Haidee's Kitchen

Japchae (Korean Stir-Fry Noodles)

2016-10-10T21:30:00.006+03:00

Japchae I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

*Updated on 12th October 2016.

It's 8:00pm. I have slept most of the afternoon as per doctor's order. I have been suffering from terrible headache and the doctor wasn't sure what was the trigger. My x-ray shows my sinuses are clear so sinusitis was ruled out. He said it could be migraine and advised me to refrain from eating/drinking the usual suspects-- chocolates, coffee, tea, cheese and all of my favorite things. Sigh! He told me to get plenty of rest and refrain from using electronic gadgets and come see him again after a few days. I did as told...until now! LOL! I woke up, still a bit woozy and had nothing to do. I grabbed my Tadashi Ono cookbook, Japanese Soul Cooking which I have read from cover to cover, probably 3x. Yes, I read cookbooks like a novel, who doesn't?

Anyway, I promise myself I will only give 1 hour tops to blog. Probably one of the reason why I couldn't sleep at night is because there are too many ideas in my brain that it just wouldn't go to "sleep mode", literally. So I'm giving myself one hour to let this creative juice free flow. Promise, just one hour, or I'll get in trouble if my husband gets home and find me out of bed. Plus, I promised my sister-in-law/ BFF, Ethel that I will post this recipe and I don't want to keep her waiting. She loves this dish as much as I do.

So here's what I've been meaning to share, an easy recipe to one of my favorite Korean dishes, Japchae, a sweet potato noodle in sweet-savory sauce. I've adapted my japchae from these recipes from www.rasamalaysia.com and www.maangchi.com. I kept mine vegan because I want the shitaake mushroom to stand out.

Ok, now for the recipe, I've only got a few more minutes before the hubby comes home. I don't want him to see me in from of the iMac! :-P

Japchae
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Idle Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
500g Korean potato starch noodles
enough water for boiling
2 tbsp sunflower oil or any neutral-flavor oil
1 medium brown onion, thinly sliced
10 shitaake mushrooms, rehydrated
1/4 cup loosely-packed wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated
2 medium carrots, julienne
4 cups loosely packed spinach, blanched then drained and cut into 2 inch long
3 stalks of scallion, thinly sliced, 2 inch long
black pepper to taste
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup toasted sesame seed for garnish

For the Japchae Sauce Mix:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup white sugar

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Direction:
1. For the japchae sauce, mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Set aside.

2. Rehydrate the shitaake mushroom in 2 cups of water and the wood ear mushrooms in 1 cup of water. Put some weight on top to keep the 'shrooms submerged. Leave for 30 minutes then slice the mushrooms into thin strips.

3. While prepping the vegetables, boil a pot of water for the noodles. Once you get the water to a rolling boil, add the noodles and cook as directed at the back of the packaging, usually 7 minutes. Drain and wash the noodle in running water then transfer into iced water. Cut the noodles into approximately 10-inch long. Add 1/3 of the sauce to keep noodles from sticking together.

4. In a wok or a big pan, heat the oil, and saute the carrots until half cooked. Remove from wok then set aside.

5. In the same wok, saute the brown onion and scallion fo 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan the set aside.

6. Saute the mushrooms Add 2-3 tbsp of the sauce. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

7. Blanch the spinach then rinse with cold water. Wring out as much water as possible. You may cut the spinach into 2-in long

8. Mix in the mushrooms, onion and scallion, carrots, and spinach and the sauce with the noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and black pepper. Then, drizzle with about 2 tbsp of sesame oil.

This dish can easily be transformed by adding beef, (cooked together with the mushrooms), shrimp or egg omelet strips.

10 Oct 2016
Haidee's Kitchen

Updated 15 Dec 2024

Cottage Pie

2016-10-08T00:30:00.000+03:00

Hi! Did y'all miss me? It's been a loooong time since my last blog. I have been pre-occupied with a lot of things and didn't have time to blog. But if you've been following me on instagram, you'll know that I have not given up on cooking, (and taking pictures!), I just haven't been able to post recipes. Sorry!

Anyway, I though I'd start off my comeback with this easy-peasy cottage pie that looks too pretty to eat. Of course, you can just dump the creamy mashed potato on top of the juicy meat and you're good to go. But why stop there? Me, I like playing with my food, so I pipe creamy mashed potato to top my cottage pie. I mean, who says piping is exclusive to buttercream, right?

Cottage Pie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

See, I told you I meant to blog. I took these photos last year. You know what they say, better late than never! ;-)

Cottage Pie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

This recipe can be easily doubled. Make this on your next potluck and your friends will think you slaved all day in the kitchen ;-)

Cottage Pie
Make: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Filling:
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500g minced beef
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (diced carrots, peas, beans and corn)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp flour or cornstarch
1/4 cup beef stock
pink Himalayan salt or sea salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

For the Mashed Potato
1kg potato, peeled and roughly chopped
enough water for boiling the potatoes
1tsp salt
1/2 stick of butter, cubed
1/4 cup warm milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 200*C.

2. In a large cast-iron or non-stick pan, heat the oil then add the minced beef. season with freshly ground Himalayan salt and black pepper. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan, saute onion until transluscent. Add garlic. Then add mixed veggies and cook for 1 more minute. Add the minced beef and the flour and cook for 1 minute. Then add the stock, soy sauce and tomato puree. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning then add honey, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in the cast iron pan.

4. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with enough water and add 1 tsp salt. Cook until fork-tender. Drain.

5. In a bowl, mash the potato with butter and add milk as needed. Mash until smooth and creamy. Transfer into a piping bag with star tip.

6. Pipe rosette swirls of mashed potato on top of the beef mixture; cover completely. Broil/bake for 5 minutes or until the mashed potato forms a light golden brown crust.

Cottage Pie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Red Berries and Cream Cheese Muffins

2015-10-09T01:05:00.002+03:00

Red Berries and Cream Cheese Muffins I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

I have been in a shoot hiatus for months. The photos in my last blog was shot back in March, that was 7 months ago! My Stockfood account manager has been asking me for new materials and I have not submitted anything new. I just couldn't find the time to do a proper shoot!

But I miss it. I love the creative process; from planning, sourcing the ingredients, to cooking, plating, the actual shoot and the post-process. It is not easy being a one-woman-team: I'm the cook, the stylist and the photographer so that means it's 3x the work and takes 3x longer to produce. But I am not complaining. In fact, I wish I could find time to do this more often.

Good thing there was a long weekend a few days ago, I finally got time! There was also an added motivation to shoot; a food photography contest with Andy Harris, editor of Jamie Magazine, as one of the judges. I thought, wouldn't it be cool if I win? So I gave it a shot, (literally!). What have I got to lose except a few hours of sleep, right?

So, 2 of the photos here were submitted for the contest, can you guess which ones? I'm pretty pleased with the results and am happy to share them with you.

Now about the muffins.

This recipe is perfect for brunch, snack or for a picnic in the park. It's still pretty hot in Bahrain but I'm already looking forward to going to the parks in the winter. This will also be good as holiday gift or to take to potlucks for Christmas breakfast.

The recipe for the muffins was adapted from Gather for Breads' Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins and the streusel topping from The Girl Who Ate Everything's Blueberry Streusel Muffins. I love their blogs, you should check them out!

Red Berries and Cream Cheese Muffins I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Red Berries and Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel Topping

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Bake Time: 17-20 minutes
Total Time: 37-50 minutes

Ingredients:

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick of butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup full cream milk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 + 1/4 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh red currants, stems removed + 1/4 cup with stems

For the streusel topping:
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 stick of cold butter, cut into cubes

1/4 to 1/2 cup icing sugar for dusting

Instructions:

For the streusel topping:
1. Mix sugar, flour and the cold butter using your hand until you get a clumpy, sandy texture. Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.

For the muffin:
1. Preheat the oven to 425*F for at least 30 minutes.

2. Line 2 x 12-muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.

3. In a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter on high speed until light and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add milk and vanilla extract, (I use my homemade vanilla extract).

4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed by whisking it a couple of times.

5. Add the dry ingredients into the butter and cream cheese mixture and mix well.

6. Using a spatula, fold in 1/2 cup of the raspberries and 1/2 cup of the red currants.

7. Put half of the remaining berries into the muffin liners, ( roughly1 raspberies, 2-3 red currants).

8. Using an ice cream scoop, pour the batter into the muffin liners. Decorate the top with the remaining berries then sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake for 450*F for 5 minutes then lower the temperature to 375*F and continue baking for another 12-15 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of a cupcake; when the toothpick comes out clean, it's done!

9. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring on to a wire rack. Cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour on the rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar before serving.

Makes 24 muffins.

Red Berries and Cream Cheese Muffins I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

09 Oct 2015

Haidee's Kitchen

Roots and Fruits Power Smoothie

2015-09-15T23:28:00.005+03:00

Roots and Fruits Power Smoothie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

It seems summer will never end here in the gulf. Today was 37*C but feels like 41! We're in the middle of September and still not a cloud in sight! So hang in there for a few more days, winter is coming, eventually.

And since it still feels very much like summer, I thought it's not too late to share one of my favorite superfood power smoothie, one that will quench your thirst and that your body will love. It's packed with natural vitamins and other nutrients that will boost your immune system; perfect for this extended hot and very humid weather. Rawsome!

Roots and Fruits Power Smoothie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen cooked beets, (pre-cut into 1-inch cube)
1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 apple, roughly chopped
zest of 2 oranges
juice of 2 oranges
fresh mint leaves (from 4-5 sprigs of mint leaves)
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 to 1 cup of ice
Optional,(because I love spices!):
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of 1/8 tsp freshly-shaved nutmeg

Procedure:
1. Toss everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

That's it! It's that simple. Enjoy!

Roots and Fruits Power Smoothie I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

15 Sep 2015
Haidee's Kitchen

Sans Rival Macaron

2015-02-10T15:41:00.000+03:00

Sans Rival Macarons I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

I was missing home...as in my home country, the Philippines. I have been living in the gulf for almost a decade. And although I love living in Bahrain, there are still some days when I get "homesicked"...I miss home.

It was one of those days. I was missing my family, their loud laughter and warm hugs, their spontaneous "I love yous" that sound way better in person than over the phone. Hanging out with my friends. Road trips. The beach. Oh! the beach. When the gulf summer seems it will never end, that's when I miss Boracay the most. And of course, the food, glorious "Pinoy" food!

Whenever I go home on holidays, I prepare myself to gain weight and just let myself go and indulge on all the food that I missed. I would have a mental list of what I would like to eat. But it seems our visits, no matter how long or short, were never ever enough to revisit all the yummies in my check list. One of those cravings that I missed on my last trip was Sans Rival Cake.

Sans Rival Cake may sound French, (well actually it is), but this confection is a well-loved Filipino dessert. It's a multi-layer of meringue, buttercream and chopped roasted cashew nuts, covered with butter cream and roasted cashew nuts. Yes, it sounds incredibly good that it's name claimed it is "without rival".

So I was craving for this cake and feeling bummed that no one is making it around here. The closest meringue-ish dessert is macaron, which on normal days I would love to have in any flavor. But even that will not satisfy because I was craving for buttercream sandwiched between the meringue. And then I had an epiphany...what if I make macaron with sans rival filling? I imagined it and in my mind and was convinced it would work. The only problem is...I've never made macarons before nor have I ever made Sans Rival cake.

So I began my search to find the perfect recipe to merge these 2 greats to create one genius dessert. Many webpages later, I resolved to try out these recipe combination: Macarons recipe from Martha Stewart and the buttercream recipe from BakeHappy. How did it go? Har har har (like the laugh of an evil genius!) Eureka! It was a success! It is everything I imagined it would be!

I think it would be selfish not to share this discovery to the web world. After all, I wouldn't have done it without the help from Ms. Martha and Ms. Aikko's recipe. So here it is, enjoy!

Sans Rival Macaron Recipe

For the Macarons: Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe, the directions were slightly modified.

Difficulty: (not easy for me!)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups almond meal
1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 large or 120g egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp almond extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.

2.Sift and whisk together almond meal and confectioner's sugar in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed until frothy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar and almond extract. Whisk on high speed until soft peak forms, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Fold egg whites into the almond and sugar mixture until well combined. Mix vigorously with spatula until the mixture sinks and smooth and thick and has the same consistency as honey. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag with round tip. Pipe 1-inch round into a silicone macaron mould. Alternatively, pipe in 1-inch round, 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should be able to make 2 baking sheets of 28 macaron shells each. Tap the baking sheet to make sure there are no air bubbles.

5. Let it dry for at least 30 minutes until the tops are shiny and dry.

6. Place the baking sheets on the middle rack and on the lowest rack and keep the oven door slightly ajar for the 1st 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, rotate both baking sheets 180* and switch-- the one on the middle rack to the bottom and the one at the bottom on the middle rack. Close the oven door and do not open until after 7 minutes.

7. Let cool in the baking sheet for 20 minutes then remove and transfer to the cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Cashew Nut Buttercream Filling, adapted and slightly modified recipe from Bake Happy:
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water
9 egg yolks
3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
1/2 pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup lightly toasted, chopped cashew news.

Special tool needed: Candy Thermometer (This is a must!)

Directions:
1. In a saucepan fitted with candy thermometer, boil sugar and water over high heat. Shake and swirl the pan occasionally to avoid sugar from browning on the side of the pan. While waiting, pour the egg yolks in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.

2. Once the sugar syrup registers 220*F on the candy thermometer, start beating the egg yolk on high speed. Turn down the speed to low or turn it off once the egg yolk is frothy.

3. As soon as the sugar syrup registers a temperature of 240*F, remove from hear and start beating the egg yolk at medium speed and pour the sugar syrup slowly and at steady stream. Increase the speed to high once the all the syrup have been incorporated and beat for 1 minute. Place in the fridge for 8-10 minutes to cool down.

4. Return the egg mixture to the stand mixer, beat on low speed then gradually add butter. Add vanilla extract and salt. Turn up the speed on high and whisk until fluffy.

5. Gently fold in cashew nuts with a spatula and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

To assemble:
Take a heaping spoonful of the butter cream filling and sandwich it between macaron shells. If you wish, you can add more shards of chopped cashew nuts around the filling.

Sans Rival Macarons I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

I was still missing home but I was happy I got to taste a bit of it, with a twist, in my Bahrain kitchen.

Sautéed Corn with Chimichurri

2014-05-09T14:14:00.000+03:00

Sautéed Corn with Chimichurri I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Well, hello my lovelies. Did you miss me? I know it's been a while since my last post. I haven't been blogging as much as I used to. My weekdays are hectic balancing act between work and school runs and lately our weekends are booked with barbecues, karting, and parties with friends...not that I'm complaining. It's just that I couldn't find time to work on my craft...cooking and photography.

I can't believe it's more than 2 years since I started this little project! Haidee's Kitchen was just intended to be as my online notes on the recipes I have loved so I don't forget them. I can't believe it almost reached 60K views as of writing this post. So thank you for the support, you're all awesome!

So what have I been up to lately? Well, I have started a new project. Ok, let's rewind that. At the beginning of this year I was thinking what could be my 2014 project. 2012 was when I started this blog, 2013 was my organic garden which is thriving even with this extreme gulf summer heat and is producing more than what my family can consume.

Oregano I Sautéed Corn with Chimichurri I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

I thought of a million things to do for this year, (exagg!)... I know I sound like I'm contradicting myself as I began my post with my excuse on why I haven't had time to post sooner. But I believe you can always find time for the things you love. So lately, my other loves were given priority. But today, this very minute, you have my full attention. Yes, I love y'all too!

Also, I believe one should never stop learning, lest you stop growing. And learning new things is important to me. I'm blessed to have a supporting husband who are supportive with my personal pursuit. He encourages that I pursue my passion... (except when I told him I want to learn pottery. He begged me not to, saying we don't have more space for my works of art, LOL! He's probably right).

So 2012 was Project Food Blog, 2013 was Project Organic Garden and 2014 is Project Health...I'm taking better care of me.

It's amazing that the more I learn about food, the more I learn that every morsel that goes into your body makes a big difference. And the more I learn about real food, the kinder I become to my body. I try to stay away from processed food and choose a healthier option. I also become aware that not everything advertised as good are actually good. No Calorie Artificial Sweetener? No thank you. I'd take the muscovado sugar instead if there are no better option. And please don't ask me how much calorie is packed in my sandwich, I don't have time for that and I absolutely think it is pointless. I also am not into those fad diet. Sure, with my background in physiotherapy and personal training I know how to lose 5kg in 2 weeks, but do I really want to subject my body to that kind of stress just to fit into a dress? I don't think so. So I've decided to take the longer route to weight loss, to listen to my body and be patient that over time I will achieve my goal. I have decided to start my yoga practice...everyday.

Yes, I committed to myself to do yoga everyday whether I feel like it or not. Whether I feel strong, or flexible, or tired. Because they say it takes 21 days to form a habit. And that's what I'm trying to develop, a habit that will eventually turn into a life style.

And all my ongoing "projects" are kind of inter-related. Diet and exercise are both essential to weight loss. So the food that I mostly prepare at home are healthy or healthier versions of the food that I love. But don't get me wrong, I still love them chocolate cake!

I have been getting inspiration from fellow foodies. The book that I have been devouring now is the beautifully written and visually delicious cookbook by Gwyneth Paltrow, "It's All Good". Most of her meals are simple and yet so flavorful and satisfying.

Today, I'm sharing a dish inspired my her recipe "Sauteed Corn with Chimichurri". I said inspired because I made it with my own version of chimichurri with fresh oregano picked from my garden and used canned corn instead of fresh because that was what I had in the pantry.

Have you tried chimichurri? It's almost the same as pesto, but instead of cheese you replace it with the heat of jalapeno. I like to char the jalapeno a bit to add more depth of flavor. My version is one part oregano, 1 part cilantro for more contrasting flavor. If you want the oregano to stand our, feel free to swap it with flat leaf parsley.

Charred Jalapeno I Sautéed Corn with Chimichurri I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

The chimichurri is good as condiment for meat, especially steak. But it is lovely too when added on corn and serve it as a side dish or as a satisfying vegan meal. I think I had me 2 helpings when I cooked it for this shoot. And yet, I don't feel guilty, 'coz "it's all good."

Oregano I Sautéed Corn with Chimichurri I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Sautéed Corn with Chimichurri I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Sauteed Corn with Chimichurri

Difficulty: Easy

Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 x 400g canned corn (drained weight 280g)
4 tbsp chimichurri*
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat a cast iron skillet. Pour in the EVOO

2. Add the corn, sautéing occasionally. This will allow the corn to develop a nice char, about 5-8 minutes. Do not overcook; the corn should still be plump and juicy.

3. Take the skillet off the heat and mix-in the chimichurri. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your liking.

For the Chimichurri*

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 packed cup fresh oregano leaves
1 packed cup fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley leaf
1 medium jalapeno, charred, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup EVOO
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor. Add more EVOO if it's too dry. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before using. Keep the rest in a tight-lid jar and store in the fridge for 2 weeks or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Oregano I Sautéed Corn with Chimichurri I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Chimichurri, 03 May 2014
Haidee's Kitchen

All photos in this post taken using iPhone5.

Almond Milk

2014-02-20T11:55:00.000+03:00

*Updated 24 Feb 2014.

I'm all about superfoods these days. The more I learn about them and eat them, the more I fall in love with them. I recently encountered raw cacao nibs and it was love at first bite...or rather, nibble. I blame the vegans and the organic hippies, their green gospel is proliferating and their preaching is getting through me. I fear that one day, one day, I might just say no to butter and bacon! Oh, the thought gives me the chills!

Anyway, I don't think I'll be a food extremist, I'm all about balance. And I'm a gastronomic adventurer so no way I would let myself be restricted by certain food religion. Having said that, it is sensible to learn more about good food. I don't really like calorie-counting-artificial-sugar diet fad. I like whole food...real food.

Lately, I have been trading my favorite moo lattes to soy-cappuccino and have mustered the strength to say no to whip cream...and I love it! At home, I've been whipping up smoothies with fruits, nuts and seeds using soy, coconut milk and nut milk as my base. However, these vegan milk are not easy to come by around here, and when they do, they're usually ridiculously expensive! Another issue is that though they are labeled organic, some are heavily laden with unnatural ingredients and preservatives which I cannot even pronounce, thus would like to stay away from.

So to solve this problem, I make my own nut milk. Not only do I save a lot of dinars for doing so, I know exactly what is in them. And it will keep well in the fridge for a week without the need for preservatives. Best of all, it's so easy to make I don't even break a sweat!

Here's 2 of my favorite flavored almond milk, cinnamon and cacao.

Cacao and Cinnamon Almond Milk I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

First, you have to rehydrate the raw almonds overnight so it will yield the maximum amount of "milk". 2 cups of almonds will turn into 3 to 3.5 cups when rehydrated.

When you're ready to grind your milk, here are the equipments you will need:
1. electric blender
2. jelly strainer with stand, ( I use Lakeland Jelly Strainer kit, if you don't have one, a fine-meshed strainer and cheese cloth will do the job as well).
3. a bowl that will fit under your jelly strainer
4. dry measuring cup
5. wet measuring cup
6. measuring spoons

If you're a purist, almond and water is all you need to make a raw, unsweetened almond milk. My ratio is 1.5 cups rehydrated raw almonds + 3 cups water. Blend until you get the texture that you want then strain it. But that can be pretty...blah. So I'm sharing with you 2 of my favorite flavors, cinnamon and cacao.

Now let's get started.

Cinnamon Almond Milk

Time (from prep to finish): Under 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rehydrated raw almonds
3 cups water
2 tbsp natural, unprocessed light muscovado sugar, add more as per your preference*
beans of 1/2 vanilla pod
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
*You can substitute muscovado sugar with pure maple syrup or dates to make this a sugar-free recipe. Use 1tbsp maple syrup or 4 pieces of dates, seeded.

Directions:
1. Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend for 2 minutes at a time until you get the smoothness/texture that you want. Taste and add sugar to your liking.

2. Pour the mixture into the jelly strainer and let the milk drip into the bowl by itself. When the flow has stopped, give it a good squeeze until all the milk has been wrung out. Discard the sap or better yer, use it as a body scrub ;-)

Cacao Almond Milk

Time (from prep to finish): Under 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rehydrated raw almonds
3 cups water
2 tbsp natural, unprocessed light muscovado sugar, add more as per your preference*
beans of 1/2 vanilla pod
2 tbsp cacao nibs, (or 1 tbsp cacao powder or cocoa powder)
1/8 tsp salt
*You can substitute muscovado sugar with agave nectar or dates to make this a sugar-free recipe. Use 1tbsp agave nectar or 4 pieces of dates, seeded.

Directions:
1. Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend for 2 minutes at a time until you get the smoothness/texture that you want. Taste and add sugar to your liking.

2. Pour the mixture into the jelly strainer and let the milk drip into the bowl by itself. When the flow has stopped, give it a good squeeze until all the milk has been wrung out.

Haidee's Kitchen
15 Feb 2014

Cha Soba

2013-12-29T13:37:00.001+03:00

Brrrr....the temperature continuous to drop here in the gulf. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. In fact, this is my favorite season, I mean who doesn't want a break from the scorching hot summer in the desert? I love the winter here. It rarely drops below 10*C which is just perfect. These days, a hot soup is just what I need to warm my tummy. I've revisited an old post, Zaru Cha Soba (Cold Green Tea Noodles served with a hot dipping dashi broth). This is pretty much the same as that except instead of using the dashi broth as dipping sauce, The noodle is served right in the hot broth. Whatever and whichever way you serve it, it will taste amazing!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
400g dried cha (green tea) buckwheat noodles
water for boiling the noodles
a big bowl of ice cubes

For the Hot Broth:
4 tbsp dashi granules
4 cups water
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup Kikoman soy sauce

Toppings & Garnish:
shredded kani (crab sticks), as desired
togarashi (red chili flakes), as desired

Direction:

1. Place Cha noodles in boiling water and cook as directed in the package. Drain and transfer the the noodles on a bowl of ice cubes to stop the cooking process and prevents it from becoming soggy. Set Aside.

2. In a sauce pan, dissolve the dashi granules in water and bring up to a boil. Bring the heat down then add mirin and soy sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

3. To serve, transfer the cold soba on a bowl, pour a few laddleful of broth, top with shredded kani and togarashi. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings

Homecooked Meals
24 Nov 2013

Peppermint-Choco-Mallows Stirrers

2013-12-13T02:51:00.000+03:00

I promised my friend, Joyce I will be posting the recipe for this treat, if you can call it recipe at all. There is no cooking involved and I made it with very little effort. It's a perfect gift for the holidays. In fact, I made this last year for Rocky to give-away to his friends.

So this is part of my holiday "Edible Gifts" series...my Peppermint-Choco-Mallows Stirrer-- store-bought marshmallows dipped in chocolate and covered with crushed peppermint candy cane. That's pretty much it, 3 ingredients, no cooking required. This ideally serves as a stirrer for hot cocoa or hot milk, let the peppermint and chocolate-covered marshmallows melt in the hot drink before you drink and enjoy. Some of Rocky's friends gobbled it by itself. I don't blame them, I may have had a stick or two,(...ok maybe more!), when I was packaging them, you know, for quality check.

It perfectly pairs with your hot drink especially on Christmas morning or after the "Noche Buena" (Christmas dinner). And, if you've been naughty this year, this might score you some "nice" points with Santa if you leave a stick next to his hot milk and cookies under the Christmas tree.

peppermint-choco-mallows stirrer I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Difficulty: Super Easy!

Prep and Assembly Time: 30 to 40 minutes

What you will need:
1 pack popsicle sticks
Double boiler or heat-proof bowl set over simmering water
shallow bowl for the crushed candy cane
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Ingredients:
1 pack large white marshmallows, (approximately 50 pcs)
4 cups dark, milk chocolate or white chocolate, (1 used 2 cups dark chocolate and 2 cups of white chocolate)
10 x 8in peppermint candy cane, finely chopped

Directions:

1. In a double boiler or heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt/temper 2 cups of dark chocolate, make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
*Alternatively, you may melt the chocolate in the microwave, set on high, at 20 seconds interval until melted.
**For tips on tempering chocolate, click here.

2. Dip 1 inch of the popsicle stick in melted chocolate, stick into the marshmallows and immediately roll over the chopped candy cane. Let it stand to cool and harden on the baking sheet. Repeat process until half of the marshmallows are well coated.

3. Repeat the process using the white chocolate and the remaining half of the marshmallows and candy cane. Let it cool completely at room temperature.

Makes approximately 50 stirrers.

For more Edible Gifts suggestions, you may want to check these out:
1. Bourbon Dulce De Leche
2. Almond Butter Cups
3. Dark Hazelnut Butter
4. Vanilla Extract
5. Rocky Crunch

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my kitchen to yours! xoxo

peppermint-choco-mallows stirrer I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Bourbon Dulce de Leche

2013-12-03T19:37:00.000+03:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Christmas is just around the corner. My tree is up and decorated in gold and silver, my holiday table is set. Oh yes, we're on festive mode before December hits! Why? Why not!

If you're like me, you'd probably be collecting ideas of what to give to friends and family right about now. I put a lot of thought into it. I'm not Oprah that money is no object, but with little creativity and a bit of (fun) work, I can give my loved ones some of my favorite things. I started that last year, I decided to give them something handmade and homemade. I hope they liked them 'coz I sure enjoyed making them.

So I thought I'd share some of the recipes with you. You can find the links for the recipes on the home page under the label "Edible Gifts". They're so easy to make anybody can make them.

Here's one that I gave to some of my girlfriends, my Dulce de Leche spiked with Bourbon whiskey and spiced with Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans. I loooove dulce de leche. It's great with vanilla ice cream, (way better than caramel!), on top of cupcakes, brownies and slathered on top of my mom's "suman sa lihiya" (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf). It's also good by itself, just grab a spoon, dunk it in the sticky pot and indulge!

It's simple to make but time consuming, that is if you take the route that I took. There are so many ways to make it, from simple to scary, (the thought of putting a can of condensed milk inside a pressure cooker gives me goosebumps!). The simplest I think is the method recommended by Donna Hay. I tried it many times but it does not give me the result I was looking for, I always get a darker top. And so I take the road less traveled and go for the longer method. Turns out perfect all the time!

Bourbon Dulce De Leche

Cooking Time: 60-80 minutes depending on the consistency and color that you like. It becomes darker as it as you cook longer.

Ingredients
2 x 395g can condensed milk
2 tsps Bourbon Whiskey
Beans of a 2 inch Organic Grade-A Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Pod

Pinch of Salt

Direction:
1. Slowly cook the condensed milk in a double boiler until it thickens and changed into a darker, caramel color, stirring occasionally. Careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the pot where the milk is in. Add more water into the double-boiler if needed.

2. Once you've achieved the color and texture that you like add the bourbon, vanilla beans and salt, stir until fully incorporated and remove from heat.

3. Let it cool completely before transferring into sterilized decorative bottles.

Note on Storage:
This will keep for 2 days at room temperature or up to 1 month in the fridge but might lose it's creamy texture. To reheat, transfer into a heat-proof dish and microwave at 15 seconds interval until you get the desired temperature and smoothness.

Enjoy!

Makes 2 cups

Carrot Cake

2013-11-04T03:01:00.000+03:00

My sister came for a week visit last month and I promised to make her trip to the island worthwhile by bringing her to a few of my current favorite places to eat, (because there is nothing much to do around here but that), and to cook for her. She told me that wasn't necessary as the purpose of her visit was to spend time with his nephew. Still, I cannot let her go hungry. And so she let me drag her onto a weeklong gastronomic trip around the country.

I took her to the "new" Hash House in Adliya, the island's most happening place. The new ownerstotally revamped this resto. This now tops my list when I'm craving for Thai food.

Hash House

Then, to my favorite place for afternoon tea, The Tea Room @ Trousseau. They serve the best scones which pairs perfectly with rose bud tea. Divine!

The Tea Room @ Trousseau

And of course I had to bring her to my favorite restaurant outside the city that serves delicious arabic food with a modern twist, Villa Mamas. The chef is also a forerunner in advocating organic, local products and produce in the restaurant scene in the island. Definitely a must try when in Bahrain.

Eggplant Explosion, a modern twist on the Persian dish kashk-e bademjan @ Villa Mamas

Shish Barak, lamb in wonton wrapper with yogurt sauce @ Villa Mamas

We visited several more but posting all the photos might be too much for this blog, (follow me on instagram instead!).

Memories

And because I also promised to cook for her, I made mushroom risotto with truffle oil for dinner and taught her how to bake this decadence, a 3-layer carrot cake. This cake has become a family favorite and I think it's time to share it with y'all.

The recipe was adapted and slightly modified from Chef Emeril Lagasse's recipe; (for the link, click here). The only modifications are: (1) I used only half of the pecans called for this recipe and sub the half with walnuts, because the husband is not a fan of pecans. And (2) for the frosting, the original recipe called of 1lb of sugar which I find too sweet for my liking, so I made my frosting with just 3 cups of sugar instead.

My sister's visit was short but sweet...even sweeter than cream cheese frosting. And that's what we live for. We may live miles apart but our hearts will always be together. And when we are together, we build memories that will last...until we meet again.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Inactive Time: 60 minutes
Baking Time: 30-40 minutes
Total Time: 130-140minutes

Ingredients:
3 sticks, plus more for coating the pan, room temperature
2 cups caster sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsps salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated or (food processor) chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans,
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven at 180*C.
2. Prepare 3 (9in) cake pan, coat inside of the pan with butter, line with parchment paper, then coat again with butter. Set aside.
3. Sift dry ingredients together, (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt). Mix well.
4. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter for 1 minute or until smooth. Add the sugar and beat over medium speed until light and fluffy. Alternately add eggs and dry ingredients over medium speed. Add vanilla extract. Add carrots and beat until well mixed. Then fold in the nuts. 5. Divide the mixture into 3 pans and bake for 30-40 minutes. Check with a toothpick or cake tester, if the toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes clean, the cake is done. *I usually like my cake really moist and don't go over 30 minutes. But, since I'm making a 3 layer cake, I let it bake a little longer so the bottom layer withstand the weight.
6. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and let the cake cook for a further 30 minutes on the cooling rack before icing.

For the Frosting:
7. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar over medium speed. Once all the sugar is incorporated, crank up the speed to high and mix for a further minute. To assemble:
8. Line 3in parchment paper around the cake stand. Place bottom layer cake. Frost the top, about 1cm thick. Sprinkle half of the mixed chopped nuts. Top with the middle layer and repeat the process. Finally add the top layer and frost generously with the remaining frosting.

Update, 16 Sep 2015: My sister came to visit again a 2 weeks ago and she requested I make her this cake again which I gladly obliged. This has now become a family favorite.

Carrot Cake I www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Almond Butter Cups

2013-08-22T23:43:00.001+03:00

Hey! mums, are you running out of ideas to keep your kids entertained for this seemingly endless summer? Hang in there, only few more days and it's back to school! In the meantime, here's a yummy treat to serve on playdates... a better, healthier version of that addicting Reese's peanut butter cups! These are made with homemade almond butter sweetened with organic agave nectar and dark chocolate. It's a breeze to make which means the little ones can help make these too, no baking required!

You can prepare the almond butter ahead of time and it will keep in the fridge for 6 months or longer. It's basically the same as my Dark Hazelnut Butter with the sub of blanched almonds (duh!) and no cocoa added. Try the recipe, I'm sure you'll love it!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 35 to 65 minutes

Ingredients for the Almond Butter Cups:
2 cups Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips or any chocolate chips/bars you like
1 cup almond butter

You will need:
16 cupcake liners
cupcake pans
spoon
spatula
microwavable dish

Directions:

1. Place the chocolate chips in a microwavable dish. With the temperature set high, heat the chips at 30 minutes interval until most of the chocolates are melted. Careful not to burn it! Temper the chocolate to retain its gloss and shine when it hardens. For tips on tempering chocolate, check out this video from Alton Brown. Once melted and tempered, scoop 1 tsp of chocolate liquid in the cupcake liner and coat the bottom and the side of the liner halfway to the top. Do the same for the rest of the liners. Reserve the rest of the chocolate liquid for later.

3. Freeze the chocolates in cups for 5 minutes.

4. Once set, fill each chocolate cups with 1 tsp almond butter, press on the side for even cups. Then cover the almond butter with 1 tsp liquid chocolate. Make sure the almond butter is fully covered. Touch-up and make it pretty by swirling the top with a spoon. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Take it out and leave it in the countertop for a few hours before putting in a jar or container. Be sure to pop one in your mouth for quality check ;-)

Makes 16 cups

And here's how to make Almond Butter:

Roasting Time: 10 minutes
Butter-making Time: 30-60 minutes (depending on your equipment and the level of smoothness of the butter)
Total Time: 40-75 minutes

Tools:
Baking sheet
food processor

Ingredients:
500 g raw blanched almonds
4-5 tbsp agave nectar or organic, pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
beans of 2-inch vanilla pods

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 160*C. Place the raw almonds on the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, turning halfway through the roasting time. Keep a close eye on it; you only want a light to medium roast.

2. Transfer the almonds into the food processor. You may process the whole batch if you have a big food processor or you can grind half of it first. Grind the nuts until it forms a paste. This is where you'll need a lot of patience; the length of time will depend on how powerful your machine is and how smooth you want your butter to be*. Do not be tempted to add oil, you don't need it; the nuts will release its natural oil. I found that grinding the nuts while it is still warm makes it easier to release its oil. Once you get the desired consistency, add the agave nectar, salt and vanilla beans. Give it a whir for another 5 minutes until well combined. Transfer to jars and leave to cool completely before putting on the lid.
Note: For the batch I used for almond butter cups, I left it a little grainy so it will hold it's form.

Homemade Treats
30 March 2013

Pesto Cream Macaroni

2013-08-11T16:44:00.002+03:00

2 months ago, I started a new project. I had this crazy idea that I can grow organic herbs and veggies in wine crates set on the terrace of my 4th-floor flat. And guess what? In 6 weeks I was harvesting pakchoys and basil I planted from seed up! How cool is that!

I planned to start with just 4 herbs. I bought 1 small pot each of basil, thyme, rosemary and chives, (the ones sold in the fresh produce section of the groceries). I separated the bunch of thyme and basil and replanted them in crates and they have increased more than 10-fold ever since.

organic thyme - www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

I thought I'd push the envelope and plant from seed. My lack of experience coupled with the gulf's summer heat didn't give me much hope. So imagine my surprise when I found seeds sprouting in less than a week! 'Guess I have a green thumb huh? The pakchoy and basil were a success. Like I said, they were ready in just 6 weeks. Not sure if the lettuce will survive though... next time, I have to remember not to plant them close to each other. I still have to wait and see if they'll reach their full potential. Now the casualties are the spinach and rosemary...my female cat took an interest to make the planters her bed. So it's "death by paw" for those 2. But the rest of the plants are healthy, thriving and free from fertilizer. I never thought growing your food can be this easy. I love foraging in my mini urban garden before I cook a meal. Home-grown, fresh, organic and best of all...free! Yay!

crate garden - organic basil - www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Now the great thing about the herbs I planted is the more I harvest, the more they grow. So now I have this "good problem" of having more than we can consume. I'm trying my hands on drying thyme. But for the basil, I find the best way is to turn it into a pesto, put them in ice cube tray and freeze for later use.

home-grown organic basil - www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Here's the recipe for Make-Ahead Pesto:

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
3 cups packed basil leaves, washed clean and dried
1 clove garlic, smashed or roughly chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup raw pine nuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olove oil
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a small pan over low heat for 4-6 minutes. Set aside.
2. Sprinkle 1/8 tsp salt over the garlic and smoosh into a rough paste. Throw into the food processor. Add basil, pine nuts and about 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Process for 1 minute. Continue to add oil through the spout while processing. When almost ready, add the cheese, salt and pepper. Add the rest of the oil and process until smooth.
3. Transfer the pesto into ice tray. Freeze. You can store it in the tray, covered, until later use or transfer into a zip lock or separate container once frozen. Will keep for up to 3 months.

Makes 8 frozen cubes.

To use you can just thaw or pop in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, 30 sec interval, and add to your favorite pasta or chicken dish. Or you can fancy up and make this Pesto Cream Macaroni.

Pesto Cream Macaroni - www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Here's the recipe:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
3 cups macaroni pasta
water for boiling pasta ( with salt)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 stick unsalted butter
4 cubes frozen pesto
1 cup pasta water
2 cups cooking cream of heavy cream
1 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
salt and pepper to taste
roasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Cook the macaroni as per package instructions. Reserve some of the pasta water for later use.
2. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions and saute until translucent; about 3 minutes.
3. Add the pesto cube and occasionally stir until melted.
4. Gradually add the cream, 1 cup pasta water and half of the cheese. Add pasta. Taste for salt and pepper.
5. To serve, sprinkle the rest of the parmiggiano reggiano on top and garnish with pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Pesto Cream Macaroni - www.haideekitchen.blogspot.com

Haidee's Kitchen
08 Aug 2013

Mixed Berries and Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

2013-05-11T23:47:00.001+03:00

Thinking of a gift for mother's day? Why not surprise your mom, (or the mom of your kiddos) to a breakfast-in-bed with this super easy bread pudding. It's so easy to make that I did it during my lunch break! It takes 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake. How easy is that? However, if you have time, I would recommend you let the bread soak in the milk mixture for a good 20 minutes before you pop in the oven to absorb the flavor.

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
4 slices of white loaf bread, cut into 1 inch squares
4 eggs
1cup fresh milk
1cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar*
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
a few shavings of nutmeg
1 and 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
maple syrup, to serve (optional)
*If not using maple syrup, sugar may be adjusted from 1/2 to 1 cup.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 200*c.

2. Except for the bread, berries and chocolate chips, mix everything together in a saucepan over low heat. I don't intend to cook the mixture, I just find it easier to mix together when its warmed, 3-5 minutes.

3. Butter 4 ramekins. Divide the bread, berries and choco chips into 4 ramekins. Pour over cream mixture (Note: If you're not in a hurry, leave it for 20 minutes in the fridge so the bread will soak up more of the cream).

4. Put the ramekins into a roasting pan with water halfway to the ramekins and bake bain marie for 20 minutes. You may also sprinkle sugar on top 1 minute before you get it out of the oven and crank the heat to broil so you'll have a bruleed crust. But watch closely, you want the top bruleed not toasted.

5. Serve hot drizzled with maple syrup on top.

Serves 4.

Homemade on 23 April 2013

Caldereta

2013-05-05T01:13:00.001+03:00

My Beef Caldereta, a traditional Filipino stew, is probably the most requested dish friends ask me to bring whenever there's a potluck get-together. I love that they appreciate my cooking; to be asked for a repeat is the best compliment for an aspiring cook like me, (or it could be that I have really nice friends!).

Before, potluck get-together meant take-aways, home delivery or we just chip-in some cash for the food. It all changed when I got into the hobby of cooking. I feel I show a bit more appreciation to the host when I make the effort to prepare and bring something homemade. There's that added ingredient...love. It's not always a success though, sometimes what I make doesn't look (or taste!) exactly how I wanted it to be, like this one here, oh what a disaster!

instagram: tea cakes...epic fail! :'(

When this happens, a good bottle of booze is in order...or Krispy Kreme :-)

Recently, some of our friends organized a surprise send-off party to a lovely couple who are dear to us. We expats are used to hellos and goodbyes. For most of us Bahrain is (just) a "transient home". Sooner or later, we will bid ma'a salama (goodbye). But while we're here, we make friends, build relationships and touch lives. Some of my dearest and closest friends I met here in Bahrain, friends like the couple we honored that night. It was fun and loud as usual, but poignant nonetheless. We will miss them terribly, but it doesn't mean our friendship has to end. The world is smaller now and there are many ways to get in touch, (thanks mostly to Facebook!). And so though we will be miles apart, instead of goodbye, we say "till we meet again".

Going back to the caldereta, which was the dish that i brought to the send off, I thought it was high time to share the recipe so my friends, near and far can enjoy it anytime. And I'm dishing out my secrets why this dish is different from most caldereta you might have tried.

I'm going to peg this dish at medium difficulty not because it is complicated, it is really pretty simple and easy to prepare, but it is time consuming. You need 45 minutes pre-cooking and at least 2 hours resting time. You can even pre-cook the beef the night before. You can skip the resting time but I do this for one reason alone, which is secret no. 1...to skim off the fat.

I pressure-cook the beef then separate the beef from the stock and strain the stock to remove the spices. Pop the stock in the fridge for 2 hours to overnight. What happens next is the reason I take these extra steps...the fat will settle on top and harden forming a crust as seen here. Then it will be easy to remove these artery-clogging fats. So I get all the flavors of the fatty parts of the beef without the actual fats. I then add a different kind of fat, the ingredients that makes this dish creamy...dairy, make that 2 kinds of dairy-- butter and cheese. Hey, I didn't say this dish is healthy, but it is soulful, perfect to share with good friends.

How about you, what's your favorite dish to bring to a potluck?

Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 + 30 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 kg beef ribs, cut into cubes
1 kg beef brisket, cut into cubes
6 cups water
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp whole black peppercorn
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 head of garlic, whole, top trimmed + 1 head of garlic, minced
2 tbsp EVOO
1 stick of butter
2 medium sized red onions, diced
500 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cube
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch thick
1 large green capsicum, deseeded and cut into square (1 inch), about 2 cups
2 cups green peas
2 packs Mama Sita Caldereta Mix
2 Reno liver spread
100 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Pressure cook the beef in water, salt, whole black peppercorn and 1 whole head of garlic for 45 minutes. Cool before opening the lid. Transfer the beef in one container and strain the stock. Discard the spices. Pop the stock in the fridge for a good 2 hours until the fat forms a crust on top. Skim off the fat and discard. Warm the stock over low heat. Set aside.

2. In a large, deep pot, melt the butter with EVOO over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn the garlic and the butter. Add the onion and crank up the heat to high. Saute occasionally for another 3 minutes until the onion is semi-translucent. Add the cooked beef, potato, liver spread, 4-5 cups of stock and Mama Sita Caldereta Mix. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes then turn down the heat to medium. Cover the pot and stir occasionally until the potato is almost cooked, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add the ground pepper and salt as needed.

3. When the potatoes and carrots are cooked, add the capsicum, green peas and cheese just before you turn off the heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Makes 12-14 servings.

Home-cooked Meals
21 Sep 2012

Shrimp Jambalaya

2013-02-23T21:58:00.002+03:00

Sorry for the long hiatus, my project of 3 years has come to an end, or rather, have started a new beginning and I have been swamped with work these past couple of weeks. I still have lots of photos and recipes waiting to be blogged. Don't worry, I will get to it, as we say here in the gulf, Inshallah (God willing)!

Anyway, I don't think this one can wait. This dish was an instant hit the first time I tried making it. And although we have never, (EVER!) tried a jambalaya before, this has now become a new favorite in the Casa Vaquer. My husband have requested it twice this week! I guess it's because it closely resembles our favorite Spanish dish, paella. But the great thing about this dish is it is not as labor intensive as the paella. Though it still is time consuming and will require your utmost attention, it is easier to prepare.
What I also love about this one-pot dish is that it is a crowd-pleaser and can instantly be the star of the meal. I made this on our weekend family lunch and everybody loved it. Wow your friends and bring this to your next pot luck.

The original recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe but I have modified the recipe to my own liking. If you want to try Martha's recipe, click here.

The original version calls for long grain rice, I guess if you use long grains the rice would be less mushy. But I love Egyptian rice and is a staple in my pantry. I like medium grains because it closely resembles a risotto and the flavor easily seeps in the rice. So feel free to substitute if you prefer long grains.

Here's how to make this New Orleans dish, Shrimp Jambalaya:

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 80 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
240 g Spanish chorizo, cut lengthwise and sliced into 1/6 inch thick
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 celery stalks (Note: reserve trimmed stalks and leaves for the stock)
1/2 head of garlic, minced
2 1/2 tsps paprika
1 1/2 to 2 tsps salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

10 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

3 cups medium-grain white rice, (or long grain if you prefer), rinsed
1 kg medium shrimps, peeled and deveined (*Note: reserve the shells and head for the stock)
1 cup green peas, thawed
3 to 5 cups *stock
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

*For the stock:
Shrimp shells and heads, cleaned
1 red onion, quartered
celery leaves and discarded stalks
5 cups water
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Prepare the stock by putting all the ingredients in a pot and bring it up to a boil. Reduce the heat to low until ready to use, approximately 20 minutes.

2. Heat the olive oil in a big pot over high heat. Add the chorizo and occasionally saute for 4-6 minutes until it renders fat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper and celery. Cook for another 3 minutes stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften. Add the salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper, (if using) and let the ingredients absorb the spices, about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and rice and stir until well combined. Add 3 cups of stock and stir. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, checking halfway and stir, making sure not to burn the bottom.
Note: This is where it gets tricky. Add an initial of 3 cups of water. After 10 minutes or so, check if the rice is cooked. Add stock as needed. Keep a close eye so you don't end up with a jambalaya with uncooked rice or is too mushy. I add an interval of 1/2 cup until I get the rice perfectly cooked.

4. Once the the rice is cooked and most of the water has evaporated, add the shrimps and peas and stir for the last time until well combined. Cover the pot and cook for another 2 minutes. Then turn of the burner, do not open the lid of the pot for the shrimp to cook just right.

5. Let the rice sit for another 10 minutes before you serve, to make sure the liquids are fully absorbed. Alternatively, serve immediately if you want a risotto-like texture. Garnish with scallions on top.

Serves a hearty helping for 4

Home-cooked Meal
22 Feb 2013

Dark Hazelnut Butter

2012-12-28T23:01:00.000+03:00

Here's another one of my edible gifts for the holidays which will be perfect for your sweet-toothed friends who may already be feeling guilty to take another bite of that decadent chocolate cake on their nth Christmas party this year. My hazelnut butter is a healthier and guilt-free alternative to nutella or gianduja. This version is sweetened with organic agave nectar; no dairy and no vegetable oil were added. All you need is patience, lots of it, to wait until the nuts releases its natural oil and transform into a smooth paste. I also added cocoa powder for that added chocolate kick. Then I added a pinch of salt and a hint of Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans. Well, hey! It's the holidays, might as well treat yourself, (and your lucky friends too!) to some luxury, right?

The idea was inspired by this post from The Healthy Foodie. The steps and preps are pretty much the same, but the recipe that I used is different and based on my own trial and error ;-)

Roasting Time: 12 minutes
Inactive Time: 10-15 minutes
Butter-making Time: 30-60 minutes (depending on your equipment and the level of smoothness of the butter)
Total Time: 52-87 minutes

Tools:
Baking sheet
hand towel
food processor/ grinder/ blender (whichever works for you)

Ingredients:
500 g raw hazelnuts
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4-5 tbsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
beans of 2-inch vanilla pods

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 160*C. Place the raw hazelnut on the baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes, turning halfway through the roasting time. Keep a close eye on it; you only want a light to medium roast.

2. Leave the roasted hazelnuts on the countertop to cool for a good 10 minutes or so. Slightly cooled hazelnuts will be easier to handle, the skin will become brittle and will slightly separate from the nuts. Do not cool completely though, it is best to grind it when it is still warm.

3. Transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel and give it a coulple of shimmy to peel off the skin.

4. Separate the nuts from the peel. Don't mind if some of the skin clings on the nuts as long as you remove most of them. Transfer into a food processor, grinder or blender, whatever you have on hand and whatever works for you. I figure a food processor is best suited for the job but since I don't have one, the grinder performed well enough. I also don't know if a food processor would do the job faster, let me know once you tried it.

5. Grind the nuts until it forms a paste. This is where you'll need a lot of patience; the length of time will depend on how powerful your machine is and how smooth you want your butter to be. Do not be tempted to add oil, you don't need it; the nuts will release its natural oil. I found that grinding the nuts while it is still warm makes it easier to release its oil. Once you get the desired consistency, add the cocoa powder, agave nectar, salt and vanilla beans. Give it a whir for another 5 minutes until well combined. Transfer to jars and leave to cool completely before putting on the lid. You can also enjoy it straight away!

This is great for marshmallows and pretzels too!

Put on some pretty ribbons and tags around the jars to gift to friends and loved ones.

Enjoy!

May your Christmas be Merry and Sweet! xoxo

Edible Gifts Series
01 Dec 2012

Vanilla Extract

2012-12-04T20:04:00.000+03:00

I have been planning on posting holiday recipes and food crafts for months and I'm so excited to share them with you all. These are edible giftables that are easy to make but definitely not too shabby!

I love handmade gifts, it makes me feel extra special because the person who gave them put the extra effort to make them for me. And I figured, my friends and family would love 'em too! So this year, my Christmas list looks very different than my previous ones, and instead of the mall, I will be spending more time in the kitchen crafting the gifts. Check back regularly as this is going to be the first of my "Edible Gifts Series".

My first food craft is homemade Vanilla Extract made from organic Grade-A Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans.

Pure vanilla extract, the good ones, are quite expensive, and vanilla pods in this part of the world is a rip off! The cheapest ones sold at the groceries, (you know those lonely, dry vanilla pod in a bottle?), costs around 3BHD (8USD)! That's why I rarely use them for my regular baking and cooking. So imagine how happy I was when I stumbled upon this post by whipperberry, where she shared how simple it is to make your own vanilla extract, and it will not break the bank! I searched several recipes but I find hers to be the simplest and uncomplicated. And check out her packaging, how beautiful are they? She also recommended her online source of vanilla beans which seemed pretty good, but after further research I opted to buy from an ebay seller named Vanilla Products USA and I was very, very pleased with my purchase. My only regret is I wish I bought more! But anyway, because it was the "test" batch, I played it safe and bought just 10 vanilla pods and they are all gorgeous! It came vacuum sealed and when I opened the package, the vanilla beans were shiny, moist and plump, not like those shriveled 3-dinar pods at the groceries. The best part is, 10 pods cost only 7.94 USD! Say what?! Yup, you read it right, 10 organic prime vanilla pods cost less than 1 ugly pod available here! What a great find! The shipping was not bad at all, it costs me 6.48USD. So in total it costs me 14.42USD, 1.44USD per pod which is still not bad, right?

Here's my adaptation of the recipe:

Makes: 3 bottles

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Aging Time: at least 3 months

Ingredients:
9 Organic Grade-A Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans
4 1/2 cups vodka

You will need:
3 recycled Cade bottles, sterilized and dried
small, stainless funnel
sticker labels (optional)

Directions:
1. Slice the vanilla pods in the middle halfway through. Place 3 vanilla pods per bottle.
2. Fill each bottle with 1 and 1/2 cups of inexpensive vodka. Stick on the sticker labels. Store at room temperature. Do not refrigerate!

Give the bottle a shake every so often. I adore them and I pay close attention to these babies and watch them "age" beautifully over time. The extract can be used after 3 months and will keep indefinitely at room temperature.

When you're ready to give it away as gifts, you may decorate it with simple ribbons and handmade cards.

So that's my first suggestion on edible holiday gifts, made with lots of love from my kitchen. Hope you're inspired!

04 December 2012
Edible Gifts Series

Bagoong Rice

2012-10-20T01:22:00.001+03:00

This is one of those dishes that I made as a result of my one of those out-of-the-blue-cravings. I didn't know how to make it, but I was sure I want something home-made, not take out, (nope, not even Thailand or Mami Soup will cut it this time). So I did some research, but none of the recipes online seemed to work for me. If you cook, you know by looking at the ingredients how it's going to taste like, right? Probably the one closest to what I was dreaming of was this recipe from yummy.ph. So that became my guide, then I adjusted it to my liking.

Though this has been well adapted as a Filipino dish, this was borrowed from our Thai neighbor. We Southeast Asians share the same love for rice! And this rice dish is one of them; it's bursting with with complex flavor-- salty, sweet and tangy, what more can you ask for? A second serving perhaps?

Ingredients:
FOR THE PORK BITES
1 cup bite-sized pork belly
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar

FOR THE BAGOONG RICE
3 cups day-old cooked rice
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup raw bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 tbsps finely chopped red onions
1 red chili, thinly cut, crosswise

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar

FOR THE OMELET:
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt

ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS
1 green mango, 3 inch-julienne
1 cucumber, 3 inch-julienne

Directions:

1. Make an omelet with one egg lightly seasoned with salt. Cool for a couple of minutes and then slice thinly, (the same size as the cucumber and mango). Set aside.

2. Season the pork with salt, pepper and sugar. Fry the pork in EVOO until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes; you may adjust to your preferred doneness. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Remove some of the pork fat and reserve for later, leave 2 tbsps of oil in the pan.

3. Saute garlic, chili and onion in the same pan over medium heat for 2 minutes or until onion is slightly softened. Add the shrimp paste , sugar and black pepper. Saute until the shrimp paste change its color from pink to brownish. Add the rice and mix until well combined. Serve in a bowl and top with strips of mangoes, cucumber and omelet.

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meal
06 Oct 2012

Sausage & Chorizo Hash Skillet

2012-09-03T19:51:00.001+03:00

I was watching an episode of Cooking for Real by Sunny Anderson on Food Network 2 weeks ago when my husband joined-in. Normally he would ask me to change the channel, but when he saw what was cooking, a breakfast skillet with chorizo and beef hash, he was intrigued and watched the show with me. When the dish was done, he said, "Oh my God, that looks so good!" "Would you like me to make some for you tomorrow?", I asked. And he answered with a resounding, "Yes, please!"

So the following morning, which happens to be a Saturday, I made him a breakfast skillet. It was not exactly the same dish prepared by Sunny; hers was chorizo and ground chuck hash, mine was with sausages... big and chunky sausages!

The Sausage and chorizo pair is a match made in heaven, they complimented each other perfectly; it's a spicy-savory combo. Add some potatoes and crack a few eggs on top and it's one good brekky-in-a-pan! A great way to start anybody's day. My husband loved it so much he requested an encore last weekend!

So here it is, my Sausage and Chorizo Hash Skillet.

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 of 225 g Chorizo Burgos, finely diced

4 pcs (225 g) pork sausages, skinned and crumbled
1 large (approx. 2 cups) potato, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggs
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), add as needed
1/2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, adjust to taste
1 tbsp chopped parsley, garnish

Groceries Tips for my Bahrain-based readers: I used Broad Oak Farm Pork Sausages and La Cordobesa Chorizo Burgos; both can be found in the pork section of any Al Jazira Supermarket.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C.
Tip: You may pop in the skillet in the oven while you prep; that will save you time on pre-heating the skillet on the stove-top.

2. Heat the EVOO in the skillet and swirl it around to coat the inside of the skillet. Cook the sausage and chorizo for 3-4 minutes. Do not cook all the way through, just enough for the sausage to release some of it's oil but the meat are still medium cooked and tender. Transfer the meat in a bowl and leave the oil in the pan.

3. In the same oil, sauté the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook covered for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are done but still firm, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes. You want the edges of the potatoes to brown but not burnt!

4. After 10 minutes, add the garlic and onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the onion is semi-translucent. Feel free to add EVOO if needed.

5. Add the sausage and chorizo and stir until well mixed. Taste for seasoning.

6. Make 4 indentations and crack eggs on those dents. Pop it in the oven for 5 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your preferred doneness. Garnish with chopped parsley and freshly cracked pepper. Serve with toasted crusty bread and herbed butter.

Makes a hearty servings for 2.

31 August 2012
Home-cooked Meals

Mongolian Beef

2012-08-13T12:39:00.001+03:00

Here's another dish that spawned from gawking in Pinterest, P. F. Chang's Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe by Six Sister's Stuff. When I saw the picture, my mouth started to water! I gotta have some! No, I gotta make some!

Now, there's no P. F. Chang's here in Bahrain and I have never tried their Mongolian Beef so I have no way of telling you whether that recipe is as good as that of P. F. Chang's, but what I can tell you is that the mongolian beef that I made adapted from that recipe was good...really good.

For my recipe, I made some modifications; a little plus/minus on the ingredients, (like the garlic, I needed more garlic!), and I have my way of cooking the beef. I like to sear the beef until the edges are caramelized and the only way to do that was to fry by batch. It's a little more tedious but sealing the flavor pays off for the extra time spent frying them. So, if you want the original P. F. Chang's copycat recipe, (original copycat haha!), click the link here. For my version, keep reading. And oh, make sure you've got bowlfuls of steamed white rice.

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

500 g flank steak, thinly sliced into bite sized pieces

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying, (after cooking the beef in it, reserve 1 tbsp of the beef oil)

1/2 tbsp ginger, minced

2 tbsp garlic, minced, (the original recipe called for 1 tbsp, but I love garlic so I doubled it!)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted*

*Tip on toasting the sesame seeds: Place the sesame seeds in a dry pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and shake the pan every couple of seconds to make sure the sesame seeds are evenly toasted. Keep a close eye on it, it only takes 1-2 minutes to toast the seeds.

Direction:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet.

2. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in flour then put the beef in a sieve to shake off excess flour. You only want a thin coating.

3. Sear the beef by batch, just enough to cover the wok. Do not overcrowd the wok. You want each piece to nicely brown on the edges on both sides, but be careful not to cook it all the way through as it will cook further when you put it back into the wok with the sauce. Drain over paper towels. Repeat the process until all the beef slices are cooked. Set aside.

4. Remove most of the oil from the wok but leave 1 tbsp of the oil. Saute garlic and ginger for 1 minute over high heat.

5. Add the soy sauce, water and sugar and boil until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Add the beef and toss until well coated. Let simmer for another 2 minutes to infuse the sauce into the meat. Just before you turn off the heat, add the sesame oil.

6. Serve garnished with toasted sesame seeds and scallions on top.

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meals

07 Apr 2012

Zaru Cha Soba or Cold Green Tea Buckwheat Noodles

2012-08-01T10:11:00.002+03:00

If you have been following my blog for quite some time, you will notice that most of the dishes I cook are easy to prepare. And that's mainly the point of my blog; I would like to encourage the working moms out there that preparing a home-cooked meal is not only doable, it can be fun too and surprisingly a stress-reliever. What's more, you get to choose what you put on the table and what's in it, which sometimes means a healthier version of your favorite meal. And did I mention the dinars you'll save from cutting down on home delivery and eating out? Yeah, some of my favorite resto dishes are so easy to prepare, and I save heaps making it at home, without sacrificing on the quality of the ingredients.

One of my favorite is this Japanese noodle, zaru soba or cold buckwheat noodles. Yes, the noodles are served cold, sometimes on a bed of ice and served with a hot dipping broth.

This version is actually Zaru Cha Soba or Cold Green Tea Buckwheat Noodle. And here's how I make it.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
400g dried cha (green tea) buckwheat noodles
water for boiling the noodles
a big bowl of ice cubes

For the Hot Broth:
4 tbsp dashi granules
4 cups water
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup Kikoman soy sauce
1/3 cup chopped scallions

Toppings & Garnish:
shredded nori (dried seaweeds), as desired
togarashi (red chili flakes), as desired
toasted sesame seeds

Direction:

1. Place Cha noodles in boiling water and cook as directed in the package. Drain and transfer the the noodles on a bowl of ice cubes. Set Aside.

2. In a sauce pan, dissolve the dashi granules in water and bring up to a boil. Bring the heat down then add mirin and soy sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

3. To serve, transfer the cold soba on bamboo soba plates, garnish with nori, sesame seeds and togarashi. Alternatively, you may put ice cubes on serving bowls then top it with the soba to keep it chilled. Have a small dipping bowl of broth on the side, add scallions to the broth as desired. Dip, slurp and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meal
24 Oct 2011

Spaghetti Bolognese

2012-07-27T03:19:00.000+03:00

One my favorite and go-to recipe is Spaghetti Bolognese. I always have dried spaghetti and the necessary ingredients in my pantry to make this dish so I can make some for unplanned meals or sudden cravings. This is where dried herbs and spices come in handy. I have a variety of of them. For years they lie hidden in my cupboard...but not anymore!

Recently, I started a DIY project; I recycled Starbucks coffee bottles and turned them into spice jars. I so love 'em! They're great functional accessories on my kitchen countertop.

For more photos and to see my other DIY kitchen projects, click here.

Ok, going back to bolognese. This recipe is my no-fuss version; dried pasta, dried herbs, canned tomatoes, everything that you might have available in your pantry. I use dried herbs when I only plan to use a little as it pains me to waste leftover herbs, they are expensive! And unless I find real good tomatoes, I use the canned ones because the flavor is consistent. But if there is one thing that I try not to compromise is the cheese. I buy fresh block of parmigiano reggiano and NOT the bottled, powdery ones. It's just not the same, the taste of freshly shaved cheese is exponentially better! Just buy a small block, enough for the dish you're serving. I tell you, it will make all the difference.

So here it is, my Spaghetti Bolognese.

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
500 g dried spaghetti
2 L water + 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp olive oil for boiling the spaghetti*

400 g minced beef
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, adjust to taste
1 tsp freshly ground pepper, adjust to taste
3-4 tbsp EVOO
6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano, (or 1 tbsp chopped fresh fresh)
2 tsp dried basil, (or 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh basil, more for garnish)
1/2 tsp dried thyme, (or 10 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed)

1 dried bay leaf
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 green capsicum, diced
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups water*
400 g canned whole tomatoes, drained, seeded and roughly chopped
425 g tomato sauce
135 g or 6 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey
100 g parmigiano reggiano, shaved
chili flakes, optional
chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Note: You may use the starchy water from the cooked pasta for a richer texture.

1. Season the beef with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.

2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat the EVOO and saute the minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the dried basil and thyme for another 30 seconds. The herbs will release it's flavor when sauteed in oil. Add the onions and cook until softened.

4. Add the beef and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the the wine to deglaze the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the liquid is reduced and the meat is cooked.

5. Add the carrots, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning before you add the honey.

5. Add the pasta to the sauce.

6. Serve with shaved parmigiano reggiano, chili flakes and freshly ground pepper on top and garnish with chopped parsley.

Makes 4 Servings

Home-cooked Meal
14 Jul 2012

Easy Berry Pavlova

2012-06-30T18:22:00.000+03:00

I have been craving for pavlova for about a month and I was frustrated that I can't find one in any of my favorite patisseries and cafes in the island. So what's a craving girl to do but make her own dessert? Luckily, I don't have to slave myself in the kitchen because I found a box of perfectly-shaped meringue nests at Waitrose. Yey!

For this post I only used blueberries but other berries work really well too-- strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. You should try physalis and red currant too, they are absolutely fabulous!

Now, I can enjoy my pavlova with my afternoon tea.

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 box meringue nests, (8pcs, 2.5in diameter)
400g fresh blueberries

For the sweetened whipped cream:
250mL whipping cream
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Red wine syrup, (for the recipe, click here.)

Direction:

1. Whip the cream in a stand mixer with whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add sugar and vanila and continue to whip until firm. Careful not to over beat or the cream will curdle.

2. To assemble: Put the meringue in individual dessert plate. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and fresh blueberries. Drizzle with red wine syrup. Serve immediately.

Makes: 8 servings

30 June 2012
Home-made Dessert

Churros con Chocolate

2012-06-21T19:37:00.000+03:00

"If you can't find 'em, make 'em."

That has been my motto since I moved to the Middle East, well at least when it comes to food. One of the reason I pushed myself to learn how cook is to recreate the dishes that I miss back home in the Philippines. I remember how frustrating it was when I was pregnant craving for a Henlin siomai. Thank goodness I was able to convince myself Hongkong Restaurant's siomai was good enough. But I have yet to find a Spanish restaurant that is up to my standard. I'd still claim I make the meanest paella in the island!

Another favorite comfort food and feel good snack that I miss is churros. My favorite is Dulcinea's Churros con Chocolate. If I'm having a bad day, I go grab some and as soon as I dunk the churros into that rich hot cocoa I miraculously feel much better. Ok , I may be exaggerating but you get my point. It is pure, simple pleasure.

So here's my first attempt in making churros. I struggled a bit because my icing nozzle was small, but the taste was phenomenal! I. Am. Home.

Churros

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Time: 20 minutes*
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
*You can use the inactive time to heat the frying oil, prepare the dusting powder and the hot chocolate

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 stick unsalted butter
4 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
canola oil for frying
For dusting:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon powder

Direction:

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan, place water, sugar and butter and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and transfer the liquid mixture in a stand mixer. Add flour and vanilla and whisk using a paddle attachment. Add eggs, one at a time until well combined.

3. Transfer the mixture in a piping bag with star tip*. Pipe the mixture in any shape you want; I made 3-inch petal shaped churros and 4-inch sticks. Freeze for 15-20 minute.
Note: It is ideal to use a large star-tipped nozzle. The one I have is pretty small so I didn't get the desired size.

4. Meanwhile, heat the oil for deep frying until it comes up to your desired temperature.
Note: I don't use a thermometer; I gauge that the temperature is hot enough when I dip the tip of my wooden spoon onto the oil and it starts to sizzle around the spoon. Also, when I put the mixture in, it should dive up to the middle of the pan and rise up; if it sinks to the bottom of the pan, the oil is not hot enough, and if it rises too quickly to the surface, the oil is too hot.

5. Have your dusting powder ready before you fry the dough. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a paper bag and shake. Transfer on to a bowl. Set aside.

6. When you're ready to fry, cut the parchment paper around the frozen dough and fry the dough with the paper. Once the paper separates, fish it out immediately. Fry just enough number of dough to leave plenty of room for the churros to float freely. This will avoid the dough from sticking together and to keep a steady temperature. Once the surface of the dough is golden brown, fish it out and transfer to a wire rack.

7. Dunk the churros onto the dusting powder and generously coat it.

Now for the Tableya Chocolate (Tab-li-ya Cho-ko-la-te). Tableya is a pure cacao or dark chocolate tablet/balls native in the Philippines. Where I come from, we boast to have some of the best tableya in the country. You can read more about tableya here.

Tableya

Tableya chocolate brings back nostalgic memories about my childhood. When I was young growing up in Batangas, my grandparents had cacao trees planted in their backyard. My Lola (grandmother) would pick the cacao seeds inside the fruit and let it dry under the sun for a couple of days. She would then roast the seeds over a wood burning earthen stove. Then she would manually grind the cacao several times, gradually adding brown sugar, until she gets the right consistency and the chocolate is shiny as it releases the oil. Finally she would form it into a ball and let it set and harden. There is no better way to enjoy "tsokolate-eh" (hot cocoa with milk) and "champurado" (chocolate porridge) than with a tableya. It's 100% pure chocolate heaven.

Here's my version of this ultra-rich hot cocoa or Chocolate

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup powdered tableya (*grate the tableya using microplane zester/grater)
2 cups full cream milk
1/2 cup double cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Direction:

1. Combine the tableya, sugar, milk and double cream in a "batirol" or saucepan and heat over low heat. Whisk using "molinillo"; if you don't have one, use a metal whisk or a wooden spoon instead. Keep stirring/whisking until the cocoa and sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Add the vanilla, cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Remove from heat. Serve immediately.

18 May 2012
Home-made Dessert