Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Puerco Con Chorizo (Pork with Chorizo)


Derived from the Spanish menudo, this Filipino version sets it apart with a bit of Middle Eastern twist by adding raisins, thus making this dish a bit sweeter.

Ingredients:
     1 kg. pork butt (cut into 1 in. cubes)
     2 pcs. Spanish chorizo, sliced
     1 small box of raisins
     2 potatoes (cut into 1 in. cubes)
     1 red bell pepper, sliced julienne
     1 large carrot (cut into 3/4 inch cubes)
     5 cloves of garlic, diced
     1/2 cup olive oil
     2 to 3 tblspns tomato sauce or ketchup
     2 cups of white wine
     salt & pepper

Recipe:
In a pot, heat olive oil. After a minute, add garlic and chorizo and stir for another minute. Add the pork until brown, then add the white wine and bring the heat to low. Simmer the meat (approx. 30 mins.) until tender while adding some water. Then add the rest of the ingredients until both vegetables and meat are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may add some grated parmesan cheese if you want tthe taste a bit sharper. Enjoy!

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Seafood Etouffee


In French, it means an assortment or a mixture. This New Orleans dish, sometimes called "Seafood Gumbo" contains simple ingredients to bring out the flavour of the seafood. Try this recipe and I guarantee you'll enjoy it!

Ingredients:
     1 kg. Manila clams
     4 medium crabs (chopped to quarter pieces)
     1/4 kg. peeled shrimps (set aside the heads)
     1/2 kg. fish fillets sliced to 1 inch sizes (catfish or cream dori or grouper)
     1 cup diced green pepper
     1 cup diced celery
     1 tspn. saffron powder
     1 tspn. turmeric
     1/2 cup olive oil
     2 tblspns. flour
     5 cloves chopped garlic
     salt & pepper
     2 tblspns. butter
     chopped parsley

Recipe:
Pour olive oil in a pot and set on high heat. Fry the shrimp heads for 3 minutes pressing them to release flavor. Take out the shrimp heads and saute the green peppers, celery, garlic, saffron and butter for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, then add the rest of the seafood. Mix well until the clams open up and the broth thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the chopped parsley and serve on a bowl with French garlic bread. 

Beer Battered Fish Fry with Coleslaw


 The secret to a good fish fry is in the batter. The thickness of the batter really depends on you, but to get it crispy and crunchy is a no brainer. Here is the secret...

Fish Fry Recipe:
     1/2 kg fillet cream dori sliced (substitute either grouper or snapper)
     1 cup flour
     1 cup corn starch
     1 can warm beer
     1-1/2 cup peanut oil
     slices of lemon

Defrost the fish and cut to 1/3 slices per fillet. Place in a strainer until the fillets are thawed and pat dry using a paper towel. In a bowl, mix the corn starch and flour. Add the warm beer until the right consistency depending on how thick you want the batter to be.

Heat up the fryer and pour about a 1-1/2 cup of oil. When bubbles start forming, set the heat on medium. Dip the fish in the batter and cook until golden brown. Set aside on a strainer and sprinkle some salt.

Coleslaw Recipe:
     1 cabbage sliced julienne 
     1 small carrot sliced toothpick sizes
     1/2 cup mayonnaise
     1/4 cup cider vinegar
     1/4 cup sugar

In a bowl, mix the cabbage and carrot slices. In a cup mic the cider and sugar and if too strong, you can add some water. Toss the vegies and cider for about a minute and add the mayonnaise. Refrigerate for an hour.

When ready to serve, add some lemon on the platter along with the fish fry and some coleslaw. Bona petito!