Churros And Hot Chocolate

tsokolate-eh and churros

One of the eating habits we sorely miss doing back in the Philippines is sitting in a Spanish coffee shop called Dulcinea sipping cups of tsokolate-eh (hot thick chocolate drink) and munching on freshly fried churros. They are best enjoyed when cooked and served by other people. There aren't shops or restaurants here in my area that serve similar churros. We are not fond of the extremely large and airy ones sold in the malls, amusement parks, and at the Costco fast food counter. The only way for us to enjoy the Spanish/Filipino churros we prefer is to make some at home which I am not willing to do very often because I am not a deep fry enthusiast. Deep frying makes the house smell of oil for hours and hours, the odor sticking to furniture, clothing, and hair. Ack!

Once in a while specially during the cold months, I get the munchies for churros and hot chocolate. Two weeks ago I found a packet of chocolate tablets at the Filipino grocery. They are pure cacao and sugar formed into thick 1-inch round tablets that are dropped in a saucepan of milk, water, or a combination and simmered until they are dissolved. The cooked chocolate is then beaten using a wooden beater to create froth. The beater resembles a large honey dipper. The dark chocolate has a very distinct flavor that my daughter says reminds her of champorrado (glutinous rice and chocolate sweet porridge}, a favorite Filipino breakfast. When I suggested I add a few pieces of bittersweet chocolate she refused because she loves the taste of this chocolate on its own.

chocolate tablea from the Philippines

Churros

1 cup water
2 teaspoons fruity olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
light olive oil for frying
sugar for sprinkling
equipment: cookie press with large star tip, or pastry bag with large star tip.

• Heat 2 inches of oil in a medium pan to 400°F.
• Prepare the dough: Place the sifted flour in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the water, oil, and salt, let come to a boil. Pour hot water mixture into the bowl of flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until evenly mixed. Transfer into the cookie press or pastry bag.
• Press directly into the hot oil forming a 4-inch loop. Fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sugar if desired.
• Serve immediately. Don't forget to dip them in the chocolate, extra yummy.

they are a bit pale but so crunchy and yummy

Soup

kabocha soup

It's been chilly the past 3 weeks which means time to enjoy plenty of delicious soup for dinner. I have made Matzoh Ball, Kabocha Squash, Chicken Tinola, and Hot & Sour, the recipes I am sharing except for the Matzoh Balls because I prepared it straight out of a box. The soup is really good, we all loved it. I bought some matzoh crackers and will make the balls and soup from scratch and will write about it soon.

Kabocha Squash Soup
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3 cups peeled and cubed kabocha
2 to 3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
grated orange zest, optional
crème fraîche* or sour cream

• In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot, and ginger. Stir fry until shallot has softened, making sure the mixture does not get brown. Add the kabocha, water, salt, and orange zest, if using. Increase the heat to medium high and let come to a boil. Cover the pan, decrease heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Turn the heat off. Puree the soup in the pan using a stick blender. Or transfer into a blender and puree.
• Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.

*To make crème fraîche at home: in a clean jar, combine 2 T buttermilk and 1 cup heavy cream, both at room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and leave on the kitchen counter for 24 hours or until thick. Refrigerate immediately. Will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Hot And Sour Soup

This Chinese soup is one of our all-time favorites. It takes very little time to prepare and enjoy. The soup usually has a cup of julienned lean pork which I omitted.

2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup sliced shiitake or baby portabella
½ cup julienned bamboo shoots
¼ teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with ¼ C water
1 cup diced firm silken tofu
1 large egg, beaten
sesame seed oil
snipped scallions

• In a medium saucepan, heat the stock, soy sauce, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, cornstarch mixture, tofu, and pepper flakes. Boil gently while stirring until the soup becomes clear (cornstarch is completely cooked). Turn the heat off and stir in the beaten egg and a few drops of sesame seed oil. Transfer into a soup tureen.
• To serve: Sprinkle individual bowls with scallion and sesame oil.

Chicken Tinola

I don't have the exact measurements for this Filipino chicken soup and did not follow any recipes. I made it from what I remember it should have and taste like. My mother's tinola had young capsicum leaves added for color and extra nutrition. I used green beans because that's what I had available when I prepared the soup.

1 whole chicken, cut into serving pieces
4 cups water
2 tablespoons peeled and sliced fresh ginger
6 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoon fish extract
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorn
1 small green papaya, peeled and cubed
green leafy vegetable such as baby bokchoy or horseradish tree leaves

• In a large pot, heat water and chicken and let come to a boil. Skim off the foam and discard, then add ginger, scallions, fish extract, salt, and whole peppercorns. Cover pot and let boil over medium heat for 40 minutes. Add the green papaya, boil for another 5 minutes. Add the green leaf vegetable and cook for another 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Gone Fishin'

photo http://www.internetclipart.com/

I'll be back the second week of November.:-)

Six-Layer Lemon Chiffon Cake

I will be taking a break from this blog and will be back the second week of November.

Before I go on "vacation" here's a sweet treat for you which I made last Saturday for my daughter's birthday: the most delicious melt-in-your-mouth Six-Layer Chiffon Cake with Cointreau flavored buttercream frosting and served with red-tinted crumbled toffee crunch. The recipe is adapted from a Filipino recipe called Seven-Layer Toffee Crunch Cake (FOOD magazine Special Recipe Collection issue). This is a very easy cake recipe to make and I can assure you it is the best cake I had in over 15 years, the cake literally melts in my mouth.

Seven-Layer Toffee Crunch Cake With Strawberries And Cream
for the lemon chiffon cake
2¼ C sifted cake flour
1½ C sugar
1 T sifted baking powder
1 tsp pure lemon extract
zest of one lemon
1 tsp salt
½ C vegetable oil
¾ C water
5 egg yolks
8 egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar

for the toffee crunch
1½ C sugar
¼ C light corn syrup
¼ C water
1 T well sifted baking soda

for the whipped cream
8 ounces cream cheese
2 T orange liqueur
3 C heavy cream, whipped
2/3 C powdered sugar

for garnish
fresh strawberries

• Make the lemon chiffon cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of four 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup of the sugar, lemon extract, lemon zest, salt, oil, water, and egg yolks. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth. Set aside. In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat until frothy. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar while continuing to beat on medium speed until stiff but not dry. Fold in 2 cups of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold into the rest of the egg whites until mixed. Divide among the pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tests are done. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. When cool, slice the cakes into halves.
• Prepare the whipped cream frosting: In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese to soften. Add remaining ingredients and continue to beat until fluffy (I did not make this icing recipe, I used Italian or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting because I can't stand the sandy tongue-feel of powdered sugar).
• Prepare the toffee crunch: Generously grease an 8-inch square pan with butter. In a thick large saucepan, combine sugar, syrup, and water and heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Clip a thermometer on the side of the pan. Allow to boil on high heat, reduce heat to medium, and cook to 300 degrees. Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Pour into the buttered pan. Allow to set completely before breaking into small pieces with a small knife and fork.
• To assemble: Secure a cake layer on a serving platter with a little of the frosting. Frost in between layers, the sides, and top of cake. Garnish the sides and top of cake with the toffee crunch pieces. Decorate top of cake with whole strawberries.

Hokkaido Milky Loaf

aah, I love the scent of freshly baked bread

I have previously written about my love for Japanese breads and buns specially the soft milky sliced loaf that I used to buy still warm straight from the oven. After writing that post I realized we have been eating mediocre white bread from the grocery for so many years. I am so glad and grateful that I found Angie's recipe and have been baking them and have not had store-bought white bread since. These are the softest tastiest white bread ever and they don't get crushed or flattened like store-bought when you smear them with peanut butter and jelly. They toast beautifully and I like them with a little butter and fruit preserves for breakfast and Manchego cheese, fig preserves, and sliced apple grilled sandwich for lunch.

with butter and orange blossoms preserves For my loaf breads I use two 8 x 4 x 4 Pullman bread pans that I got from eBay. I prefer using these to the 13 or 16 inch long pans available online at Amazon or (King Arthur Flour) The Baker's Catalog because the shorter bread loaves are easier to handle and to store. I like that the pans make perfectly square loaves and very thin crust when they are baked with the pans' lids on. Sometimes I bake the loaves without the lids for taller slices like the ones here that I baked a few days ago (with the brazo meringue). The bread loaves are as soft although not as tight crumbed as those baked lidded.

the busiest bakeware in my kitchen: 8 x 4 x 4 Pullman loaf pans

This is my entry to this month's Tasty Tools Event (Bakeware) hosted by Joelen's Culinary Adventures.

Brazo de Oggi

Two months ago a Filipino reader left 4 of the same long comment in 4 different entries (the subject is not worth discussing). She accused me of racism and I was a tad annoyed when she said something about Filipinos having flat noses as being offensive. Now why would Filipinos be offended by it and I replied that I AM PROUD OF BEING FILIPINO AND YES OF MY FLAT NOSE. In the Philippines I knew of a few friends and acquaintances who had nose jobs making Vicki Belo a household name. Although I take good care of my outside appearance, I have never been a vain person, never had and will never consider altering my face or body, and never ever have been or will be ashamed of my Filipinoness. However, I must admit there is one part of my body that I am very conscious of that I try to hide as much as possible, they are my fat-ish arms. They started getting plumper after my second childbirth and it seems that whenever I gain a pound or two, they go straight to my arms and stay there even after losing the weight gain. Other people complain of their thunder thighs, jelly belly, or hippo hips, my beef is about my ficeps. I whine about them all the time and my daughter kept assuring me they are not THAT HUGE and I always dreaded summertime when I could not wear sleeveless garments. But I have recently changed my attitude and am "accepting" the fact that I will never have anorexic arms again. And as an homage to my fat arms*kiss kiss*, I made Brazo de Oggi (Oggi's arm) which is my version of Brazo de Mercedes, a very popular egg roll cake in the Philippines. Its origin is the Spanish Swiss roll cake called Brazo de Gitano (gypsy's arm), a very thin sponge cake with custard or whipped cream filling. They are also sometimes called Brazo de Monja (nun's arm). Their arms were probably really plump to inspire such a rich dessert.

I made Brazo de Mercedes a year ago but my daughter thought it was too rich and eggy, maybe I undercooked the meringue or I missed adding an ingredient. A reader suggested I add vanilla extract to the egg whites to lessen the egginess. Then I saw a recipe adding ube (purple yam) to the egg yolk filling which I think is a brilliant idea, and then Maricel, who sent me the recipe for the Coffee Mangosteen Cake, also gave me the recipe for Frozen Brazo de Mercedes which has a layer of ice cream filling. It is very rich and has high sugar content but I want to indulge just one time. After months of portion control and low carb diet, I think I and my arms deserve the treat.:-)

I made a few modifications to the recipe to make it less unhealthy (no butter and less sugar and egg yolks). There were also some mishaps while making the dessert. I didn't expect the meringue will rise so high and it got caught in the grills of the rack above it where I have 2 loaves of bread baking. It was not so bad, only the middle portion got stuck. When I finally put the finished cake in the freezer a small container fell on one side of the cake and squeezed out a little of the ice cream filling. The cake looks a little funny which I don't mind because the cake is so very yummy. The good thing is we have already changed our minds about Brazo and are now fans of this dessert. Thanks again Maricel for being so generous.:-)

the accident-prone Brazo de Oggi

Frozen Brazo de Mercedes
Crust:
2½ C (250 gm) crushed graham crackers
½ C (112 gm) melted butter
1/3 C (85 gm) sugar

Filling:
288 gm egg yolks
255 gm butter
60 gm sugar
2 gm vanilla extract
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ gallon mantecado ice cream or your favorite ice cream

Meringue:
300 gm egg whites
150 gm sugar
pinch of cream of tartar
1 gm vanilla extract

• Prepare the crust: Mix graham crackers and sugar and stir in butter. Press into a 10 x 14-inch glass dish. Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
• Prepare the egg yolk filling: In a glass bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and condensed milk. Cook in a double boiler until of spreading consistency. Turn off heat and add butter and vanilla. Leave to cool.
• Prepare the meringue: Grease and line a 12 x 17 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Grease paper. Set aside. Whisk egg whites until foamy, add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. When soft peaks form, gradually add sugar and beat until stiff. Spread meringue on the prepared pan up to the top. Pass a cake comb to make a design. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour until golden in color. Let cool in pan. Loosen sides, dust top with powdered sugar. Invert into a piece of parchment paper. Remove paper lining.
• To assemble: Spread cooled filling on the crust. Beat ice cream until of spreading consistency. Spread on top of egg yolk filling. Freeze. When frozen, invert the meringue on top of ice cream so that the golden side is on top. Freeze until ready to serve. Alternatively, you may use two 8 x 8-inch glass pans (I halved the recipe as it's quite big).

Edamame Salad

We don't have AC since Friday and it won't be fixed until tomorrow. Yesterday was a tiny bit comfortable because of the rains and cooler temperature but today it is warm making me lethargic and not willing to lift a finger or I will sweat an ocean. Cooking an elaborate meal or going out to eat doesn't sound appealing. Lunch was rescued by frozen edamame (soy beans) which I boiled and made into a refreshing salad and paired with vegetable gyoza. Simply delicious!

Edamame Salad
1 package frozen (or fresh) shelled edamame
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons wasabi paste, more or less to taste
1 cup shredded well chilled cucumber or daikon radish
1 sheet roasted nori, torn into small pieces
salmon or lumpfish red caviar

• Boil edamame according to package directions. Drain and rinse with ice cold water.
• In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce and wasabi. Add nori and cooked edamame and mix well.
• Divide into 4 individual bowls. Top with shredded cucumber or daikon and sprinkle with roe. Serve cold.

Gargoyles, Grotesques, Dante's Inferno, Roasted Egg(?)

I started reading a new fiction book I borrowed from the library, THE GARGOYLE by Andrew Davidson very late Saturday night and was only able to finish up to page 106. To my surprise when I resumed reading the book the next morning, the next 3 pages are all about delicious food, not recipes, just food that the main characters are having.

Let me explain why I was surprised: the book is not a travel or food memoir. It is the story of a male porn star driving while drugged and drunk who got into a fiery car crash burning most of himself. His skin reconstruction procedure was described in a graphic stomach-turning manner that you could almost feel his pain. He started planning his elaborate suicide which was quickly abandoned when a fellow patient, a multi-tattooed schizophrenic sculptress of gargoyles and groteques, from the psychiatric ward came to visit him claiming they were lovers in medieval Germany, that they met when she was a nun and scribe in the monastery of Engelthal, and he was a badly hurt and burned mercenary. In her daily visits she told their story à la Sheherazade and several tales of deathless love in Japan, Italy, Iceland, and England.

I love everything about this book which reminds me a little of Umberto Eco's THE NAME OF THE ROSE and my most favorite fiction THE HEAVEN TREE TRILOGY by Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters of Brother Cadfael fame). I also love the parts where the burnt narrator travelled to hell like Dante, and his ultimate redemption. For a 463-page book, it's quite an easy read.

THE GARGOYLE A++pages 107 - 108

Marianne Engel had previously brought me snacks, but it was obvious that this meal was far more substantial. she opened the hampers - one for hot items and the other, packed in ice, for cool - and started to lay out the food. There was a freshly baked round of focaccia, still smelling of wood smoke, and bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. She danced a swirl of of black across the surface of the yellow, and then dipped a chunk of the focaccia into the leoparded liquid. She said the familiar prayer before she lifted the bread to my mouth: "Jube, Domine benedicere."
She'd also brought cheeses: Camembert, Gouda, blue, Iranian goat. She asked my favorite and when I picked the goat, she smiled broadly. Next, some steaming wraps that looked like crepes but had a bawdy smell. Gorgonzola pancakes were not for everyone, she explained, but she hoped I liked them. I did. There were cantaloupe balls wrapped in thin slices of prosciutto, the fruity orange peeking through the meaty pink.

She continued to excavate the hampers. Bastardly plump green olives, fat with red pimiento stuffing, lounged contentedly in a yellow bowl. A plateful of tomatoes soaked in black vinegar with snowy nuggets of bocconcini. Sheaves of pita and cups brimming with hummus and tzatziki. Oysters, crabs, and scallops drowning a wonderful death in a marinara ocean; little wedges of lemon balanced on the plate's edge like preservers waiting to be thrown in. Pork sausages with peppercorn rims. Dolmathes, trying hard to be swarthy and look macho in their little green suits, scented with sweet red wine. Thick rings of calamari. Souvlaki shared skewers with sweet buttered onions and braised peppers. There was a shoulder of lamb so well cooked it fell apart if you only looked at it while thinking about a fork, surrounded by a little family of roast potatoes.

I sat trapped under the culinary avalanche, unable to move for fear of tripping a plate over. "There's no way we can eat all this."
"Finishing isn't the point." She pulled a bottle out of the chilled hamper. "Besides, I'm sure the nurses will be happy to help with the leftovers. You won't tell them I was drinking alcohol, will you? I like retsina because you can taste the earth in it."

We made a determined effort, but it was predestined that we'd never be able to finish the meal. We gave up, she brought out a slim metal thermos and poured Greek coffee into two demitasses. It was chuggingly thick that it took a good thirty seconds to pour out. Then she brought out the dessert: baklava so honey-dense that it oozed like a charitable beehive. Tricolor gelato, green white red. And of course bougatsa, her dog's namesake - light brown pastry with custard between layers of phyllo.

page 136

I noticed the dried blood clinging around the edges of her battered fingernails as she took food from the coolers. Fish n' chips, bangers n' mash. Prime rib with pudgy Yorkshire puddings. Finger sandwiches: ham and eggs, cheese and vegetables. Scones with strawberry jam. Kaiser buns. Garlic and onion bagels. Herb cream cheese. German butter cheese , Swiss, Gouda, smoked Gruyère, and Emmenthal. Fresh cucumber with yogurt sauce in a delightful bowl adorned with images of Hänsel and Gretel. Chunky red potatoes, quartered to show their white interiors; chubby green stems of asparagus, sweating butter; a plump eggplant's fecund belly pregnant with stuffing. There were fat mutton slices piled up in an obscene monument of arterial schlerosis. A lonely pile of sauerkraut that seemed to have been added at the last moment only because someone had thought there weren't enough vegetables. Roasted eggs, even though who the hell eats roasted eggs? Then, an abrupt culinary turn towards the Russian states: varenyky (pirogies in layman's terms), cavorting with candy-blackened circles of onions, and holubtsi (cabbage rolls, fat with rice) in tangy tomato sauce.
Marianne Engel popped an egg whole into her mouth, as if she hasn't eaten in days, and devoured it in a manner that was almost bestial. How could someone this hungry not have sampled the meal while preparing it? When she has tamed the worst of her hunger, she announced, "The story of Vicky Wennington has great storms, vigilant love, and saltwater death!"I settled in, anxious to hear it, and took another bite of the holubtsi.

It was coincidence that I was making New England Baked beans last Sunday when I came across the roasted eggs which according to several websites are on the Jewish seder table but curiously and oddly are not eaten during seder. They symbolize something, I forget what. I put one egg in the oven and after an hour and a half this is what the egg looked like:

the roasted egg has a slightly smoky roasted flavor which I really liked

6 Quirky Things I Do

I got tagged by Ning and Ruy to make a list of 6 quirky things I do. Thank you both.:-)

Here is my not-so-quirky list:
1. can't stand being sockless and wear them all year round (at home only)
2. don't use wet/damp tableware and drinking glasses, must always wipe them dry before using (a friend was puzzled about the drinking glass)
3. love fresh strawberries with flaked sea salt
4. iron all my clothes including those for doing yard work or gardening
5. wash/scrub fruits and vegetables with soap and water, rinse with tap water, then rinse twice with filtered water, then dry thoroughly with paper towels before peeling or slicing
6. load dishwasher according to pattern and color of dishes and rearrange them to my liking (need a hobby or get a life)

I'm not tagging anyone but feel free and have fun playing the game.

Korean Broiled Pork Spareribs

A FoodFriday entry

Taegi Kalbi Gui
6 piece pork spareribs with bones (1½ pounds), cut into 4 inches long, 2 inches wide
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon gochu jang paste (hot fermented chili paste)
1 teaspoon ginger juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Korean sesame oil

• Rinse the pork in cold water and pat dry. Rub the pork with sugar. Mix the soy sauce, gochu jang, ginger juice, garlic, sesame seeds, and oil and mix well. Mix the pork and marinade. Cover with plastic film and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
• Put the ribs in a roasting pan. Broil in the oven for 30 minutes, 15 minutes on each side, or until brown and crisp. Or barbecue over charcoal for 20 minutes.

Homemade Greek-style Yogurt

homemade Greek-style yogurt is a s good as store-bought

yogurt cheese balls in olive oil

I'm a late bloomer in appreciating yogurt. Just a little over a year ago I wrote about my aversion to frozen yogurt although I have always loved tzatziki. I can't remember what brought it on but early this year I started liking yogurt including drinks, smoothies, kefir, and lately cheese which is so much yummier than cream cheese. I can't seem to get enough of it, I always keep a tub or two in the refrigerator. The cookbook FROM THE LANDS OF FIGS AND OLIVES has several recipes for making yogurt (laban) and yogurt cheese. I got curious if it is really that easy to make yogurt at home and yes I can say after making several batches it's a piece of cake but the process takes at least 2 days which is not so bad if I want an endless supply of yogurt. To make a flavorful yogurt at home I only need milk and 2 T of Greek-style yogurt available from the grocery, I make sure they have no additives like xanthan gum, rennet, or gelatin. I use a flat-bottomed super-fine plastic strainer set on a bowl instead of the usual cheesecloth hanging on something to let the whey drip into a container underneath. That method takes lots of space in the refrigerator and I don't know where to hang the cheesecloth bag from. The end result is the same anyway. I also make cheese balls by adding salt to the yogurt and letting them drain some more on several changes of round coffee filters until they are drier and firmer.

Homemade Greek-style Yogurt
2 quarts milk
2 T Greek-style yogurt, at room temperature

• Place yogurt in a well-cleaned 2-quart jar with wide mouth (you may use a glass bowl). Stir several times with a rubber whisk until smooth. Set aside. 
• Clip a thermometer on the side of a medium saucepan, add the milk and heat over medium heat to 180°F, stirring occasionally to ensure correct reading. Turn the heat off and let the milk cool to 115°F.
• Pour about ¼ cup of the warm milk into the jar, whisk gently until smooth. 
• Add the rest of the milk ¼ cup at a time, whisking after each addition to make sure the yogurt is mixed in thoroughly.
• Cover top of jar with a coffee filter and secure with an elastic band. 
• Place in an oven with light on and leave for 6 hours or overnight.
• The yogurt should have set after 6 hours.
• Pour into a fine plastic strainer set over a bowl. Leave in the refrigerator overnight to drain.
• The yogurt is now ready to eat or make into cheese. Transfer into a suitable container with a tight lid. This will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Yield: 1¾ C

I'm sending this to Joelen's Culinary Adventures: Tasty Tools (Whisk).

Mystery Green Leaf Vegetable

stir-fry of malabar spinach and wild mushrooms

I bought an unlabeled package of leafy green vegetables and nobody at the Korean grocery knew what it was. I bought it anyway thinking it might be water spinach (kangkong) or sweet potato tops. When I opened the package to wash and prepare the vegetables they didn't look at all like kangkong but resembled crinkly spinach. The leaves are dark green with tender but easy to snap stems. I didn't want to eat something I'm not familiar with so I searched online for a similar leaf vegetable comparing the close-up photo of the leaf and found malabar spinach in no time. There is a red-stemmed variety which looked familiar but I couldn't remember where I've seen them. I proceeded to cook the vegetables sauteing them with some fresh shiitake and dried wild mushrooms seasoned with garlic, ginger, scallion, soy sauce, and salt. When I tried it I knew right away I've eaten it before because of its slightly mucilaginous tongue feel which my daughter said is similar to seaweed. I again went online and looked for the red-stemmed Filipino alugbati and I was right, malabar spinach IS alugbati, although the green-stemmed has crinklier leaves than the red-stemmed. Alugbati is one of my favorite vegetables back in the Philippines. I used to add them to boiled and sauteed mung bean soup as alternative to malunggay (horseradish tree) leaves or simply stir-fried like the dish I prepared today. I still love this vegetable and will buy it regularly.

mystery no more, these are green-stemmed alugbati or malabar spinach

Garlic Fried Rice, Corned Beef Hash, And Fried Egg: A Filipino Breakfast

The theme for this week's Lasang Pinoy Sundays is BREAKFAST and one of our all-time weekend favorites is Corned Beef Hash with garlic fried rice and sunny-side-up or over-easy fried eggs.

Corned Beef Hash
corned beef
1½ pounds beef brisket
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon pickling spice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, quartered
¾ teaspoon pink salt, optional (if you prefer the cooked meat with red hue)
water

corned beef hash
cooked corned beef
2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
1 medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into very small cubes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

• Cook the corned beef: Put brisket in a pot large enough to accommodate the brisket. Add the rest of the ingredients and enough water to cover meat. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat down to medium, and boil for 2 hours. Remove cooked meat and transfer into a plate. Leave until cool enough to handle.
• Prepare the corned beef hash: Slice the brisket across the grain into 1½-inch strips. Shred the meat using 2 forks or with (gloved) hands. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry potatoes until slightly brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon oil and sauté garlic and onion and cook until onion is soft. Add tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the shredded brisket and potatoes, stir fry for 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir fry for another minute. Serve hot with garlic fried rice and fried or scrambled eggs.

homemade Corned Beef Hash is better than the canned pap

I also love corned beef with chunks of cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and turnips or white kohlrabi.
To make Corned Beef And Cabbage: Double the ingredients. Remove meat after boiling and transfer to a platter. Strain the liquid and discard solids. Adjust seasoning and return liquid into the pot with the brisket and vegetables. Boil for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve with grainy Dijon mustard or bottled horseradish sauce.

Poached Pears

don't you just love the bright red color of these poached pears

The other day my daughter was surprised to see pears on my kitchen counter and asked me what I intend to make with them. She knows I am not a fan of pears because of their grainy texture, although I enjoy snacking on well-chilled Asian pears. Sometimes I buy pears for making jellied candies or pâte de fruits. This time I bought them because of their very bright red color. I love the color red and I have a few bright red kitchen items, they make food preparation a little bit, what else, bright.:=)

These pears called Starkrimson have very smooth skin, are large-ish and when fully ripe they turn bright red all over. They are also less grainy and their slight floral scent and flavor make them acceptable to me. And they will definitely look pretty in gift baskets or fruit bowls. I poached 3 of them in sweet red wine and sliced beet to maintain the red color of the fruit. The beet does not alter the flavor of the pears and gives the poached fruits its sweetness and of course its vivid color. The color is only skin deep but you have to agree they look beautiful and they're yummy too, specially with homemade Irish Cream frozen yogurt.

Poached Pears
3 large Starkrimson or red Bartlett pears
3 cups sweet red wine
1 large beet, sliced thin
1 two-inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoon sugar
parchment paper

• Peel the pears, cut into halves or quarters leaving stem on, and then core. Put the rest of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and add peeled pears. Cut the parchment into a round the same size as the saucepan. Cover the pears with the paper and poach for 45 minutes or until tender.
• Remove parchment and discard. Remove the pears and transfer into a serving dish or bowl. Boil the poaching liquid until syrupy, about 15 minutes. Strain and discard solids. Pour syrup over the pears.

Starkrimson pears

the beet that my heart skipped

This is my entry to this week's LaPiS which you may have guessed is RED. Check out the other entries by clicking the button at the top of the page.

Chicken Tandoori Sandwich

It seems all I cook these days is chicken. I actually cook other stuff but get lazy writing and posting about them. A week ago I smoked a 4-pound ham (which btw is waaay better than store bought) that I will feature in a future breakfast post. Anyways, last Sunday I read a tandoori chicken slider sandwich featured in a magazine restaurant review and I drool each time I see the photos of the sandwiches. I love tandoori-style chicken and the sandwich version looks really good. And it is so good, at least the one I made.:=)

For the tandoori I diced the chicken meat instead of ground and used aluminum rings for making crumpets to keep the meat patties from crumbling. I wanted to charcoal grill the patties but the weather was threatening (to rain) yesterday. Frying in very hot skillet worked just fine. I served the sandwiches with tzatziki broccoli slaw, shaved mini cucumber, and lots of tomatoes. Yummy! My daughter slathered homemade Greek yogurt cheese on the bottom bun and added tzatziki on top of the chicken for a triple dose of yogurt. Yummier!

My tandoori-style chicken recipe is here.

The Breakphast Of Champions

Most probably you have heard of Michael Phelps' whopping 12,000 daily calorie intake and his much talked and blogged about breakfast that NBC's Bob Costas reported as:

"...Three sandwiches of fried eggs, cheese, lettuce, tomato, fried onions and mayonnaise, add one (five-egg) omelet, a bowl of grits, and three slices of French toast with powdered sugar, then wash down with three chocolate chip pancakes."

To celebrate Phelps's GR-EIGHT performance, for breakfast I made chocolate chip pancakes and a 5-egg omelet filled with the freshest shiitake mushrooms and onions sauteed in butter and seasoned with very little Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and sea salt. Yummy breakfast for *couch potato* champions like myself.

shiitake mushrooms that look like pancakes growing on logs

I'm no champion eater, I can barely finish 2 pancakes and less than half of the omelet

Algerian Chicken Tagine With Apricots And Spiced Pine Nuts

This North African chicken tagine or tajin recipe by Farid Zadi is adapted from the February 2008 issue of Gourmet magazine. According to the cookbook FROM THE LANDS OF FIGS AND OLIVES, the North African tajin differs slightly from the tajin of the Middle East. In North Africa they use more herbs and spices. I love this recipe for its sweetish sauce, the subtle spices that blend so well together, and the crunch of the spiced pine nuts.

Chicken Tagine With Apricots And Pine Nuts
tagine
1 whole chicken, about 3½ pounds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of saffron (optional)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons bitter-orange marmalade
1 two-inch cinnamon stick
1 thyme sprig
2 cilantro sprigs
6 dried apricots. chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

spiced pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
pinch of cayenne (optional)

garnish
lemon wedges

• Tagine: Cut out chicken into serving pieces. Pat chicken pieces dry and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown chicken pieces. In a 6-quart pot, saute shallots in the butter and remaining oil, stirring frequently until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and paprika, and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the browned chicken, saffron, and ½ tsp salt coating chicken well. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn chicken and add orange preserves, cinnamon stick, thyme cilantro, and apricots. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until chicken is very tender, about 15 minutes more.
• Prepare pine nuts while chicken cooks: Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat then stir in pine nuts. turmeric, paprika, and cayenne if using, stirring frequently, until nuts are lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• To serve: Transfer chicken to a platter, keep warm. Boil the sauce and reduce to 1 cup. Discard herb sprigs and cinnamon stick. Stir in chopped cilantro and spoon sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with nuts.

Algerian Flatbread

I have bookmarked in January this flatbread recipe from the February 2008 issue of Gourmet magazine but have forgotten about it. The issue was buried somewhere and found it while I was cleaning out the magazine table of junk. And since I'm into Middle Eastern cuisine I made Algerian Chicken Tajin and flatbread. The yummy flatbread is similar to pita, chapati, and naan but flakier and crispier. I used the Indian whole-wheat atta which surprisingly is so easy to handle, the dough is very soft and there was no problem rolling the pieces into very thin rounds. King Arthur fine ground whole wheat-flour is an excellent substitute if you can't find Indian atta.

Farid Zadi's Algerian Flatbread
3 cups finely ground whole-wheat flour, preferably Indian atta
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup olive oil, divided
1½ cups water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric

• MAKE DOUGH: Stir together flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Slowly stir in water until a soft dough forms. If necessary, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Form dough into a ball and coat with 2 T oil in a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough stand at warm room temperature for 1 hour. Mix together cumin, paprika, turmeric, and remaining ¼ C olive oil in a small bowl.
• FORM FLATBREADS: Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and, keeping remaining pieces covered with plastic film, flatten 1 piece of dough into a disk. Roll out disk as thinly as possible (into a 9-inch round) on a lightly floured surface with a 6-inch dowel or rolling pin (my note: use a plastic chopping mat to prevent staining your counter). Spread 1 tsp spiced oil with your fingertips or small pastry brush, then roll up tightly into a long cylinder and coil into a tight spiral. Transfer into a large sheet or parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap. Make 11 more spirals in the same manner.

roll into very thin round, brush with spiced oil, roll into a cylinder, coil into spiral

• FINISH AND COOK FLATBREADS: Roll out one spiral into a round approximately 6 inches in diameter. Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot, cook flatbread, turning once, until puffed and browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel. Roll out and cook 11 more flatbreads, stacking them on a plate.

chicken tajin with apricots, orange preserves, and spiced pine nuts

Coffee Roasted Butterfish

There is only a handful of recipes that caught my interest that look really good on paper but when actually cooked are disappointing. This original recipe created by Romy Dorotan which is in the Filipino cookbook MEMORIES OF PHILIPPINE KITCHENS (Chapter 6: Cendrillon Recipes) is one of them. I have always wanted to make it since I got this cookbook almost 2 years ago, the combination of coffee and different spices sounds new, interesting, and yummy. Aside from cracking the spices which he did not mention in the procedure, I did not alter his recipe at all. The spices are dominated by the coffee and the fact that the sauce has a muddy color makes it very unappealing. I think adding too many ingredients and flavors is an overkill and will not make this again or recommend it. I'm posting the ingredients but not the procedure to save you the trouble and money in making this dish. I still prefer to cook this kind of fish either steamed Chinese-style with salted soy beans or simply fried eaten with vinegar and garlic dipping sauce. Sometimes simple is better.

The ingredients:
butterfish or pompano
salt
oil
shallots
garlic
lemongrass
bay leaves
fresh red chiles
cinnamon sticks
cardamom pods
black peppercorns
coriander seeds
coffee beans
coconut milk
fish sauce
lime juice
cacao beans (optional)

Cherry and Chocolate Semifreddo

I have read a lot about semifreddo which is supposed to be much lighter than ice cream but most of the recipes are custard based. I didn't want adding egg yolks which will make the semifreddo richer than the ice cream I usually make. I found a recipe for strawberry semifreddo that uses egg whites and heavy cream. I substituted chopped bing cherries and added shaved bittersweet chocolates similar to Cherry Garcia ice cream but much lighter, sort of in between ice cream and ice pop. I also poured the mixture in a loaf pan and sliced them for a simpler and easier method of serving. Enjoy the slices with chocolate or cherry sauce or almond cookies, if desired.

Cherry And Chocolate Semifreddo
1 cup fresh bing cherries, pitted and snipped or coarsely chopped
½ cup shaved chocolate candy bar (milk, semi-sweet or bittersweet)
4 egg whites (powder)
2½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar (add more to taste)
1½ cup heavy cream, whipped
chocolate sauce, cherry coulis, or amaretti cookies (optional)

• Place chopped cherries in one layer on a plate and leave in the freezer. Chill chocolate in the refrigerator.
• In a stand mixer, whip egg whites and vanilla extract until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat until stiff but not dry. Fold in whipped cream. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with plastic film allowing 6 inch overhang on each side. Put some of the cherries and chocolate evenly on the bottom of the pan then ladle about a third of the chilled cream and egg whites. Freeze for 15 minutes. Repeat layering procedure with the remaining cherries/chocolate and cream/egg whites. Cover top with the plastic film overhang. Freeze for 3 hours or overnight.
• Slice and serve with chocolate or cherry sauce. Or allow to soften for 5 minutes and use ice cream scoop and spoon into dessert glasses.

Longa-Burger

Longa as in longaniza, the Filipino sausage that's garlicky and sweetish. Yesterday I made 2 styles of Philippine longanizas after reading so much about them in several food blogs, Vigan from the north and from Lucban, just south of Manila. Both are very very garlicky and are not sweet. I've never had them before so I can't really tell if the recipes I found online are authentic. The Vigan style have very little vinegar and the Lucban style are closer in texture and flavor to the Spanish chorizo. They are both so delicious. I added a little sugar into half of the Vigan style and formed them into small patties which is the perfect size for the small hamburger buns I baked almost 2 months ago. These longa-burgers are very yummy with tomato slices and shaved mini cucumbers. For breakfast tomorrow I'll fry an egg to top the patty, my version of sausage McMuffin with egg. Yum yum.

Vigan Style Longaniza
2 pounds chilled pork shoulder, ground using medium die
½ chilled pound pork fat, coarsely chopped by hand
¼ cup finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely minced onions
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup soy sauce
2¼ tablespoon vinegar
sausage casings, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, then rinsed and flushed

• In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except casings until well blended. Stuff the mixture into casings and tie every 2 inches long with a string. Prick all over with sausage pricker or sterilized needle. Hang to dry for about 4 hours.
• To cook: Put ¼ cup water and 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Add longanizas, cover, turn heat to low and cook until all of the water evaporates.
• Uncover and pan fry sausages until nicely browned. Serve hot with fried rice and tomatoes.

Lucban Style Longaniza
2 pounds chilled pork belly, medium ground
½ pound chilled pork fat, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon sea salt
2½ tablespoons paprika
1½ tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons dark cane sugar vinegar or cider vinegar
sausage casings, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, then rinsed and flushed

• In a bowl mix salt and pork belly. Roast the paprika, garlic powder, and oregano in a hot pan until smoky. Add to the mixture together with the sugar and vinegar. Mix to combine. Add pork fat and mix thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes.
• Stuff the casings with the meat mixture and form into 5-inch links. Place in refrigerator, covered for at least 8 hours. To cook, shallow fry in hot oil.

Lucban and Vigan longaniza

Mark Bittman's Chicken Adobo

I love lots of adobo sauce on my rice

A reader emailed me last week asking for Mark Bittman's Chicken Adobo recipe. I didn't know he has one and thought it might be the Mexican adobo version. I got curious and borrowed from the library his 1998 cookbook HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING and there it is on page 377: Filipino Chicken Adobo. He writes: "The Philippine classic has been called the best chicken dish in the world by a number of friends of mine." He uses the basic Filipino adobo ingredients and finishes the dish in the grill (or broiler) after boiling in the vinegar mixture for 30 minutes. The grilled flavor and the crispy skin and meat make the chicken adobo really special. I altered his recipe a little bit by using only half a cup of soy sauce and adding 1½ tsp of sea salt and half a cup more of water. I also used the dark (cane sugar) vinegar from the Philippine Ilocos province which gives the dish a hint of sweetness and a fruity flavor. I will definitely add this recipe to my growing Adobo recipe collection for my ADOBO COOKBOOK. The dish also gave me an idea to adobo-marinate other meats such as baby back ribs or thin sliced pork belly, then grill directly without boiling them first.

Mark Bittman's Chicken Adobo
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup white or rice vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 whole (3 - 4 pounds) chicken, cut up, trimmed of excess fat, then rinsed and patted dry with paper towels, or use 2 pounds bone-in thighs

1. Combine the first six ingredients in a covered pot large enough to hold the chicken in one layer. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken pieces, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes, turning once or twice. (You may prepare the chicken in advance up to this point; refrigerate the chicken, in the liquid, for up to a day before proceeding.)
2. Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill or broiler. The fire need not be too hot, but place the rack just 3 or 4 inches from the heat source.
3. Remove the chicken and dry it gently with paper towels. (My note: Remove excess fat before boiling sauce.) Boil the sauce over high heat until it is reduced to about 1 cup; discard bay leaves and keep the sauce warm. Meanwhile, grill or broil the chicken until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Serve the chicken with the sauce and white rice.

The aroma of very hot rice and chicken on the banana leaf I lined the serving platter and my plate with evoked memories of my elementary and high school days. The very few times I bought baon (packed lunch) were on school field trips. My mom used to put hot rice in the middle of several layers of large banana leaves then place the hot meat, usually chicken and pork adobo with plenty of sauce, on top of the rice soaking the rice with the sauce, then fold the corners together, tuck them in to make a neat leak-proof bundle. Believe me when you open the package and get a whiff of the fragrant banana leaves, rice, and adobo combination you'll want to dig right in even if you're not very hungry. Banana leaves as a food wrapper or container is way better than plastic boxes or aluminum foil, good for the environment too.:-)

Eggplants Cooked Two Ways

"The Chin", small graffiti, Asian, and Mr. Eggplant Head

Last week I purchased too many eggplants. First, because two of them were shaped funny I just had to get them. One had a weird growth that looked like a nose (Mr. Eggplant Head?) and the other was bent and reminded me of Jay Leno's chin. Second, because I've always loved the sweet and smoky flavor of eggplants simply fried with beaten eggs (tortang talong) or charred over the stove then seasoned with salt and ginger juice served with chopped tomatoes as a cold appetizer or salad. Recently I have been cooking and loving Middle Eastern-style food and used half of the eggplants in a chickpeas stew, the other half I made into ratatouille. This is the first time I made both dishes which are similar to each other, and I equally love them. They're both healthy vegetarian dishes which can be served hot, at room temperature, or cold.

Arabian Eggplant And Chickpea Stew

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 large eggplants, about 2 pounds
sea salt
½ cup olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, sliced thin
10 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 cup seeded and chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground allspice or cinnamon
fresh lemon juice, optional
fresh mint sprigs for garnish

• Peel and halve the chickpeas; set aside.
• Cut the whole unpeeled eggplant into 2½-inch chunks. Salt the pieces and leave to drain in a colander for at least 1 hour.
• Rinse the eggplant, squeeze gently, and pat dry with paper towels. Working in batches, lightly fry the chunks in 5 tablespoons hot oil until golden brown; drain. Sprinkle the eggplant with pepper and set aside.
• In a 3-quart casserole with a tight-fitting lid, warm the remaining olive oil and add the onions. Saute them over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until limp and golden. Add the chickpeas and fry 2 minutes. Stir in the drained eggplant, unpeeled garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, and paprika.
• Cover tightly and cook over low-medium heat without stirring 40 minutes. Carefully fold in the crushed garlic, parsley, vinegar, sugar, and allspice.
• Cook 10 minutes longer, or until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Serve hot or at room temperature. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice, if desired. Garnish with the mint.

For the ratatouille I followed the easier one-pot version of this recipe, it is really delicious. I simmered the dish for almost 2 hours on low heat and the vegetables surprisingly retained their shape.

ratatouille - the French pinakbet (minus the salted fish and pork):-)