My Method of Madness (or how I made Braised Pineapple Shortribs with this and that)

I like how the Italians say it - l'arte d'arrangiarsi. The art of making something out of nothing. Making a feast out of the simplest of ingredients and the most meager of pantries. Well actually I can't say I have a meager pantry because my mother (God bless her!) had somehow instilled in us her children what she called the consciousness to have food in the fridge, the cupboards and the table all the time (or what I think is a post WWII syndrome of being scared to not have anything to eat). As for me the motivation is not fear but the thought of having to put on layers of clothes just to go to the store and pick up one lousy loaf of bread or a tray of eggs. So yes I try to make it a point to always have something I can pull out and make a meal or a snack with. And because I'm a spice girl (no, not the 90s Brit-chick band but I won't mind having their royalties right now) I also have an array of stuff that I use to jazz up what is otherwise an ordinary meal. I mean why settle for plain scrambled eggs when you can have a frittata with cilantro and parsley?

And I think that basically sums up my kitchen playtime. It's like playing scientist (but with far less dangerous substances) - first I come up with an idea for a dish I want to make or eat. Then I survey what I have on hand (and more importantly, also assess the extent of the damage after, as in "is it worth it to have to wash and scrub pots and dishes after?"). Then when I can finally say "eh, what the heck" then it's time to have fun. I fire up the stove (or the oven), lay out and prepare my ingredients and go from there. I'd look at my row of spice soldiers and pick out those that to my mind would work well together (and this is not borne out of guessing but from actually knowing how each spice tastes like). And while I prefer to make dishes that will be done in less than 30 minutes (again, NOT Rachel Ray-inspired here!) or where I can just let it cook on its own, 90% of the time I check back and adjust, adjust and adjust some more. It's partly being OC, partly crazy thinking I can still push the envelope with a dash of this and a sprinkling of that, and partly just because I can (still my favorite reason of all). Usually I get it right anyway. Or so my eyes, my nose and my tastebuds tell me (and on occasions where I can have people taste and judge for themselves).

So is there a lesson somewhere in this? Well, not really. I have friends who say that they see my passion in cooking. Or a talent for it.
I'd rather think it's a talent for pursuing what makes you happy.
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(Inspired by a friend's Orange Beef Ribs, I made this Braised Pineapple Boneless Pork Shortribs. I don't have an exact recipe but I remember what I threw in the pot to come up with this - and yes it is a bit of this and that!)

When Life give you Lemons, Make Lemon Cake

It's been awhile since I added something here. It wasn't merely from lack of inspiration but something that does resemble a recipe: take one part of feeling-like-I-have-nothing-good-to-write-about, a spoonful of it's-more-fun-to-browse-through-Facebook, a heaping cup of having-a-new-puppy-to-housebreak (not having a lot of success there by the way), and a good measure of what's-good-on-TV-right-now. Combine all ingredients, let the mixture sit and steep and before you know it, a couple of months have gone by.

Anyway...

I have been itching to make a cake for some time now and finally I got around to doing it. A friend's Facebook post (yes that's right you can also get inspiration from it!) gave me the needed push and the extra willpower to quiet down that teeny voice inside that says cake goes straight to the hips. I've been having visions of making an ooey-gooey chocolate cake, a scrumptious ube cake or a moist carrot cake laden with plump raisins. Actually I did try to make the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for Easter but I miscalculated the baking time as well as the cooling time before I put on the frosting. The result was an overdone carrot cake with sloppy cream cheese frosting sliding down the sides. I dumped the evidence before the Easter Bunny came to take away all my chocolates for ruining his special day.

My friend mentioned this simply decadent caramel cake from a bakeshop in Manila and yes, that alone gave me drool-worthy visions of a heavenly dessert. Funny how food has the ability to do that. It can transport you through time and space, instantly connect you with the people who have shared it with you one way or another, and yes, even give you that needed stimulus to create something (at least in my case).  And when all else fails, good food (making it, eating it or sharing it) does have the ability to soothe and comfort one's soul.

I'd like to say that this is a creation of a sweet genius but it isn't. More like a simple homage to some simply awesome things in life: Spring, lemons, sugar, butter, vanilla. And yes, good friends and good life.

Whoever said it got it all wrong. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too.

My Favorite Things (and my Crunchy Calamari with Lemon Aioli Dip)

People think I'm complicated. And that I'm as scary-fickle as the weather in the gloomy global warming era.

The truth is I am really simple (and no, am not saying this to convince myself as well). I get happy over really little things. And I am one of those annoying people who easily attach the word "love" to every thing that brings even a small grin to my face or stimulates even the minutest happy hormone in my brain. I've always said that the simplest things make me happy - and it's not my fault that I find a lot of simple things around me.

So if someone were to ask me for my favorite things, the list will tend to be quite lengthy and detailed. Especially when it comes to food. But for the sake of brevity (and in the spirit of simplicity - another word that needs a redefinition in my books, along with comfort food) I list the best food in the world for me. If there are things that I can eat every day it would be these:

1. Dark Chocolate. Just imagine a world without chocolate (actually I can't).

2. Pasta. Spaghetti, linguine, macaroni, farfalle, capellini...Dress it up with some fancy sauce or just eat it warm with the barest of spices and oil and it's still good. Like curl-up-in-a-cozy-armchair-with-a-blanket-over-your-lap good.

3. Fried Chicken. I've always thought I might have been a black person in a past life. I just love me some good, crispy, homecooked fried chicken. The kind that does make you lick your fingers long after you've dropped the clean bones on your plate.

4. Sashimi. Fresh slices of salmon or tuna dipped in soy sauce and wasabi. Chased by a sip of warm sake. Instant Zen.

5. Curried dish. Beef, chicken, fish or pork. Coconut and spices married in a flavorful stew. Have a bowl of rice ready.

6. Cheese. Just like dark chocolate, I can never imagine a world without cheese. When I found out that I became (almost!) allergic to cheese, it was like being told that I have to lose a limb.

7. Wine. I can go for a day without it. But then again, why?

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Crunchy Calamari with Lemon Aioli Dip

Calamari is not my favorite preparation for squid - I'd go for something saucy like Adobo, or Calamari en su Tinta (Squid in its own Ink). But one must make do with what one has in the pantry - or in my case the lack of the essential squid ink made me reach for something handy, like Panko crumbs.
Good thing with calamari though is you can go crazy with the sauce. I made an aioli dip but you can also serve this with a tomato-based dip, soy sauce and vinegar, peanut chili or even a brown gravy. Play with it!

Ingredients:
6 pieces squid, cleaned and cut into rings
salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour mixed with parsley, garlic powder and cayenne pepper
1 cup Panko crumbs
2 cups frying oil (vegetable or peanut)

For the Spicy Lemon Aioli Dip
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
1/2 tsp Sriracha Hot Sauce
1 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
Mix all the ingredients together. Adjust seasonings according to preference.

Heat up your oil in a frying pan (or you can also use a deep fryer).
Prepare your dipping bowls in order - flour, egg and Panko crumbs.
Pat your squid dry and separate the rings before starting the dipping process.
Drop the squid rings into the flour and coat well. Then drop them into the egg mixture and finally into the Panko crumbs.
Fry the squid rings until golden brown. Serve with a wedge of lemon and the aioli dip.

The Pork Party

(Vegetarians, vegans and everyone else pretending to have a healthy diet...look away! This post is not for the faint of heart...and those with heart conditions!)

So it started with but a simple request, an amusingly silly craving, if you may. But I guess it came out as a sad and desperate plea, much like what an addict who's going through a terrible case of withdrawal would make.

And my friends are my enablers.

That was how Saturday night became a porcine feast night, when merry indulgence was the spirit and the wonderful aroma of pork fat filled the air. A&L, two amazing friends, pulled out all the stops and labored to create a table laden with food - so memorable and heartwarming they transported me back home even for a while, so much that it can actually feed a whole town during a fiesta and so ridiculously good even if they were all bad (like trans-fat-laden, cholesterol-heavy bad). Yes, the dinner was the stuff last meals are made of. Food-wise and company-wise. We toasted to good friends, good times and good food. We laughed, we ate and we shared stories. But mostly we ate.

And long after we've unzipped our pants to breathe, waddled our way back home, drank copious amounts of tea to flush out our sinful eating and prayed that the dreaded "bangungot" (or as the medical world bluntly calls it Sudden Death Syndrome) will not descend upon us as we slept that night, we gratefully remember how blessed and how rich our lives are when shared with family and friends.

Truly you can never ask for anything more.

Adobo sa palayok (adobo cooked in claypot - the indigenous slow cooker and my favorite childhood toy), adobong binalot sa dahon ng saging (adobo with rice wrapped in banana leaf and steamed). Did I mention that it was all pork?

Fried pork belly. With skin on. 'Nuff said.

 Sisig. Pork cheeks, pork ears, chicken liver. Spicy, rich and good....Andrew Zimmern, this is your stuff!

 Salted eggs, tomatoes and balo-balo (fermented rice with fish/shrimp). You have to taste it to know how good it is.

 Biringhe. The Kapampangan Paella. It was actually the first time I've had it. And it was really good!

Sis Lorina's specialty: Sans Rival. An appropriate name indeed. (and it's all mine!)

Baked by Melissa mini cupcakes (brought by J). Just because you can never have too much fat, cream and butter!

Slow Cooking Memories (and Slow Cooker Pork Loin)

I grew up in a family that loves to cook and eat. Both my parents loved to get busy in the kitchen - my Mama at one time ran a small canteen/kitchenette out of our house and my Papa would make his specialties whenever he would be home. They also both insisted in cooking dishes the traditional way (or how they were also taught by our grandparents, I guess). And this meant tedious preparation of ingredients, long hours of cooking and the need for additional hands in the kitchen.
Hence, I became a "sous chef" at the tender age of five.

My chores ran the gamut from grinding toasted rice and peanuts for the kare-kare (oxtail stew), shelling shrimps, flaking the smoked fish and pounding chicharon to fine bits for the pancit palabok sauce, peeling garlic cloves, to fanning the charcoal flames for the barbecue. As I got older, I was given "heavier" tasks - kneading the dough for the empanadas, sauteing, slicing...and the dreadful dishwashing post-cooking (a chore I often argued over with my other sisters!). Through it all, I watched and learned - and most importantly had fun.

There were no recipe cards to follow, no nifty gadgets like microwave ovens, stove top grillers or food processors to work with, no bouillon cubes or ready-made mixes for cooking shortcuts. But there was a lot of laughter, stories passed around, silly food fights and the occasional real fights (where my Mama would step in, handing us knives and calmly telling us to finish the fight and to call her so she'd know whom to bury - at which point we will look at each other, burst into tears and hug each other! Worked everytime, believe me).
And there's the wealth of wisdom and experience unconsciously, all but naturally being passed from one generation to another.

To me these are what wonderful and lasting memories are made of.

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Slow Cooker Pork Loin
I wanted to make my own version of Pork Asado and this was the closest I got to it. The ingredients are all pantry staples and best of all, you can put this baby in the crock pot in the morning and forget about it for the next 4-6 hours!

Ingredients:
1 boneless pork loin roast
1 cup plus 1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 piece star anise
1/2 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp butter

Prepare pork loin. Mix 1 cup brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper and rub all over the pork loin. Pour water in the crock pot and lay down the pork loin. Drop the star anise in. Cover and cook (on LOW about 6 hours, on HIGH about 4 hours).
Mix together the remaining brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Spread this on top of the pork loin for a nice, finishing glaze.
Serve with rice or roasted vegetables.

(Leftover tip: This is really good for pulled pork subs or tacos).

Five Silly Reasons Why I Love to Cook (and another leftover makeover)

1. Nothing beats a free and easy food steam facial (just remember to stick your face out when you lift that lid of simmering stew or draining a pot of cooked pasta on the sink -  low enough so you get the blast of steam but not to the point of scalding your skin!).

2. I get to recycle (leftovers), reuse (tried and true recipes) and reduce (my stress level). Am a green hero! (sort of...).

3. I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want. Provided I have the ingredients of course, I can make chicken adobo for breakfast, or a small bowl of hot noodles with peanut sauce for a midnight snack.

4. Because I don't have to dress up, drive (or ask someone to drive me) and pay $50 just to eat something I want. Okay, sometimes it is good to do those things and I do get lazy (this is me admitting that I do eat microwaveable meals, too - something that I promised to do away with this year!). But how can you beat eating Pan-fried Scallops with Mushroom Risotto in your pajamas? I can also get as crazy as I want with my food and not have some chef huffing out of the kitchen indignantly asking me why I just doused his Sirloin Steak with soy sauce and sugar (my dad's seasoning for everything!).

5. Cooking and plating food that looks appetizing and actually tastes awesome is my way of saying I can be a Picasso or a Mozart in my own kitchen. I have never been good at painting or drawing however much I tried (my sisters made all my art projects in school!). I tried my hand at piano and violin but they both gave up on me (yes that's my story and am sticking to it!). But when I cook and I am able to bring the symphony of flavors together and a plain plate becomes a canvas with colors and life, then I can say my hands are creative after all.

And I take a bow amongst my pots, pans and a sink full of unwashed plates.
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Call me a leftover diva. Wherever I live, it seems my fridge would always have that one piece of pork chop left, two slices of bacon saved in plastic wrap or a small tub of unused tomato sauce. I don't like the idea of just throwing them away, so I come up with ways to use them and still have a brand-new dish!
Here's something I made out of 1 1/2 pieces of Chicken and Gouda cheese sausages (seriously!), 1/4 box of farfalle (or bowtie pasta), half an onion and a pepper. Of course if you are cooking for your family, you have to adjust the portions accordingly so I am leaving out measurements this time.

Easy Chicken Sausage, Onions and Pepper with Farfalle Alfredo
Cook farfalle in boiling water and salt, according to package instructions (or until al dente, usually around 10-12 mins).

Slice the sausages thinly and diagonally. Slice the onions into thin slivers. Do the same for the pepper (you can add more onions and pepper if you want).

Heat up about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Add onions and some minced garlic and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the sausages and cook until the onions turn soft and caramellize. Add the peppers and season with salt, pepper, oregano, basil and thyme.

Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 1/3 cup of grated parmesan and stir until the cheese starts to melt in the sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper at this point.

Top the farfalle with the sauce.

Enjoy with some crusty garlic bread and a glass of white wine!

When in doubt, just cook! (and a Picadillo recipe)

It took me a while to find my groove.

I have always wanted to do a food blog (actually, I did start a couple which I abandoned after a post or two) but I just can't seem to find the right voice, the right style, the right things to post.  Food and recipe blogs are a dime a dozen and I wanted to find a niche of my own. You can be your own worst enemy and critic when starting new projects like this, and again defeatist me scored big points for some time.

And then I was asked to try my hand out in a recipe blog. It was a paid assignment so naturally I just went ahead and did the required number of posts. I also thought it was a good way to test the waters and see how friends would respond to it (okay, so I was actually looking for an affirmation!).

The results were not earth-shaking, I wasn't miraculously offered any long-term blogging or a book deal because of it. But what I learned was far more valuable.

I learned to say "So what?"

"So what" if there are a gabajillion food blogs out there? If I want to write about something, post a picture of something I made and share the recipe because it makes me feel good to do so, then I shouldn't worry about what others are doing. I find inspiration from some of those blogs anyway and it is my hope that mine will also get to inspire even one soul to say "Hey, cooking is not rocket science!"

"So what" if the food has been done and written to death? That's the fun in cooking. There is no singular right way to do it (no matter what stuck-up, egotistical chefs say) - there's magic in creating a dish and it's always in your hands. Like most things in life, it can be messy, it won't always be perfect, there may be one or two ingredients missing but as long as it's fun, then it's worth the adventure.

"So what" if I don't have pretty plates and utensils or a kitchen worthy to be featured in Architectural Digest? My dishes may not even be photogenic at times (at which point I will beg for your indulgence and say right now that I will occasionally borrow a Flickr photo) but if they can get you to start cooking or having your own ideas about how to improve them, then I have earned my brownie points (and a brownie for dessert, too!).

"So what" if only a handful of people get to read it? I have no illusions of being a Julia Child or a Nigella Lawson (and especially not Rachel Ray!). When my recipe blogs ran for a week, I was happy enough with friends who left good comments or said that they will do the recipe. It reminded me of what food and cooking meant to me all this time - sharing and enjoying it with people who matter to me.

And if in the end it turns out bad...well, I know it won't stop me from cooking and still creating.
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Here's an easy recipe for one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. The Cubans call it Picadillo, Filipinos call it Giniling or Arroz a la Cubana.
I just call it yummy.

Picadillo
1 lb. ground beef (or use ground pork)
2 tomatoes, diced
Diced green peppers
Diced white onions
1/2 cup green peas (or you can also use corn if you want it sweeter)
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2 pcs bay leaves
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sweet pimenton
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with: Fried banana slices and egg

Saute garlic and onion. Add diced tomatoes and green peppers and cook until tomatoes are soft. Add ground meat and mash down so there are no big and uneven mounds of meat. Brown the meat and add stock, soy sauce, bay leaves, cumin, pimenton, salt and pepper. Stir and cover, letting it simmer for about 20 minutes. Check the seasoning level and adjust according to taste. Add the green peas and continue simmering for about 5 minutes.

Serve on a bed of steaming white rice with fried bananas (or plantains) and a fried egg on the side.

(Have leftovers? Heat up some tortillas, shred some cheddar cheese and scramble up a couple of eggs. Layer the picadillo with the scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese, roll them all up in the tortilla - and you've got yourself a yummy breakfast tortilla! You can also add some salsa for that extra kick.)