LtDan'sKitchen.com

Sunday, May 27, 2012

My Basic Italian Spaghetti

Spaghetti was one of my favorite dishes to cook growing up. Our family version is made by buying a prepackaged meat sauce and adding tons of processed cheese (the Velveeta type) and flooding it with slices of hotdogs and ground beef. That was considered the typical spaghetti dish that was also high end. The addition of hotdogs made it so. I also learned how to make spaghetti with liver paste and even with condensed milk. Don't laugh, it is normal here in the Philippines. You also get to love spaghetti made with banana ketchup if you are short on budget. With this ever changing variation on the recipe, my first foray into real Italian spaghetti was quite a revelation to me. I also could not believe that it was actually quite simple.

Now, what led to this posting? Simply put: excess basil leaves. I had thought of making osso bucco but I had saved that for next week so I settled for good ole' spaghetti. I also have a few cans of whole tomatoes plus a good chunk of Pecorino Romano cheese so spaghetti was the obvious choice. I do want to add something to it though and yes, this is allowed: toasted bread crumbs. I've seen Lidia do this so I don't think I'll be breaking any strict rules with regards to making spaghetti. By the way, I'm dropping Lidia Bastianich's name like we are friends but I can assure you, she has no idea who I am. Anyway, on to the recipe.

My Basic Italian Spaghetti

1-32 oz whole tomatoes, canned
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 cup toasted bread crumbs
Pecorino Romano, grated
3 tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling
2 lbs dried spaghetti
1-2 tbsp of white sugar
2 cups hot water
handful of Basil leaves (tear into smaller slices if needed)

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and
    cook until lightly browned. Add the oregano and saute for one minute.

2. Crush the canned tomatoes with your hands and add to the pot together
    with its liquid. Add the tomato sauce and season salt and pepper.

3. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 30
    minutes.

4. Add the hot water and the tomato paste and stir. Check for flavor and
    add the sugar to balance the tartness of the sauce. Let simmer on the
    side.

5. In a large pot filled with water, bring the water to a boil at medium high
    heat. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add 2 tbsp of salt and add
    the dried pasta.

6. Cook the pasta until just al dente. Transfer the pasta to the sauce to
    finish cooking until al dente. Add more of the pasta water if necessary.

7. To finish, add the toasted bread crumbs and mix well. Turn off the heat
    and add the grated cheese. Toss to mix.

8. Add the basil leaves and toss until the leaves just wilt. Dress with more
    olive oil and serve passing more Pecorino Romano on the table.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Cassava Cake

Cassava cake is something I've always wanted to bake but could never seem to get right. My cousin Erna has a foolproof recipe that she has given me more than three times already but I could just not get it to bake right. I have actually given up on it and every time I visit them in Illinois, I ask her to bake one for me especially on Christmas time. Cassava cake is a simple native dessert treat and is made by grating fresh cassava and cooking it in a sugar syrup together with coconut milk. The natural starch of the cassava root acts as the binder for the cake so there is no need to add flour. You do need a couple of eggs just to help the cake come together.

Frozen grated cassava is available in most Asian stores in the US. They come in small packs which is about a cup to a cup and a half of cassava pulp. One thing to remember is to use them as is. When you use fresh grated cassava however, you have to wring out the liquid from the grated root as it may contain some mild toxins which are no longer present in their commercial equivalents. Make sure to correct for the liquid extracted and exchange it with coconut milk to ensure that your cake comes out perfectly baked and moist. The recipe is adapted from Dorothy Ferreria's cookbook and I'm glad I finally have this recipe to use.

Cassava Cake - Adapted*

5 cups grated cassava
1 3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 oz unsalted butter,
   melted
2 large eggs

Topping:
2 egg yolks
1 can condensed milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup shredded soft
   cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10x10 baking pan with aluminum foil and
    grease with butter.

2. Combine the ingredients for the cake and mix well. Pour into the prepared
    pan and bake for one hour.

3. Prepare the topping by heating the condensed milk on a small pan over
    medium low heat with the butter and the flour. Once at a low boil, whisk
    the egg yolks quickly to avoid curdling. Mix well until thickened.

4. Pour the topping over the baked cake and smoothen with a spatula. Top
    with the grated cheese and bake for another 15 minutes or until the
    topping turns golden brown.

5. Cool and slice into squares. Serve warm or chilled if desired.

*Ferreria, D.M.J., From Dorothy's Kitchen, Amos Books Inc., Quezon City: 2004.

Chickpea Soup with Shitake Mushrooms

When I think of soup, I think of a hearty soup that is thick and brimming with either vegetables or some kind of pasta cooked perfectly with just a hint of meat to flavor the broth. Lidia likes to make her soup soupy in contrast to my preference. Still, her recipes make a wonderful base for whatever tickles your taste buds' fancy with a little bit more or less of the broth.

I wanted to prepare a soup dish since my Dad requires something with a bit of a broth for every meal. I know that my chicken dish will not suffice so I figured, I'll try this chickpea soup and use fresh mushrooms to boot. The addition of fresh basil leaves was a lucky stroke since for some reason that I could not fathom, they are so cheap here in my hometown. Parsley that was dirt cheap in the US is for some reason a lot more expensive and harder to find. Porcini was the original choice for the dried mushroom component of the soup but finding that here in my hometown will be next to impossible. I had to settle for dried Shitake mushrooms instead.

Chickpea Soup with Shitake Mushrooms - Adapted*

2 15-oz can chickpeas, drained
4 oz dried shitake mushrooms
1 lb fresh mushrooms (I used fresh oyster mushrooms)
1 30-oz whole tomatoes, canned
4-5 cups chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced celery
salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil

1. Reconstitute the dried mushroom in 2 cups hot water until softened. Spoon
    out the mushrooms and slice in half. Reserve the liquid.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and the
    onions and saute until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the
    celery and cook for two more minutes. Season with salt.

3. Add the oregano and the rosemary and cook for a minute. Add the shitake
    mushrooms and the reconstitution liquid. Bring to a boil.

4. Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add to the pot along with the
    broth. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for
    about 30 minutes.

5. Check for flavor and adjust accordingly. Add the fresh mushrooms and the
    chickpeas and cook for another 15 minutes.

6. Check for flavor one last time. To serve, drizzle with white truffle oil or
    extra virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves and shavings of
    Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano.

*Lidia's Italy: Chickpea Soup with Porcini Mushrooms.

I Can't Believe It's Not Real Tiramisu! (Cream Cheese Tiramisu)

My cousin and nephew along with my uncle and aunt came over the house today. I had something planned for my blog but since they were in town this Saturday, I decided to move up the date of my cooking experiment a day ahead and invited them over for lunch. I had planned a very Italian Sunday lunch so I went ahead with this plan hoping they will appreciate something different from what they usually have at home which is almost just like what we eat daily:fish, fish and more fish. However, I just don't have the time to make dessert on such short notice so a no-bake tiramisu seems to be the best choice for such an occasion. Also, being in the Philippines, mascarpone cheese is a rarity and finding one might be possible but the price tag on such a find will most likely be astronomical there is no point at all in splurging to make this dessert. It might be worth it but if you plan to eat tiramisu on a regular basis, a more affordable alternative might be the way to go.

I also went for the store-bought ladyfingers (Broas in our dialect) from the local bakery that has been our family's go-to bakery for our family parties. They are a bit pricey but their products are really wonderful and the quality have not gone down unlike most of the stores I used to frequent before I left for the US. I tried making ladyfingers the last time I had to make a dessert but my temperamental oven coupled with my new handheld mixer which turns hot after 5 minutes of use is giving me some issue with regards to real baking. Any hardcore baking will have to wait until I get my new kitchen in about a couple of months.

Cream Cheese Tiramisu

1 8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 8 oz heavy cream, chilled
13 tbsp white sugar
8 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup strongly brewed coffee
1/4 cup brandy
48 ladyfingers
2 oz dark chocolate
cocoa powder

1. In a large metal bowl, combine the white sugar with the egg yolks and beat
    at high speed on top of a double broiler. Keep the liquid at a low simmer.
    Beat at high speed until the volume has tripled. Take off the heat and set
    aside.

2. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with clean beaters until stiff peaks
    form. Fold into the egg yolk mixture.

3. In a third bowl, combine the cream cheese and the heavy cream and beat
    until smooth. Fold into the egg mixture.

4. In a 9x13 baking dish, ladle in a cup of the cream cheese mixture and
    spread evenly. Arrange a tight layer of ladyfingers filling in the gaps with
    little pieces.

5. Combine the coffee with the brandy and spoon half the amount over the
    ladyfingers. Pour half the cream cheese mixture over the ladyfingers and
    spread evenly.

6. Dust lightly with the cocoa powder and arrange a second layer of
    ladyfingers. Soak with the reamaining coffee/brandy mixture and top with
    the remaining cream cheese mixture.

7. Cover with clingfilm and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours. To serve,
    grate the chocolate on top and dust with the cocoa powder.

Chicken with Olives and Sunflower Seeds

I thought I already posted this dish some time ago. I know I cooked this dish already but it must have been when I made it and it was gone before I was able to take a picture. The dish seemed familiar but after looking at all my posts, it did turn out that I have not featured this recipe yet. Adapted from Lidia Bastianich's recipe of Pollo con Olives e Pignoli, I made some slight changes not because I don't trust her recipe but because I could not find a good fresh parsley to use in the dish. I ended up using fresh basil. It was also impossible to find pine nuts so I used roasted sunflower seeds instead.

Chicken with Olives and Sunflower Seeds - Adapted*

4 lbs chicken pieces
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup black olives
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
basil leaves
white truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1. Heat the butter and the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

2. Season the chicken with salt and fry on both sides until golden brown. Fry
    them in batches.

3. Make room in the center and add the bay leaves and garlic. Cook until the
    garlic is lightly browned.

4. Add the broth and increase the heat to medium high. Cover the pan to
    steam-cook the chicken. Cook for about 15 minutes.

5. Lower the heat to medium low and add the olives. Cover and cook for
    another 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked
    through.

6. Check the sauce for flavor and adjust with salt and pepper. Drizzle with
    the truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
    Serve with rice pilaf.

* Lidia's Italy: Pollo con Olives e Pignoli

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Baked Spanish Mackeral Steaks in Ginger Mango Sauce

This recipe is adapted from the Food magazine cookbook that managed to survive my absence of 7 years and one of the few dishes I tried the last time I was home. The original recipe came from Margie Moran, the second Filipina who took home the crown of Miss Universe for our country. The recipe has three things going for it, a vegetable relish, a fruit-based sauce and a marinade for the fish. I just thought that I ought to simplify the dish just a tad so I worked in some of my tweaking magic and the dish still came out quite good. I do recommend that you serve the relish on the side instead of as a topping. It just came off a bit too raw in taste even when I prepared it ahead of time to allow the flavors to mellow. It might be a matter of preference but I'm not such a big fan of anything pickled.

Baked Spanish Mackeral Steaks in Ginger Mango Sauce - Adapted*

2 lbs Spanish Mackeral steaks (Blue Marlin or Tuna will also work)
salt and pepper

Fruit Sauce:
1 large ripe mango
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1/4 cup ginger juice
salt and pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice

Relish:
1/2 cup tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and diced finely
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper

1. Prepare the relish by combining all the ingredients. Check for flavor and
    adjust with salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
    Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients. Blitz in a food processor
    or a blender until coarsely blended. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Season the fish steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Lay on a baking
    dish in one layer and top with the fruit sauce. Cover the baking dish with
    foil and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked.

4. Transfer the fish on a serving platter and spoon the sauce over it. Serve
    the relish on the side or as a topping.

* Chikiamco, N.: Editor, The Best of Food Magazine, ABS-CBN Publishing, Quezon City, 2001.

Thai Spring Rolls

Today is Sunday and despite the fact that we have been experiencing 100 degree weather for almost a week now, I decided to go to the market today and prepare something for Sunday lunch. We eat almost the same thing every day due to my Dad's restricted diet but it gets to you after some time no matter how healthy one's daily diet is. Knocking my brains for something to cook, I had to dig through my remaining cookbooks and settled for something simple, a spring roll dish.

I know I have featured several versions of spring rolls in my blog but this one is actually quite unusual. This roll is inspired by the flavors of Thailand and is a bit interesting in the sense that you add rice noodles into the filling mixture. It may have been added as an extender but the taste is quite good and actually blends well with all the other flavors. I actually have a Vietnamese-inspired version but that will have to wait for another day.

Thai Spring Rolls - Adapted*

1 lb ground pork
3-4 oz dried shitake mushrooms
3-4 oz bean thread noodles
3-4 carrots, shredded
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
salt
white pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil + more for frying
30-40 spring roll wrapper

1. In one cup of hot water, reconstitute the mushrooms until soft. Spoon out
    the mushrooms and slice into thin slivers. Reserve the liquid.

2. In a large pan, heat the oil at medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and
    cook until softened. Season with salt.

3. Add the pork and cook until it loses its pink color. Season with salt and a
    pinch of white pepper.

4. Add the mushrooms and the reconstitution liquid and bring to a boil. Add
    the noodles and the fish sauce if using and cook until the noodles are
    softened. Add water if necessary.

5. Add the carrots and mix well. Check for flavor and adjust accordingly. Let
    cool for about 5 minutes.

6. Cut the noodles into 3-4 inch lengths and add the green onions. Mix well.

7. Fill each spring roll wrapper with 2 tbsp filling and secure the edge by
    moistening with water.

8. Fry the rolls in a preheated oil at medium heat until golden brown. Serve
    hot with either ketchup or sweet chili sauce.

You can serve these rolls as an appetizer or paired with a salad. I personally prefer to eat these as a main dish with rice but either way, I can guarantee that you will be addicted to these little morsels. My nephew actually gave me the idea of serving the rolls on a bed of lettuce sliced in half as a starter course. Having gone to cooking school, he has learned the basic techniques in terms of cooking although he still needs to refine his skills. He tends to add hot peppers in almost anything which is definitely a zinger if you perchance bit into one.

* Chikiamco, N.: Editor, The Best of Food Magazine, ABS-CBN Publishing, Quezon City, 2001.

Recipes

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Wednesday, May 23, 2012