The Geeky Momm: No cook

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Saturday, March 19, 2016

Video Recipe: Tomato Basil Focaccia (No cook)

If you have been to La Tegola Cucina Italiana in Cebu City, then you will know what a Focaccia is. They usually serve this while you are waiting for your order. They use super thin flat bread that resembles like crackers. Traditionally, it is an Italian flat bread with texture very similar to a pizza crust, seasoned with herbs, olive oil, cheeses and other variations.

In this recipe, you can buy similar crispy thin crackers like the ones in La Tegola at Leona's Bakeshop in Cebu. They label it simply as Crackers. This is an excellent dish that you can whip up in no time. If you plan to store this Tomato Basil mix in the fridge, don't add salt because it will make the mixture watery in just a few hours. We don't want a soggy focaccia. It keeps rather well for a few days in a tightly sealed container with just a drizzle of olive oil. Just add salt just before serving.

Simple store bought ingredients like tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Crackers available at Leona's Bakeshop.

Video Recipe: Tuna Pokébowl (No cook)

My first video recipe. 

I find that it takes a lot of my time to edit it compared to just writing about it. But it was fun to make nonetheless. If there was a #BTS, you could have witnessed my messy kitchen and loads of utensils to wash. I was a #tryinghard #OneWomanShow using an iPhone clamped on a tripod

I know it needs a more consistent lighting (heck, I was just using ambient light and the pesky led bulb overhead which I can't avoid) and a nicer music (scouring for royalty free music- HELP). I also need to remind myself of using a checklist because I forgot to include the cubed mangoes on the video. Kayo nalang mag add. Hehehe.

This is a simple no cook Hawaiian dish called Pokébowl. Other variations can be used other than tuna like sashimi grade salmon, grilled pork chops, steamed chicken cubes, flaked adobo or even lechon belly bits. 

More videos soon?? Hmmm, perhaps if I have the luxury of time. Meanwhile, I hope you do enjoy this. Feel free to critique and comment. Thanks for watching.

Recipe: 5 Minute Mullberry Jam (No cook)

I like my Mullberry jam on top of cream cheese on toast or Fita crackers.

The Busay mountains in Cebu has been one of our favourite places to retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. It's just a quick short thirty minute up to an hour drive depending on your destination. No tickets and suitcases needed. Armed with a camera, sweater, jeans and favourite Jimmy boots, me and my family prepare ourselves for another scenic and gastronomic adventure. Well, its actually the same scene and the same food (sweet corn!). But there are times when the atmosphere changes from sunny to shady to foggy and refrigerator cold. Nothing like a dose of cool fresh mountain breeze to perk your spirits up.

We have a friend and his wife who has a little farm up there where they grow vegetables commercially. His wife who happens to be a green thumb and a great cook (can't get over the Roasted Native Chicken and Tinola and Sautéed Gizzards!) recently gave us a bunch of homegrown mullberries for tasting. Imagine mullberries in Busay! These berries however are not commercially grown, mind you. Thank you for this and the rest of the vegetables by the way.

So I have this bunch of berries in the kitchen. I googled on how to wash, hull and prepare them. I also found out that blackberries contain compounds that may help you protect your heart, brain and cell damage. I remember watching an interview of Dr. Zen Obagi saying that berries and other sour fruits are beneficial to the skin. Hmmm, basta pang beauty lagi, go! Lets all eat berries for health and beauty's sake.

This juicy bunch had a mix of sweet and sour ones so I decided to make them into a jam. As you all well know that you need pectin to thicken up a jam. I have no idea where to get them locally so I'm using chia seeds instead. Chia seeds swell up and turn into jelly-like consistency similar to a jam. And these little superfood guys is loaded with massive amount of nutrients and is considered one of the healthiest food in the planet as well. This jam recipe is quick, easy and doesn't need any cooking at all so all the goodness is retained.

Makes a cup of jam.

Ingredients:

1 cup mullberries (You may use any other frozen berries if you wish)
1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
1 tablespoon raw honey

Procedure:

Place everything in a food processor and pulse until everything is mixed together.
You may pulse in a short time if you want your fruits to be chunky or pulse longer if you want it mushy.
Pack them in sterilised glass jar and refridgerate for about an hour to give time for the chia seeds to thicken.

For IG moments :)

Recipe: Basil Garlic Pesto

Nothing beats a fresh pesto specially when its homemade. Not only it is cheaper, but you get to use the finest ingredients that you can afford. I usually get my sweet basil at the farmer's market because its freshly picked and more flavourful than the ones packed inside the grocery.

This is your usual basic pesto using garlic, fresh sweet basil, olive oil and salt. You may add pine nuts and use other recipe variations that you like. I roast my garlic beforehand to remove the bitter taste and make the flavour more intense. Perfect on toast, pasta and the recipes that calls for homemade pesto.

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole bulb garlic
A drizzle of olive oil
A small piece of aluminum foil just big enough to cover the whole garlic
Handful of pine nuts or almond nuts, ground.
250 grams sweet basil, washed and spin-dried well
Extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Slice the top of the whole garlic just enough to expose the flesh inside.
Place on top of the aluminium foil and drizzle olive oil over it. Cover tightly.
Broil under a stove-top flame for about two minutes, just enough to heat it. Careful not to char the garlic.
Let it cool and open the foil. Squeeze the garlic to remove the flesh. It will be easy like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube. Set aside.
Place the basil, roasted garlic and a quarter of a cup of extrra virgin olive oil in a food processor.
Process on pulse while adding more olive oil and a pinch of salt until it reaches to your desired consistency.
The pesto should be fine and spreadable with a small amount of olive oil floating on top.

Recipe: Asian Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers are one of my favorite things in a salad. They are a valuable source of conventional antioxidant nutrients including vitamin C, beta-carotene, manganese and numerous flavonoid antioxidants. In studies, fresh extracts from cucumber have been shown to provide specific antioxidant benefits, including increased scavenging of free radicals and increased overall antioxidant capacity. Fresh cucumber extracts have also been shown to reduce unwanted inflammation in animal studies. So its best taken fresh without cooking. I usually make a quick toss of this with some vinegar, sugar, salt and a pinch of chili flakes. But this recipe is inspired by my gorgeous friend, fellow foodie and jetsetter, Cynthia Tiu.

This method of preparing cucumbers was taught by my Lola which I found out that chefs in Hong Kong actually do this too. Use the flat side of the cleaver to smash the whole cucumber, but not too much that it turns them into mush. Just enough that it will still hold its shape. Practice makes perfect. It's all in the wrist. Then slice diagonally or in bias. This way, the cucumbers absorb the dressing flavor much quicker. The black vinegar is made from fermented black rice, not vinegar with soy sauce which others mistaken for. As a probiotic ingredient, it has its health benefits as well. Since I was sick this week, I loaded some extra garlic in the salad to combat my colds. I added cilantro for some extra flavor, one of my favorite herbs.