LtDan'sKitchen.com

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Coconut Flan

I made this dish a long, long time ago. I have not made it recently but I kept the recipe and noted the changes I made to it and luckily, I also have the pictures to show what this dish looks like. A variation on the regular milk flan, this version uses coconut milk in the custard mix. I like to keep the flavor of the coconut on the subtle side so I don't use coconut extract. Rather, I stick to good old regular vanilla extract instead.

Back home, this dessert is a big hit during family celebrations and it may not be a traditional holiday dessert here in the US but every time I visit my cousins in Illinois during the holidays, this is the one dish that is always requested. Not this version but the regular flan and all is good in the world.

Coconut Flan

1 cup granulated sugar

1 can 14 fl oz coconut milk

1 can 14 oz sweetened condensed milk

6 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. Heat sugar in a small,

heavy-duty saucepan

over medium low

heat until dissolved

and caramel-colored. Pour onto bottom of 9-inch-round metal cake pan.

Quickly swirl around to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs,

egg yolks and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared

pan through a sieve and cover lightly with foil. Place pan in large roasting

pan filled with warm water to about an inch depth.

4. Bake for 1 hour and check for doneness. The middle part of the flan

should be set and not runny. Cook for another 10 minutes if still not set

and check regularly. Remove flan from water and cool on a wire rack.

Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

5. To serve, run a small spatula around the edge of the pan. Invert serving
plate over pan. Turn over and shake gently to release.

Corsican Omelette

This egg recipe with goat cheese is actually Nigella Lawson's recipe and in a not so weird twist of fate, I found out that both me and my Danish friend Tania love Nigella as well as the two fat ladies of the "Two Fat Ladies" cooking show. Okay, put down your pitchforks and bonfires but the show is really about two fat ladies who go around the UK cooking in monasteries and boarding schools while presenting traditional recipes that would make Paula Dean's recipes seem low fat. They also prefer local produce and game meat in their repertoire but they are just really a delight to watch.

Okay I've digressed way too much. With regards to the omelet, I can finally get rid of my last remaining goat cheese and what better way than to make this simple recipe from the domestic goddess herself, Nigella, or as her critics in the US would love to refer to her, the "queen of food porn". As luck would have it as well, I have the very book where this recipe is published. The recipe is for one serving but it is large enough to serve two. The recipe is also named thusly as it evoked memories of Corsica for Nigella when she went for a holiday there and not because of its Corsican origin. The original recipe calls for mint leaves but I really don't like them so I used fresh parsley and dried basil leaves instead.

Corsican Omelette - Adapted*

3 large eggs
1 tbsp heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2-3 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tbsp fresh parsley, julienned

1. Mix the eggs in a bowl with the heavy cream and whisk until just mixed.
Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add
the dried basil and saute for about a minute.

3. Add the eggs and and spread it around the pan. Top with the parsley and
cheese and let the eggs set by lifting the sides carefully to let any runny
eggs cook.

4. When the top looks nearly set, fold into thirds and slide onto a plate.

*Lawson, Nigella, Forever Summer, Hyperion, New York: 2003

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Pasta con Crema di Formaggio di Capra (Pasta with Goat Cheese Cream)

Not much to talk about this dish. I have extra goat cheese and I was given a free pack of egg pasta so I put two of them together and this is what I came up with. The recipe is based on Sophia Loren's recipe using Gorgonzola cheese with a little bit of a tweak. If you do fancy Gorgonzola, feel free to use it. The beauty of this pasta dish is how quickly it was done and how easy it was prepare. You just have to make sure that you have the patience to ensure that the pasta comes out al dente.

Pasta with Goat Cheese Cream - Adapted*

1/2 lb Goat cheese or Gorgonzola
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 stalk celery
1/2 onion, diced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 hard boiled egg yolk
handful of parsley, minced
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 lb rigatoni or tagliatelle or wide egg pasta noodles

1. In a blender, blitz the garlic, milk, cream, onion, egg yolk and celery.
Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Cook the pasta as per packet instructions. Halfway through the cooking
process, heat half the sauce in a deep sauce pan over medium low heat.

3. Transfer the pasta into the pan with the sauce. Add the rest of the
sauce and the butter and cook until the pasta is al dente. Add more pasta
water if necessary to ensure the pasta is cooked perfectly.

4. Off the heat, add the parsley and mix well. Dress the pasta with a handful
of grated cheese preferably a dry cheese although I used a Dubliner which
is a milder cheese. A drizzle of olive oil is also a nice touch.

*Loren, Sophia. Sophia Loren's Recipes and Memories. GT Publishing Corp. New York:1998

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Banana Cream Pie

I started craving this dessert while in Utah after seeing a lemon pie at one of the places we ate at last week. For some reason, I was seeing Banana Cream Pie and I had to immediately dig for a good recipe once I got back last night. It was a good search since I found two blogs that featured the recipe I wanted so I did not have to write the recipe for you guys. All you needed to do is to follow the trail. I have to say that I did encounter blog envy for both sites and I have not had felt this feeling before which is quite unusual.

The first blog that led me to the recipe I used is Amanda's Cookin'. She featured a Banana Cream Pie recipe that she also lifted from another blog, Sing for Your Supper... and You'll Get Breakfast. The recipe she featured is surprise, surprise, from Dorie Greenspan, whom I've had the delight to work with, on another one of her recipes, the Opera Cake.

I'm still craving the Baker's Square Banana Cream Pie that is definitely one of my favorite pies but the recipe above is fairly good. Not overly sweet, the pie enhances the sweetness of the bananas and to me, that is a good thing. The only thing I changed is the topping. I used two cups of cold cream and ditched the sour cream. I also used 1/2 tsp of gelatin that I softened in 1/4 cup of warm water. The gelatin is added when you start whipping the cream and once soft peaks are formed, I add the sugar. I also flavored the cream with a tablespoon of white rum and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Top with toasted almonds for added crunch.

Shrimp Balls and Dumplings

Shrimps are usually not one of my favorite things to eat. As a child, I really had bad allergic reactions to crustaceans especially crabs. I remember my Dad's sister, Auntie Gonyang, coming for a visit every now and then and her choice of contraband on such occasions are crabs. I say contraband because she is not allowed to eat them. She almost always usually just came from a doctor's visit and was told a few hours before not to eat crabs and a few hours later, she is at the house eagerly awaiting for this treat with my Mom cooking the disallowed food item. Both she and my Dad are not supposed to be eating crabs since my Dad has his own allergies to them (which he happily shared with me) but they are happily munching along while me and my Mom would look on helplessly.

Eventually, my allergic reaction to shrimps diminished and I could easily eat them now without having to take any medication. Crabs however, I avoid like the plague since I really still have bad allergic reactions to them. There is one exception however and if given the the chance to eat lobster for free, I'll happily take one of my allergy medicines and partake happily on such a feast.

The recipe below is one I found online and have adjusted to suit my tastes. I've always loved the shrimp dumplings at the Canton house in Atlanta and this recipe is the closest thing in terms of flavor to the dish that I miss a lot. Granted that this recipe requires it to be fried in oil, I figured I could take the same recipe and use it in a dumpling and it will still be equally good. In this instance, I was proven right.

Shrimp Balls and Dumplings - Adapted*

2 lb large shrimp (45), peeled and deveined
8 oz can water chestnuts (1 cup), rinsed and finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp pork lard
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and grated

2 tbsp green onions, finely chopped

2 tsp salt
4 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
vegetable oil for frying

1. Pulse shrimp in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a large
bowl.

2. Add the water chestnuts, egg white, lard, rice wine, ginger, scallion,
salt, and cornstarch. Mix shrimp mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon
and throw it against side of bowl until combined well and compacted.

3. Wet your hands with cold water and form teaspoons of shrimp mixture
into balls. Coat balls, one at a time, in panko, then arrange in 1 layer on
another wax-paper–lined tray.

4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan until the thermometer registers 375°F. Fry
balls in 4 batches, turning, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden and just
cooked through. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Notes:

When all shrimp balls are fried, reheat if needed on a rack, set in a shallow baking pan until just hot about 2 minutes on a preheated oven at 425°F. This usually never happens as they disappear quite quickly.

I like to serve this with sweet chili sauce and steamed rice. As is, they are also good as an appetizer with a fruity white wine.

Shrimp Dumplings

To make the dumplings, you will need an extra egg and round dumpling wrappers. If you feel like trying out both dishes, the recipe above makes about 25 dumplings and 12-two inch shrimp balls.

1. Beat the egg with 2 tbsp water and brush one side of the wrapper. Do this
individually.

2. Take about a tbsp of the mixture above and lay on the center of a
dumpling wrapper and gather the edges around the filling until you are
left with a small opening. Top with a small slice of shrimp.

3. Repeat the procedure above until you have filled all the wrappers. Steam
for about 10 minutes and serve immediately.

Note:

I like to serve my dumplings with a mixture of 2-3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp lemon juice, a drizzle of sesame oil and a few turns of black pepper.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Prune and Walnut-Stuffed Pork Roast

Pork being the new white meat is actually a healthy option if you get sick of eating chicken. However, pork loin is so lean it tends to dry out when roasted or cooked in the oven for too long. So the trick is to underbake it a little bit and tent with foil as it comes out of the oven and that will bring it up to the optimal temperature where it becomes safe to eat it. Another option is to butterfly the loin and stuff with a topping that will lend its flavor as well as keep the meat moist during the cooking process.

This recipe is from Dave Lieberman's book, Dave's Dinners. I've made this dish a number of times and it always comes out really juicy and just flavorful. I've paired this with a variety of rice pilaf and they go very well together. This time however, I decided to pair it with soft polenta together with a serving of sauteed zucchini ribbons.

Prune and Walnut-Stuffed Pork Roast - Adapted*

2 lbs pork loin
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 lb pitted dried plum, chopped
2 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1/4 lb chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the pork horizontally to flay it open and create
a flat even layer of meat.

2. Combine the rest of the ingredients except for the salt and pepper and
mix well. Season the meat with salt and pepper and spread about half of
the mixture over the flayed meat.

3. Seal the meat with a twine by pulling both ends of the meat with the
filling in the middle. Lay flat on a baking pan and spread the rest of the
filling over the meat.

4. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. To serve, cut
the twine and slice the roast into thick wedges. Gather the sauce and the
rest of the filling and serve with the roast at the table.

*Lieberman, Dave, Dave's Dinners: A Fresh Approach to Home-Cooked Meals, Hyperion, New York: 2006

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Chicken Galantina

Chicken Galantina is a Christmas dish that I was introduced to during my college years. A cousin of mine started making them to order during the holiday season and during one of the family gatherings when I was home for a vacation, my Mom asked her to make one for the family. It was an interesting dish and one that is very rich and complex in terms of flavor and texture. Having ran out of ideas to cook for New Year's Eve last December, I decided to give it a try and it was definitely better that I anticipated considering that the only memory I had of how it was prepared was that it was baked until the skin was all golden and crisp.

Doing a bit of research, I found out that there are quite several ways of preparing this dish but I settled on something that was reminiscent of how I thought it was made by my cousin. I also decided to go with the most simple and straightforward version of the recipe which is always a plus. I have a cookbook from home and it includes a recipe of galantina but I also decided to check another resource of mostly complicated Filipino dishes, the Market Manila blog. After carefully considering the best route to tackle this dish, I settled on skipping the part where you boil the stuffed chicken before baking it to a crisp. I chose to steam bake it instead covered in foil and once cooked, I baked it uncovered until the skin turned golden brown.

Another thing to consider when making this dish is you have to be brave enough to debone a chicken. That or befriend your local butcher. After looking at youtube for videos on the process of deboning a chicken, it was actually quite easy and I am definitely not afraid if I have to do it all over again. Just make sure you have the right knife to do the job and that the knife has to be sharp. Also, make sure that that is the only task you have at that very moment. You don't want to lose a finger because you were distracted for one second. I also didn't go all out in deboning the chicken. I left the drumstick and the wings intact which did not affect the galantina whatsoever. Now, on to the recipe:

Chicken Galantina - Adapted

2 2-3 lbs roasting chicken
1 lb pork sausage
1 lb ground chicken
2 eggs
2 medium carrots, finely   grated
1/4 cup sherry or white wine
1 medium onion, finely   chopped
gray salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb ham, finely   chopped
1 lb bacon
1/3 cup pistachio nuts
4 tbsp butter, melted

Gravy

4 carrots
2 onions, quartered
4 cups water
6 cloves garlic
4 celery sticks
1/4 cup flour
4 tbsp butter
4 cups chicken broth

1. Debone the chicken and set aside in the fridge.

2. Combine the filling ingredients except for the bacon and the nuts and
    check for flavor by taking a tsp of filling and cooking it in the
    microwave. Adjust with salt and pepper. Let the filling mix rest in
    the fridge for about 30 minutes.

3. To stuff the chicken, Lay the chicken flat and pat dry with paper
    towels. Season with about a tsp of salt and a few turns of black
    pepper. Layer the bacon across the chicken and pile on the filling
    evenly. Sprinkle with the nuts and bring the edges together.

4. Sew the edges together with a kitchen twine and a needle and lay the
    chicken, cut side down on a foil. Season the chicken with more salt
    and pepper and cover loosely with another piece of foil. Crimp the
    edges and place on a baking rack in a roasting pan. Add the
    first five ingredients for the gravy on the bottom of the rack.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for one hour and a half. Remove
the roasting pan from the oven and remove the top foil and let the
drippings drain into the pan over the roasted vegetables. Brush the
chicken with melted butter. Return the roasting pan to the oven and
bake the chicken until the skin is golden brown. Remove the rack and
let any residual drippings collect into the roasting pan. Set the
chicken aside and allow to cool still partially covered in foil.

6. Add the flour and butter to the roasting pan and cook over medium
    high heat until incorporated. Add 2 cups of broth and strain the
    mixture over a sieve into a clean pot while mashing the roasted
    vegetables. Heat the gravy over medium heat and adjust
    the texture by adding the rest of the broth until the desired
    consistency is achieved. Correct the flavor with salt and pepper.

7. Serve the galantina warm or at room temperature with the warm
    gravy.