LtDan'sKitchen.com

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Very Simple Roasted Chicken - Filipino style

Okay, This recipe was created out of necessity and just because I wanted a roast chicken but did not want to buy it from one of the many stalls that sell roasted chicken dotting the city. I used to roast meat a lot from chicken to pork and even turkey but I seldom do that here since I came home last year. It might be due to the fact that a tank of gas for cooking is a bit expensive or that my oven is not the best oven in the world and setting it to the right temperature is a pain. Either way, I'm starting to roast meat again albeit not very often.

This roast chicken is very simple in that I want it again to be the most basic it can be without sacrificing the flavor. I think I managed to achieve that and with the gravy that went with it, it was one delicious and simple dish that any novice can pull off. Just try and make sure that you have a meat thermometer to ensure that the bird is cooked properly.

Roast Chicken - Filipino Style.

2 lb young chicken
2 small carrots, quartered
2 celery stalk
1 small bundle of lemongrass
2 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper
4 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to about 375°F. Prepare a 9x13 baking pan by lining with
    foil and arranging the carrots, celery and garlic cloves for the chicken to
    rest on. Set aside.

2. Season the cavity of the bird with salt and pepper and stuff with the butter
    and the lemongrass. Secure the legs of the bird and season with more salt
    and pepper.

3. Arrange the bird on top of the vegetables and drizzle it with the oil. Bake
    in the oven for about 2 hours or until the skin has turned a golden brown
    and the meat thermometer registers 180°F.

4. Let the bird rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with the carrots and
    the garlic cloves.

5. To make the gravy, collect the drippings in a small potand over medium
    heat, thicken with about 2 tbsp of flour. Once it starts to thicken, add a
    tablespoon of butter and continue to cook until the butter has melted.
    Check for seasoning and correct accordingly. If too salty, thin out with a
    little bit of water.

Balbacua Cebu via Bacolod

This is a doctor's nightmare come to life in a bowl but definitely a gastronomic delight. Considered a street food in Cebu, this dish is definitely very unique in the same manner that Kansi is unique to Bacolod or the KBL to the Visayan region. A testament to living in Asia where every bit of animal part is used to maximize the use of a domesticated animal, this dish uses ox cheeks, feet and tail. If you are from the West, you might think it very unappetizing and indeed, as Andrew Zimmern would refer to such fare, bizarre. However, with an open mind, you might just learn to love this dish.

I normally don't use these animal parts because I never learned how to cook them properly. It was just upon the urging of a good friend that I decided to give it a try. My first introduction to the dish was months ago in a small eatery outside the hotel we were staying at during a conference. For the meager and almost dilapidated look of the place, I was surprised and thought that they had the best omelet, hands down. I ordered those bad boys for breakfast every morning with no fail. It was during one of our visit however, that I came upon this dish. My friend who hails from Cebu ordered the dish and with me having gout issues, I watched in awe and a bit of concern for him at the same time as he ate the dish with such gusto. I was also left wondering as to how he can enjoy such fare when all I see is cholesterol in stew form. I decided I wanted to give it a try the next day but unfortunately, they did not have it and we were scheduled to go home the next day so I never learned how it tasted. Thus, it was left in the back burner until it kept popping into my head a number of times. My final inducement was from the said friend who finally told me to make it and so I did using this recipe as my starting point. Do read the blog post if you have the time for it is quite hilarious.

Balbacua Cebu via Bacolod

8 lbs ox tail, cheeks or feet, cut into serving pieces
6 star anise
2 onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 bay leaves
1/2 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight
1 /4 cup salted black beans, drained
1 inch ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1 small bundle of lemon grass stalk
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 picante chile
10 cups beef broth
salt and pepper
4 tbsp vegetable oil
9 saba half-ripe bananas, peeled and halved
1/3 cup green onions, diced

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, boil the meat with the bay leaves
    and half the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to boil for
    another 20 minutes. Discard the liquid and rinse the meat thoroughly.

2. In another large pot over medium high heat, saute the garlic with the
    remaining onions in the vegetable oil until slightly browned and season
    with salt and pepper. Add the ginger, star anise, red pepper flakes and
    the lemon grass and saute for another minute.

3. Add the soaked white beans and black beans and mix until seasoned. Pour
    in the broth together with the meat and bring to a boil.

4. Once boiling, adjust the heat to medium low and simmer covered. This
    will be the longest part of the cooking process. Simmer for about 5-6
    hours or until the meat is very soft and is almost falling apart. Add more
    water if necessary making sure you have enough broth covering the
    simmering meat.

5. Add the bananas and the picante pepper when the meat is almost ready
    and cook until the bananas are soft and yet still hold their shape. Check
    for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve with a sprinkling of the green
    onions.

Almond Jelly with Lychees

This also took about 15 years in the making. We served this dessert about 15 years ago at a function we catered and it was a hit. We almost ran out but we managed to serve enough to the guests who were invited to the party. That was our first catering job and definitely our last. I vividly remember cooking in the middle of my friend's rental place at 4am in the morning since the function was at 10am. After the event, we decided right there and then that never again will we cater. So now, that was one dream job tossed down the drain.

Fast forward to now, I decided to make this dessert for today's event which was my Dad's birthday party. A belated party might I add. We were supposed to go out for lunch but after trying to find food I can eat at the mall yesterday that will fit with my new restricted diet, I decided to cook instead. For the dessert, all we needed was somebody to go up the coconut tree and grab the young ones and the rest were relatively easy to find in any grocery stores here. The jelly mix I use is Indian I believe but they came up with a jasmine flavored one lately so make sure you choose the almond kind. I have yet to try the jasmine variety.

Almond Jelly with Lychees

3 20-oz canned lychees, syrup reserved
2 4.55-oz pack almond jelly
1 cup milk
4 cups young coconut meat
3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup white kaong* (optional)
water

1. Drain the lychees and use the liquid to prepare the almond jelly. Measure
    the lychee syrup and adjust with the milk and water to make up to 6 cups
    of liquid.

2. In a pot over medium heat, boil the milk and lychee syrup and slowly add
    the almond jelly mix. Once dissolved, bring to a boil once and pour the
    contents into a large shallow pan. Cool and refrigerate.

3. Once the almond jelly is cool, slice into small cubes and mix with the rest
    of the ingredients. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

* If using kaong, drain the kaong and wash thoroughly with water before adding to the dessert. It is usually stored in a very thick syrup and the flavor is quite overwhelming unless washed and drained thoroughly.

Maja Blanca (Back to Basics)

This took about 25 years in the making. My vivid memory of this very humble dessert dates way back in the early 80s when my friend Norlyn made it for one of our parties. It is one of those times when as a bunch of high school kids, we would stay overnight at a friend's house and eat and drink punch and well, stay late. Nope, I'm not divulging any secrets.

Anyway, her maja blanca was so simple but I could not stop eating it. We were eating so much food during this annual party and this was my choice of food to gorge on. I saw her prepare this dish and I think I commented that she is definitely ready to get married since she is one awesome cook. I was 13 then so I have no idea why I said that. Totally inappropriate definitely.

Now, enough with the background story. The dish if you google it will show you several versions claiming that theirs is the best maja blanca. I've tried a few of them and they were either too sweet or just plain too fussy. I was looking for my simple and very basic but might I add very tasty maja blanca.

It was only today that I took another stab at this dessert since my attempt last week resulted to a pudding-like dessert so that went down the drain. With a little help from a friend's recipe which frankly scared me a bit with the 1 kilogram sugar ingredient, I forged on ahead with it. Little did I know that my cousin's actually know how to make it the old school way. After combining both recipes, I finally had my dream maja blanca come to life right before my very eyes. Definitely a very good balm for a bruised heart.

Maja Blanca

3 cups corn starch
12 cups fresh coconut milk
1/2 fresh milk
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. In a big pot, stir the corn starch with the coconut milk, fresh milk and
    sugar.

2. Turn on the heat to medium and keep stirring until the mixture thickens.
    Check for taste and make sure the corn starch is cooked.

3. Once it starts to thicken, lower the heat and continue stirring until very
    thick. Add in the vanilla and stir to mix.

4. Pour the thick mixture into a mold and allow to cool. Store in the fridge
    before serving. Best served cold.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Danish Braised Chicken

It is a rare occasion when you are presented with a dish that requires only four ingredients and have it come out so finger-licking fantastically good. Such is the case with this braised chicken dish. Adapted from the cookbook gifted by my Danish friend, I was really skeptical at first but was totally convinced by the time I was done eating. I also served it to my two friends and short of devouring a whole chicken between the three of us, what was left was half a chicken breast which was packed to go by one of my friends and the neck part which I ate for lunch the next day.

The dish was originally served with a cucumber salad but I'm not a big fan of pickled cucumbers so I paired it with a vegetable salad. However, I realized that boiled baby potatoes seasoned with olive oil and the usual salt and pepper was the best side dish since you get to eat them with the thick creamy gravy that is nothing really but melted butter and cooked cream. Need I say more? This is one awesome dish. Word of warning though: not for those with cholesterol problems. I'm not kidding. Stay away from this dish!

Danish Braised Chicken - Adapted*

1 2-3 lbs whole chicken, trimmed
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on the outside and in the cavity.
    Stuff with the parsley leaves and half the butter. Secure the legs with a
    butcher's twine and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat. Once melted,
    increase the heat to medium high and brown the whole chicken on all
    sides.

3. Add half the cream and decrease the heat to low and simmer the chicken
    covered for about an hour or until the juices run clear when you pierce
    the thigh. Turn the chicken occasionally during this time.

4. To complete the dish, add the remaining cream and simmer for another
    10 minutes.

5. To serve, cut the chicken into large pieces and drizzle the sauce over it.
    Best served with boiled baby potatoes.

* Forlag, N.N.; Busk, A., Dining With The Danes, Clemenstrykkeriet, Copenhagen: 2011.

Fettuccini Alfredo

What do you do with 2 lbs of fettuccini? Why, you make Fettuccini Alfredo of course! Here in my country, this pasta dish is also often bastardized and ends up in a sea of white sauce that may or may not contain condensed milk. I've tried one where I had to add a ton of Parmesan cheese just to neutralize the sweetness of the sauce. It was almost like a dessert pasta in its sweetness. Another offense is the addition of either bacon, mushroom, ground meat or a combination of two or three of the above mentioned items. Somehow for us Filipinos, more is usually better although sometimes, that is not the case.

In my desire to go back to basics when it comes to Italian dishes, I am scaling back on the expectations of what a Pasta Alfredo is to those who claim to know all about it and honor the original recipe of Alfredo Di Lelio which traditionally is made with only butter and cheese. Well, I'm almost going to honor it. The addition of cream allowed the use of less butter when making the sauce and this is what I'm going to follow. I also used a little bit of milk to thin out the sauce. As much as I love butter, I'm on a low fat diet at the moment and even with just one serving of this dish, I may have already pushed my caloric intake to the brink. I'm eating this dish with one eye blind. Thus, with a nod to the original recipe and a bit of a twist by adding lemon juice and zest ala Giada de Laurentis, here is my version of Fettuccini Danilo. Ooops, I meant, Alfredo!

Fettuccini Alfredo

1 lb dried fettuccini
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and white pepper

1. Cook fettuccini as per packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking,
    prepare the sauce.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat. Keep an eye on it
    and make sure it does not burn.

3. Slowly add the heavy cream while stirring and continue to stir until the
    cream is fully incorporated.

4. Season with salt and white pepper. Slowly add the lemon juice and stir
    quickly to prevent the cream from curdling.

5. When the pasta is almost ready, add the milk and nutmeg into the sauce.
    Turn off the heat and add half the cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted
    into the sauce and check for flavor and adjust accordingly.

6. Toss the fettuccini into the skillet and coat with the sauce. Add the rest
    of the Parmesan cheese and lemon zest and serve immediately.

Fettuccini with Sweet Red Peppers

Another healthy dish for the week is a product of my obsessive compulsive need to use an ingredient in my cupboard that stands like a sore thumb just because I bought it by mistake and have no use for it. The culprit, canned pimientos. I've searched for recipes that uses canned pimientos (sweet peppers) and what came up were recipes on how to can peppers. Well, that was not what I was looking for. Eventually, I tried searching for recipes that uses sweet red peppers in a pasta dish and a few good hits finally came through the web.

One recipe that caught my attention was from Ree Drummond also known in television as the Pioneer Woman. I have seen her show a couple of times but I never really took to her recipes until now. Even so, my version is really rustic due to the fact that I have no blender in my kitchen (Hey, Santa! I'm being awfully good so a blender will come in handy for Christmas!). Come to think of it, maybe I should call myself the Mountain Man! Oh, and when I say rustic, I mean RUSTIC. Ree's version is short of nothing but decadent.

Anyway, this version is almost like a Spaghetti al Pomodoro Crudo except that I used half sweet pimientos and half ripe tomatoes. The dressing is definitely simple and very sparse but it really has a good balance in terms of flavor. I envisioned adding heavy cream to it but after tasting the dish sans cream, it was already delicious I dare not spoil it. This time, simple is definitely better.

Fettuccini with Sweet Red Peppers

1/2 lb dried fettuccini
1 cup diced sweet pimientos
3 tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Basil leaves
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Cook the pasta as per packet directions. While the pasta is cooking,
    prepare the sauce.

2. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil
    and saute the garlic and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook
    until softened.

3. Add the sweet peppers and cook until heated through. Add the broth and
    bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. When the pasta is almost ready, add the tomatoes into the simmering
    peppers. Toss the pasta into the skillet and coat with the sauce. Loosen
    with some cooking water if a bit dry.

5. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the cheese into the pasta. Serve with torn
    basil leaves and a drizzling of olive oil.

Recipes

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Saturday, September 21, 2013