PANCIT PALABOK

When one speaks with flowery words, beating around the bush rather than zeroing in on the point of conversation, one is said to speak with too much "palabok". This Filipino term is also the name of a dish with so many accoutrements: the pancit palabok. The dish, unlike the saying, is outright delicious at the first mouthful.

EGGS BENEDICT

The egg is the perfect food. It is the ordinary everyday food, the eat-all-day food, the food to eat when there's nothing else, the food that makes everything special. Why is that? It is the taste of the egg. It has a rich yet simple taste that improves any food that it joins. Eggs makes everything taste and look good.

SAMBOS AND SILVANAS

Half of me wants to detox and diet but half of me wants to celebrate the new year. I am so thankful to have another year to look forward to, a blank chapter to fill with life stories. I know that sometimes we just get dragged along by life's currents that we are only half aware that time is ticking by. While it may seem that life just goes on and on, for someone like  me who has  experienced a drastic life changing event, life can seem pretty volatile. I have now learned that life is indeed fleeting. Our courses have been charted for us and we do not know where that leads and when we'll reach our final destination.  I'd like to take the opportunity to appreciate each day and enjoy life and everything it gives.

EGG PIE

A pie cooling on the window sill is such a pretty sight. The aroma is a scent sent from heaven. The prospect of the first bite just thrills the imagination. Baking a pie might seem a task if you think about it but it actually is an enjoyable activity once you start the process. I am not an avid pie maker but have always wanted to know how to make the perfect pie. The perfect pie has to have a great tasting filling and a crisp, flaky and buttery crust.

YEMA CAKE

It has been four years since I've started this blog and it has been a wonderful journey. I thank everyone who often come to visit, those who leave comments, those who cook from the recipe and those who do and come back to tell me about it. The blog has become a big part of my life and I am very thankful for it.

CUSTAROONS®

Most Filipinos inherently have a sweet tooth. Pastries, cakes and sweets are regular indulgences. Over the years, bake shops have become more and more popular and each of them vie to out wit each other. Thanks to social media, what's new in the food world spread like wildfire.

IMPOSSIBLE CAKE (CHOCOFLAN)

I am a doubting Thomas when it comes to trying new recipes. Not that I doubt the recipe. I doubt my skills at following recipes. Sometimes though, there are recipes that I just have to try to make because they look so delicious. 

I love pouring custard rather than cream on chocolate cake so when I saw this recipe I knew this was something I'd like. Not only did it have chocolate cake and custard, it also had caramel. Just by the looks of it, I could tell how delicious it was. 

BRAZO DE MERCEDES

This dessert was named after Mercedes's arm, which is the literal meaning of its name. I don't know the real origin of this dessert but the name and the use of a lot of egg yolks suggests that it probably is of Hispanic roots. It is a Filipino favourite but is not dissimilar to the Spanish brazo de gitano (gypsy's arm) which is a Swiss roll type dessert. It has the components of the Spanish canonigo and French Ile Flottante which are meringue islands floating in custard but in a jelly roll form.

ASIAN SCOTCH EGGS

Eggs are synonymous to Easter. The mere mention of Easter would bring to mind eggs, chocolate eggs in particular. Easter bunnies and eggs are surely the product of a commercial ploy, much like Christmas and Valentine's Day. I must admit that it won't be fun without them.

For the Christians, Easter has a deeper and more somber meaning. Eggs still play a part but it symbolizes rebirth or resurrection. 

For foodies, Easter means feasting and eggs in many forms, among other things, are usually present.

KUEH LAPIS LEGIT

For Chinese new year, cakes symbolize a rich and sweet life and layers signify rising abundance. Hence, this cake is the perfect offering at the beginning of the year.

POT ROAST SOY SAUCE CHICKEN

During the two week Chinese New Year celebrations, food with auspicious meaning are eaten to beckon good tidings for the coming year. Whole chicken is served during Chinese New Year because it signifies rebirth, family togetherness and prosperity. Marbled eggs symbolize gold nuggets. In this dish, both are present to bestow good wishes to everyone partaking.

BANANA PUDDING TURON

Eating with our fingers is a primal instinct. We first learn about food by touching. By instinct we know how to make our fingers lead food into our mouths. Alas, when we learn the joys of eating with our fingers we are told not to do it.

TIRAMISU BRIOCHE AND BUTTER PUDDING

This weekend until Tuesday next week, the whole of Great Britain is celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Queen Elizabeth has been the reigning queen for 60 years. Although her face and persona has been regarded as an icon for being the queen, much is to be admired of her personal self Elizabeth. 

No one can come up close to the queen but glimpses of her life has always been shown in film and put to writing. Despite the formality and elegance that her duty calls upon, there still is a sweet, warm person that comes to the front in her unguarded moments. She still is, after all, a wife, mother and grandma. She was part of a normal (albeit royal), loving family until her father reluctantly became king after her Uncle Edward abdicated the throne. A further twist of fate, the early demise of her father, made her a young queen at the young age of 25. How many people on earth would have a life story to compare to that?

ASIAN SALMON BURGERS AND SWEET POTATO FRIES

I am an avid fan of fish and seafood and serve it as often as I can. In themselves they are packed with so much flavour that there is not much needed to be done to them. Once in a while though, we hanker for something new, some shift to our usual menu. 

COURGETTE AND MUSHROOM EGG FOO YUNG

Egg foo yung is the Chinese counterpart of the omelette. Unlike the Western omelette which is usually eaten at breakfast, it is eaten with rice at lunch or dinner. It is very different from a normal omelette in many ways. First of all the filling is sauteed first before mixing in with the eggs. It is then pan fried at a higher heat than is normally used for cooking eggs. That results to a browner colour, a toastier taste and firmer texture. It also has a sauce that makes it perfect for eating with rice.

CHORIZO AND ROASTED PEPPER TORTILLA

Tortilla is a Spanish staple dish eaten at any time of the day. Not to be mistaken for the Mexican tortilla used as a wrap, this tortilla is a thick, hefty omelette made with potatoes, onions and eggs. It is served in tapas bars as small cubes skewered with cocktail sticks. It is a quick and easy dish that can be whipped up with only a few ingredients and can be served as a snack, appetizer or side dish.

The classic recipe is potatoes and onions mixed with a good amount of egg. The potatoes are usually fried first before incorporating with the rest of the ingredients. I parboiled the potato slices before drizzling with oil and baking for a lower fat version. Chorizos and roasted red pepper strips adds an interesting twist. It definitely gave it a spike in flavour. 

Ingredients:

2 c. peeled and sliced potatoes
6 tbsps. olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 onion, halved and sliced
3 cooked medium chorizos, sliced into thin rounds
1/4 c. of roast red pepper strips (ready bought)
1 c. grated cheese
6 eggs

Drizzle the potatoes with about 2 tbsps. of olive oil and bake in a single layer  for 20 minutes or until tender.


Sauté  the garlic and onions in 2 tbsps. of olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add the chorizos, roasted red pepper, potatoes and paprika. Fry for 2 minutes or until the chorizo starts to exude oil. 


Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl and add the salt and pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a spatula. 


Heat up the grill. Heat up a non-stick frying pan and add 2 tbsps. of olive oil. Add the egg mixture and cover with a lid. Fry on medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until the bottom is browned and the edges soft set. Transfer the pan to the grill and cook until the top is set (about 8 minutes). To test for doneness, insert the tip of a knife in the middle. If it comes out clean, it's done. Invert on a plate, let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges or cubes.

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Pork and Chorizo Empanada

Calamares Fritos

Spinach and Potato Torta

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STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN (RELLENONG MANOK)

It is that time of the month again when we, at the Kulinarya Cooking Club, get to celebrate our Filipino cuisine by having a virtual potluck of our beloved dishes. This month's theme is special not just because of Christmas but because we get to present a special dish that we usually cook for Noche buena. 

YANG CHOW FRIED RICE

Yang Chow or Yeung Chow fried rice is a rice dish that is more simply as listed special fried rice in restaurant menus. What's special about it is that it is a complete meal in itself although it may also be eaten with other dishes.

THAI STYLE MUSSEL PANCAKE

Not the usual pancake from IHOP. This is a savoury and exciting pancake with mussels. This pancake has all the exciting flavours of the Orient. The best feature is a whole egg in the middle. Eggs feature a lot in Oriental cuisines, often in fried form. Everything seems nicer when served with eggs. Fried eggs are so seductive when the liquid yolks ooze out, don't you think so? If in doubt, just add fried eggs. That seems to be the running culinary motto.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

After using 8 egg yolks for the leche flan, I was left with a lot of egg whites. I know it is the other way around for the macaron bakers but since they are no where near me, I can't donate my egg whites to their awesome cause. On the first try, the egg whites were made into meringues and unsuccessful macarons. This time I decided to make angel food cake because it is dead easy and it is one of my favourite simple cakes.


We decided to reunite the yolks with the egg whites by eating the cake together with the leche flan. They tasted so great together. Why not? Isn't floating islands egg whites with egg yolk sauce? The caramel sauce on the flan was the best part though and it just made this good dessert fantastic. 

Ingredients:


1 1/2 c. egg whites
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. almond essence
2 tbsps. of corn flour + plain flour to make 1 c.


Method:


Pre-heat the oven to 380° F/ 180° C. Put the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar together in a mixing bowl. Beat until soft peaks form when the mixer is lifted up. Add in the almond extract. With the mixer running, add in the sugar a little at a time. Sift the flour and corn flour over the egg whites then fold in until combined. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch tube pan and bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Invert the pan and leave to cool. Run a sharp knife along the sides and tube of the cake pan to loosen the cake. Serve on its own or with custard, fresh fruits or, best of all,  with the previously made leche flan.

All rights reserved ©Adora's Box Copyright 2011. 

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