A rugula would make my day...

Peking Duck Rice

2010-06-19T01:47:00.000-07:00

Always bring home the bones of the Peking Duck...it makes a very tasty congee or duck rice...

MIL usually makes congee...with bok choy or mustard leaves and century egg. My siblings are more of rice then congee fan..peking duck rice is the result...

Peking Duck Stock:
- cut roasted peking duck into smaller parts
- saute in a large wok oil, some ginger and some leakes, add duck and water until duck is fully covered but not more than and inch over.
- boil once and simmer for an hour

On a smaller pan,
- saute 4 cloves of garlic, 1-2 pcs onions, once fragrant, add diced 4 pcs soaked shitake mushrooms, 2 bok choy or taiwan pechay.
- add 2 table spoon soy sauce or salt and pepper.
- add in 2 cups of rice (washed once before adding)
- stir in and move to a pressure cooked
- add in peking duck stock until rice is covered for about an inch (add water if stock is not enough)
- cover and cook

Once its done, add salt according to taste and some sesame oil

can be served with fried shallots.

Ground Pork and Shrimps with Cilantro

2010-05-18T03:42:00.000-07:00

250g ground pork
5 pcs small tomatoes, sliced
100g shelled shrimps
handfull of cilantro or wansoy, chopped
minced garlic
chopped onions
1 pack tofu
braggs seasoning

1. saute in oil garlic when you see haze
2. add shelled shrimp...you can add garlic chilli
(make sure shirmp has been pat dry)
3. add salt
4. remove from pan once cooked and set aside
5. in the same pan, add tomatoes, once a bit soft, add garlic and onions til fragrant
6. add in ground pork, salt pepper and braggs seasoning to taste
7. add in soup stock, tofu and simmer
8. turn off fire and add cilantro and shrimp
9. let the tofu absorb the sauce before serving

Ground Pork with Tofu

2010-05-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

250g ground pork
1 pack japanese tofu,cubed
5 pcs dired mushroom, soaked and sliced
1 can minced pork (from Banawe Soy Beancurd store)

soy sauce
sugar
water
garlic, minced
green onion, chopped

1. saute garlic in hot oil
2. add pork and mushrooms, saute in medium high heat until pork changes color
3. season with soy sauce
4. add minced pork in can, fill can with water and add to mixture
5. season iwth sugar (2-3 tbp)
6. simmer over low heat for 10 mins
7. adjust sugar and soy sauce according to taste
8. turn off fire and add tofu
9. top with green onions

Sukiyaki Soup

2009-07-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

- soak some chinese mushrooms in hot water, to be used as stock
- soak in warm water sotanghon noodles or cook wheat noodles
- in a flat base pan, add in one whole chopped onion, slices of carrots, 2 stalk of chopped leeks (stem first) til fragrant, and add in the rest of the leeks
- add in japanese mushrooms, shitake, chinese with golden mushrooms. (jap mushrooms are the best for they will not get tough)
- then add sukiyaki base and mushroom stock, add water till food are covered, adjust sukiyaki base and water
- add in cut jap tofu & beef, remove beef once they are cooked
- add in noodles
- add egg (optional)

Sauted Bell Pepper

2009-07-21T06:09:00.002-07:00

- put in the oven or turbo 3 bell peppers at 20 mins, 200 degrees.
- once cooked, keep in a paper bag or just leave it to cool in a sealed container for 15 mins.
- remove skin, seeds and edges
- cut in stripes, easier to use scissors
- chop 4-5 cloves of garlic, saute in sauce pan, add in sliced pepper once slightly fragrant
- squeeze some lemon
- serve

Pan Fried Halibut with Zucchini

2009-07-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

- after defrosting, pat dry fish once on each side, add in olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme
- you can add some sliced lemon or squeeze lemon juice if fish is smelly or not
- set aside to marinate a bit
- slice zucchini, add oil, salt and pepper and some thyme
- add some oil in griddle one its hot and grill zucchini
- after the zucchini, add in the fish
- sauté quickly to about a min on each side

Gising Gising

2009-07-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

- sauté in pan 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- add in half of chopped onions
- add in ¼ ground pork and chopped kangkong stems
- salt and pepper to taste
- put in gata or coconut milk
- add in some chopped green sili

Gising Gising & Crispy Kangkong

2009-07-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

Makat’s Binaguongan Giniling

2009-07-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

- Sauté in pan 3 small tomatoes sliced lengthwise
- add in 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- add in half of chopped onions
- add some shrimp and remove once cooked
- add in ½ kilo lean ground pork,
- add a teaspoon of patis, pepper green sili
- add bagoong
- serve

Makat's Yummy Spaghetti Sauce

2009-06-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
400g ground pork
1pc onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pc small red and green bell pepper, cut in thin strips
1 small can button mushrooms, sliced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 stalk celery, chopped
Spaghetti meat sauce
1-2 packs Tomato sauce / tomato juice
to taste:
Sugar
Salt and pepper
Oregano
Basil
2-3 pcs Bay leaves
To taste : Quickmelt cheese, grated

PROCDURE:
1. Saute garlic, onion, bell peppers. Add ground pork.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add mushrooms, carrots and celery. Continue to stir over medium heat until meat is cooked.
4. Add spaghetti and tomato sauce. Stir slightly and simmer over low heat.
5. Season with sugar, herbs, salt and pepper. Adjust according to your taste. You may add more tomato juice/sauce if you find the mixture too meaty.
6. Stir in grated cheese and let simmer for a few minutes over low heat.
7. Serve over hot pasta.

Shitake mushrooms with or without Veggies

2009-06-17T22:14:00.001-07:00

- boil water and add some salt, blanch pechay or any veggies for 2 mins or until stem is cooked.
- chop 2 to 3 large cloves of garlic and clean and slice 8 pcs. of shitake mushrooms, remove stem
- add oil in pan and add in garlic, once fragrant, add in the mushrooms and balsamic vinaigrette on the mushroom. make sure they are coated well
- add some salt and pepper to taste
- set aside half of the mushroom
- add in drained veggies to the remain mushrooms and add some more balsamic for the veggies to absorb
- set on plate and add the mushrooms we set aside.

*instead of balsamic, you can add soy sauce and oyster sauce instead.

Beef Curry with Abalone Mushroom

2009-06-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

i just basically followed the instructions on the pack but cooked the beef and the abalone separately. this way im sure my beef will not be well done and my mushroom will not be rubbery...

- add a few oil in pan, when hot, add in the curry paste and stir
- add in half a can of thai coconut milk for 3 mins. or when oil appears on top
- add in the 5 slices small tomatoes
- add in sukiyaki beef or thinly sliced beef tenderloin and remove and set on a bowl immediately once its cooked
- add in the abalone mushrooms and add the remaining coconut milk
- once you see the mushroom is cooked by trying it (do not overcook or else will be tough), add in sweet basil leaves and stir some more
- put the mushrooms and tomatoes together with the beef
- let the curry and coconut cook more until it is thicker and add all ingredients in one last time just to be heated consistently
- serve

Rap's Mediterranean Pan Fried Fish

2009-06-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

- chop drained olives and capers 1tbs
- chop tomato concasse or chop simply half a tomato
- chop 6 shallots, 5 garlic, 1/4 small bell pepper
- saute all in in olive oil, some salt and pepper and some lemon juice
- simmer lightlly for 8-10mins

- prepare some rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil leaf
- if dry spices, add before turning the fire off
- if fresh herbs, turn off fire and add them in

- in same sauce pan, saute sliced scallops w/o the sauce, once almost done, mix sauce in

- will try adding cream...

Fish Miswa

2009-06-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Something for the mother to be and for the breastfeeding. The secret is in the ginger, putting ginger will remove the fishy smell. But too thick will make the ginger taste too strong, small cuts or grating the ginger will just leave a fragrant smell. Also cooking the fish just right will need you to remove the meat once it cooks and set it aside. You know its done once the meat easily detach itself from the bones.

- clean fish
- wash with rock salt and water
- drain

- add oil in pan, saute grated ginger (the smaller the less gingery taste)
- put in fish, move once
- cover
- turn fish
- add water enough to cover fish or even an inch higher then the fish
- once it boils, reduce heat and simmer
- remove fish once it cooks
- fillet and return the bones to add flavor to the soup

- upon serving, heat the soup til it boils, add the fillet and miswa till boils again. serve immediately

Steamed Fish

2009-06-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

- clean fish
- rub with salt and wash
- put ginger and leeks in the stomach
- steam on a plate for 8 mins for a small fish
- after steaming, put the liquid from the fish in a sauce pan
- add soy sauce and mushroom sauce
- on a separate sauce pan, add oil and saute grated ginger, leaks and some dark soy beans only to heat them, remove immediately and place on top of fish

Portobello with Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

2009-05-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

- add oil and salt on portobello mushroom
- grill portobello in griddle

- chop some garlic, and add in olive oil
- add sliced tomatoes, remove seeds
- add sliced mozzarella and basil
- add more olive oil, salt and pepper

after grilling the mushroom, set on plate and add the rest of the ingredients and add some rock salt

Clams Pasta with Bacon and Arugula

2009-05-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

ingredients:
1 lb pasta
olive oil
4 pancetta or bacon
1 large clove of garlic, chop
1 chili, sliced
1 1/2 lb clam
2x5 oz white wine
handful of arugula leaves or parslely
salt, ground black pepper

- cook pasta in salted boiling water with some oil until al dente
- get a pan, heat and add lots of oil and the bacon, fry til golden then add garlic and chilies
- once it sweats, add the clams, stir and add white wine
- cover till all the clams open, remove closed clams
- add in pasta
- add arugula or parsley
- add salt and pepper

Tomato Soup

2009-05-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

2 tablespoons butter (sometimes i just use olive oil)
2 onions, sliced
1 leek, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
2x14 oz canned tomatoes, undrained and mashed
(i usually use 1 can and add fresh tomatoes...diced only to be pureed later or better, tomato concase)
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup whipping cream
(i use a few lang or until the soup is not so sour na)

1. melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add onions, leek, celery and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins or until vegtables are soft.
2. Stir in tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 mins. Cool for 15 mins
3. Puree soup. Return soup to a clean saucepan. Heat for 4-5 mins or until hot. Mix a little hot soup with the cream, then stir into soup. Season with salt and fresh pepper. Serve immediately.

COOKING CHINESE VEGGIES

2009-04-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

-parboil hard stem veggies in boiling water (enough water to submerge food)
-add 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp oil
-2 mins for veggies with hard stem
-for leafy veggies , turn off fire before putting it in or with fire for if you want it softer
* if cooking again or adding sauce later, blanch in ice water

wok
-2 tbsp oil
-saute (garlic, onion, carrot, celery…)
-til fragrant or 1 min
-add whatever ingredient
-saute 1 min or til a bit soft
-add broth or water (or rice wine for japanese or white wine for italian recipes)
-2 tablespoon to 3/4 cup (depends on how saucy)
-add any of the following
--1 tbsp soy sauce (salty)
--2 tbsp mushroom or oyster sauce (sweet)
--1/4 pepper
-reduce til half
-salt only last…to taste
-vinegar or sesame oil or olive oil for shine

Stock

2009-04-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

-bones, veggies (mirepoix), aromatics
-water 4" above food and simmer in medium heat, skimmed, strained
-store a cup per zip lock in freezer once cools down
-beef 8 hours
-chicken 4 hours

White Stock
-boil chicken or fish or beef bones or veggies
-add mirepoix, standard sachet d'epices
-3 tbsp white wine
Brown Stock
-brown bones in oven till golden brown
-caramelize mirepoix in small oil
-add 1 cup tomato paste till brown
-deglaze with wine
-transfer to pot and add water
-bring to boil, add sachet and let simmer

Daily Mise En Place

2009-04-29T02:56:00.000-07:00

(up to 3 combinations)
*chopped garlic
-minced or mashed with salt

*chopped shallots
-minced or chopped…will last 2-3 days under ref

*chopped parsley
-washed, remove stem, wrung out, chopped fine…more for garnish

*tomato concasse
-remove stem, score skin (x at the bottom), blanch 18-20 secs in boiling water
-shock in ice water, remove skin, cut tomato in half, squeeze out seeds, coarse chop

*leeks (cleaning)
-trim tops and root of leek (do not remove too much root)
-split lengthwise, soak in water, fan open, lift out water

*Mirepoix
-carrot 25%
-celery 25%
-onion 50%

*Bouquet Garni
-bunch of fresh herbs (leak, carrot, celery)

*Oignon Pique (studded onion)
-onion, bay leaf and garlic cloves

*Onion Brule
-caramelized onion used for flavor and color

*sachet d'epice (spice bag)
-cloth bag contains spices and herbs for flavoring

A La Carte Cooking

2009-04-29T02:53:00.000-07:00

Saute (fish, chicken, beef, etc)
-heat pan
-wait till w/ haze
-oil enough to cover bottom of food
-season in high level for even distribution
-salt, pepper (use white if you don’t want to look dirty)
-clap on and off flour (optional, for extra texture especially for fish and chicken)
*cornstarch for chinese cooking for that instant texture to frying, but for saute, you use flour and make sure to cook ___ mins to remove the taste of flour
-place in pan
-presentation side first
-move once
-turn when color is ok
-move once
-lower heat to cook, but if color is achieved and still not yet cooked,
-move to oven
* if you want to finish in the pan, add lots of butter after sauting one side, turn and tilt and spoon oil over the top (like edi's yummy beef recipe)

Sauce Preparation
-use pan sauté with food
-add up to 3 mise en place
-sweat till you smell the aroma (but do not brown)
-deglaze with acid
-1-2 tbsp of wine or lemon
*once you put the acid in, dont move the food only swirl it. so you leave the flavor and remove the alcohol
-now is a good time if adding dry herbs
-body
-1/3 cup water, stock, tomato juice,
-reduce to half or a third
-now is a good time if adding fresh herbs
-swirl in cold butter
-or add cream
-or salt, pepper, lemon to taste

Mischa's 1st Birthday!!!

2009-04-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

My dear dauther has now finally turned one...but not without little drama. Few days before that she started having fever that lasted 5 days and a cold followed...

On her birthday itself, we tried to go to her doctor, went to pick up her cake, went back to the doc (we gave up waiting), went to hi pre to check her bloodworks, had KFC and arugula pizza and spaghetti for lunch to celebrate her birthday and went to a chinese "hilot".

Went home and she rested, by dinner time, great grandma rosario was at home to join us for dinner at gloria maris with the rest of the uyecio, ong ang go family...too bad mischa wont be there for her party...she needs to rest and recharge for tomorow's baptism.

Mommy and Daddy's Bday party for her was held at Museum Cafe, April 26. But before that, she had her baptism...she was quite amused with the other children and was curious with the water fountain at damar church. On the party itself, she was quite the social butterfly. Smiles and waves as if she knows it's all for her!

So adorable!

edi's yummy steak

2009-04-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

the tricky part in cooking steak is getting it done to your preference, wagyu and kobe takes shorter time and less ingredients then the rest... my bro edi plays with a min on each side for rare and 2 mins minimum on each side for medium. Always rest the meat for 5 mins after cooking. You wait for the flavor and doneness to settle in...

using gridle or not...if you want it with grill lines and for thicker steak, i think a gridle is more advisable, especially if done in very high heat, if using a lot of oil to cook the meat, use a saute pan

-on the meat, add salt, pepper, thyme (some add paprika, garlic powder, onion powder), if marinating overnight, add some oil as well
-on a pan, add oil, lots of garlic, some rosemary, then add meat.
-after one side, turn and add butter, tilt pan and use spoon to coat top part of meat with butter
-after cooking, set aside for 5 mins.

crab sticks 2 ways...

2009-04-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

crab sticks with to meow...
to meow (im sure spelled incorrectly)...has lots of fiber therefore goes well with any carbs...and so far i think crab sticks is one of the best combination...a more simple recipe is just to saute with garlic, but having 2 pregnant dinners, garlic is a no no. so this recipe is the result of an experiment...

- cut both veggie and crab sticks to an inch, shread crab sticks
- cut thinly some ginger and saute in oil till fragrant
- add veggie and crab sticks
- add lee kiam ke shrimp paste, salt and pepper
- once cook, set on plate and add drops of sesame oil

a simple recipe...
- dip crabsticks in egg yolk, then dip in mixture of parmesan and crab sticks...
- put oil in non stick pan, fry til golden brown.
*use one hand for wet part and the other on dry part to reduce mess...

grilled spring chicken

2009-04-23T07:46:00.000-07:00

i am not sure this is the best and maybe someday i will revise this recipe, but so far it taste good to me...

clean chicken with salt, wash and pat dry
- add garlic powder, salt, pepper, thyme, a splash of lemon
* on a recipe i saw today, a chef added onion powder, cayanne pepper, a few dried bay leaf powder, but it was grilled with charcoal...
- place chicken or a bed of onion with sum cloves of garlic on the sides...grill on the oven or use turbo broiler whichever is available.

chicken or duck breast in soy and mustard sauce

2009-04-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

One of the most simple marinate and most tasty and even juicy that was meant for duck breast. But tasted well even on chicken. Who would have tought chicken breast can be exciting. Also, other than being sauted in oil, its quite a healty option especially if you use a gridle...

on every chicken breast...
- add one tbsp soysauce
- 2 tbsp grainy mustard
- 4 tbsp thyme
- marinate overnight or for a minimum of 2 hrs.
- saute in oil

garlic chicken

2009-04-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

i guess this is how they make garlic spare ribs and it also applies to shrimp, fish, etc...I saw it in an Italian cooking show but it does have a big resemblance to Chinese cooking. the big difference is the method of frying in the oil....chinese would deep fry, in the italian show, it was more sauted in some olive oil.

Now speaking about oils...my chinese chef teacher taught me that in deep frying, heat oil in high temperature, once you see a haze, try frying one to test, if heat is ok, reduce heat. Also, remove meat while heat is on, turn off heat last and it shall avoid the meat from soaking up the oil.

now back to the garlic chicken...
- cut chicken to bite size
- cover in flour
- saute in olive oil
- set aside

on a separate pan...
- saute lots and lots of garlic, once fragrant, add parsley
- once golden brown, add in chicken til cover evenly

*on a different recipe that i learned when i was younger...
- sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken, then pat flour and saute in oil
- once done, use the pan to make necessary sauce for chicken

meatballs pasta...or plain burger

2009-04-23T03:29:00.000-07:00

So far, one of the best meatball I'v had with or without the tomato sauce...could be used as a burger as well!

* tomato base is nice with angel hair pasta. for cream base, thick pasta is recommended, tomato thick or thin is ok. Its hard to use cream on angel hair for it just keeps on absorbing the cream.

meatballs:
- combine 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup bread crumbs, set aside
- 1/2 ground lean beef, add a half grated onions, a pinch of nutmeg, 1 egg yolk, some chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper and mix together (parmesan is optional)
- once the crumbs absorbed the milk, add to the beef mixture
- make round balls of about 1.5" in diameter
- add oil to skillet, brown the beef both sides
- once colors is consistent, remove some oil/fat and add tomato sauce (add around 2 packs of tomato sauce plus 2 bottles of any favorite tomato based pasta sauce...make sure 80% if not all the beef is submerged into the sauce.
- summer for 15-20 mins
- make the pasta, drain, then add the sauce on top
- add cheese to finish

james award winning spare ribs

2009-04-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

His spare ribs may be highly recongnized only by his own peers but it's definitley the best spare ribs i've ever tasted!!!

best to use non stick pan and make sure to stir to avoid burning of the onions!

ingredients
-chop around 3 bags or 9 to 12 pcs of onions thinly
-on a cup, add around 10 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp brown sugar, mix

spare ribs:
-parboil 1 kilo spare ribs (best to request butcher to cut it rather than do it at home...cleanner and no small bones
*parboil...boil water, put spare ribs, once water boils again, remove meat.
-drain and throw away water.

preceedure:
-on a pot, layer onion and spare ribs alternately starting with the onion
-cook for a few mins or until the onions sweat (smell)
-add 2 bayleaf, the sauce and mix
-cook until tender, around an hour in a low to mid fire so as not to dry up the liquid immediatey and not to burn food. Stir constantly especially if few sauce is left.

(if using a pressure cooker, transfer after mixing sauce, after 20mins or when cooked, transfer back to pot and reduce sauce until it thickens)

-garnish with wansoy or cilantro

smoked salmon cream pasta

2009-04-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

It's my 1st, 100%, on my own, with out a sous chef, cooking experience!!!
That, for me, is worthy to by my 1st cooking blog :)

cook pasta:
-boil water, add oil and salt
-put in half a pasta until al dente, drain and return to pot immediately (no need to drain everything)
-put some olive oil

cream sauce:
-some butter
-boil cream for a minute
-add grated Parmesan cheese, some nutmeg and black pepper
-simmer
-add some chunk of smoked salmon

on a sauce pan:
-oil
-saute garlic, half an onion, parslely
-add salt and pepper
-add smoked salmon

before serving:
-mix some cream sauce onto pasta, add oil if needed
-put on a plate, add some cream sauce, add the sauted salmon
-add parmesan cheese

start something...

2008-11-04T02:42:00.000-08:00

these are the stuff i want to blog

-mischa and all the stuff that came with her like post pregnancy, breastfeeding and being a mom...
-food and cooking...
-whatever stuff..