Food Friday: Pilipit

Pilipit, Tagalog word for twisted or twist, are hard crunchy sugar-glazed bread twists...one of my favorite snacks back in the Philippines. I have been waiting for them for months now to become available at the Philippine grocer. I made some because I couldn't wait any longer and I really have the munchies for them. It's not complicated to make but isn't easy as pie either.

Pilipit
bread twists
2 cups bread flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
½ cup milk
oil for frying
glaze
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water

• Pilipit: In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients except oil and knead on the kitchen counter until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. Divide into 2 equal portions, wrap one half in plastic and set aside. Roll the other half into 1 inch thick log and cut into 1 ½ inch-long pieces. Roll each piece into a pencil-thin rope. Roll both ends in opposite directions which will twist the rope. Bring the ends together, pinch, and twist. Lay each twist on a flat surface, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Heat the oil to 375°F and fry the pilipit until golden brown. Drain on colander lined with paper towels. Let cool completely on wire rack/s.
• Glaze: Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar has melted. Let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and dip the cooled twists one at a time. Let dry on a wire rack, turning them so that both sides dry completely.
• Store the Twists: Keep the glazed twists in a jar and leave for a few days until they become hard and crunchy.

Capellini with Romanesco

I didn't know what this strange-looking vegetable was when I picked it up from the vegetable bin at the store. The label was missing and I asked one of the staff; I was told it's called broccoli romanesco. Although it belongs to the broccoli and cauliflower family, it looks more like a spiky cauliflower than broccoli. After photographing the vegetable, I actually find it pretty, rather than a vegetable that came from outer space. I especially love its chartreuse-like hue. And I liked it even more after blanching and adding to pasta. It has a mild sweet taste not unlike cauliflower but no bitterness that cauliflower sometimes has. It also doesn't have a strong smell.

Capellini with Romanesco, Fennel, and Capers
adapted from here

6 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 fennel bulb with some fronds
1 medium onion
1 romanesco, separated into florets
¼ cup capers, drained
sea salt to taste
1 pound angel hair pasta

• In a large pot heat salt and water and bring to a boil. When water comes to a boil, add the romanesco florets. Cook no more than 2 minutes to retain its color and crunch. Remove with a skimmer and set aside. Keep the water boiling.
  
• Thinly slice the fennel and onion and sautée in 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan until caramelized. Push the caramelized onion and fennel to the side of the pan, turn the heat to high, and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add drained capers into the olive oil and fry until almost crackly.
• Cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.
• While pasta is boiling, toss the drained florets into the sauce pan of onions, fennel, and capers and cook until heated through. Turn the heat off.
• Set aside 1 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta then add to the skillet and toss gently, adding some of the reserved water if it appears too dry. Transfer into a serving platter and serve while hot (I also like it at room temperature).

it looks like a miniature Christmas tree

Hot-Smoked Duck Ham

I never thought duck ham could be so delicious. I bought a whole duck which I was going to grill Peking-style but it got very cold outside at 30°F last Saturday. I didn't want to look ridiculous grilling while wearing a winter jacket so I abandoned the idea of Peking duck as it is a very involved process if cooked in a regular oven. I started to debone the bird but stopped to check for duck preparations in CHARCUTERIE by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. Hot-smoked duck ham instantly caught my attention. It takes 2 to 3 days to prepare but it's worth all the work. The ham is flavorful, tender, and the sweetish salty fat deliciously melts in the mouth. If it's a little bit drier, it's almost like prosciutto or Spanish jamon Serrano. I'll see if I can find already boned duck breasts at the stores and will definitely make again for the coming holiday.

If you are planning to smoke the ham indoors in the oven you can use 2 large disposable aluminum roasting pans, one smaller aluminum pan to catch the drippings, a metal rack, and strips of aluminum foil. Soak 1 cup of hickory chips in water for 30 minutes and place them on both sides of one of the pans, then place the small aluminum pan in the middle, place the rack on top of the small pan, then lay the duck breasts on the metal rack. Cover with the second roasting pan, covering the sides where the pans join with strips of aluminum foil. If you have a kettle smoker, set the temperature to 180° F.

Hot-Smoked Duck Ham
adapted from CHARCUTERIE by Michael Ruhlman

brine
2 quarts water
¾ cup kosher salt
¼ cup sugar
4 teaspoons pink salt
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup Madeira
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon juniper berries
1 tablespoon chopped sage

duck
6 boneless Long Island duck breasts, skin on

• Brine: Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled.
• Duck: Add to the chilled brine and weight down with a plate. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Rinse the breasts under cold water and pat them dry. Refrigerate them on a rack set over a small baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
  
• Hot-smoke: Preheat the oven to 180 or 200°F and cook the breasts for 2½ hours or until internal temperature registers 160°F. Refrigerate until chilled.

the most delicious breakfast I ever had: smoked duck ham, scrambled eggs, sweet rolls and sour cherry preserves, and espresso coffee

Pork Menudo Pie

I suddenly was craving for savory pie earlier today. I have pie dough already divided into very small disks in the refrigerator and with some leftover pork menudo, I baked a few small pies. Pork menudo and buttery crust, it's so good!

Pork Menudo
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ pounds pork, diced into ¼ inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 teaspoons sea salt
ground black pepper
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup water or chicken broth
1 large potato, diced into ¼ inch pieces
½ cup diced pork liver, sauteed in 1 teaspoon oil, optional
1 cup frozen green peas

• In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil, add garlic and onion, stir fry for 2 minutes. Add red bell pepper, and pork. Stir fry for 3 minutes. Add tomato, salt, black pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add potatoes, simmer for 5 minutes. Mixture should be thick and saucy. Add cooked pork liver, if using, and peas and cook 2 minutes until peas are heated through. Serve with rice, in pan de sal. Or bake them in flaky pie shells.