Recipe: Basic Hand Whipped Ice Cream

Craving for ice cream but afraid to go out? Why not make your own with just all purpose cream and condensed milk. It’s just like a custard base for the mango float but we’re making it fluffier by using an electric or hand mixer. If you’re up to it, you can also beat it with a wire whisk. No need for an expensive ice cream machine... if you’re not so persnickety about the consistency. 

Texture- wise don’t expect it to be at par with Selecta or Magnolia or Dairy Queen even. But The result is still smooth, creamy, somewhat homemade-ey feel. 🥰

You can store these in plastic tubs or better yet in individual popsicle molds so you can have more flavors to explore. 

Basic Hand Whipped Ice Cream

• 2 cups all purpose cream
• One can condensed milk

1. Chill your cream, condensed milk, stainless steel bowl and the metal whip in the fridge for 30 minutes until they are cold. The cream whips up faster and holds its shape longer if it’s chilled. 
2. Whip the cream until its fluffy and doubles it’s size about 5-8 minutes. Stiff peaks that will hold it’s shape is an indicator. 
3. Add the chilled can of condensed milk and beat further until everything is incorporated. 
4. At this point you can add and experiment with different flavors that you like. I used vanilla bean pod for Vanilla Flavor and mashed frozen strawberries for Strawberry Flavor. 

This makes about three 750ml tubs. 

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Recipe: Sushi Bake

Making my version of the viral quarantine Sushi Bake. 😊

This is a baked flattened version of sushi ingredients with no rolling skills required. If you know how to layer a dessert then you can do this. Very doable at home with some ingredients that are easy to find in a supermarket that has a Japanese goods section. 

In this recipe photos that I’m showing, I wasn’t able to find tobiko and mangoes at this moment but it’s still good as in. Just don’t skip the furikake. 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked Japanese rice or long grain Japanese Style rice. 
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp water 
• 1 pack Furikake
• 1 can Tuna Solid or Pink Salmon in brine or oil
• 5 sticks Kanikama (Kani or Crab Sticks) sliced. 
• 1 mango or avocado cubed
• 1/4 cup Kewpie mayonnaise or whole egg real mayonnaise 
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1 tbsp wasabi paste (optional)
• 1 tsp sriracha (optional)
• 1/4 cup shelled edamame (optional)
• Tobiko as needed 
• Extra shredded cheese 
• Whole Nori wrappers cut into 6s or 8s rectangles or get the pre cut ones, as needed

Procedure:

1. Mix mirin, white vinegar, sugar and water in the rice to make vinegared sushi rice. 

2. Press in an 8x8 square pan about half an inch thick.

3. Sprinkle furikake on the surface of the rice. Set aside. 

4. In a bowl, combine the whole contents of the canned tuna or salmon with the sliced kanikama 

5. Add the mayonnaise, cream cheese, wasabi and sriracha. Mix to incorporate. Fold in the mangoes or avocados. 

6. Spread on top of the rice with the furikake on it. 

7. Spread a thin layer of tobiko, cheese and edamame. 

8. Bake in an oven until the cheese melts on top and it’s slightly brown. (Technically, I just broil the top part only using a turbo broiler or set your oven to grill, so the top part will brown faster.)

9. Serve with the nori wrapper. You need to scoop out a spoonful of the rice with the toppings and place it on the wrapper like a taco and eat like there’s no tomorrow. 

Happy Eats!

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Recipe: Foolproof Focaccia Bread

It may look daunting at first with so many steps but it’s actually a very forgiving bread. No special pans, tools or technique needed. It’s a good recipe to start with your kids if you want to make your own focaccia. 

I used fresh rosemary from my garden when I made this with dried thyme on my pantry. But you can also use other ones that are available on hand like oregano, basil or even the bottled Italian seasoning. Both fresh or dried. 

We love to pair this with pasta as a meal or with jams or marinara sauce for snacks. My favorite is to dip this in my herb infused evoo and balsamic vinegar (ala Italianni’s)

Foolproof Focaccia Bread

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or dried) 
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or fresh)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast 
• 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (or plain sea salt)

1. In a small skillet, combine olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and black pepper. 
2. Heat gently until the oil is infused with the herbs. Make sure the garlic is just soft , not browned or burnt.  Reserve 3 tablespoons of this infused olive oil. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, brown sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until it’s frothy on the surface. 
4. Add 1 cup of the flour and a half of the infused olive oil mixture to the bowl with yeast. Stir a few times times until the flour has moistened.
5. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour, oil and the salt. When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead several times times until smooth.
6. Transfer the dough to a well oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for an hour or so.
7. After the dough has risen, pre heat the oven to 250C or 450F. 
8. Oil a 9-inch by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet using 1 tablespoon the infused olive oil. 
9. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet then press it down into the pan. Use your fingers to dimple the dough surface then drizzle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the infused olive oil mixture. 
10. Let the dough rise for another 20 minutes until it puffs slightly.
11. Bake until top is brown for 15 to 18 minutes tops. 
12. Cool baked focaccia bread on a wire rack before slicing. 

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Recipe: Mayak Marinated Eggs

Mayak eggs. One of the ways we enjoy soft boiled eggs is with this sweet, savory, spicy sauce that’s good as rice topping as well. I love to pair this with kimchi and it keeps well in the fridge for about a week. I like to think of this as Korean counterpart of our Adobong Itlog but no braising. 

Original recipe is from @seonkyounglongest’s #mayakgyeran which literally means “drug egg” 😁. Nope, no drugs added but it is addictive. #GubaImongDiet. 

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, soft boiled
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk green onions, chopped
• 1 sili espada , chopped (optional)
• 1 red pimientos, minced
• 1 sili, minced (optional)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• Sesame oil

1. Boil enough water to cover 6 eggs in a saucepan. Add baking soda and vinegar and carefully add the eggs once it boils. Cook for 6 minutes for soft runny yolk
2. Turn off heat and transfer the eggs into an ice water bath. Let it cool completely and peel. The baking soda in the water will make the eggs easy to peel. Set aside. 
3. Let’s make the sauce by combining the soysauce, water and sugar, garlic, green onions, chilies and sesame seeds. Stir until everything is well mixed. 
4. Pour the sauce mixture over the eggs, cover and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to overnight.
5. Enjoy with hot, steaming rice the next day. 

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Recipe: Chinese Steamed Fish

The simplest way to enjoy a whole fish is just to simply steam them. You get to savor its natural flavor and pick those flesh in the tiniest crevices especially if its a Lapu-Lapu head or grouper. Any fresh white fleshed fish like this golden pompano can be used. I have tried it on sea bass and it works well too. Just make sure the fish is fresh. 

Chinese Steamed Fish

Ingredients:

• 1 while fish
• 1 thumb sized ginger, julienned (separate 1/2 tsp chopped)
• 1 stalk scallion, sliced and white separated 
• 3 tbsp Xiaoshing wine or white wine (optional if you don’t have it)
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce 
• 2 tsp cooking oil
• sesame oil

1. Clean, descale and gut the fish. Thaw if frozen. 
2. Stuff the julienned ginger in the stomach. 
3. Steam the whole fish in a steamer for 8-10 minutes. 
4. Transfer to a dish and nice cooked. 
5. Toast the white part of the scallions and chopped ginger until brown and toasty in a small amount of cooking oil. Then pour this over the fish while hot. You should hear it sizzle. 
6. Heat the wine with the soy sauce and pour over the fish. 
7. Top with fresh green scallions and an extra drizzle of sesame oil. 

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Recipe: Fudgy Oreo Brownies

So Dad bought several packs of Oreos of the wrong variant. On ECQ? I hate the hassle of returning them to the supermarket. The kids don’t really like to eat the choco filling variant, they prefer the vanilla ones. 

Anyhoo, I was dying to make this fudge brownies using Oreo cookies by @bakerbynature on IG anyway so he’s saved. 😁

I reduced the sugar  and chocolate chips just a bit because I prefer it that way. I’m rewriting this with the reduced sugar for my kids’ future reference.    

Credits of this recipe goes to her. 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar (separated into 2)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs plus one egg yolk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (you may use Dutch processed if available)
• 1 tsp instant coffee 
• 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 12-15 Oreo cookies broken into chunks 

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 175C or 350F. Line a 9x9 metal pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with oil. 
2. Melt butter in a saucepan with half of the sugar. Stir until the butter just melts but careful not to burn the sugar. 
3. Turn off heat and stir in the oil and vanilla. 
4. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar until well blended. 
5. Slowly add the warm butter mixture in the egg mixture gradually l, little by little. Don’t dump everything or the eggs might scramble. 
6. Add the flour, salt and cocoa powder and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Once you see they are mixed, stop. Don’t overstir or else the brownie will turn cakey. 
7. Fold in lightly the chocolate chips and half of the Oreos. 
8. Scrape this mixture into the prepared 9x9” pan and spread evenly. Add the remaining Oreo chunks on top. 
9. Bake for 30 minutes until the edges are from and the surface is cracked and shiny. 
10. Cool completely before slicing. 

You should see the kids gobble this up. 

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Recipe: Crispy Calamansi Pork

It there is  Orange Chicken then there’s Calamansi Pork. 

It’s fresh, it’s citrusy, and it goes well with any crispy fried meat, poultry, veggie-meat or tofu. 

INGREDIENTS:

200g lean pork cubes

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

A pinch of white pepper

Batter:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tsp unsweetened calamansi juice

3/4 cup water, adjust until it forms a thick batter

Sauce:

1/4 cup calamansi juice

2-3 tbsp white sugar

3/4 cup water 

1 tsp cornstarch 

1. Mix and marinate the first four ingredients.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, calamansi juice and adjusting the water to form a thick paste.
3. Dip the pork pieces in this battery and pan fry them in hot oil. Drain. Set aside. 
4. Mix all of the sauce ingredients to form a slurry.
5. Heat the sauce in the pan until it becomes thick. 
6. Then toss the pork pieces in the sauce until as well coated. 
7. Serve with hot steamed rice. 

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Recipe: Salted Egg Chip Sprinkles

I have some salted egg flavored crackling cravings lately and realized that I still have some salted egg powder left in the fridge. A chef once taught me how how to make an all purpose sprinkle out of it for popcorns, chips, chicharon and even chicken nuggets. 

I got this recipe when I attended the Unilever Chefmanship Academy last year. I tweaked the curry leaves, subbed it with curry powder although the two have different flavor profiles, the curry powder goes well with the salted egg taste. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup salted egg powder

2 tbsp confectioners sugar

1 tsp chili powder

1 for tsp curry powder

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp basil powder

Toss all ingredients briefly in a hot dry pan. Careful not to burn the spices or it will turn bitter.

Let cool and store in an airtight container for future use. 

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I made a small batch of potato chips, sprinkled these on top and oh boy it made me day. 

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Recipe Homemade Gyudon

Gyudon is the safest bet for a hearty and complete meal when you go to a Japanese restaurant and have no idea what to order. 

The kids and I miss Gyudon so much and I realized that I used to make this a lot before because you get to wash a few dishes after for this one bowl dish. 😂

It’s easy to make using mostly local ingredients. This recipe serves four so you will need about four individual bowls with a cup of cooked rice each. We will top this with the gyudon later. 

I’ll show also you how to make makeshift beni shoga (red ginger) without the plum vinegar soon. 

.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs (for soft boiled egg)
• 4 cups water
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

If you prefer raw egg on your gyudon topping, skip the step above. You may use scrambled egg too. 

Gyudon Sauce:

• 3 tsp sugar
• 4 tbsp sake (I don’t have one so I used soju or you can use xiaoshing  or white wine)
• 4 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Beni shoga

Topping:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 stalk scallions (white and green separated)
• 400g thinly sliced beef

Please see video for procedure

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.

#staysafe #cookathome #quarantine #lockdown #grateful #thankful #thegeekymomm #geekymomm #instafood #foodstagram #foodgasm #foodieph #madewithlove #homechef #homecooking #whenincebu #recipe #filipinofoodmovement #foodcuratorph #foodinfluencerph #foodph #homechefsofinstagram

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Recipe: Pasta Alle Vongole

Vonggacious! Pasta Alle Vongole is as easy as it looks. It’s a Wednesday on Covid Quarantine. ☹️ I hope this will end soon. 

Ingredients: 

* 1/4 cup olive oil

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 500g clams

* 1/4 cup dry white wine

* 1/2 cup of pasta water

* 1 tsp salt (according to taste since clams can be salty)

* 1/2 tsp white pepper

* 1/4 tsp chili flakes

* 250 grams linguini, cooked al dente

* chopped parsley 

* lemon juice

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Recipe: Custard Egg Tarts

We’ve been craving for Lord Stow’s Portugese Egg Tarts and it’s impossible to get them when you’re in Cebu and on ECQ. This is a tweaked recipe that is good for a 12 cup muffin pan. Not exactly the same as the famous one but it hits the spot. 

Custard Egg Tart

Pastry crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2-1/2 sticks cold butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup ice cold water

Filling:

• 3 egg yolks
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream 

You will also need a 12 cup muffin tin pan. About 1/3 cup capacity. 

Pastry Instructions:

1. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Using knife, fork or food processor, cut the cubed cold butter into the flour mixture and mix until coated
3. Stir in the cold water slowly until everything is holding together. Do not knead. 
4. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk-shape, and wrap in plastic wrap.
5. Chill for 1 hour in the fridge. 
6. Unwrap the dough, prepare a large cling wrap flat on the work surface and dust plastic with flour.  (The cling wrap will make the dough easy to roll into a log.) Roll the dough flat on top of the cling wrap using a rolling pin into a rectanglular shape about more or less 1/2 cm or thinner. 
7. Dot the dough surface with butter and roll them using your hands, into a long log. (This method will make the baked dough flaky with the butter between sheets.) It may crumble but it’s okay, just pick them up and stick it back to its place and continue to roll until it forms into a long log. 
8. Cut log in 12 small discs and flatten with the rolling pin and use this flattened dough to line the buttered muffin tin. No need to blind bake. 

Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 180F. 
2. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, eggs, sugar and vanilla until well combined. 
3. Stir in the milk and cream. 
4. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher or any container with a spout for easy pouring and  fill each pastry lined muffin cup about two-thirds full with the mixture. 
5. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned and the custard is starting to set. Then turn the heat down to 150°C and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the custard is just set and the pastry is golden on the top.

Happy Eats!

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Recipe: Homemade Chicken Nuggets

What could be better than #homemade #chickennuggets. Its free from nitrates and you can make it low sodium. I made a big batch with a kilo of ground chicken, 300g of buttermilk soaked bread and my 11 secret herbs and spices...just kidding...only salt, pepper, and the usual dried spice powder. Roll em in flour > eggwash >panko and they’re off to the fryer. 

I prebaked the rest until half cooked so it will hold its shape when stored in the freezer. It yields about 45 to 50 nuggets if using a small ice cream scooper. Deep fry or pan fry before serving. 

Kids’ verdict? “Sooo crunchy mom! And juicy on the inside!” 😁 

If a 10 piece sa drive-thru not enough for you? You can have all 50 to yourself if you make your own. 😂

What’s your favorite dipping sauce?

500 g ground chicken

200g bread cubes (I used Ichipan Wheat Bread)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp onion powder 

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp salt (or chicken powder)

1 tsp pepper

Flour

1 egg beaten

Panko

Mix the first 8 ingredients until smooth. You may pan fry s small portion to test the seasoning. 

Using a small ice cream scooper, scoop out the chicken mix and drop in the flour to coat. Gently remove and shape into nuggets. Drop in beaten egg then in panko to coat them really well. You can use cookie cutters to shape the nuggets into other shapes like hearts and circles. 

Pan fry until golden brown and serve with ketchup or your favorite sauce. 

Alternatively, you can double this recipe and partially bake them on nonstick cookie sheets (without oil) for 15 mins on 150C until it holds its shape. Let cool, pack and and freeze them. 

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Recipe: Mixed Seafood Boil

Mixed Seafood Boil 

Total of 1,000 grams of mixed seafood available:

* Shrimps, dressed or prepped (see my video on how I prep my shrimps)

* Asian Wave Pacific Bay Clams

* Asian Wave Chilean Mussels

Other seafood you can add:

* Lobster tails

* Crab legs

* Squid rings

SPICES minced and separated in two sets:

* Ginger

* Green onions 

* Garlic

* Sili spada

SEASONING:

* 1 tablespoon oyster sauce ( for the umami taste)

* 1 teaspoon Tony Cachere’s Creole Seasoning (this seasoning is already salted so adjust accordingly.)

EXTRAS:

* Blanched and buttered Corn on cobs sliced in bite sized pieces. 

In deep wok, I sautéed the first set of spices until fragrant and added 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook each kind of seafood separately because they cook quickly in  different times. Cooking them all together would end up over cooking the other. So I cooked the shrimps first, scooped them out and then set them aside in a large bowl, then the shell fish and placed them in the same bowl a the shrimps. Do the same either the crabs and lobsters if you have them.  Save the liquid  

In the same pan, add more olive oil and sauté the the second set of spices. Add the liquid from the cooked seafood mix and season with the oyster sauce and Cajun spice. Bring to a boil and turn off. Toss the cooked seafood mix and the buttered corn in cob in this sauce and serve with lemon slices, crusty bread or rice. 

Happy eats. 

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Recipe: Butter Garlic Shrimp Scampi Pasta Scampi

Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi Pasta. One of the 101 ways to cook the #shrimp you hoarded during #quarantine 😅😂 Share naman! 

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c olive oil

5 tbsp butter

6-8 large garlic cloves, minced 

500g shrimp prawns, shelled and deveined

250g cooked linguini or pasta of choice

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Sauté olive oil, butter and garlic. 

2. Add shrimps, season with salt and pepper. 

3. Add the cooked pasta and white wine. Toss to mix well. 

4. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and parsley. 

Happy eats!

.

 

Follow our food chronicles in IG and list recipes at my blog link in bio @geekymomm. 

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Recipe: Abalone Rice Porridge

Honestly the only fresh abalone I tasted was in a porridge when I visited Myeongdong, South Korea two years ago. It was in a place aptly called The Congee House and it was just a stone’s throw away from where we stayed so it was comforting to know that I can always have lugaw (Filipino for congee) nearby especially during winter time. 

This is my version. 

It was no surprise that the first time we ate at that place, there was another group of (yes, you’ve guessed it) seasoned Filipino travelers who gave us the reco to order the jeonbokjuk or their specialty abalone rice porridge 🥣. It was really good and tasty especially if you eat it with their usual

pickled vegetable sides. No wonder it is considered as the King of Porridge in Korea and The Congee Place, rated as 4 stars in Trip Advisor. 

So fast forward today. Actually days ago, that I attempted to recreate this at home using frozen abalones that i got from @Landersph. I have no idea where to get fresh ones. Canned abalones are also good to try but  I bet there is nothing as good as the fresh ones. For the stock, I used frozen vegetable stock that I made months ago. You can use chicken/beef/pork stock too. 

You will need:

•scallions 

•garlic

•carrots

•ginger 

•abalone

•japanese or plain uncooked rice

•vegetable stock

•fish sauce

•pepper

•sesame oil 

•furikake (optional)

•dried seaweed/nori/hoti 

Comments and Suggestions are welcome. 🙏

Follow our food chronicles in IG and list recipes at my blog link in bio @geekymomm. 

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