Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken with inasal seasoning is so delicious. The combination of spices and the addition of Star margarine give this dish a very tasty and distinct Filipino flavor. The slightly charred skin is to die for. Forget about dieting, this dish will make you eat like a Pinoy construction worker, with tons of garlic rice. :D

Grilled Chicken Inasal Style
1 whole chicken or chicken thigh/drumstick pieces
kosher salt water
3 stalks lemongrass, sliced into ½ inch pieces
¼ cup ginger, sliced
6 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice
1 tablespoon coconut vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup annatto seeds
¼ cup olive oil
Star margarine

• The day before, brine the chicken in 3 tablespoons kosher salt and enough water to cover, refrigerate overnight. The next day, rinse chicken slightly then butterfly, if whole or cut into serving pieces, set aside. In a small pan heat olive oil and annatto seeds. Turn off heat, set aside to color the oil. Combine lemongrass, ginger and garlic in a food processor and process until finely minced. Add calamansi, vinegar and salt. Transfer mixture into a glass container. Strain the annatto-infused oil, discard seeds. Add to the lemongrass mixture and mix thoroughly. Marinate chicken in the mixture for 1 - 2 hours. Charcoal grill (or bake in 400°F oven) until skin is slightly charred, basting often with Star margarine. Serve with plenty of garlic rice and chili & vinegar dipping sauce.

malted milk ice cream with crushed malted milk balls for dessert, yummmm

Sunflower Tart

Since mangoes that taste and look a little bit like our Philippine variety started appearing in most groceries, including Costco, I make sure I have a box in the house until the season is over. I have made them into chutney and ice box cakes twice, had them with a variety of ice cream flavors and today I made Sunflower Tart, adapted from the cookbook DESSERT UNIVERSITY by Roland Mesnier. His recipe for the tart shell is so buttery rich and unhealthy I only used half a cup instead of 1 whole cup of butter. I also used reduced fat milk and custard powder in place of eggs for the pastry cream. I don't think the not-so-rich pastry and cream made a big difference in the tart's overall appeal and taste, the mangoes after all, is the star ingredient here.

Mango Tart
1 baked sweet tart shell
custard cream
thinly sliced mangoes
chocolate sprinkles
chopped nuts
¼ cup apricot jam mixed with 1 T water

tart shell
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
pinch of salt
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
2 cups flour

custard cream

¼ C custard powder
2 C milk
3 T sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

• Tart shell: Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together until smooth. Stir in vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Stir in the egg and water, then add flour until just combined.Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.Roll the chilled dough into a 13-inch round, transfer to a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Fold the extra dough into the pan and press firmly on the sides. Bake in a pre-heated 375°F oven until golden brown. Cool completely before filling.
• Custard cream: In a small bowl, mix custard powder and sugar, then mix a small amount of milk to make a smooth paste. Heat the rest of the milk until almost boiling. Pour the milk into the custard paste, whisking continuously. Put back into the pan and cook until the mixture boils and thickens. Transfer into a clean container, cover the surface with plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• To assemble: Spread the custard cream evenly on the tart shell. Place a 3-inch cookie cutter in the center of the cream. Arrange the mango slices on top of cream resembling sunflower petals. Boil the apricot and water in a saucepan, strain, then brush it lightly and evenly over the mangoes. Scatter the chocolate sprinkles in an even layer inside the biscuit cutter and carefully remove the cutter. Sprinkle chopped nuts on the outer edge of the tart. Remove tart from the ring and transfer to a serving platter.

Black Pepper Ice Cream

with chilled melon in lime syrup and cracked pink peppers

Black Pepper Ice Cream
from THE PERFECT SCOOP by David Lebovitz, page 102

Makes 2 cups
½ cup whole milk
1/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
3 large egg yolks

• Warm the milk, sugar, salt and ½ cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Rewarm the peppercorn-infused mixture. Pour the remaining ½ cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer, pressing the peppercorns gently to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the peppercorns and stir the custard into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
• Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

This flavor, David says is spicy and lively. Cibo Matto's White Pepper Ice Cream lyrics describe it best. I agree, it's refreshingly different and I like it. Try it also with thick fries, you'll be surprised they go perfectly wonderful together, sweet and peppery, salty and crunchy.
a few lines from White Pepper Ice Cream song:

White pepper ice cream
Sweet or spicy?
White pepper ice cream
Ça m'est égal
Ça m'est égal

What is the first word?
Sweet or spicy
Ça m'est égal
Ça m'est égal
It's all the same to me

I was shot with bullets of pepper
On my lips
I feel a nip

Guinatan Halo-halo

warm anise flavored coconut milk sweet 'soup' with jackfruit, assorted root vegetables, glutinous rice balls and bananas; weird ingredients to non-Filipinos but so delicious, and uniquely ours

I was cleaning my overstuffed freezer and found frozen ube, saba bananas and jackfruit. I went out and bought 2 small taro and a small sweet potato, made a few bilo-bilo and voila! Guinatan halo-halo.

Guinatan Halo-halo
1 can coconut milk
4 - 5 pieces ripe jackfruit, cut into strips
1 small sweet potato, diced
2 small taro, diced
1 small ube (purple yam), boiled whole and diced (optional)
5 small ripe saba, sliced
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon anise, optional
pinch of salt
½ cup glutinous rice powder
water

• Prepare the glutinous rice balls by mixing water, 1 tablespoon at a time, with the rice flour to make a very stiff dough (galapong); form into ½-inch balls, set aside.
• In a saucepan, heat the coconut milk and a canful of water, add the taro and sweet potato, cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice balls, saba bananas, jackfruit, anise, sugar and salt. Simmer until cooked. I add the pre-cooked ube in individual soup bowls just before eating because it colors the guinatan a purplish hue. Serve with a drizzle of thick coconut milk, if desired.