Fish Cardillo
1 kilo whole fish (or fish steak), cleaned
1 tsp. salt
cooking oil for frying
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium-sized onions, diced (¾ cup)
2 pcs. eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Humba
1 kilo pork pigue or pork kasim, whole
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
½ cup vinegar
1 spring oregano
½ bay leaf (laurel)
1 heaping tbsp. tausi (salted black beans)
2 tbsp. fat
Fish Curry
1 kilo fillet of fish (lapu-lapu or any white fish)
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
½ tsp. shrimp paste (bagoong)
¼ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. fish sauce (patis)
½ cup oil
1 cup onions, chopped or minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. ginger, crushed
1 tbsp. paprika powder
½ tsp. chili powder (or crushed dried red chili)
1 tbsp. tamarind paste (thick tamarind juice)
6 coriander sprigs
½ cup water (optional)
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
8 medium sized shrimps cut into strips
⅔ cup ground pork
½ cup soy bean noodles, (bead thread)
2 pcs. Chinese mushrooms (soaked in water for 1 hour), sliced very thinly
1 egg
½ of a big onion, chopped
White part of green onion
Salt and pepper
Patis (fish sauce)
Rice paper (wrapper)
Kuhol Bicol
2 tbsp. cooking oil
⅓ to ½ cup bagoong alamang
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 thumb-size fresh ginger, chopped
1 thumb-size fresh turmeric (luyang dilaw), chopped
1 cup chopped onions
3 kilos kuhol (snails, or escargot)
1 to 2 pcs. finger pepper (Jalapeña)
5 cups coconut milk
2 cups coconut cream
*For spicy hot kuhol add 1 to 3 pcs. hot chili
M E A T
In my childhood days, pigs were almost all black with an occasional albino. They were small with long snouts. Someone taught me that the better breed was one that had a short snout and with limbs that were muscled even when it was young.
Today, what we have are cross-bred pigs that are best suited for our climate and yield excellent pork. In fact, pork is the one item in today's markets that we can be proud of.
Leche Flan
Leche flan
1¼ cups evaporated milk
¾ cups water
8 egg yolks
1 tsp. lemon rind or vanilla
½ cup caramel syrup *
Scald the evaporated milk and water in double-boiler for 15 minutes. Beat egg yolks. Add sugar, milk and flavoring. Pour into 1 quart mold.
Pancit Malabon
There are many versions of the pancit Malabon. The Pascual family of that town serve the noodles, called Bihon sariwa, and the mixtures, called Sahog, separate. There would be two kilos of fresh shrimps, the dark variety called swahe, still jumping when bought. There would be pork cubes, tinapa(smoked fish) that was just bought and then shredded, newly cooked chicharon which was pounded to bits, and sliced native pechay.
It is the sauce, called the Palabok, which distinguishes one pancit Malabon from another. The sauce is all-important which is why the noodle dish is also known as pancit palabok. The sauce is usually made of shrimp stock, a dozen egg yolks, a little bit of achuete, some starch for a thicker consistency, and of course, the best patis and some calamansi for flavoring.
Instant Corn Soup with Quail Eggs
6 cups water
4 pcs. chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream of corn
½ medium-sized carrot, finely chopped
2 dozens, quail eggs, hard-cooked
1 egg, slightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp. cornstarch dispersed in 3 tbsp. water
Chicken Spaghetti
1 medium-sized onion, sliced
1 pc. chorizode bilbao, sliced
4 slices sweet ham, cut in ½inch squares
3 eggs, hard cooked, finely chopped
1 whole chicken, cut in half
1 tsp. whole peppercorns
1 tbsp. rock salt
9 cups water
1 can (385 grams) tomato sauce
½ cup grated cheese
1 pack (450 grams) spaghetti noodles
Seafood Brochette
½ kilo large squid, peeled and cut into 1 inch rings (save tentacles for another dish)
½ kilo lapu-lapu fillet, cut into match box size cubes
¾ cup virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. brandy
1 tsp. Italian seasoning or a few sprigs of fresh dill
½ tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
Skewers or barbecue sticks
Tuna Macaroni Rolls
¾ c. salad macaroni, cooked al dente
2 c. water
1 can tuna flakes in brine (184 grams), drained
1 egg, beaten
¼ c. frozen peas
1 tbsp. Maya all-purpose flour
½ c. grated cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
18 pcs. large lumpia wrappers
Oil for frying
Buko Pie
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
⅓ cup margarine or butter
⅓ cup shortening
3 to 4 tbsp. cold water
Using two knives, cut shortening and butter or margarine into the flour and salt mixture. Cut until the pieces are about the size of peas. Moisten with cold water and gather into a ball.
Gado-gado
100 grams Baguio beans
100 grams carrots
100 grams cauliflower
150 grams togue
1 cucumber
2 medium potatoes
2 square tokwa, fried until light brown, then cubed
Superslaw
Salad dressing:
6 tbsp. rice vinegar
8 tbsp. olive oil
5 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. minced fresh vinegar
1½ tbsp. minced garlic
7 c. shredded cabbage
2 red bell pepper, blanched and cut into matchstick strips
½ c. fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Fisherman's Soup
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 clove onion, chopped
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 tbsp. Maya all-purpose flour
1 fish broth cube boiled in
3 c. water
200 grams potatoes, chopped
1 can whole kernel corn (425 grams), undrained
400 grams mixed meat & seafood balls
Salt & pepper to taste
Vegetable Tofu Soup
1 chicken broth cube
3 c. water
½ tbsp. minced onion
2 tbsp. crushed dried oregano
1 c. frozen mixed vegetables
1 pack cream of mushroom soup powder (70 grams), dissolved in
5 c. water
¾ c. milk
125 grams firm tofu, drained and cubed
Salt & pepper to taste
Tom Yum Goong (Thai Hot and Sour Prawn Soup)
400 grams (14 oz.) medium-size prawns
3 stalks lemon grass
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. chopped coriander root
4-6 pieces peppercorn
½ inch (15mm.) knob fresh Kha (Siamese ginger)
2 fresh red chilies
4 small fresh green chilies
6½ c. chicken stock
4 Khaffir lime leaves (Makrood)
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp. fish sauce (patis)
2 tbsp. lime sauce (dayap)
Freshly shredded coriander leaves
Chicken and Pork Adobo
1 cup vinegar
1 head garlic, crushed
10 pcs. peppercorn, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp. rock salt
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces
½ kilo pork, cut into 1-inch by 2-inch pieces
⅛ kilo pork liver, cut into 1-inch by 2-inch pieces
1½ - 2 cups water
cooking oil for frying
Pork Barbecue
1 kilo pork, cut into bite-size pieces
Marinade:
⅓ cup calamansi juice
¾ cup soy sauce
¾ cup Seven-Up
1½ tbsp. chili sauce
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. mono sodium glutamate
Salt & pepper to taste
Calderetta
½ kilo pierna corta (beef round), cut in serving pieces
¼ cup vinegar
10 pcs. peppercorn, crushed
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup cooking oil
1 cup onion, sliced
½ cup tomato sauce
1½ - 2 cups boiling water
1 cup red or green pepper, cut into strips
1 pc. laurel or bay leaf
dash of hot sauce
¼ cup liver spread
Crisp Spinach Leaves
Select fresh, large and unblemished spinach leaves.
Prepare a tempura-like batter using:
1 cup cold water
1 large egg
1 cup sifted cake flour
Beat egg with water and add flour all at once. Mix lightly, stirring not more than five times. Lumps will remain but this is all right. A pinch of salt may be added to improve the flavor of the batter.
A P P E T I Z E R
Whether they are called canapés, hors d' oeuvres, antipasto or antipasti, nibblers or nosh they are all bits of tasty food that are meant to stimulate the appetite and prime one's sense to enjoy the main plat de resistance.
Today's appetizers are also used to calm the hungry while awaiting the other guests or the meal that will be the main attraction of the lunch or dinner.
When choosing appetizers, one should select those that balance the flavors or contrast with the dishes that are to come. If the main dish is focused on meats or fish, hors d' oeuvres should be vegetable that can be used to dunk, spear or pick up with fingers into a tasty dip with cream, yogurt or cheese.
