Chicken with Olives

Copyright LtDansKitchen's Blog 2018

What do you do with extra olives? We had a wine and cheese event recently and people were not too crazy on the cured olives unlike me so we had about half of what was served packed and distributed to those who wanted to avail of it. I took all of it home. 

Now, I have two choices, make Pasta Puttanesca or Chicken with Olives. I opted for the latter. I have made this dish before using Lidia Bastianich's recipe but for some reason, I did not find it quite as tasty as some of her other dishes. This time however, it came out quite good although I added a few minor changes to the recipe. 

First things first, start with a plump chicken. I had a scrawny one when I made this dish but somehow, it worked out quite well. Anyway, you can make this dish quite easily since most of the ingredients are basics in any kitchen cupboard. Well, my cupboard anyway. So here goes. 

Chicken with Olives

Chicken pieces - 2 thighs and two breasts with the wings still attached
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup shallot, chopped roughly
1/2 cup cured olives, green and black
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
Chicken broth
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
2-3 dry bay leaves
Parsley (to garnish)

1. In a large pan over medium high heat, add about 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil. 

2. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and pan sear both sides until
    browned. Set them aside. 

3. In the same pan, saute the garlic with the shallots until softened. Add the bay 
    leaves. 

4. Return the chicken to the pan and add the olives. Pour about 1 cup of chicken
    broth and cover the pan. Once boiling, decrease the heat to low to simmer. 

5. After 10 minutes, add the raisins if using and check for flavor. Add a small 
    amount of broth if needed. Simmer for another 5 minutes. 

6. To serve, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and top with chopped parsley. 

  

Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Copyright LtDan'sKitchenBlogs.com 2016

The recipe hailed from the original Queen of Food Porn, Nigella Lawson in her cookbook Forever Summer. However, I had to do some minor tweaking to her original recipe as the amount of noodles she specified seems to need a little bit more dressing. Maybe it is an Asian thing but we like our noodles to be swimming in gravy. 

Although the recipe is wonderful in itself, I just felt it also needed more to make this dish more substantial in terms of texture and flavor. Since I made this two Christmases ago when avocados were available, I figured the addition of chunks of avocados and cucumbers will complement the dish without really changing it completely. It turned out that it was indeed a good match and for lunch on a hot day, this will be the perfect healthy meal. 

Cold Soba Noodle Salad - Adapted*

1 8-oz soba noodles
1 medium avocado pitted and diced
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
5 scallions, sliced thinly

Dressing:

2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp honey
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
5 tsp good quality soy sauce

1. Prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients. Set aside. 

2. Cook the soba noodles as per packet instructions. Once cooked, shock them
    in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain in a large colander. 

3. In a small bowl, combine the avocados and cucumber and add enough 
    dressing just to coat them. Set aside. 

4. To assemble, transfer the noodles into a large bowl and season with the 
    dressing. You may not have to use all of it if that is your preference. Toss in 
    most of the scallions and most of the sesame seeds.  

5. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the avocados and cucumber. Garnish 
    with the remaining sesame seeds and scallions. Serve immediately. 
 
* Lawson, Nigella, Forever Summer, Hyperion Books, New York: 2003.

Stove-top Pot Roast

Copyright by LtDan'sKitchen.com 2016

Christmas has always been a big part of my family's traditions and we usually celebrate it on Christmas Day. Christmas Eve was more of going to Midnight Mass and having a light snack in preparation for the big event the following day. It was no different this year and although my Mom has been gone for almost 10 years, I try to keep our family traditions alive. 

For this year's celebration, I wanted to go a different route and celebrate Christmas by cooking festive foods from all around the world. My soup and fish course were adapted from Sophia Loren's cookbook based on her family's recipes in Italy. The desserts are Filipino in terms of origin although they have been both updated. The roast chicken is typically American while the beef stew was supposed to be Greek in origin but I ended up buying a pot roast cut of beef so I had to go American. My inspiration was Ina Garten's recipe for a Company Pot Roast. It is funny to note that the label on the meat that I bought read "Fat Roast". Considering that I do not have a Dutch oven, I cooked this pot roast in a large pot over charcoal but you can totally prepare this on a gas or electric burner.   

Stove-top Pot Roast

6-7 lbs beef (butt or pot roast cut)
2 white onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 bay leaves
5-6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup pitted green olives
1 32-oz canned whole tomatoes
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lb peeled baby onions
1 packet fresh parsley (3-4 stalks)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 cups beef broth
2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup flour

1. Tie the beef with butcher's twine to hold its shape during the cooking process. 
    Season with 1 tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Dredge with the flour and set 
    aside. 

2. In a large pot over medium high heat, add about 4 tbsp of olive oil and sear 
    the beef on each side for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. 

3. Remove the seared meat from the pot and add the garlic, celery, bay leaves 
    and the diced onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened. 
    You may have to add more olive oil when it gets too dry. 

4. Return the beef to the pot and add the red wine, broth, the dried herbs and 
    the parsley. Add enough water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Once 
    boiling, lower the heat to low and simmer covered for an hour. Check and add 
    more water when needed. 

5. Add the tomatoes and simmer for another hour. Rotate the meat to ensure 
    even cooking. In a pan with 2 tbsp olive oil, saute the baby onions until the 
    skin is browned. Add to the pot with the carrots and the olives and simmer 
    for another hour. Continue to rotate the meat to make sure it is tender on all 
    sides. Add water sparingly at this point to thicken the sauce.

6. Once the meat is fork tender, check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. As 
    a final touch, add the butter. 

7. To serve, remove the wilted parsley and ladle the vegetables on the sides of 
    a large serving tray. Cut away the butcher's twine and position the meat in the 
    center and spoon the sauce all around. Slice into desired thickness. This goes 
    well with mashed potatoes or rice pilaf. 

The Revival

It has been almost a year and a half since I last posted on this blog. It does not mean that I stopped cooking or baking. That is something that will never happen. I just had to deal with a few more important things in life besides blogging. Over the past couple of years, I had to juggle a full time job as a Professor in Chemistry while taking care of my elderly Dad during the weekends. Something's got to give and it was the blog unfortunately which had to make the ultimate sacrifice. 

So what changed? Nothing really. It's just that I missed blogging and I decided that maybe I needed some time to devote for myself every now and then and whether it means I spend more time with friends, family or blogging, then so be it. Given this drive, I will try to post at least one recipe per month considering that I have amassed quite a lot of unwritten recipes over the last 15 months. 

Here's to 2017 and more blog posts. - Dan

Butter Tarts

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I was fortunate enough to grab hold of organic pecans although it was more of a favor as my friend wanted me to bake pecan pie for her family. I didn't mind as I wanted to test if my pie recipes help up to the more humid climate here in the Philippines. I'm glad to say it held quite beautifully although it was not much of a big surprise as pecan pies are very popular in the Southern part of the USA which is also quite humid most time of the year.

Anyway, as with most recipes, I was left with about a half a cup of pecans that needed to be baked in one way or another. This led me to my go-to baking blog, the JoyofBaking. There was the perfect recipe for my leftover pecans in the form of butter tarts. In a word, it was scrumptious. 
   
Butter Tarts - Adapted*

Pastry Dough:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
pinch of salt
1/4 cup ice cold water

Filling:
1/3 unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped roughly

1. Prepare the pastry dough by sifting the flour, sugar and salt into a
    large bowl. Add the butter and with your hands, work the dough 
    until it resembles coarse crumbs. 

2. Slowly add the water until the dough comes together. Gather into a 
    ball and wrap with clingfilm. Store in the fridge for at least 30 
    minutes to allow the dough to rest. 

3. When the dough has rested, divide the dough into 10 equal parts and
    roll each portion onto a floured surface until you get a 4-inch disk. 

4. Lay each disk onto a cupcake pan and flute the edges if desired. Prick
    the bottom and the sides of the pastry disk with a fork and store in 
    the fridge until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

5. To prepare the filling, beat the butter with the sugar in a large bowl
    at high speed until creamy. Lower the speed to medium and add the 
    eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla
    extract and the cream.

6. Divide the nuts into the prepared pastry shells and pour in the filling.
    Bake for about 20 minutes or until the pastry shell is golden brown 
    and the filling is puffed and set. 

7. Allow to cool before removing from the pan. 

*Joy of Baking - Butter Tarts
 

Callos (non-tripe version)

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I have been cooking Callos regularly ever since I managed to successfully cook the dish using different recipes, usually of the original Madrid variety. However, it was a trip to our local farmer's market where I was able to taste a local version of Callos and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. However, I should not really doubt that it would taste good as the same stall was selling what is now my favorite fresh ubod lumpia. I have become the Callos snob as of late thinking that Callos should be given its proper due by preparing it as authentically or as close as you can get to the Madrid version. However, I have to say that adding a few ingredients not typical of the dish do have its merit. The green olives cuts into the fattiness of the dish and gives it a good balance. The chickpeas on the other hand brings an added crunch to an otherwise mushy dish. The use of "terno" instead of tripe also lends quite a distinct taste to the dish although a single bite will assure you that what you are enjoying is indeed Callos.

Callos

10 lbs "terno" (ox tail, cheek, and legs), sliced into large portions
3 large onions, diced
8-10 bay leaves
1 whole clove garlic, roughly diced
3 large carrots, diced
1 32-oz canned diced tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato paste
12 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp Spanish paprika
1 cup canned pimientos, sliced
2 cups green olives
1 cup chickpeas
8-10 oz canned Spanish chorizo (about 1 cup), sliced
salt and pepper
*4 tbsp olive oil (optional)

1. In a large pot, boil the meat with enough water, half the onions and 4
    bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Let it boil for about an hour 
    over medium heat. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. 

2. Pour off the liquid and wash the meat pieces and trim off any hard 
    pieces. 

3. In another large pot, heat the olive oil if using, over medium high 
    heat. Saute the remaining onions, bay leaves and garlic until 
    softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and cook for
    another 3 minutes. 

4. Return the meat pieces into the pot and pour in the beef broth. Bring
    to a boil and once boiling, cover the pot and lower the heat to 
    medium low and allow to simmer for at least two hours. Add water if 
    necessary to make sure the meat is submerged while simmering. 

5. Add the can of tomatoes and simmer for an additional hour or until 
    the meat is very tender. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Make
    sure that the meat is tender enough that the bones come off easily.

6. Pick off the large bones and slice the meat into 1-inch dice. Add the
    paprika, oregano, pimiento, chickpeas, tomato paste, and olives. 
    Bring to a boil and allow to simmer at medium low heat for 30 
    minutes. Add more water if the sauce is too thick. 

7. Check for seasoning and add the chorizo. Simmer for another 30 
    minutes. Let it rest for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to 
    meld. Serve with steamed white rice. 

* The canned Spanish chorizo is stored in lard. If you want, you can use the lard instead of the olive oil to suate. It adds an extra flavor to the dish. 

Pork Barbecue

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

A simple summer staple and I cannot believe this is not in my blog yet. My Dad has stopped eating pork but he recently started eating them again so this was a welcome relief for me since I can only do so much with fish. Our pork barbecue is on the sweet side and that is how my family prepared it as far back as I can remember. I used to make this for the yearly picnic when I was working as a postdoc at Emory. Everyone loved them since the flavor is probably quite different from the usual barbecue flavor. Anyway, this is perfect even in the middle of summer paired with ice-cold soda. 

Pork Barbecue

2 lbs pork belly
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sea salt 
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. Combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, ketchup, brown sugar,
    and olive oil in a large bowl.  

2. Add the pork and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for at least
    30 minutes in the fridge. You can do this overnight and the flavors 
    just seep into the meat. 

3. Prepare the coals and make sure it is not too hot. Grill the belly until
    it turns a beautiful brown color with a bit of charring. 

4. You can serve them whole or you can cut them into smaller pieces. 
    A good condiment is a combination of 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp soy 
    sauce, finely minced garlic clove and seasoned with salt and pepper. 

Rustic Roasted Chicken Galantine

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Chicken Galantine is a French dish that is prepared to impress. It is laborious, both in the preparation and in the cooking process. The ingredients are varied but there seems to be a common thread among the different recipes I read to prepare my own rustic version of this dish. The filling is usually prepared using either ground veal or beef in combination with ground pork. The nut of choice are pistachio nuts with either apricot or raisins to add some nuttiness and sweetness respectively, to the flavor. Traditionally ground into a forcemeat, I am going to prepare my filling more like a meatloaf preserving the texture of the various ingredients intact for maximum impact. Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of cold cuts and the galantine is prepared to resemble one. Another big change is how I plan to cook my galantine. The original recipe calls for the galantine to be wrapped in cheesecloth and poached in a broth. I am baking my galantine and serving it warm.

Rustic Roasted Chicken Galantine

3-4 shallots, finely diced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
50g pistachios, shelled and roughly diced
1 whole chicken, about 2 lbs
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb bacon strips
5 tbsp heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup golden raisins
4 tbsp white wine
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Debone the chicken leaving the leg and wing bones intact. Set aside. 
    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the shallots 
    until softened. Let cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except the bacon. Add
    the shallots and mix with your hands. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Lay flat the deboned chicken, skin side down and season with salt and 
    pepper. Layer the bacon strips until it covers the inside of the chicken. 

5. Fill with the meat filling and gather the edges securing with a toothpick or 
    by sewing. Truss the chicken with a butcher's twine and place in the 
    center of a baking pan lined with aluminum foil seam side down. Baste 
    with enough olive oil to help brown the skin.

6. Bake for 1 1/2 hour or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F. Let it rest
    for 15 minutes covered with foil before slicing.    
    

Dave Lebovitz's Chocolate Tart

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Thank goodness for Dave Lebovitz! This guy is after my gastronomic heart. After sharing his wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe, he came up with another amazing chocolate concoction. The ever chocolatey and gooey Chocolate Tart. This was meant to be the star of a party I planned for friends but ended up being a dessert given as gifts to friends. The party went bust. Anyway, this was a stellar find in the cacophany of chocolate tart recipes on the internet. It also comes with the most buttery French tart dough recipe which earned raves as well. Nothing works better with butter than the French. On to the recipe!

Dave Lebovitz's Chocolate Tart*

Crust (for a 9-inch tart an):
3 oz unsalted butter
1 tbsp palm oil
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
150 g flour (slightly rounded cup)

1. In a deep frying pan over low heat, melt the butter with the oil, water, 
    sugar and salt. Once melted, increase the heat to medium high. 

2. Continue to cook until the butter is bubbly and the edges start to turn 
    golden brown. 

3. Turn off the heat and carefully add the flour and stir quickly until it 
    starts to form a ball and the dough pulls away from the sides.

4. When cooled slightly, transfer to the tart pan and spread towards the 
    sides and edges until the pan is completely covered. Use the tines of 
    the fork to flatten and press the dough onto the tart pan. 

5. Prick the dough with the tines of the fork all around and bake at 400°F
    in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Let cool before filling. 

Chocolate Filling:
1 1/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp warm freshly brewed coffee
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 oz semisweet chocolate
2 oz 70% cacao chocolate
2 large eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp dark rum

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a deep non-stick pan, melt the sugar over medium low heat until it 
    melts and caramelizes.

3. Very carefully, add the warm coffee and stir quickly with a rubber 
    spatula. If the caramel siezes, continue to cook until it becomes smooth. 
    Add the butter and salt until incorporated. 

4. Turn off the heat and add the chocolates. Stir until it melts into the 
    caramel mixture. 

5. Mix in the eggs one at a time and add the flour. Mix well. Add the rum 
    and pour the filling into the prepared tart shell. 

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Do not overbake. The edges will be a bit puffy 
    but the center should still be jiggly. Allow to cool completely before 
    slicing.  
 
*Chocolate Tart: My Life in Paris blog
 

Penelope Casas' Callos

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Callos, a name which to me evokes the Spanish colonization of the Philippines for over 300 years. Despite the hardships the Filipino had to endure during this period, there were influences in our culture that may or may not be a welcome choice to the Filipinos. One such influence is in our food. The original Callos may have hailed from Madrid, Spain but Callos is a staple in most celebrations here in the Philippines. I have to admit that our family came across this dish kind of late but I have been trying on different versions of this dish recently based on recipes considered as original to Spain and not the adapted local version. Why the original? Simple. The original Callos is quite rustic and meager in terms of preparation and the amount of ingredients while the local version of the dish have morphed into different varieties with the addition of white beans, chick peas and even carrots. I just want a simple dish with nothing else to distract me from its pure and clean flavor. 

Copyright 2015 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This new recipe is from Penelope Casas and uses beef tripe as the base. Pork legs are added for both texture and flavor. Morcilla or blood sausage is typically added in most recipes I've read but this particular recipe called for Spanish chorizo. I used an authentic Spanish chorizo imported from Spain and another one that is locally made (both canned). I have to admit, both are fairly similar in taste and in terms of prize, both are also quite expensive. Still, it was worth the expense. If cholesterol is not an issue for you, use the lard in the can as well. It adds to the flavor of the dish.

Penelope Casas' Callos

6-8 lbs beef tripe
4 lbs pork legs, sliced into 1-inch medallions
6-8 bay leaves
6 large Spanish onions, diced
1 bulb garlic, crushed and diced
2 tsp dried oregano
14-oz canned diced tomatoes
1 tbsp peppercorns, freshly ground
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp thyme
2 cups white wine
12 cups beef broth
1 lb Spanish sausages (Chorizo)
1/2 lb cured ham, diced
6 tbsp Spanish paprika
6 tbsp flour
1 tsp red chili flakes
6 tbsp olive oil
salt, to taste

1. In a large pot, fill with enough cold water to cover the tripe and the pig's 
    feet. Bring to a boil and immediately drain the liquid.

2. Rinse the tripe with cold water and slice into 2-inch squares. Clean the 
    pig's feet of any debris and set aside with the tripe. 

3. In the same large pot, add the tripe and pigs feet with half the onions, 
    garlic, bay leaves, oregano, diced tomatoes, white wine, beef broth, 
    nutmeg, thyme, ground peppercorns and season with a bit of salt. Bring 
    to a boil and simmer covered for 3 hours over low heat. Check 
    occasionally and add more water if needed. Stir to prevent the meat 
    from sticking to the pan. 

4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat and saute the 
    remaining onions until softened. Season with salt. Add the chorizo and 
    cook until heated through. You may add the lard from the can if desired. 
    Stir in the flour and paprika and cook for a minute. Loosen with about 
    2 cups of water and add to the large pot. Stir well to prevent any lumps.

5. Add the red chili flakes and continue to simmer for another 1-2 hours or 
    until the tripe is very tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the meat from 
    sticking to the bottom of the pan. When ready to serve, fish out the pork 
    pieces and remove the bones. Slice the pork skin and meat into smaller 
    pieces and return to the pot. Check for flavor and adjust accordingly 
    with salt. 

*The New York Times: Cooking section
    

Death by Chocolate

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

If I had to post a new recipe, what better than to start with something really out there. Just by the name alone, you know you are in for a treat. I actually made this cake a long time ago back in 1997. I tried it once but it was a bit dry for my taste so I never baked it again although my friends said it tasted good. Back then however, I was just a novice baker and this was one of my daring attempts of a much more involved recipe. Now, I can confidently say at this point without being smug that I have more experience with baking and I know just by reading a recipe whether it will come out great or not. I also know whether I can bake the cake and have it come out great or not. This time, I knew it will be good.

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

The cake is a bit expensive with 2 lbs of chocolate not to mention the 3 kinds of chocolates used for garnishing. I eventually opted only to use two of the three, not for the lack of resources but rather, the lack of equipment. It also requires about a pound of butter. Word of advice, use unsalted and get the best brand of butter you can find. It really makes a difference. One last word of caution, cut the cake into thin slices. Overall, it tastes like chocolate with a little bit of cake and not the other way around. Serve with ice-cold fresh milk.

Death by Chocolate - Adapted*

For the cake:
8 oz bittersweet chocolates
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup milk
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sour cream
2 cups self rising flour
1 tsp baking powder

For the Filling and Topping:
4 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
4 tbsp brandy
14 oz bittersweet chocolates
7/8 cup unsalted butter

Chocolate Ganache:
8 oz semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the
    base with parchment paper. Set aside. 

2. In a small pan, melt the chocolate and butter with the milk over low heat 
    until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Mix well 
    and cool slightly. 

3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs yolks with the sour cream and beat in the 
    chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and baking powder and fold in. 

4. Beat the egg whites in a grease-free bowl and fold into the mixture. Pour 
    into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until firm to the 
    touch. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and turn out onto a wire rack to 
    cool completely. 

5. To prepare the filling, heat the jam with 1 tbsp of brandy over low heat in 
    a small pan. Allow to cool and set aside. In another pot, melt the 
    chocolate with the butter and the remaining brandy. Stir until smooth. 
    Allow to cool. 

6. To assemble the cake, slice the cake into 3 layers. Arrange the lower layer 
    and spread with half the jam filling and top with half the chocolate filling. 
    Top with the second layer. Spread with the remaining jam and chocolate 
    filling and top with the third layer. Cool in the fridge for about an hour or 
    until set. 

7. Prepare the ganache by melting the chocolate in the cream over low heat. 
    Once smooth, add the coffee and vanilla extract. Allow to cool while 
    constantly stirring with a wire whisk. The ganache is ready when it is 
    spreadable. If in a hurry, you can cool in the fridge but keep an eye on it. 

8. Cover the cooled cake with the ganache and top with chocolate shavings 
    of bittersweet and white chocolate bars. 

*France, C. Chocolate Ecstasy, Anness Publishing Limited, London: 1996.

Black Rice Paella

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Black Rice or Arros Negre is a Spanish dish similar to seafood paella but only in terms of preparation. The black color is obtained by using squid ink or cuttlefish ink. Mistakenly referred to as Black Paella, it is technically not a paella dish. Oftentimes, shrimps and crabs are added to the dish which is cooked in a seafood broth. 

For my version of Black Rice, I actually leaned more towards the paella dish and literally used organic black rice that I bought in the local market of Miagao. In Bacolod where I grew up, organic black rice is very expensive because the residents of Bacolod city are willing to pay for a much higher price especially since it is organic. In Miagao where rice is basically white rice, nobody gave a damn that there was this underpriced organic product and I for one am only too happy to take advantage of this treat. 

To prepare this dish, you need a lot of patience and suppress the urge to open the large wok during the last part of the preparation. This is to ensure that the rice is cooked perfectly while the meat stays moist and flavorful. I hope you give this dish a try. 

Black Rice Paella

6 cups organic black rice
2 lbs chicken, cut into eights
1 lb assorted sausages
48 pcs quail eggs, hard boiled and peeled
2 large red bell peppers, julienned
1 cup white onions, diced
32 oz canned diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 bay leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp ground coriander
4 tbsp olive oil
1 10-oz frozen peas
1 cup black olives
lemon wedges
parsley leaves

1. Wash the rice in water and drain. Set aside.

2. In a large wok, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the 
    sausages until browned. set aside. 

3. In the same wok, saute the garlic, onions and bay leaf. Season with salt 
    and pepper and cook until softened. 

4. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken
    on both sides. Add the paprika, oregano, thyme, and coriander. 

5. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 
    the broth and season with the mustard. Return to a boil and cook for 10 
    minutes covered. 

6. Add the rice and pour in the diced tomatoes. Check for seasoning and 
    adjust accordingly. Lower the heat to medium low and cook uncovered 
    until almost all the liquid has evaporated. 

7. Stir in the frozen peas, black olives and red bell peppers. Slice the sausages 
    into wedges and arrange on top of the rice with the quail eggs. 

8. Lower the heat to its lowest setting and cook covered until the rice has 
    cooked perfectly. Garnish with the chopped parsley leaves and the lemon 
    wedges. Drizzle with more olive oil if desired.   
  

Fried Fillet of Cream Dory

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I purchased a pack of frozen cream dory a few weeks ago and I was trying to figure out what was the best way to cook them. I tried baking them before but it came out a bit soggy so that was out of the question. I didn't want it to be cooked in a stew but I did know that I wanted something fried. Thus, I decided to make fried fish with a crunchy crust that will be perfect for eating as a main dish or as a snack in the form of a fried patty in a sandwich. 

One of my favorite restaurant items is Fish and Chips and although I'm not craving the chips part, I am craving the fish part. Thus, I decided to use my recipe for fried chicken but changed the herbs for the breading mix to perfectly match this delicate and flaky fish. I also made a parsley bagna cauda to complement the dish and it was just what was needed to elevate this dish from being simply fried to mouth watering.   

Fried Fillet of Cream Dory

1 lb frozen cream dory, thawed
1 cup panko
1 cup flour
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp tarragon
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
oil for frying
2 eggs

1. in a small bowl, beat the eggs with 2 tbsp water. Set aside. 

2. In a small shallow bowl, combine the panko, Herbes de Provence, paprika, 
    tarragon, and Cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. In another shallow bowl, sift the flour to remove the lumps. 

4. Cut the fillet into 3-inch portions. Season with salt and pepper and dredge 
    with the flour. Tap off excess flour.

5. Dip into the egg wash and carefully dredge into the panko mixture. 

6. Fry in a pre-warmed oil until golden brown. Do the same for the rest of 
    the cream dory fillet. 

7. Serve warm with the bagna cauda. 

Bagna Cauda

3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fish sauce
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp parsley
lemon zests
salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, allow to cool for about 3 
    minutes. 

2. Combine the melted butter with the rest of the ingredients except for 
    salt and pepper into a blender. Blitz until a creamy texture is obtained. 

3. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly with salt and pepper. Keep 
    warm.    

Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This was my third attempt and I should also say successful in terms of having a mousse that holds its shape when eaten. Normally, this recipe would have been a no-brainer given that I have tackled more complicated recipes than this. However, there are a lot of things to be said when your main problem is not the technique but rather, the ingredient. This version of chocolate mousse is decadent because you basically have nothing more save for eggs, chocolate, and butter. The trick is, you have to use the best ingredients to achieve this French chocolate mousse.

The recipe I used came courtesy of Dave Lebovitz from his own blog. The recipe is of course from Julia Child's iconic book, Mastering The Art of French Cooking. Even my French friend, Cedric, made this dessert during our chocolate mousse battle about three years ago. When his parents came to visit, they also made this wonderful dessert for us and it was heavenly. 

I made a modified version of this dessert and is posted on this blog but I have always wanted to try the read deal. That is when I came to have problems. First off, get the best chocolates you can get. I have been using a block of baking chocolate at our local baking store here which makes it a bit cheaper but it turned out that it is thusly priced and for good reason. The chocolate has a lot of additives and is really not suited for this type of preparation. This successful attempt was due to my use of a combination of both unsweetened dark chocolate and Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Next up is the butter. Use the unsalted butter kind and make sure it is real butter. Don't go for the substitutes as they will not work as well. Lastly, get the freshest eggs as much as possible. They really do make a big difference.

Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse - Adapted*

4 oz Hershey's semisweet chocolate
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
6 oz unsalted butter
1/4 cup strong black coffee
2/3 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp
4 large eggs, separated
2 tbsp brandy
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a small metal bowl, melt the chocolates, coffee and butter over a pot 
    with barely simmering water. Set aside. 

2. In another metal bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and brandy over a pot
    with barely simmering water until the mixture is thick like mayonnaise. 

3. Immediately dunk the egg yolk mixture in a larger bowl filled with ice. 
    Beat until cool and thick. Fold in the chocolate mixture carefully. 

4. In a third separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until soft peaks 
    are formed. Add the 1 tbsp sugar and continue to beat until it becomes 
    glossy but not stiff. Fold in the vanilla.

5. Fold a third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture and once
    incorporated, fold in the rest of the beaten egg whites. Do not overdo it 
    or the mousse will lose volume. 

6. Scoop a good amount of mousse into ramekins and seal the top with 
    clingfilm. Chill for 4 hours or until the mousse has set. 
 
*Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse: Dave Lebovitz: Living the Sweet Life in Paris.