Peter's Pan

Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Rice Bowl)

2010-03-21T16:04:00.002+08:00

Another Japanese favorite! My wife is now torn between Gyudon and this. For this dish I was able to use Powdered Dashi (Ajinomoto brand). I was able to buy it at Robinson's Supermarket. This is again based on a YouTube video, the same presenter from the Gyudon I made (cookingwithdog).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMJY29QMewQ

Still didn't have Sake but I did use Chinese rice wine as a substitute.

Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl)

2010-03-21T15:47:00.006+08:00

We had dinner at Sumo Sam a few days ago and initially we just ordered 1 Gyudon and 1 California Maki. After realizing that the Gyudon was so delicious we ordered another one! It's really easy to make and the ingredients are available if you know where to look. I made this without Powdered Dash and Sake and it still turned out very well. I now have dashi and will do this again soon!

This is based on a video recipe i found in YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1mvYnRJX70

Sake, Mirin and Powdered dashi are available in a the grocery, just look for the Oriental/Asian section. Alternatively there are a couple of Japanese food stores around the metro.

Chicken with Caramelized Shallots

2010-01-30T14:21:00.001+08:00

Caramelized Shallots are great! Superb as a an appetizer or a side dish but this will hardly fill a hungry belly. I really enjoyed the flavor it had so in order to make this dish filling i added some chicken fillets. The Caramelized Shallots recipe is from Ina Garten. I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper, added the same marinade for the shallots and lightly coated it with flour, sauteed some minced shallots in oil and butter then quickly stir fried the chicken. At this time the shallots were already in the oven and i just added the chicken, gave it a toss and let it cook some more. I used twice the ingredients mentioned since i had to used on the chicken too.

Pepperoni & Ham Sandwich

2010-01-30T13:40:00.003+08:00

A sandwich for lunch is fine with me anytime, as long as the sandwich is filling enough. When I started working, my Mom would give me these huge sandwiches and whenever I wouldn't be able to eat it due to a lunch meeting or something; I would always give it away. There was always a happy list of people who would gladly accept it. These sandwiches ranged from the usual ham and cheese, homemade burgers, shrimps and asparagus, steak and cheese and hotdogs loaded with toppings. Nowadays, I sometimes just buy from The Sandwich Guy (TSG). There was a time I had their Italian sandwich for a week! I just love the combination of pepperoni, ham, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce on wheat bread. With that being said, I realized that these ingredients are really easy to find and so I started to make my own! Just as delicious but not as expensive! :)

Adobo Putoshop

2009-09-14T20:07:00.000+08:00

Adobo - one of the most popular and traditional dishes of the Philippines.
Puto - a steamed rice cake popular in the the Philippines.

Adobe Photoshop - a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems. It is the current market leader for commercial bitmap and image manipulation software, and is the flagship product of Adobe Systems. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop)

The photo above was taken in the city of San Juan. I wasn't able to go in but it looks like a small restaurant.

Baby Potatoes

2009-08-16T00:30:00.000+08:00

I really like small versions of vegetables. Baby carrots, baby bokchoy and of course baby potatoes. You can eat the entire thing and not get overwhelmed. Doing this required boiling the potatoes in salted water till soft, sauteing it in butter with fresh rosemary then topped with lightly toasted pepperoni and Parmesan cheese. Good as a side dish or as a snack.

Chili Crab Claws

2009-08-16T00:20:00.000+08:00

Crab claws here can cost as much as an entire crab when compared by weight. As a kid i always played with these claws, now I just chase my 4 year old daughter with it. ;)

I basically used the same Chili Crab recipe I used before but only used the claws. Be sure to crack the claws before cooking so that the flavor gets in.

Fried Fish Fillets in Tomato and Cheese Sauce

2009-08-16T00:10:00.000+08:00

Ever wake up and realize all the food you had was frozen? I have…many times. Or sometimes, I think I have this and that but turns out I don’t have any. This is one of those moments when it’s almost lunch time and I had no idea what to cook! Strangely, even with the pressure of coming up with a decent meal, I enjoyed it. I liked the challenge albeit I was nervous of how it would eventually taste.
The only thing quick enough to cook in the freezer was a pack of frozen fish fillets. While I could easily just fry or grill the fish, I think we already had it that way within the week. Though I still fried it, I did a couple things to make it different and still delicious. After seasoning it with salt and pepper, I fried it till golden brown then set it aside. Next I heated some leftover tomato sauce, added some dried thyme and basil then poured it over the fish, one fillet at a time. Then, I filled a squeeze bottle with some melted cheese and liberally lined the fish with lines of melted cheese. This went into the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Moment of truth came a few minutes after and I was all smiles. :)

Manila Ocean Park

2009-04-13T04:03:00.001+08:00

A visit to the Manila Ocean Park made me think of how these wonderful specimens would taste! :) Just looking at the size of the Spider Crab made me think of Chili Crabs! I stood there for quite a while admiring the size of the crab and thinking if it can be bought in the markets and if i had a pan that was big enough. These crabs are apparently limited to the seas around Japan and can grow to as long as 3 meters with the claws.
If the spider crab caught my attention for a while, the Giant Grouper made me stare in awe. It must be around 5 feet in length and 2 feet across. As I've read about, it can even grow up to 9 feet! Wow! Now, that's a lot of fish! Think of this being served whole just like lechon! There are several at the Manila Ocean Park and they probably weigh around 300 kilos each! From a foodie standpoint, that's good for month in our household and many grouper recipes. I enjoyed that trip because of the many interesting species and of course the imagining of the many possibilities of those two wonderful specimens!

Fried Fiesta Platter

2009-04-13T04:00:00.002+08:00

Have you ever ordered a huge platter of appetizers? The one above can serve as an hors d'oeuvre platter or as a main course for someone very hungry. For us, it fed four people. And after dinner, four happily fed people. :) It's a combination of fried dory fillets, calamari, french fries, salad greens with chicken nuggets with poppy seed vinaigrette topped with fried crunchy parsley. The batter is just lightly seasoned flour in cold water. Fry in very hot oil till golden brown and delicious!

Steamed Dory in Sesame & Soy Sauce

2009-04-13T03:30:00.001+08:00

I can't seem to get enough of this fish. I usually have it fried into crispy crunchy fish fingers but this time was different but with the same delicious results.

The sauce and procedure is the same as the Steamed Soy Lapu-Lapu. This just cooks much quicker and is easier to eat. ;)

Grilled Chicken Breasts

2009-04-13T00:55:00.003+08:00

I created a meal with each of us having a grilled chicken breast with different flavors. The marinades i used were a (1)soy sauce, ginger, garlic & sesame marinade, (2)a lemon, honey and soy sauce marinade and (3)a soy sauce, lemongrass, tarragon, garlic marinade. Served with boiled carrots and blanched asparagus with a little garlic butter. This was purely experimental and though all were tasty, number 1 was a bit too salty and I'm not really sure which i like better between 2 & 3. This was also done quite in a hurry so I think it has a lot of room for improvement.

Baked Macaroni

2009-04-12T02:00:00.000+08:00

This is similar to my Baked Spiral Pasta w/ Pepperoni & Salami except for the cheese topping which was taken from the recipe of Connie from Pinoycook. The new cheese topping makes all the difference. I followed the recipe but my portions were larger as this really had a thick cheese topping! Yum!
I just keep topping everything with pepperoni!

Chicken Rice

2009-04-12T01:21:00.000+08:00

This is based on a dish i saw while watching Tablescapes: Life On A Plate on the Asian Food Channel. I wasn't able to list down the ingredients and the recipe isn't at the website but i think i got the idea since i liked the outcome. :)

To do this, render some fat from the chicken skin on a non stick pan on low fire. After a few minutes a good amount of chicken fat should be present. Saute the garlic, shallots and ginger followed by the ham, Chinese sausage and chicken. Season w/ salt and pepper. When the chicken is cooked, add the mushrooms and leeks. Add about 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsps of oyster sauce and a tsp of sesame oil. (Adjust according to taste).
For the rice i added about a cup of rice, which i think is too much. Maybe half a cup will do. Cover with broth. I used a combination of chicken and ham bones for the broth. Just fill the pot as if you were cooking rice. Cover and cook till the rice is done. Always check if the rice is done and if there is enough broth. In the episode, this was finished by placing the pot in an oven and letting it cook from there. I didn't do this part but will try it someday. My rice turned out delicious, lots of flavors and goes well on its own (a bit mushy though). Next time I'll adjust the rice and broth and will probably use the oven. :)

Oriental Sashimi

2009-04-11T23:50:00.000+08:00

I love sashimi! I enjoy eating this raw dish anytime and really never get tired of it. I've even tried beef sashimi, and it was good! This version which my cousin calls Oriental Sashimi is different from the usual since it uses birds eye chilies instead of wasabi. It also has sesame oil added to the soy sauce and spring onions. Wasabi of course offers a unique kind of sensation that can't be replaced by chilies, however i think it is a tasty alternative. I'd enjoy having sashimi this way anytime but having it the original way is always welcome too.

Bulalo Steak (Beef Shank)

2008-10-17T19:10:00.001+08:00

Tender beef shanks, delicious marrow and yummy gravy together with toasted garlic….. I have to say, this is one of the dishes that I cooked that I really savored eating! I’ve had this several times when eating out, and this is usually served on a sizzling plate but I misplaced mine. I’ve been itching to do this for so long and I’m glad that I finally got to do it with amazing results. I started by choosing a big piece of shank, I only bought one because this was still at the experiment stage and didn’t want to waste it just in case things didn’t turn out well.
To make sure this was tender, I simmered this for 2 hours together with some peppercorns, salt, an onion, garlic and spring onions. Once tender, I lightly fried it in butter. I just wanted to brown it a bit on each side. To make the gravy, I mixed butter and flour in the same pan and added the broth from where the shank was cooked. Carefully add the broth to get the right consistency for the gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the gravy over the shank and top with toasted garlic and chopped spring onions. Enjoy!
That marrow is calling you! :)

Pancit Canton & Fried Parmesan Dory

2008-10-17T19:03:00.000+08:00

Noodles, a definite favorite in our household. Pancit Canton is basically one of the many stir fried noodle dishes that are very popular during gatherings. I’ve cooked this several times and many times I rarely stuck to the same recipe. I think there is just so many ways of cooking this with several ingredients you can add, so I guess I’ll try as much of the other variations as I can. For this variation, I just used ingredients that came to mind when I was in the grocery while thinking of the many types of Pancit I have eaten.

½ kilo chicken thighs (cut into ¼ inch)
200 grams chicken livers (coarsely chopped)
1 large carrot (julienned)
1 medium cabbage (coarsely chopped)
1 small can sliced button mushrooms
15 pieces shrimps (deshelled)
5 garlic cloves (minced)
1 large onion (minced)
Cilantro (chopped)
Oyster Sauce (3/4 cup)
Soy Sauce (1/2 cup)
Chicken broth (4 to 5 cups)
Sesame oil (1-2 tablespoons)
Egg noodles (Pancit)

Sauté the garlic and onions then followed by the chicken, livers, mushrooms and carrots. Add some salt and pepper. Let this cook until the chicken is done, then add the shrimps. Stir fry all of this then add the oyster sauce and soy sauce. After about 5 minutes, add about 200-300 grams of noodles. Add enough stock or water to make sure it does not dry up. The noodles will absorb a lot of the liquids so just add enough to make sure the dish does not turn out dry. Mix this thoroughly to make sure the noodles on top get to absorb the flavor as well. Once cooked, add some sesame oil and chopped cilantro.

The accompanying dish is a deep fried Creamy Dory fillet. Seasoned with salt and pepper and dipped in egg and coated with Japanese bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese. Light and crunchy, it’s a good match with the noodles!

Spicy Pork w/ Coconut Milk

2008-10-10T20:00:00.002+08:00

This is a dish I picked up from a stall I sometime get my lunch from. I don’t think this is exactly how they cook it but the concept is the same. From the results, mine is just a bit saltier and the sauce is thick, but both taste pretty good. I also used thinner cuts as opposed to theirs and I used pork while theirs was beef. In any case, I think this dish can be created and taste the same with either pork or beef.
Since I used thinner cuts the cooking time is much less as compared to using thick cuts. I was done cooking in about 30 minutes. I just sautéed some minced garlic and onions followed by the pork sukiyaki cuts (1/2 kilo). Add some chili of your choice depending on how hot you want this dish. I used 2 finger chilis without the seeds. This was followed by ¼ cup of soy sauce, though I think I’ll use less next time. Let it cook for about 15 minutes then add the coconut milk, give it a stir and leave it for another 10 minutes for the flavors to develop.

Pork Steak

2008-08-19T00:44:00.005+08:00

This is a Bistek recipe (assimilated from Beef Steak), except that i used pork sukiyaki cuts. Calling it Pokstek doesn't sound so appealing, so 'll leave it at Pork Steak. Just like Bistek, this is marinated and cooked in soy sauce and calamansi. I also add some freshly cracked black pepper and a teaspoon of sugar. With the Olympics ongoing, i just added an Olympic twist to this dish.

I find using sukiyaki cuts in this dish better than the usual sirloin cuts. I just used 250 grams of the pork sukiyaki cuts to make this, the other 250 grams coming up next.

Lumpiang Bangus (Milk Fish Spring Rolls)

2008-08-19T00:34:00.007+08:00

There's this stall in Tiendesitas that sells frozen packs of Milk Fish Spring Rolls, and at 40 pieces for P100, i think that's worth it. Of course, if it didn't taste good, i wouldn't even mention it here. I've been there several times but can't seem to recall the name of the stall. I'll update this once i go there again. If you've ever tried deboning a milk fish, you'd know that this isn't easy to make. At 2.50 a piece, I'd rather buy this.

I eat this with sweet chili sauce. Yum!

Chicken Tinola

2008-08-05T22:46:00.004+08:00

This was supposed to be my first entry for Lasang Pinoy Sundays when it featured soup. This was actually my second soup dish that i cooked, the first one was an experiment that didn't turn out well. So, to be sure, i went with something familiar and delicious. You can hardly go wrong with this since all it requires is sauteing some garlic, ginger and onions then adding the chicken and enough water to cover the chicken. Cover the pan and peel and cut some green papayas lengthwise or slice them 2 inches in length (Seeds discarded). You can have this longer, it's just that i prefer it that way. Wash a generous bunch of chili leaves, and remove them from the stalks. About half an hour later, add the green papayas and let them cook till soft. Season this with salt and pepper or fish sauce if you like. Before serving, add the chili leaves, give it a stir and leave it for about 5 minutes. In our home, we use fish sauce with or without chili peppers or soy sauce as a dipping sauces. Good meal. Good soup.

Pork Chops in Ketchup & Soy Sauce

2008-07-29T23:47:00.007+08:00

Pork chops....so many ways of having it done. I'm planning on taking on the many versions. Most of the people i know, eat this the traditional way of it being seasoned with salt and pepper then fried. Dipped in vinegar and garlic or with gravy..it's good eats. I usually have my pork chops coated in bread crumbs, with or without herbs then deep fried. My wife introduced this version to me. I just suddenly had this version in my lunch box one day and I've enjoyed it ever since. It's also simple to make as i later found out. All this requires is a marinade of ketchup, calamansi, soy sauce and some water. Cook this in the marinade till tender and that's it. This was taken by my office window just before lunch.

Yummy Picadillo

2008-07-28T22:05:00.003+08:00

This one dish that is quick and easy to do. There are many variations using more than just carrots and potatoes and i think they also taste good. I prefer the simple version though, just ground meat or in this case ground chicken, potatoes and carrots. The eggs i added because i think it goes well with it. Ground pork is usually used for this, but i prefer the flavor of ground chicken. All this needs is minced garlic, a chopped onion, ground meat (chicken, pork or beef), carrots and potatoes, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Saute the garlic, followed by the onions then the ground chicken, season with S&P and let it cook till no longer pink. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 pack of tomato sauce. Add some sugar if you like it a bit sweet. Boil some eggs and serve it with the Picadillo. Goes well with rice or bread or just as is!

Stir Fried Chicken

2008-07-28T12:32:00.013+08:00

I have always been apprehensive about stir frying chicken without any dark sauce or tomato sauce. My few attempts in the past always ended up lacking any flavor or having a flavor i didn't like. With my previous blunders in mind, i used a fusion of ingredients to make sure i do not fall short in the flavor category. The way i usually cook, is i rarely taste what i cook till near the end, way past the point of no return, i just smell it as i cook. I know it's a bad practice which could lead to disaster, but so far any disasters have been minimal and still edible. ;)

With this i used garlic (lots), ginger (about a thumb), lemongrass 4 inner cores, 1 red bell pepper, 1 finger chili, chopped onion leeks (1/2 inch), chopped celery (1/2 inch + leaves), coarsely chopped coriander and basil, 1 tbsp sea salt, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, cracked black pepper and 1 tsp of sugar. I marinated the chicken fillets (1/2 kilo) in salt, pepper, Chinese cooking wine, 2 egg whites and a tablespoon or cornstarch and left it for 1/2 hour before cooking.

I made this by sauteing the garlic and ginger till fragrant, then added the bell peppers and lemongrass followed by the chicken. At this point i added about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Let this cook till the chicken is no longer pink. Add salt, pepper, sugar and fish sauce. Moving on, i added the celery (leaves and stalks), coriander and basil. The finger chili was added in the end just to add a little bite. Let this simmer for about 15 minutes till the flavors really blend together. If this gets dry just add a little more water, i don't like my stir fries to be dry. The verdict? It tastes like a Thai, Chinese and Filipino dish. The dish called on the memory of my taste buds. The chicken was tender and carried lots of flavor, a total turn around from my previous attempts. One thing i wanted to do was to add mushrooms, but i was disappointed with quality i had so i skipped it. There will definitely be next time for this.

Calling this Stir Fried Chicken because it was "stir fried" is probably too overused. I am terrible in making up names, so i guess the best i can do is Peter's-Pan Stir Fried Chicken. :)

Chili Wraps

2008-07-26T19:29:00.006+08:00

We had a party last night for a friend that was getting married. Congratulations Mady! I volunteered to make Chicken Salpicao while the Chili Wraps was a dish prepared by my other friend Michelle, I just assisted in the frying and buying the ingredients. To make this, i bought about 300 grams of long green peppers/finger chilies or locally known as siling haba. That was about 30 pieces. I also bought cheese, ham and small spring roll wrappers. Remove the seeds by making a slit lengthwise on one side of the pepper. Wash this in water and let it drip for a while. Once dry, place slices of ham and cheese inside, then wrap in spring roll wrappers. Fry till golden brown.

When handling spicy peppers, never make the mistake of touching your face and always wash your hands well after. For those not fond of spicy food, this will probably still be too hot. For those that love spicy food, it might be too mild. For me, it's spicy, but not too hot. It just lingers enough, waiting to be quenched by a sip of cold beer or a spoonful of rice.

Must Be Mom's

2008-07-23T06:35:00.001+08:00

I’m going to classify newly found food as Foodie Finds from now on. Okay, so I didn’t exactly find this since this was brought by my cousin. (Thanks Cris). But then, again, I didn’t know she brought something last Sunday till I found it in the fridge. So I guess I still “found” it. ;) My wife got hungry around 9pm so I went down to get her some soup that I made . I then noticed this half empty box of small ensaymadas. I took one piece and even if it was cold, it really tasted well, so I had another piece. I also got 2 pieces, heated them in the microwave and brought it up together with the soup. My wife enjoyed them as well. It’s a fluffy light ensaymada topped with what seemed like melted yema and cheese.
Apart from the Parmesan Ensaymada of Tender Trap, this is one that i really like and would consider a good gift for friends and a favorite snack.

CAV - Wine Shop - Cafe

2008-07-23T06:32:00.006+08:00

We had dinner at Silk at Serendra a few weeks ago and my friends suggested we go to CAV along Bonifacio High Street. CAV happens to be a wine bar. I am not a wine drinker, though I enjoy a couple every now and then, but most of the time I stick to cold beers, vodka or gin cocktails. That being said, apart from knowing that red goes with meat and white goes with fish or chicken, I knew very little.
When you enter CAV, you’ll immediately be faced with a row of wines that are ready to be sampled. They’ll give a card which is good per person or for your entire group. All you need to do is insert that card in a slot in the section of your preferred wine and choose whether you want a taste, which is about 20ml, half glass or a full glass. You select your choice as you would with a vendo machine. The prices here vary from P35 for a taste to a couple hundred. Just by tasting, you could easily rack up P1000 in you card!

I'm not sure if this is the same as the CAV wine bar in San Francisco, but it is a very interesting concept of serving wine. If you’re interested in sampling wines and don’t know where to start, this would be a nice place to go to.

Chicken with Pork & Beans

2008-07-23T06:31:00.001+08:00

This is a quick meal to do and we've been having this way back before i learned to cook. I remember my used to use chicken feet for this dish, and it was delicious. Nowadays, we've switched to using chicken wings instead. I cooked this Sunday, and the photo above was all that was left for my lunch at the office.

To do this, just saute about a teaspoon of minced garlic in oil, add one chopped onion, then one chopped carrot, 1 chopped tomato, then the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and a tablespoon of soy sauce and continue to mix till it changes color. Add enough water to cover the chicken and let it cook till the meat is tender enough that it almost falls of the bone. Add 1 large can of Pork & Beans and 1 beaten egg. The addition of carrots, tomato and eggs is something i just thought of but originally we didn't use it. As i said, the photo above was all that was left... i guess they liked it. ;)

Chicken & Corn Soup V3

2008-07-23T06:26:00.005+08:00

Here's another take on Chicken & Corn soup. Actually, this is much more than just chicken and corn. This is a complete meal as a soup. The steps to do this are basically the same as Version 2 with a few additions. With this version, i added a large tomato, 1 large carrot and a couple of stalks and leaves of celery, all chopped. While this was cooking, i had some pasta ready to be added. I cooked this twice in one day since i had to give away the 1st batch and the 2nd we had for dinner. The first batch made use of spaghetti cut into about 1 inch lengths while the other made use of pasta shells. The pasta shells looked better, but didn't get the chance to take photos of it.
I dunno if there is going to be a version 4 or maybe by that time, the name should be changed already. All i know is, this just keeps getting better.

Chicken Lollipops w/ Rosemary & Lemongrass

2008-07-07T01:05:00.007+08:00

I guess I'm on a roll using Rosemary in my dishes lately. I really like the aroma it brings when you add it to food! Another thing that I've been using a lot of is Lemongrass, and like Rosemary imparts an aroma and flavor to liven up any dish. Chicken lollipops are readily available here in most major supermarkets, so no problem in acquiring that. The marinade is similar to my previous post except that i used Kecap Manis, added lots of finely minced garlic, salt, paprika, worcestershire sauce, dried rosemary and pounded lemongrass (the white inner core).

I used the leafy part of the lemongrass and tied it around the bone of the chicken lollipops. I then coated this in egg and flour then proceeded to deep fry it. The result are fragrant and crunchy chicken lollipops!

Buttered Rosemary Chicken

2008-07-07T00:03:00.008+08:00

Chicken fillets, one of the easiest thing to cook and in so many delicious ways. All this took is a marinade of soy sauce, lots of garlic, pepper, some sugar and rosemary. Two hours in the fridge is enough for this to absorb the marinade.

To do this, i just fried some minced garlic in butter, added sliced mushrooms followed by the chicken. After a while, i added about 1/2 a teaspoon of Rosemary. This was done in less then 30 minutes.

To compliment this, I made some mashed potatoes with butter, cheese, milk and corn.

Baked Spiral Pasta w/ Pepperoni & Salami

2008-06-24T00:00:00.009+08:00

Pasta....the many variations, how can you go wrong? Actually there are many ways, but let's skip that. ;) With this dish i made, everything was right and was even on time for dinner. I did this last Father's Day, and while i did get a lot pampering that day, i still wanted to do what i love doing, so they relented and let me cook for them. I opted to use Spirals since i always use spaghetti or other forms of it.

To do this, i used 5 minced cloves of garlic, 1 large onion, 1 large tomato, 1 large bell pepper (all three chopped), a can of sliced button mushrooms, 300 grams pepperoni, 300 grams salami, 1/2 kilo of ground chicken, 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp of dried basil, 1/2 tsp of dried thyme, 1/2 tsp of ground pepper, 1/2 tsp of paprika, lightly fried sliced hot dogs, sweet spaghetti sauce, a can of heavy cream, lots of cheese and chopped spring onions.

In hot oil, i cooked the garlic till fragrant, added the onions, the tomatoes, bell pepper followed by the mushroom, sliced pepperoni and salami (about a 100 grams each) then the ground chicken. Let this cook till no longer pink then add the ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, basil and thyme. After a few minutes, it really started to smell really good. I then added the spaghetti sauce and sliced hot dogs. Lightly simmer for a few minutes then turn of the heat then add the heavy cream and mix well.

Mix this with the pasta and place in a baking dish. Cover with pepperoni and salami ( i lightly fried mine or you can use an oven toaster). Top with lots and lots of cheese. Ideally, parsley should be used to finish this off, but since i forgot buy it, i used spring onions. I loved the way it turned out! Smelled great!

That's it! An instant hit, from the home to the office. A delicious Father's Day meal!

Chicken in Black Bean Sauce

2008-06-22T00:10:00.000+08:00

This is favorite of mine when eating at Chinese restaurants though the taste tends to be inconsistent. Well, when faced with dissatisfaction -- make your own. I didn't follow a recipe for this, i just used ingredients i thought they would use and let my taste buds guide me.

I started by marinating the chicken (mostly thigh fillets) in corn starch, Chinese cooking wine, cracked black pepper, 1 egg white and a few tablespoons of bottled garlic black bean sauce. I left it for about 30 minutes then proceeded to saute garlic and onions followed by a sliced bell pepper. I then added the chicken, some some soy sauce and let it simmer till the chicken was cooked. As i always want this accompanied by some veggies, i blanched some Chinese kangkong and place it a plate and covered it with the chicken.

Another way of doing this is coating the chicken in flour and deep frying it, extra black bean sauce is added onto the sauteed garlic, onions and bell pepper. Pour over the chicken when done. Either way, is good!

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

2008-06-21T22:40:00.001+08:00

Didn't know that i could make cheese on my own. Some online research showed me the way and this is one thing that I'll try with different kinds of milk and herbs. Amy from Eggs On Sunday, provides a good step by step procedure on how to do this. For this, i used cow's milk and added fresh sweet basil to some. This and hot bread go well together. I'm really curious of what the results will be if i use it on pizza. I guess, that's going to be another post. :)

Asparagus & Kailan Leaves in Mushroom Oyster Sauce

2008-06-12T23:26:00.000+08:00

Coming up with a name for this dish apart from describing its contents was more difficult that cooking the dish itself. I'm not a big fan of vegetables, but it's essential for someone my age and I'd like to set a good example for my daughter.

This is good on its own, but for meat lovers, this can serve as a side dish. Just saute some minced garlic and chopped onions in butter and oil followed by you choice of mushrooms ( i used sliced button mushrooms) then add oyster sauce. Let this cook for about 5 minutes. Boil some water and blanch the asparagus and kailan leaves. Transfer the blanched asparagus and leaves onto a plate and cover the mushroom and oyster sauce mixture. Done!

Burger & Fries

2008-05-16T22:50:00.000+08:00

This is the third in a line of ground beef dishes. Just like the meatballs, this uses the same ingredients. I just formed them into patties, grilled them and topped it with caramelized onions. Best served with fries. :)

Spaghetti & Meatballs

2008-04-28T22:31:00.004+08:00

Coming from the same batch i used for the Salisbury Steak, i made meatballs to go with this spaghetti sauce with basil. The many uses of ground beef! For the sauce i used ground chicken, garlic, onions, tomato sauce, sweet basil, salt, pepper and hot dogs. (It's a Pinoy thing. Specially when you have a 3 year begging for hot dogs!)

Steamed Tausi Spareribs

2008-04-28T22:18:00.005+08:00

A favorite of mine when eating at Chinese restaurants! An order of this, 2 cups of white rice and lots and lots of chili garlic sauce! Found this terrific recipe at Jaden's Steamy Kitchen. Don't you just love the Internet?! Now i can enjoy this at home. It's really easy to cook, just marinade the spareribs for about and hour and steam! I really like the sauce, so i cooked the marinade separately to be poured over hot rice! Yum!

Steamed Spareribs with Tausi (Black Bean) Sauce

Salisbury Steak

2008-04-22T22:11:00.004+08:00

Here at home, we've been making our own burgers for a long time but always ate it with a bun. I've always enjoyed Salisbury Steaks, it just seemed right that i try to do this at home.
Details to follow.

Mango Crabstick Salad

2008-04-22T21:43:00.006+08:00

Adapted from the Mango and Lobster Salad of Rasa Malaysia (great presentation!). Since lobster isn't readily available in the market i go to and the fact that it's kinda pricey, this can serve as an alternative till i get to use lobster. I used a mango that wasn't ripe enough so this didn't turn out as good as i wanted. I still have a couple of mangoes in the fridge and I'll do this again this weekend. The mangoes should be ripe enough and sweet by then. This is really easy to do, just mix mangoes, crabsticks, cream, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and honey plus a few sweet basil leaves and stick it in the fridge. I can't wait to do it again!

Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken

2008-04-02T23:26:00.007+08:00

I was really in the mood for something spicy but really didn't want any of the usual, i wanted to experiment. I've always loved chili garlic sauce together with Chinese dishes and really consume a lot when i eat at a Chinese restaurant, so i really wanted that to be part of the ingredients. Lately I've been really interested in Thai dishes and curries and even bought a Kaffir Lime Tree.

I already decided that I'd use fried chicken thighs for the dish, for the sauce i just followed my nose and my taste buds.

For the sauce, i melted butter in a pan, added mined garlic, grated ginger, 3 tbsp of red curry paste, 1 tbsp of chili garlic, about 1/4 cup soy sauce, cracked black pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp of peanut oil, 1 cup water with corn starch and spring onions. (For more heat, add chili peppers)

This experiment is a keeper and will do again. I think it'll go well with anything fried.

Spinach with Garlic and Baby Corn

2008-03-17T22:24:00.006+08:00

This was inspired by one of the 30 minute meals Rachel Ray did in her show i just added a couple of things. Details to follow.

Ground Chicken and Eggs

2008-03-17T22:01:00.004+08:00

I remember seeing a picture of something similar online but had no recipe so i just decided to recreate it based on what it looked like. Apart from the ground chicken and eggs i had to come up with the rest of the ingredients. I started with the basics, minced garlic, chopped onions then added chopped bell peppers then the ground chicken. After making sure the chicken was cooked i added about 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 1/2 cup Lee Kum Kee Chicken Marinade. I used 1/2 kilo of ground chicken and sometimes i end up adding more soy sauce and chicken marinade depending on my preference for the day. Season with cracked black pepper. Once this is all mixed and brown, add 2 beaten eggs and mix well. Top with scrambled eggs and you're ready to go.

This was done in half an hour, and is really easy.

Lemongrass Chicken

2008-03-13T00:08:00.004+08:00

This recipe was taken from Rasa Malaysia.

Beef Curry

2008-03-12T23:47:00.004+08:00

This recipe was taken from the December 2007 issue of Yummy Magazine (page 47).

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 to 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1 (4-inch long) fresh red chili, thinly sliced crosswise
3/4 kilo beef short ribs, cooked in water till tender
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis)
1 tablespoon (or more, to taste) fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
cubed potatoes and carrots (not in the recipe but in the photo in the magazine)

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the curry paste, lime leaves and chili. Saute and keep stirring till fragrant. Add the beef and coat with the curry.

2. Pour in coconut milk, chicken broth, brown sugar, fish sauce and lime juice and simmer stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and scallions; simmer for about a minute more

3. Serve among 4 bowls and serve immediately with rice.

I didn't faithfully stick to the recipe but it was good guide and the results were terrific. I didn't have lime juice so i used a lemon, i used a lot more than 1 to 2 tablespoons of curry, i used an entire pack. Instead of chicken broth, i added kneecaps while boiling the beef and used that as the broth. In my opinion, kaffir lime leaves are essential instead of optional. To control the heat, remove the seeds of the chilies or use long green chilies instead of red.

Kaffir Leaves which are essential to this dish are available at Chef's Nook and Rustan's Powerplant. For a Kaffir tree, you can get one at Manila Seedling for around P350.

Strawberry Cocktail

2008-03-12T23:38:00.006+08:00

I like putting cherries and cherry syrup in Absolut Kurant vodka, but since i didn't have vodka, nor cherries - some freshly picked strawberries, GSM Premium, Strawberry Wine (tastes like juice) and Sprite was a good replacement.Something for the cold weather.

Strawberry Farms not Strawberry Fields

2008-03-12T22:42:00.011+08:00

I've been to Baguio many times and i was always told that the Strawberry Fields was just a few minutes away and we could pick the strawberries ourselves. I found out that the Strawberry Fields that was being mentioned was a Club along Marcos Highway. A different kind of picking.
For real strawberries, head over to La Trinidad about 30 to 45 minutes away depending on the traffic. You can pick your own strawberries and just pay for them on your way out. The farms have different owners so just pick one that allows you to do your own picking. Here you'll find everything strawberry, strawberry wine, strawberry juice, strawberry taho, strawberry key chains, etc. You'll also find some nice fresh lettuce.

Some are just ripe for picking and some are not. The farm we first went to was just recently picked. You have to go to the farms further back to get to pick your own.
My little girl didn't want to touch the strawberries at first.

Strawberry Taho. Interesting, but i like my taho hot and plain.
Lots of nice looking lettuce around as well. Now, if only brought a nice vinaigrette. :)
Lots and lots of vinaigrette. ;)
So if you want to go here, remember...Strawberry Farms, not fields.

Buttered Potatoes and French Green Beans

2007-12-05T12:15:00.001+08:00

I was in the grocery and saw this pack of french green beans which really looked good. I've never used these kind of beans before. I planned to just blanch it and sauté in garlic and butter. After blanching it i remembered the garlic spread i made and decided to use it instead. I also got a bag of marble potatoes and boiled them till cooked. I used the method of Connie of Pinoycook minus the parsley since the garlic spread already contained parsley. I sautéed both the beans and potatoes separately in the garlic spread and springkled dried rosemary over the potatoes.

The beans were crisp and the potatoes were really tasty. I added some fresh tomatoes and it was done. Great as a side dish and even on its own.

Garlic Bread

2007-11-28T12:36:00.001+08:00

As far as i can remember, I've always liked garlic bread. I enjoy eating this with pasta, coffee or just as is. I used to buy garlic bread, but now i just buy the bread and make the spread myself. Once this comes out of the oven it stays crunchy even when cold. It's really easy to do. All you need is garlic, butter and parsley. Other herbs can be added depending on your taste.

I used a food processor to make this but a sharp knife will do.

Finely mince the garlic and parsley. Add the softened butter to the garlic and parsley and mix well.
Spread on your favorite bread. I use baguettes and slice them at the center.
A few minutes in the oven and you'll have fragrant and crunchy garlic bread.

Chicken and Corn Soup V2

2007-11-27T18:21:00.001+08:00

I had a lot raves from my family when i last did this and i wanted to do it again with a few changes. I've read several times about using ham bones and since i like ham, i might as well give it a try. My wife dropped by the grocery to look for cherry tomatoes when i remembered that there was i Majestic Ham stall over there. I asked her to purchase a couple of bones so that i could use it for soup.To make the broth, i cracked the bones in half and simmered it in water and added a whole peeled onion, carrots, peppercorns and spring onions. Once this started to boil, the aroma of the ham bones filled the kitchen. It smelled good! I let it boil for about an hour while i prepared the chicken thigh fillets, corn, chopped ham, garlic, mushrooms and milk. I sauteed the garlic, ham and mushrooms followed by the chicken fillets and when the broth was ready, i added it to the chicken. At this point, it's already good enough to eat as clear soup but i prefer it to be creamy so i added a can of milk and 2 beaten eggs.
I mentioned in the previous version of this soup that it was the best soup I've done. That was then, now this new version using ham bones is the best I've done. I have couple of more ideas for soups using ham bones. I can't wait to see if i can do better. :)

Delicious Dip

2007-11-27T07:46:00.000+08:00

We had a post birthday party about a month ago and while we had our regular assigned dishes to bring, our host, Ellen served this delicious dip that we could not get enough of. After the party, i immediately got a request from Tina (my wife) to recreate it.

We were at my in-laws when i did this, i asked Ellen about the ingredients and how to do it. I was able to make four dips, 3 small ones and one large dip. Serve this with chips and before you realize it, you'll be scraping the bottom of the dish with your last remaining chip.

To do this, you'll need cream cheese, pitted black olives, spiced ham, tomatoes, tomato sauce and quick melting cheese. Dice the olives, ham and tomatoes.

At the bottom of the dish put the cream cheese then add the olives, ham and tomatoes layer by layer then add tomato sauce then top with lots of quick melting cheese. Just use a microwave or a regular oven to heat this till the cheese melts and you're ready to dip away!

Thanks Ellen!

Lung Center Sunday Market

2007-11-26T00:21:00.000+08:00

First time at the Lung Center Sunday Market and contrary to the advice of many, i arrived at around 9:30 am. Parking sucks. Well, if your a bit patient, you could park in about 15 minutes.

The calling of grilled seafood.

Taba ng Talangka (Crab Fat) was offered a couple of times. More like it was shoved near my face. I just smiled politely and refused while thinking about pouring the contents of the bottle over hot steaming rice and shocking my arteries into overdrive.

I also discovered a "new" fruit. Hehe

Nice flowers and plants were abound. My Mom bought a couple of plants she's been trying to grow for quite a while now. There was also a stall that sold used hardbound books and a couple of cookbooks. Nothing really caught my eye and i already had some of the books.

Small Koi fish were also being sold. A lot of kids crowded this small space. Really nice to look at.

Another sight which attracted a lot of kids were these birds. The kids started shouting when a bird got free. The men at that stall started to scramble for the bird. Too bad they caught it. I barely caught the commotion with my camera.

Really a busy morning at the market. This was a really interesting market and deserves another visit. Maybe next time we'll go earlier.

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Asparagus & Cheese

2007-10-09T00:05:00.000+08:00

II was planning to do bread with asparagus and cheese but ended up with this. It started to rain hard when i realized i didn't have any bread for what i had planned. I just had to think of something else, and i was not disappointed.

I got a couple pieces of chicken breast, made a pocket and stuffed it with asparagus and cheese. Seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, soy sauce and dipped it in bread crumbs and egg then off to the fryer. The result was really good. The chicken was juicy and the asparagus and cheese made it complete. Too bad i only made two pieces. My original plan required the chicken to be cut into pieces and not cooked whole. No regrets though, it's definitely something worth doing again.

Fried Lapu-Lapu in Garlic Sauce

2007-10-02T00:08:00.000+08:00

To the detriment of my wife's diet - this can be aptly called a diet breaker. :)

Why oh why did i cook something that goes terrific with rice!

While we usually have steamed Lapu-Lapu, i asked if they wanted something different this time. Ages ago, we had something like this but the recipe was lost and when i was supposed to do some online research our phone line died (DSL please!). With less than an hour before lunch time, i just had to try something. While the fish was being fried, i started to see if i could make the sauce. I chopped lots of garlic and grated maybe an inch of ginger. In hot oil, i sauteed the ginger and garlic, added about 2 tbsps of cooking wine, some soy sauce, oyster sauce, water, corn starch and sweet chili sauce. I was done in an hour and i knew they liked it, they requested it again for dinner. I also noticed that my wife was smiling.....she had rice. :)

With results like this....i just love cooking! :)

Chicken & Corn Soup

2007-10-01T23:48:00.000+08:00

The photo could be a lot better but the soup was the best i've done so far.

Getting this done required chicken soup bones, chicken fillets, garlic, onions, spring onions, carrots, mushrooms, corn, cream, milk and eggs. I boiled 3/4 kilos of chicken soup packs with salt, pepper, carrots and spring onions. After checking if the bones have imparted their flavor to the broth, i took out the chicken and stripped the meat. In another pot, i thinly sliced chicken breast and thigh fillet, sauteed them in garlic and onions, then added the meat from the bones and some sliced button mushrooms. I stirred for a while then added the broth (with the carrots, etc) followed by corn, cream and milk. Let it boil for a while for the flavors to mix then add a couple of eggs. Adjust the flavors with salt and pepper.

This soup is quite filling and comforting.

Stir Fried Shrimp in Sweet Chili Sauce

2007-09-24T23:58:00.000+08:00

In response to the dumplings my wife made, i made one of her favorite dishes.

To do this dish, remove the shell and clean the shrimp in water until the water becomes clear. Add salt and water to the shrimp and leave for about 15 minutes. Next, drain the water and add 1 tbsp of chinese cooking wine, 1 tsp of cornstarch and 1 egg white and a few drops of cooking oil.

Heat a pan with oil and quickly stir in the shrimp. Once the shrimp has changed color, add some sweet chili sauce and stir for a few more minutes till cooked. If you want this spicy, just add your favorite chili pepper or chili sauce. Great with rice!

Fried Dumplings

2007-09-24T23:53:00.000+08:00

I woke up late last Saturday and i was delighted to see what my wife prepared. She actually did Molo soup and steamed and fried dumplings. Some garlic chili sauce and this is perfect.

Amici di Don Bosco

2007-09-24T23:37:00.000+08:00

This has been around for a couple of years but it's only this year that i was able to eat there. Fortunately i work near Amici and can go there anytime. Going there at lunch time is a killer, it's really packed. It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and my treat was overdue.

Birthday At Cibo

2007-09-24T23:07:00.000+08:00

It was my Mom's birthday and we brought her to Cibo at Trinoma. Though she knows of Margarita Fores, i think this is the first time i brought her to one of her restaurants. Upon seeing the menu, she was excited to see such appetizing salads, which she really loves.

We had the Insalata di Mare salad, Rigatoni Alfonso pasta and Porciutto de Parma pizza.

My mom also got a birthday cake!

Chili Crabs V2

2007-09-19T13:26:00.000+08:00

Doing this dish from buying it to eating it was such an adventure! A friend of mine told me about a place he found along coastal road that sold seafood. After having breakfast near the bay walk, having my daughter run and play and then hear mass, we decided to look for this place which I assumed to be a small fish port. A few minutes along coastal road after Uniwide Coastal Mall, we saw a couple of old worn out huts along the shore. When we parked, I realized that the place seemed familiar to me, though I recall it to look a lot better. There were also a few other people that just arrived. As they stepped out of the car, they had big baskets with them. They were ready, and I had a small Styrofoam ice box. :)

It was noon when we got there and smell around the place was pretty intense, but since I’m no stranger to that being used to wet markets, I adjusted after a couple of minutes. There weren’t that many selling seafood, I guess it’s because most of the dealings there happen early in the morning. What was available were, lapu-lapu (grouper), squids, bangus (milkfish), alimango (mud crab), prawns and a couple of other fish varieties. I went there with the intent to buy prawns which I was told was pretty cheap. However, this market being quite far from where I live, I decided to make the most out of the trip. I bought a kilo of medium sized prawns for 180/k, 3 1 kilo groupers for 150/k and 100/k and mud crabs for 180/k which I bought 2. Cleaning the fish was charged P10 per fish, though I suggest if you know how to clean a fish, to just clean it at home.

Since the fish port was on the south bound lane of road, I had to go through the toll gate to get on the opposite lane. When I was paying the toll fee, I told the lady at the booth that I was immediately turning back and asked for the nearest u-turn slot. She told me that there was one before the barrier. I didn’t realize that the small gap between the orange cones was what she meant and before I knew it, I was already passing the barrier and had no choice but to go all the way to the end and make my u-turn there. Since it was a Sunday, there was hardly any traffic and the trip was fun since I kept telling my daughter that the crabs escaped and were crawling in the car floor. First time I said that, I saw my wife with her feet up as well. :)

When we got home, we had lunch and slept for a while, it was a fun and tiring morning after all. I got up around 3pm and proceeded to “process” the crabs. I should’ve paid attention to Marketman’s suggestions when choosing crabs, because one of the crabs died ahead of schedule. The other one was very alive and very active. This time, I followed Marketman’s instructions on cleaning the crabs.

After cleaning and quartering the crab, I noticed that the tip of the knife I used was missing. This was a cause of concern and I started looking for the tip in the sink and the crab. Needless to say, it’s potentially deadly if the tip was left somewhere and cooked with the crab. Our maid was on her day off and I had to text her whether the knife was missing the tip even before I used it. I sent her a text message and she replied about half an hour later and to my relief, she said that it had broken off quite some time ago. I never noticed this since I prefer to use a cleaver.

Upon reading a few recipes from marketmanila.com, theworldwifegourmet.com and visitsingapore.com, I came up with a combination that I thought was good for our taste. I am the only one who can really stand spicy food at our home so I had to manage the spiciness of the dish. I’m not a real fan of crabs either, but I know my wife and mom really like it, so I’m basically cooking this for them.

I started with sautéing grated ginger, minced garlic, chopped onion & coriander, minced chilies and one bunch of lemongrass. I then added water and placed the crabs in the pot. Next, I added tomato paste, salt and pepper. I mixed the crabs a bit for the sauce to cover it and left it till it was cooked. When the crabs were cooked, I added cornstarch and a beaten egg followed by onion leeks and spring onions. After a minute or so, it was ready to be served.

The claw crackers and those pointed little things which are used to get the crab meat from small places were ready. Forget about the spoon and fork, your hands are the best tools to enjoy this dish. Though I did crack the claws prior to cooking, I didn’t crack it to the point of it breaking off easily. A claw cracker is still needed for this. My wife asked for my help in cracking a claw and as I cracked it for her, I pressed too hard and broke the claw in half, splattering all the sauce inside onto the table and my shirt. Eating crabs should mean newspapers on the table for an easy clean up afterwards, good thing the table cloth was due for cleaning and me, a bath. :)

Really an adventure, really a good meal!

Potato Pie & Fried Fish Fillets

2007-09-19T13:03:00.000+08:00

Working with leftovers is sometimes difficult but can bring about terrific results!

This dish brings together, forgotten frozen beef, potatoes, an old can (not expired) of shitake mushrooms and leftover fish fillets in cream sauce.

To bring this dish together, i sauteed garlic, onions, chopped shitake mushrooms and ground beef together. I then added some soy sauce then, sliced button mushrooms and a can of mushroom soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. When this was cooked i placed it in a deep glass dish and topped it with mashed potatoes loaded with cheese.

The fish was already seasoned, being part of different dish, i just wiped of the cream and fried it. The sauce of the fish seemed to be loaded with cracked pepper.

It's a good match!

We just call it "Tuhod"

2007-06-09T23:33:00.000+08:00

Thinking of what my entry would be for Lasang Pinoy 18 was tough. Being my first entry, i was apprehensive when i saw that the theme would be Fiesta Food. I rarely go fiestas and have not been to one of the really big and popular ones. However, if fiesta really means a neighborhood party, then the dish above fits!

This is not for the health conscious. This will definitely add to your cholesterol count. Having said that - this deadly and delicious dish is something i always look forward to eating. This "Tuhod" is usually served during special occassions in a friend's house, and since they know we're all crazy about it, we get invited. Everytime this is served i try to come early - the early bird gets the marrow! For three years i tried to get the recipe but was discouraged to know that they use leaves only available in their garden, as well as forgetting to ask about it or forgetting to list it down. After finally getting to learn the recipe, i was happy to know that the leaves where not from a small plant which i assumed but rather from a big tree called Libas. Before that day, i had never heard of that tree and further research revealed two scientific names and they both claim to be Libas - Spondias pinnata & Salix Tetrasperma.

Anyway, eventually i cooked it and...of course i invited guests. It's basically shank and knee caps. I add kamto or flank steak so there is more meat. The dish calls for sauteed garlic, onions, ginger and tomatoes then slowly cooked shank, bone marrow and knee caps. Once tender, just add sinigang sampaloc mix or real sampaloc extracts, long green peppers, lemongrass and finally a whole bunch of Libas leaves.

Stir Fried Peppered Squid

2007-06-09T23:28:00.000+08:00

A dish that usually surprises my friends is this one. Most of them are used to grilled squid, sizzling squid, calamares or adobong pusit. So, seeing this dish with lots of cracked black pepper was puzzling. That was then, now it's a favorite request.

Ingredients:

1 large squid (Lumot)
Freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 tbsp of sugar
1/2 cup of 7-Up
Salt
Oil
Oyster Sauce

Procedure:

Peel the squid, scrub with salt and rinse with water. Slice the squid into 1" x 1/2" or square or whatever preference you like. I use about half a cup of cracked black pepper for this. Add half a cup of 7-Up and 1/2 tsbp of sugar. Leave this for about an hour.

Get a wok heated with oil and prepare to stir fry this really quickly. For those who are not familiar with stir frying, you can check Stir Frying Basics by Connie of Pinoycook. Squid gets tough when cooked too long and for this dish we want it to be tender. I literally count 90 seconds when stir frying this. Anything longer and chances are you'd end up eating rubber. If this happens, the options i've thought of is too cut it into really small pieces or use the food processor and turn it into either squid balls or an omellete. You basically just have to half cook it to achieve the desired results. After 90 seconds or so, remove the squid and cook the marinade. Plate the squid, pour the cooked marinade and sprinkle some oyster sauce.

For those that are hesistant because of the cracked black pepper, the addition of 7-Up neutralizes this and isn't really spicy.

Try it. :)

Bulalo

2007-05-07T22:55:00.000+08:00

Adobong Pusit (Squid Adobo)

2007-05-07T22:54:00.000+08:00

One thing to remember when cooking squid is after you cook it, the squid reduces in size. When i buy squid, i get medium sized ones so when it shrinks it won't be too small. To do this dish, clean the squid thoroughly but not to the point of removing the ink. Remove the cuttlebone, the clear plastic like membrane. Sautee grated ginger (half a thumb), minced garlic (about 5 cloves), an onion and chopped tomatoes. Add the squid and add about 1/3 to half a cup of water depending on the amount of squid. Once the squid starts to cook, the liquids and ink will start to come out, so you don't want too much water. You can easily add water if it's too dry. Add about 1/4 cup of white vinegar and let it boil at low heat. Do not do this at high heat as the squid will toughen, and it would be like eating rubber. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. I like it a bit sweet so i add sugar. If you want this spicy, you can add long green chili peppers (siling haba). This should be done in about 15 minutes. Just like any dish, taste it and if it's good for you, it's good to go! :)

This really goes well with plain white rice.

Chicken Afritada

2007-05-07T22:52:00.000+08:00

Strawberries and Chocolates

2007-05-07T22:50:00.000+08:00

Catfish Mango Salad (Yum Pla Dook Foo)

2007-05-07T22:41:00.000+08:00

Ube (Violet Yam)

2007-02-10T23:29:00.000+08:00

Desserts are my wife's specialty. I'm really not a dessert person though lately i've been experimenting with making cakes. Making Ube from scratch is not easy and before we even bought those large roots i made sure my wife knew what she was getting into. Though i'm not really familiar with the steps on how to make ube halaya, i do know that it involves a lot of mixing. I wasn't feeling well that day and i wasn't even able to help her mix. I did however, give her hands and arms a massage later that evening. :)

The Ube turned out great! Just the right texture and sweetness.

Sweet & Sour Lapu-Lapu Fillet

2007-02-10T22:51:00.000+08:00

This is the other dish i prepared for dinner together with the Fried Lumpiang Togue. This morning, me and my wife went to the market to buy some Lapu-Lapu (Grouper), and also got some Bangus (Milkfish) and Tawilis (Sardinella). Two whole Lapu-Lapus were cooked into Steamed Soy Lapu-Lapu for lunch, while i had one deboned. I really wanted to cook Sweet & Sour Lapu Lapu for quite a while, and today, i just went for it.

One thing i usually do when cooking is i hardly measure the ingredients i put unless i'm following a recipe. If the dish, like this one, is something i read about or am familiar with i just use my imagination and keep on tasting it while i cook.

With my version of Sweet & Sour Lapu-Lapu Fillet, i seasoned the fillet in salt and pepper then lightly coated it with corn starch and left it for about 20 minutes. I then dipped them in beaten eggs then flour and deep fried them till GBD (Golden Brown and Delicious - as Alton Brown would say).

For the sauce, in hot oil i added garlic, 1 red onion, slices of ginger, 1 bell pepper, some soy sauce, tomato sauce. After a minute or so, i some apple cider vinegar, water, carrots, tomatoes, pineapple tidbits, onion leeks and honey.

Everytime, i finish cooking, there's this feeling of anxiety when i call the family to eat. I always hope that they like what i prepared and waiting for a sign of approval is something i silently do. Well, eating a lot of it definitely is a sign apart from "Sarap ah!". :)

Fried Lumpiang Togue (Spring Rolls)

2007-02-10T22:43:00.000+08:00

Lumpia is relatively easy do, but definitely easy to cook. When i sometimes can't figure out what to cook, it's comforting to know that i have this in the freezer. We made around 30 pieces this afternoon, had some for dinner and the rest went into the freezer.

Fried Asuhos (Silver Sillago)

2007-02-08T22:54:00.000+08:00

I attended a wedding anniversary party at Cafe Juanita and one of the dishes served was Fried Asuhos with crab fat. I'm not really a fish person, though i enjoyed eating this, though i'm not sure if it's because of the crab fat. ;)

Seeing some frozen Asuhos at Cold Storage in Rustan's Supermarket, i decided to do it myself, without the crab fat. I seasoned it with salt and pepper, some freshly squeezed lemon then covered it in flour, eggs and japanese bread crumbs.

We had this for dinner and was good even without the crab fat. Ketchup or pickled mayo will do.

Chicken, Ham & Potato Casserole

2007-02-08T22:29:00.000+08:00

I was stuck with lots of Christmas ham over the holidays and was thinking of recycling them into a different dish. I got inspiration from Connie of pinoycook.net when she did her Chicken, Ham & Potato Pie. I got some chicken fillet, Christmas ham and pepperoni sauteed them in butter with garlic, onion and bell pepper. Added a can of mushroom soup, topped it with mashed potatoes and cheese then straight to the oven for a few minutes. I brought some to the office and everyone enjoyed it!

Hotdogs with Basil in Ketchup

2007-02-04T23:39:00.000+08:00

This dish can easily pass for a meal or "pulutan". I had a lot hotdog leftovers from my daughter's birthday party and decided to turn it into something a little more interesting. I got this from a friend a couple of years ago and have been making it eversince. It's basically sliced hotdogs sauteed in butter and onions mixed with dried parsley, paprika and ketchup. If you want it spicy, just add some chili powder/peppers/sauce.

Mangga at Bagoong

2007-02-04T23:22:00.000+08:00

If there's one appetizer that really gets my family's appetite going, it has to be semi-ripened mangoes and fermented shrimp paste or locally known as the popular "mangga at bagoong".

Pizza Night

2006-12-11T23:37:00.000+08:00

A crunchy crust, lotsa pepperoni, some sliced ham, minced garlic, chopped onions, grated cheese, chopped bell peppers and homemade pizza sauce equals - Pizza Night!

Asparagus Omelette

2006-12-10T01:11:00.000+08:00

Basically the same as the Asparagus in butter and garlic except that i added some dried basil leaves and eggs. A little twist and you have a new delicious dish.

Choco Walnut Cake

2006-12-10T01:02:00.000+08:00

Baking a cake was the furthest thing in my mind after a cheesecake disaster i had a few years ago. A recipe posted by Connie of Pinoycook kinda gave me hope and had me looking for the ingredients yesterday. The result -- good....but can be improved on. I think i should change the kind of chocolate i used.

Chicken Salpicao

2006-11-06T00:24:00.000+08:00

This was taken from the Magnolia fillets cuts recipe flyer. I just adjusted for twice the amount of chicken. Delicious and definitely doing it again!

Marinade the chicken in seasoning, worcestershire sauce and hot sauce for about 10 minutes. Saute some sliced garlic in butter then set aside. Drain the chicken, saute some minced garlic in butter, add the chicken. When cooked, add the marinade and mix till cooked. Add the toasted garlic.

Pinaputok na Tilapia

2006-11-06T00:18:00.000+08:00

This was the companion of the Inihaw na Liempo. I was really in a grilling mood. To do this, you need to clean the fish, make a few slits on the side, add salt and pepper, then stuff the belly with, onions, tomatoes and coriander. Wrap it in banana leaves and grill till done! Great with soy sauce, pepper, calamansi as dipping sauce.

Inihaw na Liempo

2006-11-06T00:11:00.000+08:00

Surprised my wife with this a few nights ago. She was just thinking of buying some. There are so many marinades for Inihaw na Liempo. Some common ones are - soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and pepper or soy sauce, ketchup, 7-up or vinegar, garlic and pepper. Different marinades, so many choices. You could also keep it simple and just add salt and pepper and let the natural flavors of the pork do the rest. For this dish, i used worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic and pepper. I cooked the pork in the marinade first for a few minutes before putting it on the grill. If you want this to be spicy, just add your choice of chili peppers or chili sauce to the marinade.

Steamed Asparagus in Butter and Garlic

2006-11-06T00:07:00.000+08:00

Very simple delicious dish of steamed asparagus that is quickly fried in butter with garlic.

Wash the asparagus and steam till tender. Season with salt and cracked black pepper.

In a pan, saute some garlic in butter. Add the steamed asparagus and mix for about a minute.

That's it!

Coconut Prawns

2006-11-06T00:05:00.000+08:00

At first my wife didn't like the idea of dessicated coconuts and prawns. That changed quickly after the first bite. :)

Steamed Soy Lapu-Lapu

2006-11-05T23:58:00.000+08:00

Another dish from my Mom's birthday. We had a seafood party. Rub the fish with salt, let it stay for a while and rinse. Steam the Lapu-Lapu until cooked. For the sauce, just mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, some water, sugar, ginger, a small onion, onion leeks, chives leaves, minced garlic and sesame oil and cook it for a while. Pour over the steamed Lapu-Lapu. Simple and yummy.

Chili Garlic Crab

2006-11-05T23:53:00.000+08:00

I did this for my Mom's birthday. This is something she's been craving for a long time.

Cheddar Cheese Soup

2006-11-05T23:48:00.001+08:00

I just love cheese!
Too bad it was too rich for my baby daughter.

Ginataang Kalabasa

2006-06-22T13:56:00.000+08:00

This has to be one of my favortie vegetable dishes. I never imagined one day i'd admit to such a thing. :)

Bistek

2006-06-22T13:43:00.000+08:00

Bistek or Filipino Beef Steak. Fairly common dish among Filipino households and surely one of the favorites. The only thing different i do, is i use sukiyaki cuts for this.

Kailan Leaves in Oyster Sauce

2006-06-21T00:11:00.000+08:00

Kalian leaves with oyster sauce mixed with crabsticks. Blanch the leaves and set aside. Saute some minced garlic and chopped onions, stir in your favorite oyster sauce, add the crabsticks, then the Kailan leaves.

Kung Pao Chicken

2006-06-21T00:04:00.000+08:00

Found this recipe for Kung Pao chicken. It turned out well but i think there is still room for improvement.

Kangkong Leaves in Teriyaki Sauce

2006-06-20T23:57:00.000+08:00

Blanched kangkong leaves mixed with teriyaki sauce, carrots, tofu, fish tofu and lobster balls.

Osso Buco

2006-06-20T23:44:00.000+08:00

I wanted to plate this but everyone was just hungry that i only had time to take 2 photos. I finished cooking at 9 in the evening.

It's been a while since i've posted here and thanks to some informative food blogs, i was able to finally cook Osso Buco.

Thanks Marketman!

Chicken ala Sandy Daza

2005-09-04T15:25:00.000+08:00

Thank you Sandy Daza for this one! I don't remember when this recipe came out. I do know i still wasn't interested in cooking then, just eating. ;)

You'll need a cup of mayo, a cup of ketchup and a cup of parmesan cheese. Add 1/4 tsp of black ground pepper and salt. A tbsp of Knorr seasoning and worcestershire sauce and 1-2 tbps of prepared mustard. Mix together with chicken and cook for about an hour then bake for about 10-15 minutes.

For those who don't like mayo, ketchup and mustard - i have friends who absolutely detest those 3 condiments, but liked the dish.

The sauce also works well as a dip for chips.

Chicken Parmagiana

2005-09-04T15:18:00.000+08:00

This is a dish my wife cooked. Easily one of my favorties from now on!

Chicken Pork Adobo

2005-07-22T22:38:00.000+08:00

Yup, that's adobo in the pic. And yes, those are potatoes and carrots.

There must be a hundred or more ways to cook adobo and this is just my way. (or at least one of them) ;)

Ever remember having been told to eat vegies when you were a kid and not just meat? Well, i was one of those kids who shunned vegies and was practically carnivorous. I love adobo, both chicken and pork. However, now i've accepted the importance of vegetables, so as a sort of compromise i added a couple of vegies to my adobo. :)

Golden Garlic Fish Fillet

2005-07-22T01:32:00.000+08:00

Yesterday i was able to buy a couple of kilos of surgeonfish fillet. I usually just make a batter made of flour and eggs, dip the fish, fry and serve. This time i decided to mix in garlic and margarine resulting in a very tasty dish.

Spicy Buttered Chicken

2005-07-13T00:38:00.000+08:00

A friend of mine liked this dish from a restaurant called Inihaw Circle, he requested that i recreate it. The original dish is really spicy, loaded with chopped long green peppers and labuyos. My version made use of bell peppers. I also used japanese bread crumbs. I usually use deboned chicken breast for this, though regular chicken pieces are also ok. When my friend asked me to recreate this, i told him no problem, just buy the ingredients. He bought 3 whole chickens! It took me 3 hours to finish cooking.

deboned chicken breasts - cut into strips
eggs
flour
japanese bread crumbs
bell pepper (more colors liven it up)
oil
butter
paprika
salt
pepper
worcestershire sauce

1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and worcestershire sauce. Set aside for at least an hour.

2. Roll the chicken in flour, then egg, then japanese bread crumbs.

3. Fry the chicken strips till golden brown and set aside. It's easier to fry chicken fillet than those with bones.

4. Melt butter and add the chopped bell peppers. Stir for a few minutes then add paprika.

5. Put the fried strips with the butter/bell peppper. Mix it thouroughly to spread the butter and peppers.

6. Serve immediately.

* this recipe is also posted at http://pinoyfoodtalk.net

A Food Blog??

2005-07-13T00:19:00.000+08:00

Starting a food blog sure is fun, however having good content is something i need to work on. :)

This means i really need to work on my recipes. ;)

Let's just see where this takes me. :)