ADORA's Box

CHORIZO BURGERS

2013-05-22T00:05:00.000+01:00

Chorizo is one of my favourite ingredients. It is one of the ingredients that make Filipino food special. We used to buy chorizos in tins, coated with bright orange lard and labelled chorizo de Bilbao (referring to Bilbao, Spain). I wonder if it really originates from Bilbao as we have the propensity to label food with place names even if they don't really connect.
Read more »

AVOCADO MAYO

2013-05-20T00:05:00.000+01:00

Summer swings our mood to a high level thanks to the good weather and plenty of sunshine. It is the perfect and perhaps the only time we can do our barbies and picnics. Although some summer food such as fruits, salads and grills are healthy, there are also those that aren't but we can't help but eat.

Ice cream, fatty meats and salad dressings are usually the culprits to summer weight gain which we always rationalize as "winter coat" needed for the coming cold weather.

I am used to light mayo but there is a more natural mayo that I like using and it doesn't come from a bottle. Avocado has natural and very healthy fats in it and all it takes is a few ingredients to make it into mayo. It goes really well with salads, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, grilled meat. It can also be used as a dip or dressing. I have added a scant amount of extra virgin olive oil for flavour but if you are feeling really virtuous, that can be omitted.

Yield: about 1/2 c. mayo

Ingredients:

1 small avocado, mashed (1/3 c.)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. of salt
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tsps. honey
2 tsps. wholegrain mustard
2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Use a hand blender or blender to mix all the ingredients until smooth.

Please support Adora's Box by making your Amazon.com and mymemories.com (use the code STMMMS55174) purchases from this site. Click on their respective banners to proceed to their websites. It will not cost you a single cent more but will help sustain this blog. Thank you.

IMPOSSIBLE CAKE (CHOCOFLAN)

2013-05-16T00:05:00.000+01:00

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.
Read more »

PORK ADOBO

2013-05-13T00:05:00.000+01:00

If there is one dish that a Filipino should learn how to cook, it should be adobo. It is the quintessential Filipino cuisine. It is a very simple dish with only a few ingredients, yet every adobo is as different as the person who cooks it.

Although chicken adobo is more known outside the Philippines, it is pork adobo that is the original dish and more loved by the native folks. This is due to the fact that filipinos are avid pork lovers and there is probably no better way to cook pork but as adobo.

EASY LIME CHEESECAKE

2013-05-09T00:01:00.000+01:00

Whenever there is a special day coming, I feel pressured into doing something big to mark the occasion. I don't mean to be a snarky spoil sport but seeing adverts showing what we should do makes me feel railroaded into doing something I do not want to do. We all know that the noble meaning of the occasion is lost in marketing strategies.

It is Mother's day on Sunday and the second one for me this year (UK Mother's day is in March). The true meaning of the occasion is to appreciate Mums, what they do and the role they hold. It is not about buying something for her at all. Buying her an I ❤ MUM mug (again) is not the way to make her happy.
Read more »

QUINOA CON POLLO

2013-05-04T14:00:00.000+01:00

Quinoa is a relatively new grain but is in everyone's shopping trolly and store cupboard. What's the deal in quinoa?

The food and Agricultural Organization of the UN has declared 2013 as The International Year of the Quinoa. It is actually a seed rather than a grain, is low in carbs, high in protein, has neither fat nor cholesterol content and is gluten free. These tiny, tiny seeds are touted as the new superfood. The list is long and very scientific and I get muddled by that sort of thing so I'll just say that it is really good for you.
Read more »

GYOZA

2013-05-02T00:05:00.000+01:00

Gyoza, jiaozi, giaozi all refer to pot stickers, a crescent shaped Chinese dumpling. Pan fried, boiled or steamed, it always makes you want more and more of it.

It takes so little time and a few inexpensive ingredients to make gyozas. These tasty little treats are not cheap when ordered from a restaurant. If you like them a lot and want to eat lots of them, make your own. Make a big batch and freeze them. Then you can cook them as often as you like.
Read more »

PAN DE COCO (COCONUT BUNS)

2013-04-28T12:36:00.000+01:00

In the pre-Starbucks days, the local bakery in any town in the Philippines is the hub of activity at dawn, mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Although rice is the staple food, a bakery is never more than a few yards away from one's home. The daily supply of bread is bought freshly baked in the wood-fired oven of the local panaderia (bakery).
Read more »

MONGOLIAN BEEF

2013-04-24T17:57:00.000+01:00

Mongolian beef, despite what the name suggests did not originate from Mongolia. It is a product of Western commercial cuisine geared towards creating an taste experience that is suited to their taste but recreates the flavour of a foreign cuisine. Although the traditionalists and the purists will shake their heads, I find nothing wrong with that. I who tweaks and twists my recipes actually like that sort of thing.

A recipe is like a rumor. It changes as it is passed around. We hear what we like to hear, read what we like to read and how we interpret things is much affected by what we read between the lines. As I searched for a recipe of Mongolian beef, I was amazed at how different each one was.
Read more »

BRAZO DE MERCEDES

2013-04-21T14:59:00.000+01:00

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.

Read more »

HOMEMADE LONGGANISA (FILIPINO SAUSAGE)

2013-04-18T00:05:00.000+01:00

Filipino sausage is generally called longganisa and the style varies from region to region. When I was growing up, the only longganisa I knew was the bright red, short and fat ones from our local market. They were sold in links and had to be boiled before frying. The main flavouring is garlic and there were no herbs nor spice save for a generous amount of black pepper. The seasoning is a perfect balance of saltiness and sweetness.

There was one thing that I didn't like about it. There were big globules of fat interspersed in the minced meat. I know that what I have just said would send some people running off to find THAT sausage but I am not some people. I hated fat then and still do now. I have horrid memories of what fat tastes like so I will end the subject here.
Read more »

PRAWN WONTON AND BEEF NOODLE SOUP

2013-04-14T14:42:00.000+01:00

Wanting to eat noodles is a basic and natural yearning for Asian people. The first mouthful makes the first and lasting impression. The soup, the noodles and the toppings all have to taste good. It is quite a tall order but is not that difficult to fill. Having said that, the best noodle soup in town still eludes me and I have to make mine at home.

No matter how often we eat noodles, I always look forward to a good noodle soup. The broth used dictates the quality of the dish. Beef and pork bones boiled for hours create a very tasty, highly prized soup. I like adding beef tendons to my stock for a rich, buttery flavour.

SQUID PUFFS

2013-04-11T00:21:00.003+01:00

The smell of seafood is the aroma of umami. It is a bit off putting for some but an allure for others. Growing up in Asia, the smell is very familiar, interesting and appetizing.

It is the smell of home that I miss as I can't cook fried seafood as often as I like. Yet, on special days I allow myself to enjoy a fry up.
Read more »

LUMPIANG SARIWA (FRESH SPRING ROLLS)

2013-04-08T00:04:00.000+01:00

Of all the Filipino vegetable dishes, lumpia is probably the most popular one. The word lumpia simply means spring rolls. This particular one is called lumpiang sariwa which literally means fresh spring roll but refers to unfried spring rolls. The fried variety is called lumpiang prito, prito meaning fried. Lumpiang hubad (meaning naked spring roll) is the filling eaten without the wrapper.
Read more »

SRIRACHA CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE AND CUCUMBER SALSA

2013-04-04T00:05:00.000+01:00

Sriracha has become a condiment embraced by everyone and sits at the table top aside ketchup and mustard. Do you remember your first encounter with sriracha? Sriracha is known as the Thai chilli sauce that comes in a squeezy bottle with a green nozzle. While that is right, it has long been served everywhere as the red orange hot sauce that comes with your dimsum, although at that time sriracha was not yet a by word.

Sriracha is probably the Asian counterpart of Tabasco. It is hot and peppery with a slight tang. It is splashed on anything that could use heat.
Read more »

CLASSIC TIRAMISU

2013-04-01T00:05:00.000+01:00

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert which simply means "pick me up" or metaphorically "make me happy". This name cannot be more very apt because the creamy trifle is perked up with strong espresso and Marsala wine. I love tiramisu and have plowed through a lot of recipes to find THE one for me. Some recipes have uncooked eggs in them and that bothers me a lot. Some have no eggs and and although that takes away the worry of eating raw eggs, I think the richness that the eggs give the recipe is totally necessary.
Read more »

ASIAN SCOTCH EGGS

2013-03-28T00:05:00.000Z

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.
Read more »

POT ROAST BEEF IN CREAMY MUSHROOM GRAVY

2013-03-24T00:05:00.000Z

I like the tradition of having roasts for Sunday lunch. It gives me a reason to look forward to the weekend. Sometimes though, I prefer having a lie in rather than rushing to get lunch ready.

Pot roast gives me the best of both worlds. I can be cook it ahead and reheat for lunch.
Read more »

PAN FRIED SEA BASS WITH PUTTANESCA SAUCE

2013-03-18T00:05:00.000Z

We abstain from eating meat on the Fridays of Lent. Abstinence, like fasting is supposed to be an act of sacrifice.

Not meaning to defeat the purpose, I always line up a few meatless dishes to cook in the holy week.
Read more »

BAKED SESAME PRAWNS ON TOAST

2013-03-15T00:05:00.000Z

Do you ever wonder what's in the prawns on toasts in restaurants? It is not a case of 'duh'. There must be something there that made the sesame seeds stick to the bread but I'm not quite sure that it's prawns. One time my son actually asked the waiter, "What's in this?" to which the perfunctory reply was "Chicken". With the way the conversation went, I should have ended both sentences with exclamation marks. So if there was chicken where the prawns should have been, what's in the chicken?
Read more »

HOMEMADE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

2013-03-14T20:22:00.000Z

The mere mention of sweet and sour sauce would bring to mind Chinese food. Although a combination of sweetness and tang features in Chinese cuisine, it is not as we know it. Traditional dishes uses vinegar as the usual souring agent and brown sugar bricks that are similar to palm sugar in taste.

BEEF IN GUINNESS

2013-03-10T00:05:00.000Z

St. Patrick's Day must be the most fun saint's feast day that I know. The celebration is so global that everywhere in the world joins in the merrymaking. A good amount of Irish grub and tipple is consumed on this day.

To join in the celebration, I made a classic Irish stew made with Guinness. Beef stew can be quite generic but this one has a rather unusual pair of ingredients that you won't recognize unless you are told that it's there. The base of this stew is Guinness, an Irish black stout made from roasted barley that has a characteristic bitter taste. To counteract that, chopped prunes are added. I know that prunes have been the butt of jokes but it does work wonders for this stew. It is the ingredient here that must not be omitted. The pair made this stew taste so deep and rich and extraordinarily tasty. It is highly scented and exudes an air of celebration. The rest of the ingredients are very ordinary but the whole dish tastes really special, almost Christmassy.

Stew is usually a do what you like simple affair. I searched for recipes of this dish and they did seem pretty ordinary. I stumbled upon this recipe and this is what I used as a guide except for the cheffy bits at the end. Most had carrots and I do believe that carrots adds a more rounded taste to stews so that usually goes in mine. Altogether, a very easy dish, very delicious and well worth repeating and not just on St. Patrick's day.

I served this with another Irish staple, champ which is mashed potatoes with spring onions.

adapted from Knorr's Beef and Guinness Stew recipe

Ingredients:

200 gms. bacon, cut into lardons (about 1 cup)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium onions, chopped
butter plus oil for frying the beef
1 to 1.2 kg. of stewing beef (cut into 1 1/2" cubes)
3 tbsps. plain flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
8 pitted prunes chopped
1 tbsp. tomato puree (tomato paste)
2 small sprigs of thyme
1 beef stock cube
1 500 ml. bottle of Guinness stout
5 medium carrots, cut into chunks
2 tbsps. chopped parsley

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 300° F/150° C.

Dry fry the bacon lardons in a heavy oven proof pot until it exudes oil and starts to brown (do not let it crisp). Add the garlic and sautee until light brown. add in the chopped onions and cook on low heat until soft and translucent. This will take about 15 minutes.

While this is happening, prepare the beef pieces. Put the beef in a mixing bowl. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in another bowl. Sprinkle over the beef while stirring until all the pieces are coated.

Heat up a heavy frying pan. Add 1 tbsp. of butter and 1 tbsp. of oil. Add a few beef pieces at a time and fry until seared and browned. Do not crowd the pan. There should be space between the pieces so that they do not steam and release their juices. Do this in batches. Add more butter and oil as needed.

When all the beef pieces are browned, add them to the sauteed mixture. Add the chopped prunes, tomato puree, thyme, stock cube and Guinness.

Bring to a boil on the stove top before transferring to the oven. Cook for 1 hour before adding in the carrots. Cook until tender for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This may also be cooked on the stove top instead of the oven.

Season to taste with salt if needed. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley before serving. Parsley is not just a garnish here. It adds freshness to the rich dish.

IRISH CHAMP

2013-03-09T21:13:00.000Z

Potatoes are the food of champions. They are nutritious and good enough to be eaten on its own. It is, however, the staple side dish and source of carbs of many a nation around the globe.

The English usually serve them boiled, roast or chipped. For the Irish though, mash is a big favourite, steeped in tradition and is the traditional accompaniment to their stews.

Irish champ is simply mashed potatoes with spring onions thrown in. I chose thick spring onions with a leeky flavour and sauteed them first in butter before combining with the rest of the ingredients. This simple addition has a lot of impact on the taste of the mash and gives it a fresh taste and extra savoury flavour. A simple stew with champ is a perfect comfort meal.

adapted from Allrecipes Irish Champ recipe

Ingredients:

1 kg. of unpeeled potatoes
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped spring onions
1 c. milk
1 tsp. of salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Method:

Boil the potatoes until soft. Peel while hot. The best way to do this is to hold the hot potato with a kitchen towel and pick on the potato skin with the tip of a paring knife. Hold the loosened skin and pull off.

Mash the potatoes. I used a potato ricer to do this.

Heat up a sauté pan and add in the butter. On low heat, saute the spring onions until softened. Add in the milk and bring to a boil. Add in the mashed potatoes, salt and pepper and stir. It is ready when it is piping hot.

BAKERY STYLE CHOCOLATE CHUNK MUFFINS

2013-03-06T18:31:00.001Z

There are good days and bad days. And then there are really good days. Such days are when you open the front door and a delivery man hands you a huge hamper full of chocolates.
Read more »

BAKED HOISIN GLAZED PORK RIBS

2013-03-04T00:05:00.000Z

When I was growing up, we hardly ever ate spare ribs. Spare ribs are practically bones, usually relegated to the soup stock. I can't imagine that now everyone is paying good money for what the butchers used to toss out as scraps.
Read more »