Cooking with Coke

COCA-COLA celebrates its 100th birthday today.

It is hardly surprising the world's favourite soft drink has got such staying power as it is sold in more than 200 countries worldwide and Coca-Cola is the second most recognised phrase in the world after "OK".

But although the secret recipe for Coke is kept in a bank vault in Atlanta and the exact formula is only known to a few individuals, there are a few recipes using the brown, syrupy drink you can bring into your own home.

To celebrate the drink's international fame and fortune, Coca-Cola have put together some recipes using the drink from countries all over the world. How about trying tasty minestrone soup with Coca-Cola as a key ingredient? Or Scottish oaten bread with Coke?

ITALIAN MINESTRONE SOUP

2.5 llbs meaty soup bones

2.5 quarts water

2 tsps salt

1 small onion, sliced

2 oz cup celery leaves

1 bay leaf

PLACE all ingredients in a large pan, cover and simmer for about 2 hours until the meat is tender. Strain broth, add ice cubes to harden the fat, and remove fat from broth. Finely dice meat, discarding fat and bones. Combine broth and meat in a large pan and place over low heat while preparing vegetables:

2 slices bacon, diced

5oz cups cooked or canned kidney beans

2 oz cup cut-up fresh green beans

2 oz cup diced celery

2 oz cup fresh or frozen green beans

2 ozcup thinly sliced carrots

1 oz cup diced onion

1 oz cup cut-up parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

2 oz elbow macaroni

6 oz can tomato paste

4oz Coca-Cola

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Worcestershie sauce

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

tsp black pepper

PAN-FRY bacon until crisp/ Add bacon with drippings and all remaining ingredients to the broth. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until vegetables and macaroni are tender. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

CHINESE PEPPER STEAK

I lb boneless top round or sirloin steak

2 tbsps oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

4 oz canned undiluted beef broth

4 oz thinly sliced green pepper strips

4 oz thinly sliced celery

1 oz thinly sliced onions

2 oz Coca-Cola

2 medium, ripe tomatoes

2 tbsps corn starch

1 oz Coca-Cola

1 tbsp soy sauce

Hot cooked rice

TRIM all fat from meat and cut into pencil-thin strips. In deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil, garlic and salt. Add meat and brown over high heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork. Add beef broth, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until meat is fork-tender. Stir in green pepper, celery, onions and 2oz Coca-Cola. Cover, simmer for five minutes, do not overcook. Vegetables should be tender-crisp.

Peel tomatoes, cut into wedges and stir into meat. Blend corn starch with the 1oz Coca-Cola and soy sauce. Stir into meat and cook until thickened, stirring lightly with fork. Serve over hot rice.

SCOTTISH OATEN BREAD

8oz all-purpose flour

4oz old-fashioned rolled oats

2 oz sugar

2 tsps baking powder

tsp salt

1 egg

3 tbsps oil

tsp vanilla extract

4oz Coca-Cola

4oz coarsely cut cooked prunes

2oz chopped walnuts

LIGHTLY spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Stir together flour, rolled oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

With fork, beat egg with oil and vanilla until well-blended and stir into flour mixture. Add Coca-Cola, well-drained prunes and nuts and blend thoroughly with spoon.

Turn into generously greased and lightly floured 9x5x3inch loaf pan. If desired, garnish with prune halves. Bkae at 350f for about an hour or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool on rack for 20 minutes before removing bread from pan. Store in foil overnight before slicing.