an Indian feast in today's episode of One World Kitchen. First up, a classic chicken tikka masala. Marinated overnight in yogurt and a variety of spices, it is lightly grilled and then finished off in a pot with fried onions, tomatoes, cream and chopped almonds. To go with her chicken, Vijaya prepares an aromatic jeera rice, scented with cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and star anis, as well as a homemade mango and coconut chutney. Next up, she makes a cooling mint tea paste as a marinade for her whimsical shrimp lollipops, which she grills to a perfect char. Last on the menu, her version of palak paneer—a light yet creamy Indian cheese that is made with just whole milk and lemon juice. It is fried to a golden brown and tossed with wilted spinach, cream and red chillies.

Pailin Chongchitnant shows us some of Thailand's versions of fast food. To kick things off, a spicy pork stir fry using pork tenderloin, garlic, long bean, soy sauce, fish sauce, and a bit of palm sugar to balance out the dish. Next, an unexpected but delicious combination—duck and lychee fried rice. Pailin then makes jungle curry, what she describes as the most authentic Thai dish she makes. The sauce is made with her homemade curry paste, chicken stock, fish sauce, palm sugar, and Thai basil and she adds fresh trout, bay corn and snow peas at the end to just cook through. The end result is spicy and sweet and fills the OWK cooking studio with fresh Thai aromas.

Chef Natalia Machado starts off this episode of OWK with her husband's favourite dish--shepherd's pie, or pastel de papa. Along with the classic mashed potatoes, ground beef and corn, she gives it an Argentinian flavour with tomatoes, olives, hardboiled egg and, of course, some Malbec wine. Next, she shows us how easy it is to make your own spätzle and serves it up with pan fried paprika shrimp. The quintessential Argentinian comfort food, humitas, is next on the menu. A kind of fresh corn polenta, it's simply made with grated corn on the cob, onions, chili flakes and sweet basil. Finally, compote pears done two ways—one with classic Argentinian flavours, including Malbec, cardamom and orange zest. The other with a Canadian twist—poached in maple syrup, apple juice and cinnamon.

Chef Vanessa Gianfrancesco prepares an Italian feast with classic flavours and remarkable textures. First, she cooks a crispy yet juicy porchetta (pork belly) with an orange, sage and fennel marinade and a side of crackling roasted potatoes. Then on to an airy focaccia given an extra flavour punch with black olives and fresh rosemary. Crisp rapini becomes wilted once Vanessa gives it a toss in some warm olive oil, sundried tomatoes, onion, and garlic. And finally, she combines all the dishes to create an incredible pizza topped with all of the different flavours and textures of Italy.

Hana Etsuko Dethlefsen introduces us to the more casual side of Japanese cuisine in this episode of One World Kitchen. First, she makes some savoury Japanese pancakes filled with cabbage, shrimp, dashi broth and bacon and topped with Japanese mayo. Then, gyozas made three different ways—with shrimp, pork and shitake mushrooms. With the three different sauces she creates to go with them, the flavour combinations are endless! Lastly, a casual yet unique green tea ice cream sundae topped with cornflakes and a sweet red bean paste.

Vijaya Selvaraju shows us how to DIY some of the important staples of Indian cuisine. It's amazing how quick it is to make your own garam masala spice blend, ghee (clarified butter) and ginger and garlic paste. She makes each of these in big batches and stores them in the fridge for easy access when needed. Then she demystifies lamb rogan josh and butter chicken--two of the most well-known Indian dishes. Both marinated overnight in spices and yogurt but with very different results. The rogan josh is slow roasted into a deep brown colour and melts in your mouth. The butter chicken ends up bright yet rich with a creamy hint of sweetness as a finish. Lastly, she quickly whips up some chapati, naan bread's easier to make cousin, and serves it with a refreshing raita dip.

One World Kitchen's Pailin Chongchitnant demystifies duck and shows us how roasting a duck is just as easy as roasting a chicken. With just a little bit of Thai spices and marinade, she creates a beautifully tender duck with crispy salty skin. Served with fluffy jasmine rice, sautéed bok choy and oyster mushrooms, and a sweet blackberry sauce, it is a beautiful meal that will impress any dinner guest. Next, she uses some leftover duck to make a hearty duck noodle soup—one of Pailin's favourite comfort foods. Finally, she makes a delectable warm pork salad from the north-eastern part of Thailand—spicy pork laab.

Argentina-raised Natalia Machado shows us how to make a classic dish from Patagonia—pan-seared trout. Served with just burnt butter, toasted hazelnuts and lemon, the simple ingredients let the flavours of the trout shine. Next is a rich seafood stew with colourful vegetables and shrimp, squid, mussels and clams. It comes together surprisingly easily and is finished off with some creamy coconut milk and salty clam juice. Last on the menu is "pulpa", or grilled octopus. Natalia poaches a whole octopus in vegetable stock to infuse the earthy flavours and then grills it to a crispy char. It is served with roasted potatoes, lemon and her favourite herbs.

Italian chef Vanessa Gianfrancesco starts off this episode of OWK by tasting different kinds of olive oils and reminiscing about her Italian childhood running amongst the groves of olive trees. She then makes a version of her own olive oil by infusing it with hot chili flakes and garlic. This will be the base for her homemade salad dressing that will top her grilled Caesar salad. The oil, combined with anchovies, egg yolk, lemon and water, takes on a world of new flavours. She then grills some lettuce, fries up some pancetta and ends up with a fun twist on the popular Italian salad. Olive oil continues as the star when Vanessa creates two different pasta dishes with an EVOO base. First, the classic Italian midnight snack—pasta al olio made with just fresh tomatoes, spaghetti, parmigiano reggiano, and garlic. And then she makes a rich and creamy walnut, pine nut and olive oil sauce. All made in the food processor, it requires no cooking and simply melts into the hot pasta when they both hit the bowl.

Hana Etsuko Dethlefsen shares her Japanese entertaining secrets in this episode of One World Kitchen. First, her friends' favourite: Japanese chicken wings. Marinated in ginger, soy sauce, garlic and sake, they are then coated in potato starch and flour and deep fried to a beautiful golden brown. The result is flavourful, succulent meat with a crispy, salty skin. Served with the simple Japanese snack, edamame, these two appetizers are always a hit. Next, if you need to feed a group, Japan's version of curry and rice is always a crowd pleaser. Using any meat you like or even just vegetables, Japanese curry is sweeter, thicker and less spicy than Indian or Thai curry. If it's a fancy dinner party, you can kick things up a notch with chawanmushi—often called Japan's classiest dish. It's a savoury creamy custard made with chicken, mushrooms and shrimp. The presentation is beautiful and it is sure to impress.

One World Kitchen's Vijaya Selvaraju demystifies Indian food and shows us that it is simple for anyone to prepare. First, she creates a versatile spice blend that she is able to put into two different rice dishes—coconut rice and lemon rice. Next, some grilled hariyali kebabs made with marinated chicken, onion and lemon. Last on her list of simple Indian dishes is chana masala—a chickpea curry dish. Full of Indian flavours such as garam masala, cumin, onion and tomatoes, the one pot dish is completed with a side of homemade crispy poori bread.

In the OWK studio, Thai chef Pailin Chongchitnant teaches us to prepare a traditional fried curry puff. Stuffed with chicken thighs, potatoes and a filling of cilantro roots, garlic and white peppercorns, these layered pastries are a great dish for getting your kids involved in the kitchen. Next is a smoked trout salad inspired by North-Eastern Thailand. The salad highlights grilled herbs and vegetables, a kick of heat from some chili peppers and is topped with the region's staple ingredient: toasted sticky rice powder. Finally, Pailin prepares a kaffir lime vodka martini, inspired by the popular Thai watermelon shake. The pairing of puréed watermelon and lime infused vodka creates a simple, flavourful martini.

Argentinian chef Natalia Machado is in the OWK cooking studio preparing grilled pork ribs marinated in orange juice, olive oil and paprika to bring flavour, tartness and body. Next, Natalia is reminded of her mother's kitchen as she prepares her husband's favourite: empanadas. First is a beef empanada seasoned with hot peppers, paprika, cumin and green onion. The second set are stuffed with caramelized onions, oregano, chili flakes, and a three cheese filling that brings sharpness, creaminess and a gooey texture. Natalia shows us how to bake or fry the empanadas and serves them with two sauces. Finally, she prepares a charred fennel and potato salad topped with lemon juice and fresh thyme.

In the OWK studio, Italian chef Vanessa Gianfrancesco shows us how to cook three simple Italian sauces. She starts with a creamy spinach and ricotta sauce served over fusilli pasta. The dish is topped with scallions, parmigiana reggiano and fresh nutmeg to highlight each flavour in the dish. Next is a bucatini pasta with a seafood sauce that reminds Vanessa of the markets in Southern Italy. Fresh snapper, mussels and scallops are mixed with clam juice and tomatoes to create a sauce that would make Vanessa's aunt proud. The third sauce features sausage and leek served over orecchiette pasta. Wine, cream and Dijon are added to tie in all the flavours of this quick dish. Finally, Vanessa offers some tips on cooking the perfect pasta.

Chef Hana Etsuko Dethlefsen shows us how versatile miso, a fermented soy bean paste, is in Japanese cuisine and how it can add flavour and richness to any dish. She starts off by making two types of miso soup—tofu miso soup and mushroom miso soup—with three types of mushrooms. Next is a miso and sake glazed cod. The fish turns out crisp and caramelized with a golden skin. Hana then makes a miso hotpot, made up of green onions, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, oysters, dashi broth and a smear of miso around the edge of the pot. She finishes the episode with daikon salad two ways – one cold and one warm, both with a miso-based dressing.

Vijaya Selvaraju demystifies a number of Indian food dishes for us in this episode of OWK. First up is dal soup, which she easily cooks in a crock pot. Made out of lentils and other common ingredients such cumin, mustard seeds, and cardamom, it's a wonder more people don't make this delicious soup. Next, fish in red chili chutney. It sounds complicated, but see how simple the marinade is and how well these flavors work with the sweet firm halibut flesh. And there are but three ingredients in the chutney but each brings a contrasting flavor profile that works so well together. Lastly, she makes a simple coconut barfi. It's a fudge-like dessert where the coconut is perfectly offset by the sweet cardamom, rich condensed milk and nutty ghee. Will be a hit at your next pot-luck!

Today it's all about the sauces as Pailin Chongchitnant shows us how easy and versatile they are in Thai cuisine. She starts by making tamarind water from the tamarind fruit. Next is saam-gler (three friends), which is made of three ingredients – garlic, peppercorn and cilantro roots. She uses these to make chili jam and a sweet chili dipping sauce. To pair with these flavourful sauces, Pailin prepares fried spring rolls and steamed spring rolls. Finally she makes the ultimate Thai street food, a mouth-watering pork satay with a delicious peanut sauce made of red curry paste, coconut milk, palm sugar, tamarind water, and ground peanuts.

Chef Natalia Machado is in the OWK studio making a three course Argentinian meal that reminds her of her family. Starting with her mother's favourite appetizer, Swiss chard fritters, Natalia blends a sweet dough with the leafy green's bitterness. Next she prepares her favourite meat from childhood, grilled flank steak with an everyday chimichurri sauce. Sides for her steak are an ensalada de quinoa and caramelized endives, her father's favourite. White and red quinoa are mixed with cherry tomatoes and cucumber, then topped with olive oil and lemon juice to create a simple salad. Endives are caramelized chapa style to create a golden, crispy crust. Dessert features crepes with a dulce de leche caramel sauce.

Italian chef Vanessa Gianfrancesco shows us how to make a crowd pleasing aperitivo–veal-stuffed olives. Flavoured with white wine, sage, rosemary, and thyme, the veal takes on some earthy flavours before being combined with prosciutto, cheese, lemon zest and chilies. This mixture is stuffed into the olives, then they are breaded and deep-fried. Next, we see how to make risotto with peas. It's an easy dish with simple ingredients but takes time and patience to do it right. And finally, Vanessa makes a veal ragout—a classic Italian dish that takes a tough cut of meat and makes it melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Hana Etsuko Dethlefsen starts off this episode of OWK by telling us all about Japanese pub (or Izakaya) culture. In Izakayas, the food is casual and perfect for snacking throughout the night. Hana prepares a number of these Japanese tapas dishes for us, starting with smashed cucumber pickles and soy pickled eggs. Crunchy, sour and salty, these snacks are perfect paired with a Japanese beer. Next, some flavourful tatsuta fried chicken made with potato starch, zucchini, sake and soy sauce, and crispy deep fried tofu served with a homemade tempura sauce.

Mangoes are everywhere in Indian cuisine. They are used in appetizers, main dishes, desserts and even drinks! Vijaya Selvaraju showcases this fruit a few different ways in this episode of One World Kitchen, starting with a mango lassi. A sweet blended drink made with fresh mangoes, honey, yogurt and cardamom, it's a favourite in India and beyond. Next, Vijaya pickles some young green mangoes to create a crunchy snack that is just the right balance of sweet, spicy and salty. Then she makes a fast and flavourful mango chutney that you can pair with all kinds of cheeses and meats. Finally, we see Vijaya prepare lamb chops two ways—one with a spicy yogurt marinade and the other with chilli and tamarind.

Thai chef Pailin Chongchitnant creates one of the most popular and simple Thai soups—tom ka gai, or coconut chicken soup. Made with lemongrass, mushrooms, chicken stock, fish sauce, galangal, lime leaves, and of course coconut, the soup is full of decadent aromatics. Another popular Thai appetizer is the green papaya salad. Made with young green papaya, cherry tomatoes and a peanut lime dressing, it is a burst of fresh Thai flavours. Lastly, she makes what is probably the most popular Thai dish in the world—pad thai. With juicy shrimp, firm tofu, creamy egg, crunchy bean sprouts, hearty noodles, and a delicious tamarind sauce, it is easy to see why everyone loves it so much.