Recipe: Homemade Chaosansi

Made famous by canned Gulong brand of sautéed bamboo shoots, here’s my take of Chaosansi using canned shoots instead of fresh ones because I find them too tough. If you want to use the fresh ones, make sure to boil them in water for 20 minutes or so to soften them a bit. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp minced onion

1 tsp minced garlic 

100g pork strips or ground pork 

or tofu if vegan

250g canned bamboo shoots, julienned 

1 small carrot, shedded 

2-3 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked, cut into strips when softened (reserve liquid)

Chili flakes

SAUCE:

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

Sesame oil

1. Sauté 1 tsp minced onion, 1 tsp minced garlic in vegetable oil. 
2. Add 100g pork strips or ground pork (or tofu strips if vegan) and mushrooms. 
3. Sauté until lightly browned and a bit dry. 
4. Add the reserved mushroom liquid and the sauce. 
5. Mix again until the sauce is a reduced and adjust seasoning (salt) according to taste. 

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Recipe: One Pot Herbed Chicken with Broccoli and Mushrooms

One pot viand has always been my favorite practical way of serving family meals within a budget. Saves you time, money (depends on the ingredients), and dishes to wash. 

This one pot chicken meal is one of my family’s regular. I serve them several times a month and may differ a little in flavor with whatever available herbs that are on hand.  For this recipe, I’m using a mix of fresh Cuban and Italian oregano because I happen to have a lot of them in the garden. I haven’t been regularly pinching the tops. Sometimes I mix them with dried thyme which I added to the chicken rub in this recipe. I used a mix of canned button mushrooms and fresh shitake for that umami flavor. 

To make the creamy sauce, I opt to use a canned cream of mushroom soup rather than making a time consuming roux or bechamel. I then added some broccoli florets because I wanted it to be a complete meal with veggies. 

CREAMY ONE POT HERBED CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI AND MUSHROOMS 

Ingredients:

• 500-600g chicken cut ups
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. white pepper 
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. garlic powder 
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 100g button mushrooms, whole
• 80g fresh Shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1-1/4 cup water or chicken stock
• 5-8 small Cuban oregano leaves, chopped
• A few sprigs of Italian oregano, leaves only
• 150g broccoli florets
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup (I’m using Campbell’s)

1. Rub the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, thyme and garlic powder. Set aside.

2.In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some olive oil and brown the chicken pieces. 

3. Add the onions, garlic and the mushrooms. Stir until fragrant. 

4. Add 1-1/4 cup of water and the herbs and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat. 

5. Add the broccoli in the pot and let it simmer for two minutes more. 

6. Once chicken and broccoli is cooked and the liquid has slightly reduced, transfer the chicken and broccoli to a serving dish. 

7. With the remaining cooking liquid in the pot, add one can of cream of mushroom soup and stir until thoroughly mixed and slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt if needed. 

8. You may optionally add an additional 1/4 cup of cream at the end of the cooking to make a creamier sauce. 

9. Pour over the chicken and broccoli.

Happy eats! 

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Recipe: Lux-Nama Chocolates

If there’s such thing as a fan art, then this would be a fan recipe. Lol. 

Dark. Sinful. Hot. Luscious. Just like Mr  Morningstar himself  

Lux-Nama Chocolates.

These are Netflix’s Lucifer inspired silky smooth, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate ganache or popularly known as Nama chocolate. Usually made with two ingredients of fresh cream and premium dark chocolate, I added a smidge of brandy and dusted a kick of chili powder at the red bottoms of these ambrosial nuggets, reminiscent of his Louboutin shoes....

Now tell me, what is it that you truly desire? 😈

LUX-NAMA CHOCOLATE 

Ingredients:

Red Nama Chocolate:

• 100 g white chocolate
• 50ml.  heavy whipping cream (38% milk fat)
• Red food coloring (gel or paste)
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (not flakes)

Dark Nama Chocolate:

• 400 g semi sweet dark chocolate (at least 70%)
• 200ml heavy whipping cream (38% milk fat)
• 1 tablespoon brandy 
• Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
• Fine sea salt (optional)

1. Line an 8x8” square pan with non stick baking sheet. 
2. Chop the 100g of white chocolate in small pieces so it will melt easily in the hot cream. 
3. Pour the 50ml of whipping cream in a glass or metal bowl and heat over double boiler. Lower heat once the cream gets warm. Test with your finger. 
4. Add the chopped white chocolate pieces into the cream and using a wire whisk, stir the mixture until completely melted. Do not beat the mixture. Turn off heat. 
5. Add the red food coloring little by little until the desired shade is obtained. I don’t use liquid food color as it might “seize” the chocolate mixture. 
6. At this point, you may add 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder. You can omit this if you don’t like it. 
7. Pour this mixture into the prepared pan and spread at the bottom evenly. Give the pan a few taps on the table to make sure it’s even at the bottom. 
8. Chill in the refrigerator to harden this red chocolate layer while we make the dark Nama Chocolate. 
9. With the same procedure as the white chocolate, chop the 400g dark chocolate in small pieces. 
10. Heat the 200 ml. cream over double boiler and add the dark chocolate pieces in it to melt them.
11. Turn off heat and add the brandy. 
12. Remove the pan with red chocolate layer from the refrigerator and pour the dark chocolate mixture over it to create another thicker dark layer. Tap the pan to settle the chocolate evenly. 
13. Chill for at least 4-5 hours or overnight. 
14. To cut the chocolate, lift the nonstick sheet from the pan on to a chopping board. Trim the sides so it will have nice sharp corners. 
15. Cut them into one inch squares while wiping the knife clean between cuts to get neat edges. You can warm the knife with a blowtorch or hot water. Make sure it’s dry before you cut. 
16. Dust generously with cocoa powder and a sprinkle of fine sea salt. Ideally served with cocktail forks. 

Tip: This chocolate melts very quickly at room temperature so work continuously and try not to handle the chocolates with your hand when you cut them. If it begins to soften, put them back in the freezer to firm them up and continue to slice again once it starts to harden. 

Store leftovers in one layer in sealed containers. Eat them within a week or you can store them longer in the freezer up to three months. 

Photo Credits: Netflix

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Recipe: Lemon Herbed Spatchcock Chicken with Giblet Gravy

♥️ #Valentines dinner with the family at home. 

LEMON HERBED SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN with GIBLET GRAVY. 

Google on how to #spatchcock a chicken. This method helps cook the chicken evenly and keeps the chicken stable in the roasting pan. The herbs I used were extra special because I grew them in the garden...including the pechay. 

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I used Magnolia Free Range Chicken because they are smaller which is just the right size for our family of four; healthier and tastier because they are leaner with less fat and are not fed with conventional feeds that make them really big. It also comes with their giblets- liver, heart and gizzard in a small packet inside the dressed carcass. 

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Simply rub the whole chicken, especially under the skin with:

👉🏼1/2 tsp rock salt

👉🏼1/2 tsp black pepper

👉🏼Juice of 1 lemon

👉🏼1 tsp oregano

👉🏼1/2 tsp rosemary

👉🏼sprigs of mint

👉🏼3 cloves minced garlic

👉🏼 drizzle of olive oil 

Roast or broil in turbo broiler until brown and crisp outside. Serve with buttered marble potatoes, carrots and pechay. 

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Chop the gibblets and sauté them in butter with some of the same herbs. Season with salt, pepper, sugar and the roasted chicken drippings. Add a bit of white wine to make it liquid. Purée with a handheld blender. Serve with the chicken. 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, Everyone!

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Recipe: Beef Stroganoff

Craving for steak and pasta but don’t have the budget for expensive cuts of beef? Why not make Beef Stroganoff using minute steak sliced into thin stroganoff strips for quick stir fry and keeps the beef tender. Traditionally made with flat egg noodles and sour cream, I’m using plain spaghetti and all purpose cream for this recipe. You may use sour cream or whatever pasta or noodles you like. 

INGREDIENTS

• 450g cooked pasta
• 1/4 cups butter, divided
• 400 thinly-sliced stroganoff cut steak
• Salt and pepper 
• Dash of Knorr Seasoning
• 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
• 200g sliced fresh mushrooms
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup all purpose cream
• chopped fresh parsley

PROCEDURE:

1. Cook pasta according to instructions. While it’s cooking, melt half of the butter in a sauce pan. Add the steak and season with salt and pepper and  Knorr liquid seasoning. Stir fry quickly in medium to high heat for a minute or two. Avoid cooking it too long to avoid tough meat. Transfer to a dish and keep warm. 
2. On the same pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the onions and sauté for  few minutes on low heat until soft. Add mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are cooked. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and mix well until it binds with the butter to form a paste. Deglaze the pan with the beef stock and to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cook down for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until it has thickened. 
3. Season with Worcestershire sauce and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add half of the cooked steak and stir until combined.
4. Pour over the drained, cooked pasta. Top with the rest of the steak and garnish with chopped parsley and ana sprinkle of black pepper. 

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Recipe: Honey Karashi Chicken Bake

Karashi is just another name for Japanese mustard. My kids love it so I experimented cooking it with honey and chicken. Karashi has a more pungent taste and a slight kick similar to wasabi but if you don’t like to use this, you can just simply use dijon mustard or a combination of this and whole grain mustard. In this recipe, I’m using all three mustard together with raw clover honey. 

Ingredients 

• 600g chicken cut ups
• 1/2 tsp salt and pepper 
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried rosemary or 1 sprig fresh rosemary 
• 1 tsp karashi or Japanese mustard
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard 
• 1/2 tsp whole grain mustard
• 120g marble potatoes or plain potatoes cut up 
• 1 tsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 cloves minced garlic 
• 1/4 cup honey 
• 3 tsp water

1. In a bowl, mix and marinate the chicken cut ups, salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and the mustards.
2. Wash and scrub the potatoes and blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. 
3. In a cast iron skillet, get the olive oil and butter. Sauté the minced garlic and before it gets browned, add and sear the chicken pieces in high heat until nicely browned on the outside. Don’t discard the remaining marinade. 
4. Add the honey and water in the remaining marinade mixture and mix together. 
5. Arrange the drained potatoes on the sides of the chicken. Pour the marinade all over. 
6. Bake chicken in 250C oven for 30 minutes or transfer to a baking dish and cook in turbo broiler until done. 
7. Serve with blanched edamame. 

Happy Eats!

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Recipe: Chinese Steamed Egg Custard

My go to method of extending the volume of my eggs. Chinese Steamed Egg Custard. This is four regular sized eggs which equals to roughly about a cup plus another 2 cups of water, stock or milk (twice it’s volume as a rule of thumb) so it will total to 3 cups. Vienna Sausage and shredded cheese is optional. Steam just like leche flan and you’ll have a silky, creamy egg custard in no time. 

Custard:

• 5 whole eggs (about 65g each)
• 1 cup fresh milk (warm)
• 1 cup water or broth (warm)
• Alternatively 2 cups of warm water will do. 
• Salt and white pepper
• 1 stalk scallions sliced

Optional toppings:

• Cubed spam, ham, Vienna sausage or browned ground meat. 

Sauce:

Mix together

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Procedure:

1. Beat the eggs gently and measure in a cup. I usually get a cup of of this with the 5 eggs. 
2. Add the milk/broth or water. As a rule of thumb, my grandma taught me to add warm liquid twice it’s volume. Ratio should be 1:2. So if you get only half a cup of eggs, then you will only need one cup of water for it. The temperature should also be warm but not too hot to temper the eggs. This will make it silky in consistency. 
3. Season with a pinch of salt and white pepper.
4. Pass though a strainer to remove extra bubbles before adding toppings in a glass, ceramic or any steam proof bowl. 
5. Pre-boil water in the steamer and reduce heat to a simmer. Steam the custard for 15- 20 minutes until the center is firm but jiggly. 
6. Serve with the sauce. 

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Asian Style Shrimp and Mushroom Linguini

A quick and easy Asian twist to pasta. Cooking and eating at home lately had me using up all kinds of sauces for this Italian pasta. I’m using shrimps for this recipe but you can also substitute chicken breast or tofu. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 stalk green onions, sliced

2 cloves of chopped garlic

50g shrimps, shelled

2 large pieces dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, sliced, liquid reserved 

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon hoisen sauce

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon chinese Xiaoxing cooking wine (optional)

More green onions for garnish

250g cooked linguini. 

1. Sauté the mushrooms, garlic and whites of green onions until fragrant then add the shrimps. Cook until it’s pink. 
2. Add the oyster sauce, hoisen sauce, and peanut butter. Stir until mixed. 
3. Add the reserved mushroom liquid slowly to thin out the thick sauce just enough to coat the noodles. Add water if not enough. 
4. Turn off heat and toss the cooked pasta in the sauce. 

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Recipe: Kombucha Fish Paksiw

Every household that prepares fish paksiw has their very own version of it just like adobo. Today I’m cooking with months old #kombucha that has been sitting inside a scoby hotel. It’s super sour, flavorful and a good alternative to vinegar and other souring agents that’s used for making this dish. A kombucha is a fermented tea using a scoby and a good starter tea. The blend that I’m using is from 50% oolong and 50% green tea, aged or rather fermented for a month and a half. 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 small shallot, sliced

1 thumb sized ginger, julienned 

1 small stalk lemongrass, white part, sliced

200 grams bangus back fillets 

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp crushed strawberries black peppercorns 

1-2 pcs sili spada

1-1/2 cups kombucha vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar 

1/2 tsp salt

3 basil leaves julienned 

1. Sauté shallots, garlic, ginger and lemongrass in oil briefly and add the fish on top. 
2. Fill in with the remaining ingredients and poach in kombucha vinegar for 15 -20 mins. Fish should cook quickly. 
3. Season with sugar and salt. 
4. Top with julienned basil leaves. 

Serve with garlic rice. 

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Recipe: Buwad Brandade

Leveling yet another salted fish dish called Brandade (brahn-dahd). Originally made from salted cod, garlic, olive oil cream and potatoes, blended into

a smooth spreadable cream. French in origin, the word brandade derives from the Provençal “brandado”, that comes from the past participle of “brandar”’meaning to shake or stir.  It was believed that the chefs in Nimes in Southern France along with Marseilles invented this dish during the 18th century. The president of the Second French Republic, Adolphe Thiers, also a noted historian, hails brandade a “masterpiece of the human race.”

Traditionally this one calls for salted cod or bacalao but we’re featuring One Kinsel Corner’s salted fishes so we’re using Kasig Bilog with this recipe. I soaked around 50 grams of these without the heads and tails for two days in water in a container inside the fridge, changing water everyday. Basically it tastes almost bland on the second day but the buwad aroma is still there. Then I added one or two more unsoaked fishes that has been washed, deboned and filleted that will serve as the seasoning for this dish. You may also use labatingan or other white fleshed dried fish if you prefer. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic sliced
• 50g dried fish, soaked for 2-3 days, changing water everyday (store in the fridge), debone and flake
• 1-2 original dried fish, washed, deboned and flaked
• 2-3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed 
• 1/2 cup while milk 
• 1/2 cup cream (adjust consistency)
• White pepper

1. Heat 1/2 of the olive oil gently over medium heat. 
2. Add garlic and lower the heat, add the flaked fishes and cook gently without browning it to a crisp. 
3. Add the potatoes and milk ang cook until potatoes are soft. 
4. Remove from heat and purée in a food processor or an immersion blender. 
5. Add the cream slowly until you get that spreadable consistency. 
6. Season with white pepper. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. 
7. If you find it still bland, you can season with some sea salt. 
8. Serve on a toast or as a dip. 

Best with Pinot Grigio. 😄

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Recipe: Quarantine Pokébowl

I miss having #sashimi since March. They advised against consuming raw food from the restos but I’m prepping this at home with vacuum packed frozen tuna fillets so I guess it’s okay to give in. 

Pokébowl are chunks of fresh marinated raw fish, topped on a bowl of grains, in my case, some cooked rice and some veggies.  Hawaiian in origin, the word “poké” literally meant  “to section, cut or slice”. Pokebowls are one my favorite one-bowl-rice-meal accompanied by healthy veggies like edamame, carrots, cucumbers, peaches (sub for avocados or mangoes), benishoga and kimchi for gut health. The key is to have a good quality fish (my personal favorite  is ahi or a combination of AJI and salmon) and a tasty and spicy marinade that will surely tickle your sashimi-loving tastbuds. 

Quarantine Pokébowl 

Makes 3-4 servings

• 270 grams sashimi grade ahi or yellowfin tuna, cubed
• 4 cups cooked rice (brown or white)
• Furikake
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 Japanese cucumber, cubed
• Nori seaweed, cut into strips
• Shredded carrots 
• Mangoes (or avocados, peaches)
• Japanese mayo or Kewpie
• Black and white sesame seeds
• Scallions, chopped

Marinade:

• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey 
• Sriracha sauce to taste
• Chili flakes (optional)

1. Mix the marinade together and pour over the tuna cubes in a bowl and set aside to chill in the fridge. 
2. Place rice in individual serving bowls and sprinkle with furikake on top. 
3. Divide and arrange the following veggies into three or four servings: edamame, cucumber, nori, carrots and mangoes on top of the furikake. 
4. Take the marinated tuna from the fridge and spoon over the rice, dividing them into the three or four bowls. 
5. Squeeze some mayo on top and sprinkle the sesame seeds and scallions before serving.

Happy Eats!

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