Food and Photography

Steamed Whole Chicken - Chinese style

2011-09-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is very healthy alternative to enjoying fresh chicken - using a few but powerful Chinese spices readily available and inexpensive at any Asian store

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
5-6 whole pcs star anise
1 tablespoon Shanghai peppercorn
a few knobs ginger
sesame oil
salt to taste

Rub chicken with salt and sesame oil - including the inside cavity, between the joints of the legs and wings

Follow with the slivers of ginger and star anise separated into segments, then the wholepepper corns - into every cavity, under the skin, by the neck area

allow to rest for at least an hour in the coldest part of the refrigerator to marry the spices.Then steam on low-medium heat for about an hour

Dipping Sauce:

Grated ginger
minced green onions (green part only) - tablespoon
Salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
cook the grated ginger on medium heat - add the green onions and allow the ginger juice to evaporate - season to taste
serve with the steamed chicken

NOTE: - those Shanghai pepper corns are a good alternative to the regular black pepper

A kicked up lumpia recipe - with Pesto sauce added

2011-08-30T22:58:00.001-07:00

Try this variation on the traditional lumpia - no need for dipping sauce as the pesto flavor will provide that extra flavor layer

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chicken

1 lb ground beef

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 whole eggs

1 medium onion finely grated

1 medium carrot - finely minced

1 medium jicama (sinkamas) minced or use water chestnuts

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 bottle Trader Joes Pesto sauce or use any pesto powder

Mix all ingredients and wrap in egg wrapper

Fry in Light Olive Oil

Guaranteed to delight everyone with its distinctive taste

Baby Octopus

2011-07-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

Not as the name suggests but these delectable creatures are from the octopus aegina family, they are actual adults and not babies as one might assume. The name baby is implied because they are small compared to the commonly known octopus.

Its fairly easy and quite simple to clean these – a sharp knife and quick familiarity of the anatomy
Slit open the head - inside one will find the sac, brains, guts – pull these off, reserve the ink sac if you plan to use, otherwise discard everything you find inside the head cavity.
Between the tentacles is the beak – make sure those are removed as well

As this point, decide whether to keep the octopus intact or separate the tentacles from the rest of the body. I do it either way

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil – for sautéing and for drizzling at the end

Two medium sized shallots – I prefer the nuttier taste of this to the white variety
4 garlic cloves- minced – I’m very particular to the smaller ones, Ilocos variety as it tends to pack more garlic flavorful than the larger elephant ones
1 red bell pepper – cut into strips
½ cup diced, seeded roma tomatoes
1 tbsp Green peppercorns – if not available use capers – (but make sure it’s rinsed thoroughly)
2 bay leaves
2 pounds baby octopus – cleaned as above
2 cups of good red wine – like Merlot or Syrah (good to drink and none of the acidic sour tasting discards)
½ cup pitted black olives - sliced
¼ cup pitted green olives - sliced
1 Chorizo de Bilbao - cut in small slivers
½ cup parsley (flat leaf or curly)
French bread slices, toasted

In a heavy pan, heat the olive oil, then sweat the garlic, onions, bell pepper and tomatoes – add the bay leaves and simmer until the sauce thickens and the consistency of tomato soup

In another pan, preferably a cast iron pan – heat the olive oil until close to smoking – cook the octopus, add salt and pepper to taste – (Pasuquin Salt from Ilocos Norte is my favorite)– cook until the done – when it starts to get brown. Do this in batches so the octopus is cooked brown to give it that toasty flavor

Add the wine to the cooking vessel to deglaze the pan – add the tomato sauce in step#1, then the octopus and the rest of the ingredients except the parsley. Simmer to doneness ( takes about 30 mins) –

Increase the heat to reduce and thicken the sauce, right after removing from the stove, add the parsley – adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and splash some extra virgin olive oil to finish

Serve on toasted French bread slices

Bibimbap – Beef Mixed Rice with Vegetables

2011-05-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

One of the luxurious experiences during a transpacific flight is airline food – some hate it while some love it. Well, I love it. Especially when you travel in an Asian Airline like Korean Air or Asiana Airlines. Why? Because of the dishes they serve – one of which is bibimbap

What, one might ask is this? It’s a signature Korean dish – tender slivers of beef, slices of mixed vegetables on top of hot steaming rice served traditionally in a hot stone dish. Well, those served in the airplane don’t come in those extremely hot stone dishes. You can assume that it’s not safe plus the energy expense of heating 200 those while travelling 25,000 feet above sea level – you get the point

There are several different versions based on the ingredients but the sauces and process remain the same – first you cook the veggies separately, the meat is marinated and flash fried – then everything comes together with the sauce to bind the dish.

It’s an all in one dish and quite simplistic at the same time fancy - a delight to serve when one wants to serve an extra ordinary dish. This is where the eyes feast first (on the presentation), then all hell breaks loose when you deliberately mix all the ingredients together – akin to mixing your master paint. A flavor explosion in the mouth, caused by the different textures and flavors of the veggies and beef combined.

Ingredients:

200 grams or ½ LB of beef (I use knuckle but rib eye is the best cut)

Zucchini – cut into 3 inch length sticks

White Radish – cut into 3 inch length sticks (Japanese variety)

Carrots – cut into 3 inch length sticks

8 shitake mushrooms (rehydrated and cut into slivers)

Bunch of Spinach – steamed then drained to remove excess water

Soy bean sprouts – Korean stores have this staple available- if unable to find use regular bean sprouts

Quail egg

Korean style seaweed (the fried and salted variety)- cut into ribbon strips

Sesame seed

Sesame oil

Hot pepper paste (Korean style vinegared red pepper sauce)

Meat Marinade:

½ cup dark soy

2 teaspoon sesame oil

Two green onions, sliced

6 cloves of garlic – minced

1 Korean pear or Asian pear, grated with juices

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey

Salt/pepper to taste

1 can of 7-up or Sprite

Marinade for the Veggies

Soy sauce

Sesame oil

Salt/pepper

Pinch of sugar

Minced garlic

Procedure:

Marinade the beef slices or ground beef if using – then leave in the coldest part of the refrigerator for at least two hours – preferably overnight

Fry the beef until tender – set aside

Tip: When fry beef slices, make sure that there is sufficient space in between to allow the pieces to fry, if the pan gets over crowded, it will steam instead of fry.

Marinade the veggies (separately) for at least 15 minutes then over high heat flash fry until tender. Keep each veggie separate until ready to serve.

Assembly:

One a stone bowl – warm the dish before assembling (use a warm water bath to heat up the bowl) If not available use any bowl but make sure it’s warmed before serving.

Put about a cup of steamed rice at the bottom. Arrange the vegetables around the perimeter of the rice, then on top place the beef slices. Top with a fried quail egg and splash the Gochuchang Paste sauce over the dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and seaweed ribbons. Serve immediately

Quail eggs, shiitake mushrooms

Korean Style Seaweed

Soy bean sprouts

Gochuchang Paste (seasoned red pepper paste):

4 tablespoons gochuchang (available at Korean grocers)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well

MAyaMI Restaurant - an original family dining destination

2011-03-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

A nondescript restaurant but offers a lot of what we loved growing up in Manila in terms of Mami, Siopai and other Filipino Chinese dishes. Last night was a good time to satisfy cravings for some hot soup to warm one on a cold rainy day.

While others claim to be the original - this is the real thing. Joey Ma - a third generation descendant that brought Mami to the culinary landscape of the Philippines now offers San Franciscans the real macoy derived from original family recipes. His father was the brother of Ma Mon Luk, together brought what became the standard in the Filipinos favorite merienda and anytime indulgence.

A bowl brought to us was large enough for two, the aroma hits you almost immediately. One gets a whiff of the noodles intertwined with the broth and the slices of green onions - combined to elicit memories of my growing years in Manila. A quick taste of the warm broth - simple, not heavily flavored but very nice hints of the freshness of the egg noodles. Which, Joey Ma shared with me, is made from their family recipe. It's fresh, combined with slices of chicken meat - nice

Then the kikiam - oh this was and continues to be my favorite Chinese side dish when there's lugaw, porridge to Westerners, or with what I had tonight, a nice warm bowl of Chicken mami.
The skin was crispy but the kikiam meat was nicely moist. It carried the complex flavors of ground meat, shrimp, Chinese spices - deep fried - it's bean curd skin crisp giving it a contrast.

Alongside these was a nice huge chicken siopao. Being a curious chef - I split open the steamed bun before taking a bite. Low and behold, the flavors hit you - I discerned nice shiitake mushrooms, with it a whole egg, meatball and chinese sausage. The bun was of course dipped in the original Ma Mon Luk sweet sauce - delightful!

Chicken Siopao

Kikiam

Try this unassuming restaurant, simply designed almost bare but that can be overlooked when the food is brought to your table. One measure of how great this place is- I spotted restaurateur Bambi Viola - Fernando enjoying a late night dinner with his family. He was raving, like me afterwards, that this was a good place to satisfy cravings for the traditional Mami, Siopai and Kikiam we all long for.

While parking is a challenge on El Camino Real in Millbrae - there are available slots in the back of the complex. Also bring cash, not a lot, as $20 will feed two to three since no credit or debit cards accepted

Caesar's Salad Dressing no fresh yolk alternative

2011-03-17T10:58:00.001-07:00

Caesar's Salad Dressing Ingredients
1 Cup Kraft Salad Dressing (in place of mayonnaise)
1/3 C. Sour Cream
1 tsp Anchovy paste or two anchovy fillets crushed into a fine paste
l/4 tsp. Onion salt
l/4 tsp. Garlic powder
2/3 C. Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bread Crumbs - Italian Flavor - approximately 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup

Mix all the ingredients together (except the bread crumbs) - whisk until combined - gradually add the seasoned bread crumbs until the dressing has a smooth consistency

My favorite Brine Recipe for your Turkey, Pork Chop or Roast Chicken

2010-11-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

Its that time of year when everyone is busy preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. Inquiries on how I prepare turkey have flooded my inbox this weekend. The answer to most of them is - brine your turkey, meat, pork chop. So, I think it's best to share with everyone my favorite brine. Which you can use not only for the bird but for thick pork chops, the ever dry porkloin or even tough cuts of beef .

This guarantees a juicier turkey and even a flavorful turkey breast. You can be assured that your meat will turn out great - as I've used this for years with turkey and roast chicken. Even those 1.5 inch thick pork chops come out moist

Stockpot large enough to hold your turkey and which will fit into your refrigerator
Enough water to cover the turkey
1 cup white sugar (brown sugar tends to brown the turkey too early in the cooking process)
1 1/2 cups salt (please do not use iodized salt as it leaves a bitter after taste - buy the generic ones without it orseasalt my favorite is the rock salt from the Philippines - you can use korean sea salt which is a good substitute)
3-4 Italian Bay leaves - torn into pieces (if using the dried ones from the Asian stores, use 5 or more)
1 head of garlic crushed - peel and all
1 tablespoon peppercorns crushed (preferred over the store bought ground pepper - no flavor)
8-10 pieces junniper berries crushed (Safeway, Lucky or speciality stores will have these)
1 bunch fresh thyme (if using dried, make sure its not the dry discarded looking leafy types - use 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon allspice berries crushed
2 medium lemons - juiced - throw the fruit into the marinade to give it an excellent flavor

Put in the coldest part of your refrigerator - brine at least 24 hours

Use a preheated 325 degree oven roast turkey using a foil tent for the first two hours - (stuff the turkey with the sliced lemon used above) depending on how heavy your turkey is and the oven being used - it will take at least 4 hours for a 20 lb turkey...check the juices from the thickest part of the thigh. If it runs clear the turkey is done
Remove from oven - IMPORTANT - let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.

NOTE: If you have time use a lower temperature setting of about 250 degrees F - it will take longer to cook but ensures an even juicier turkey
ALSO: I stay away from stuffing the turkey for health hazard reasons - if I am sure I have time I'll do it but its not the risk.

Paella Negra (tinta) Recipe with Wine Pairing

2010-11-12T11:22:00.000-08:00

There are as many versions of this dish as there are cooks in Spain - here is mine. This recipe has wine pairing by Wine Expert Ronnie Joseph
1- 1.5 cups Arborio Rice
two packets squid ink (available online at www.hotpaella.com or locally in SF at Lucca's in Valencia street)
6-8 pieces of medium squid sliced - reserve ink sac if squid ink above is not available
6-8 pcs prawns - peeled and deveined
1 piece chorizo de bilbao - diced
1 red bell pepper - sliced lengthwise
olive oil
2 pcs shallots minced
2 anchovy fillets
1-2 bay leaves
chicken stock or homemade stock made from shrimp heads, fishbones and crab (see recipe below)

Procedure:

on a flat pan or paellera - heat the olive oil, then add the shallots and half the red bell pepper - sweat the veggies until fragrant but make sure the shallots do not brown. Add the chorizo, bay leaf and squid, saute briefly then add the rice. When the rice is light brown (3-4 mins) add the stock, the rest of the bell pepper and shrimp - alternating each as a design over the rice. Splash an additional tablespoon or so of olive oil. Adjust the seasonings with salt (Pangasinan salt is my preference)
Cover with foil and cook either on the stove top over low heat or in a 375 F degree oven for about 30-45 mins (depending on the oven size) check after 20 mins if additional broth is needed.

Wine suggestions from Ronnie Joseph:
Young spanish wines from rioja, navarra (even rose will work).

Seafood Stock:
fish bones (white flesh fish), whole crab - tiny ones preferably, mussels, shrimp heads -
bouquet garni(garlic, parsley, peppercorn, bay leaves)
water

On a heavy stockpot - put all ingredients together and simmer for an hour, constantly removing scum that rises to the top.

Singaporean Hainanese Chicken Rice

2010-10-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

The key to success of this recipe is the timing of how the chicken is boiled.

Ingredients:
Whole chicken
several knobs of ginger - about 3 pcs - 1 inch thick
4-5 green onions (roots removed)
1 tsp peppercorns (whole peppercorns)

For the Rice
4-5 thin quarter sized slices ginger
1 head garlic chopped (not minced)
vegetable oil 3-4 tablespoons depending on rice portions
jazmine rice or california rice

In a stockpot - cover chicken with cold water, add the knobs of ginger, green onions and peppercorns. Make sure the chicken is breast side down during this first phase. Over medium heat allow the water to boil then turn off the heat, cover the pot. Wait 20 mins then rotate the chicken (breast side up)in the water - turn on the heat, cook over medium heat until water boils then turn off. Do not cover the pot this time. Depending on how big the chicken is, repeat a third time. Remove from the pot and keep warm...Reserve the now delicious stock for the next step. This way of cooking the chicken ensures that the skin remains intact and adheres to the meat...this will reduce the chance of the chicken overcooking

Rice:
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over low-medium flame - when the oil is hot but not smoking add the ginger slices and garlic. Saute the aromatics until fragrant - garlic a light brown color - do not overcook the garlic or the rice will taste bitter. Add the uncooked rice and cook until it changes into a very light tan color and the rice is coated with oil... add salt to flavor the rice...add the stock from the chicken above. Add enough salt to give it a enough flavor as if youre having chicken soup. Cook as you normally would cook rice

Sauce: (my recipe)

1/4 cup Kekap Manis - Indonesean soy sauce - or any light soy sauce
2 quarter sized ginger - minced
1 stalk green onion - sliced
1 clove garlic - crushed
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock (from above)

Mix all the ingredients together and check for balance - it must not be too salty - add a bit palm or brown sugar and broth to offset if it is too salty

How to serve:

Slice the chicken into bite size pieces and over a bed of sliced cucumbers, ensuring that the skin is still attached to the meat

Serve the rice and dipping sauce on the side
NOTE: add vermicelli noodles to the chicken stock and serve as soup alongside the chicken

Vitrine at the St Regis In San Francisco

2010-10-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Green Pea Risotto with Parmesan Foam and Sweet Pea Broth

amoush bouche - Ceviche of Halibut

Prime Beef Burger with Garlic Fries

Green Pea Risotto with Frenched Chicken wings

Hamachi Kama - Yellowfin Tuna collar

2010-05-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

One of the most delightful dishes that one orders in a Japanese restaurant is virtually unknown to many. Once discarded in the past - as only few appreciated that unattractive part of the fish, it has risen as one of the food discoveries in the continual education or reeducation of the Western palate. It is so savory - rich in Omega 3 oils - another new discovery of the 20th century, many claiming positive health benefits if taken consistently. Grilled over hot coals with just a few sprinklings of salt and pepper brings about the savory goodness of this less known flesh.

To what is he referring to, one might ask..... Well its none other than the hamachi kama - the once unappreciated part of the tuna. Everyone knows that there are only two pieces of the collar which makes it much desired but most importantly because of its sweet delicate flavor....Splash some lemon juice and you're good to go...a nice bowl of steamed rice with go very well with this dish. Take note - steamed rice only - since fried rice will tend to reduce the impact of the taste of the fish.

Some Japanese menus will not show it but if you ask your sushi chef or server they will have one on reserve in the freezer - for that special customer that frequents the place. But you will never know until you ask - most often they will allow you to have it since you asked. Most will cost around $7 - $9 a piece but should one spot one on the menu and its $12 - dont order it. Why you might ask? While its a great tasting menu item - one shouldnt pay more than $10 for it. The meat while succulent is not plentiful - how much meat can one get from the collar? I think $9 is a good price to pay - that's it!

So if I have piqued your curiosity and your favorite sushi place does not offer it or has run out by the time you order one - since they get fish delivery once or twice a week and their share of the collar has long been consumed - what does a hungry sushi hunter do?

There are a few places to go in the San Francisco Bay Area - one of which is my favorite and located in downtown San Mateo. Why a favorite of mine - you might ask? Because of its reputation for freshness and for decades has served Japanese food lovers like yours truly.
Suruki Supermarket at 71 E 4th Ave San Mateo. This is where I can get ingredients for those impromptu parties, you know who you are , you know what I mean. There's alway fresh fresh fish for sushi - albacore, maguro, hamachi, mackarel, snapper and even octopus. Suruki also has angkimo - one of my favorite Japanese delicacy - monkfish liver and uni - sea urchin roe.
Hamachi kama is available fresh - usually two small parts in a package - costs around $6.
Call ahead and they can reserve them for you and they're open 7 days a week.

Japantown groceries stores located on Post Street will also carry the hamachi kama..call ahead.

How to cook it?
As I stated - salt and pepper grilled over coals - if you cant barbecue - use the oven but be prepared to fan your smoke alarm as it could generate smoke enough to trigger it.
Just long enough to form a light brown crust around the edges but dont over cook it. As with any kind of fish - it cooks quickly. Take off the heat and splash some fresh lemon juice and you're in hamachi heaven - hamachi kama heaven that is.

Noma - Chef Rene Redzepi

2010-05-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

Chef Rene Redzepi a renowned chef and now even more acclaimed since his restaurant NOMA was listed as the top restaurant among the 50 best in the world. Knocking off El Bulli from its prestigious position which it occupied for several years. This too was where Chef Redzepi trained to hone his culinary skills, plus training in French Laundry - considered one of the best in world. Which by the way is located in my neck of the woods. With those under his belt, Chef Redzepi is considered a culinary provocateur - a title coined by several prominent chefs and food writers.

Why provacateur?
He incorporates the culinary wizardry of Chef Adria with that of Thomas Keller and the result is Redzepi's own style of cuisine. Keller likes to bring the earth to the table while Adria likes the Star Wars futuristic approach. Combine it and you have a revolution of some sorts - extreme perhaps, one might say, but definitely difference. Simplistic but complex - confused? I was at first when I first encountered his cuisine. Yes, I was one of the few that was lucky enough to try his cooking.

Call it luck, divine providence perhaps but blessed none the less, it was a chance encounter with this wonderful chef's cooking. It was on a Thursday (two weeks ago) when I happen to check on my favorite food destination Mission Street Food (Thursdays and Saturdays) then spotted the menu. it was an homage to this great chef's cooking...their attempt to replicate the NOMA menu...hmmm I said, this is a good opportunity to show Erika my sweetie who has been told of MSF's offerings and gourmet chefs from all over the world.

Being the daughter of a chef that likes to experiment is not an easy life - Erika has been one of my testers, food critic and guinea pig of my cooking. So I said, lets try this chef's cooking tonight - unbeknownst to us what the chef's pedigree was at the time.

So off we went, parking was a breeze on Mission Street SF. Our last minute reservation was accepted (quite rarely due to the demand) I wondered why then it dawned on me - it was April 15 - you and I know what this drop dead date is. While folks were waiting in line to have their tax preparers complete their returns ( I spotted one across the street from the resto) we got seated right away.

A cursory glance of the menu and my mind went to engage lock and load - get ready taste buds, you're in for a treat tonight. I always encourage my daughter to make the decision on what she thinks might be good for the evening. Erika decided to go with the sea urchin, cucumber, frozen cream, dill granita appetizer ($9) over the other appetizer which was cod roe. (I thought whew thank God - good choice, I cant imagine anything more fishy than cod roe!) Second appetizer -mackerel crudo, grilled daikon, horseradish snow - $8

For the main course we went with spot prawn, seawater and parsley emulsion - ($13) and skate, ramps, vegetable stems, mussel sauce - ($13) - I ordered the gray album for my drink and Erika went with water. (Gray Album is a combination - 16 oz of Boddingtons, 16oz of Old English) yummo!

Oh I forgot to mention - while all this was happening, my youngest Alyssa was a silent observer and unwilling participant to all this. For her that night - heaven was burgers and fries and none of these.

Before I continue - ever wonder why the prices are so inexpensive? Proceeds are donated to charity, the organizers take over a Chinese Restaurant on Thursdays and Saturdays and convert it into a semi decent destination. But expect to be served on french fries containers and thick plates, paper cups - keep the costs down so Institutions like St Martin de Porres can get more $$.

I asked our very accommodating waiter and also of the hostess if I could take pictures. Not like they had a choice since I was going to sneak a photo or two if they declined. But gracious they were and even encouraged me by setting up the dishes for the right angle when they arrived.

The first appetizer - Sea urchin

speckles of cream - frozen ala El Bulli - with granita of dill - artfully scraped into small beads, emulsified black olives, cucumber slices and dill... this was a great presentation and an explosion of flavors when the frozen bits of cream and the cold dill granita melted by the heat of the tongue hit the tender sea urchin roe. Wow!

Next the Mackarel - one of my favorite sashimi choices - saba as the Japanese call it -

the cream was still present - frozen bits, very subtle, this time using horseradish, his version instead of the wasabe. Truly one of my favorite type of fusion cooking. East/West combination - who would have thought - mackarel sashimi in horseradish cream frozen ala El Bulli served with grilled daikon. The daikon was uncannily sweet, perhaps due to it being grilled then shaved thin. Fantastic, very simple presentation but complex taste. Delightful to say the least..... definitely an inspiration for my next recipe collection

Spot Prawn

This dish was served on a hot rock - not quite sizzling as I expected. It was more for aesthetic reasons that I could imagine and not to cook the prawns. But they were semi cooked - not overly done, enough heat was applied but still sweet-the meat tender and one can discern the sea from it. Yes, the head was sucked to enjoy the juices, as Anthony Bourdain likes it....the parsley sauce? I didnt get it but gave it a nice contrast to the prawns. Imagine the earthiness of the parsley reduction blending with the sea flavors...its okay but nothing spectacular to me... still a good dish

Skate
Now this is a revelation - Chef Rene likes to use Nordic ingredients in his cooking. While skate will always be one of the best kind of fish ever - the mussel reduction was a WOW factor... The emulsion gave the skate prominence, brought out the sweetness of the fish without overwhelming it. Accompanying the dish were earthy veggies, again a Thomas Keller influence one can assume - the ramps were fresh and the grilled young asparagus stalks were also very flavorful.

So that was my only encounter with the Chef's cuisine in this somewhat "guest" appearance and who is now #1 in the world.

Oh by the way, I promise to update my blog more frequently so hope you enjoy my upcoming reviews as this one.
Be well

The morning after - how to make turkey magic with leftovers

2009-11-27T16:54:00.000-08:00

What do you do the morning after? Nothing to do with what your think it is. I am referring to left over Thanksgiving turkey. If you were like me, we had almost half a turkey untouched, so this noon I was contemplating on how to turn this huge mass of meat into another feast. I checked the fridge - some red bell peppers were in the crisper, half a quart of half-half which I use for my coffee, and about half a chorizo - which was left over from the paella I made yesterday. Spotted in the freezer were some peas as well. Next destination was the pantry - aha - a can of cream of mushroom soup. When I turned I glanced over and saw a bottle of white wine. So put them all together and you have the makings of a pastel style dish.

So far this is what I had:
chorizo de bilbao
red bell pepper
onions
garlic
peas
white wine
half and half
cream of mushroom soup
leftover turkey of course

In a hot skillet use some good virgin oil olive, saute the garlic, onions and red bell pepper. When the vegetables were soft add the chorizo,some white wine and simmer for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Slowly add the half and half along with the cream of mushroom soup.

Add enough water so the sauce is not thick. Simmer over low heat until the turkey is tender - about 12 minutes. Add more water if the sauce becomes too thick. A minute or so before the end of cooking add the peas - stir until incorporated into the dish.

Serve over a nice cup of hot rice or toast

Enjoy!!

Turducken - what is it

2009-11-25T15:51:00.000-08:00

This the season when most turkeys fear most - the day of Thanksgiving. I am speaking of the two legged feathered kind and not who you might be thinking of. Most Americans will have the bird as the main feature of attraction in their Thanksgiving table. Some offer suggestions on various ways of cooking the bird - most prefer the roasting and basting method, others have taken the more perilous route of deep frying while some have used the stuffing method. No not the bread stuffing chestnut and celery type of stuffing but one of Turducken.

What is a Turducken? It is a linguistic blend as Wikipedia would describe the word. It is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is stuffed inside a turkey. Both chicken and duck are totally deboned while the turkey is prepared partially deboned - maybe to hold the two other birds without falling apart.

While unverified, Paul Prudhomme the creole chef claims to have originated this dish. One can tell from the ingredients commonly used that it could have its humble beginnings in the South. Quite similar to the Filipino's embutido but to proportions of the American way of food consumption.

Imagine stuffing a small hen inside a duck while sausage is the stuffing of the chicken. Quick tasty but beware should the dish be presented to you. Its high in caloric content and so is its fat/cholesterol.

One can order the bird already cooked ready to be served from various online stores. The average is roughly $85 for a 15 lb bird some served with sides that come as a welcome accompaniment to the dish.

As this Thanksgiving day approaches, I wish one and all a blessed holiday and Happy Thanksgiving to all

Spinach Banana Blossom Cheese Dip

2009-03-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

This recipe is a deviation from the more popular Spinach Artichoke Dip - made from artichoke hearts and spinach leaves blanched before it is used.
One day, I was enjoying a nice bowl of Kare-kare - a Filipino dish made of several types of meat in a sauce of peanut butter base. It is served with native vegetables like eggplant, string beans and banana blossom. While partaking of kare-kare one day, I took bite of banana blossom, then recognized a familiar texture and taste.
It didnt come to me immediately where I had experienced this flavor until I had an afternoon pika-pika in a resto one day after work. One of my buddies ordered a spinach artichoke dip to go with our favorite beer - Stella Artois- that it hit me. This was the texture!
So what I have done is replace the expensive and sometimes difficult to find (in Manila) ingredient - artichoke hearts. Instead, what I used is the canned variety of banana blossoms which come plentiful here in San Francisco and costs about a third of what it might cost ($0.99)if using artichoke. Canned banana blossoms come soaked in brine which seem to remove the bitter taste of the fresh variety and without the sap.
The vegetable also is very tender and the same (not almost but the same) texture as artichoke when chopped. If one is using the fresh vegetable, i suggest boiling it in acidulated water by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar. Replace the water at least twice to ensure that the blossoms come clean without the bitter taste.
I have used bechamel sauce to extend the recipe - using less of the cheese but still providing that great creamy sauce.
Ingredients:
Banana blossoms - cooked until tender and chopped
Bunch of spinach - cooked until wilted and chopped
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
1/2 block of cream cheese (room temperature) beaten
1/4 cup of sour cream
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
dash nutmeg - (optional)

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Taste the sauce, it should have a nice nutty flavor

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg if using, and set aside until ready to use.

Combine the vegetables, sour cream, with half of the parmesan cheese, then layer into a heat proof dish. Alternate the vegetables, cheese and bechamel ending with a layer of bechamel topped with parmesan. I would add a sparse spoonful of breadcrumbs and knobs of butter to give it a nice crust.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes but check at around 20 minutes. When a nice brown crust forms on top, the dish is done
Serve with crusty bread!
I guarantee that no one will know the difference if you used banana blossom in place of artichokes. In fact I found folks were delighted that banana blossoms were prepared in such a gourmet way.
Let me know how it goes by emailing me or adding a comment to the thread.

Chicken, Corn and Crab soup with Quail Eggs

2009-03-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

On cold rainy days, one looks to their favorite comfort foods. One of mine is the classic Chinese soup which can easily be prepared quite quickly. Start with a few slices of ginger, three or four green onions and one chicken thigh. Boil in water until the meat is tender - approximately 15-20 minutes. Then add cream style corn - preferably the unsweetened one. If one is not available, what I use are frozen whole kernels and chop the kernels finely while still frozen. I add this to the chicken while boiling it, giving the corn time to impart its flavor to the stock. When the chicken is tender, take off the bone and pull the meat into shreds. Add another half cup of corn, about two tablespoons of wanton soup powder,crab meat - I use the canned ones which have been picked of shells and comparable in quality, beaten egg,and quail eggs. To thicken the soup, I use 1/2 tsp corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water. I add this to the boiling soup until slightly thickened. Splash with sesame oil before serving.
Total Cost to feed 5 adults with second servings - $5.00
Canned crab - Caravelle brand from Thailand - $0.99 which one can purchase from any Asian store

Great buys from Trader Joes

2009-03-03T21:19:00.000-08:00

Excellent salad dressing from Trader Joes - and Merlot from Sonoma Valley - both are great bargains but quality products. Champagne Pear Vinaigrette $2.50 and the Merlot $3.99

Intramuros - a new dining destination in South San Francisco

2009-02-24T16:32:00.000-08:00

I decided to give Intramuros a try for dinner. After learning that Barry Picazo is now part of this establishment, a couple of friends and I was curious what new creations he has on the menu.We met at the I Bar – which,coincidentally was being launched the same evening. My buddy and I had a glass of Stella - one of our favorite brews. A nice serving portion for $5 -not a bad deal. Served by a young, friendly bartender ably assisted by another bartender who seems to be taking the lead in the bar. Off to the front we went to inform Dinnie, the very friendly and accommodating hostess that we would start dinner and our other buddy will catch up later. He was just getting dressed coming from a golf game. Dinnie checked our reservations and left for a brief moment to spot a table for us. We spotted Barry who, in spite of his busy kitchen that night, kept that boyish smile on his face to give a warm welcome. Very touched and impressed. Then Dinnie comes back to lead us to our table. Our server - Bianca I think her name was, came -bubbly and enthusiastic and handed us menus.
My last visit the other Friday was for a surprise party for a friend and one appetizer served tha evening was the kuhol (snails) I suggested to my friend that we order one. The other appetizer we decided on was the sisig tofu - since we both are fond of sisig. The original dish made of pork cheeks grilled over hot coals, chopped and served mixed with some grilled liver and grilled onions with a splash of calamansi. This is the original Pampanga way of serving sisig.
So we were curious what this version of the original dish would taste.
Off to the kitchen our server went to plug in our appetizers and asked her to return in a few, since we were still deciding which main course to order.
Scoping the menu - we decided to go with one that we knew from another dining establishment - crispy binagoongan and the pinaputok na tilapia. Then told the server we wanted toast with it. She took it as a joke and thought our request was hilarious and knew right away these two fools were trying to crack a joke. Two bowls of steamed rice it was!
We got the kuhol appetizer which came in a four segment dish - two sections had the kuhols, one had cherry tomato halves, the last fried mung bean threads (vermicelli noodles or sotanghon). The kuhol was in a coconut cream reduction with a hint of curry along with toasted thai bird chilies. The half slices of cherry tomatoes came in a balsamic vinagrette dressing. The idea is to spoon a few pieces of snail into your plate and use the tomato slices as a palette cleanser - to balance the heavy coconut cream sauce. The sauce was great compliment to the meat but not overwhelming the characteristic flavor of the kuhol. Then follow it up with a tomato portion - yumm. What I am lost on is the purpose of the fried vermicelli noodle. If one is to use all three ingredients together, maybe include some neutral tasting vegetable leaves like lettuce to wrap the whole thing. Other than that this dish is great!
Then immediately after, the crispy binagoongan came- whoa what happened to the other appetizer? Anyway, we continued to enjoy the kuhol with which was already our second glass of Stella. We just love how the Stella compliments the kuhol and its coconut cream.
The crispy binagoongan had chopped mango - yellow - meaning its close to ripe but not quite yet but past its green state. This was mixed with chopped red roma tomatoes and a few green onions! The dish of course was made with good quality bagoong. This was not salty as one would expect if using this shrimp paste but each ingredient kept its flavor component and combined together to create that complex sensation on the palate. The tart sweet mango, combined with the sweet tomatoes, the distinct flavor of grilled eggplant - which was the base of the dish, along with the bagoong is one flavor explosion!
Cant have this without steamed rice - no way!
Immediately right after came the tilapia - steamed unpapillote style but in aluminum foil instead. The tilapia was topped with a rich cream and topped with crisp garlic slivers. They used fresh fillet, the meat was flaky and easily pulled apart with a fork. No lasang lupa as we Filipinos would describe a lesser quality tilapia. The dish was excellent, the only disappointing thing is that the size as a bit too small for its price. But it was another flavor experience for the way the fish was served.
But where was the sisig? Well, it came almost as soon as we were wondering where it was. As they say - it was well worth the wait. The taste was so divine, tasted like the original meat dish.
I rate the service 5 stars, overall food experience would be 4 - miscues on the sisig and the serving portion of the tilapia. But these are growing pains, nothing bad - just a few adjustments to make it perfect - its only been a few weeks - 5 to be exact that this fine.
My wandering eye keep scanning the scenery of the dining area, with a glimpse of the dining hall across the room. It just so happened that our table looked directly into that area. There were diners from every generation, some were foreigners but seemed to know which dish to order. Tables to the left and right of me, the family of 10 to my immediate right sampled quite a few dishes. They had the fried calamari appetizer, then the crispy binagoongan, another meat dish which I couldn’t tell and ended up with the famous bibingka soufflé. Yum was their favorite expression. The table directly in front of me were four Filipinos who seem to be critiquing the food since they would first photograph the dish, then take a sample spoonful while trying to decipher what the ingredients were. Sounds familiar, since my buddy and I were doing the exact same thing. Another long table was having a birthday party I presumed because they brought out a cake with candles on top. Then another long table had the same thing. No sound of displeasure just a whole lot of families and some romantic couples enjoying a night of fine dining.
The place was busy – but never did the staff waver with their smiles and service. Including Dinnie who tried her best to attend to everyone while balancing the front. Barry, Dinnie, Jamil, Zita and Mark kudos to your establishment, I was pleased with the service and the food.

Marinated Shrimp Barbecue/Asian Style Barbecued Shrimp

2009-02-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

Here is one great grilling marinate for shrimp on the shell. By cooking it this way, it ensures an even cooking while keeping the flesh moist. I love to combine all the fragrant herbs found in Asian groceries balancing it with other condiments to come up with that final product. The individual ingredients by themselves don't create that zing but if you combine them it magically creates that layer of flavor but not overpowering the taste of the shrimp or prawns.

Marinade
Coconut milk/cream
cilantro - leaves and stalk - chopped
Green onions - white and green parts chopped
Lemongrass - white part only - chopped
Paprika -
juice of 1 lime, then add the fruit into the marinade
Garlic - minced
Fish Sauce - the one I use is Thai brand - Tiparos
If using Philippine style fish sauce add a spoonful of brown sugar
Olive oil for basting
Put all the ingredients together with the exception of the olive oil. Then marinade the shrimp/prawns for no less than 30 minutes or longer than an hour

Before grilling - remove all the marinade and brush each prawn with olive oil.
Continue basting the shellfish with the marinade until the shells turn pink. Be careful not to overcook them or they will turn tough.
Use barbecue sticks if desired but I prefer to barbecue them individually to keep them intact when serving.
Serve with Coconut rice ( Recipe follows)

Rice
coconut milk
fish sauce
fried shallots

Cook the rice the regular way, but substitute one third of the liquid with coconut milk. Season with fish sauce. When tasting the liquid, ensure that enough seasoning is added. Right before serving top with crispy fried shallots.

Crepes with Chestnut Cream

2009-02-13T15:59:00.000-08:00

It has been quite hectic for me the past several weeks, had to cover some events, then I also decided to renew my real estate license. So I hit the books daily at the same time tending to the kitchen for the family for the evening meal. Oh, such is life in a busy metropolis like San Francisco. But keeps me occupied, more like distracted from the daily stresses of life.

One day a friend updated her Facebook status – that she was having crepes.
That reminded me of the wonderful crepes I would have at Ti Couz in the Valencia/Mission corridor of San Francisco. Authentic French crepes in a French resto – including the rudeness of the wait staff. The alternate place was Crepes A Go Go in the trendy area of Cow Hollow – along Union Street in San Francisco. One would have to decide from its extensive list of crepes which runs from tropical - coconut, banana and jam to the more common ones like sugar and butter (simple but excellent tasting) to chestnut spread and strawberries.
Then I had one of those AHA moments – while shopping in Asian stores (no longer called Oriental stores because its not politically correct) one will notice an abundance of cooked, peel chestnuts that come in tetra packs. All you have to do is to tear open the pack and devour those nice whole nuts. Plus, these are inexpensive - $0.99 cents for a 5 oz serving – some stores like Oceanview Asian store next to the DALY City BART station sell them for $1.50 for two. The catch is you have to get two, if you get one the price is still $0.99 cents.
So one night I tried making the crepes with the chestnut spread and it turned out great. I didn’t have my camera handy that time so no photos will be included in the recipe. Another friend advised me that next time I post a recipe I should include pictures, so I will do it next time I have a culinary inspiration.

Crepes with Chestnut cream:

Ingrédients (for 15 crepes):
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 oz of vanilla sugar (or 1 oz of granulated sugar + seeds scraped from a vanilla bean)
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract if vanilla bean is not available
- 1 small pinch of salt
- 3 cups of milk
- butter (for cooking)

Put the flour, both eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl.
using a wire whisk mix while pouring in the milk slowly.
The mixture has to be very smooth.
Leave the mixture to settle and rest for 45 minutes to an hour. After which heat some butter in a non stick pan and some vegetable oil – adding oil will prevent the butter from burning

Proceed to put 1/4 cup of the mix in the pan and tilt the pan to spread the mix until all the pan is cover to make a thin disc. This is not pancake, so try to make it as thin as you can without breaking the crepe

Wait about 1 min, then turn it over and wait another min for the other side to cook
Serve with chestnut cream - recipe follows

Chestnut cream
400 grams of boiled chestnuts
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 can sweetened condensed milk (please use the whole milk variety and not the filled milk)
1 cup water – not all will be used.

In a double boiler put the already boiled chestnuts with the milk until it turns mushy. The milk will not be absorbed so discard any liquids when the chestnuts have softened. Drain then run the chestnuts through a fine mesh strainer or use a potato masher. It might take two turns to get the smooth consistency. Combine the mashed chestnuts gradually with the can of condensed milk and vanilla extract. Use a blender if you need to - it has to have a slightly thicker consistency than condensed milk. Should you need to thin it, add some of the water.

NOTE: An excellent alternative is Nutella - which my friend Trish favors

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Mozzarella/kesong puti and capers stuffed kalabasa/zucchini blossoms

2009-01-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

Once considered "poor man's food" the kabocha or kalabasa blossoms as we know it has evolved in the culinary world. The Italians have served the blossoms as part of the meal for centuries. Stuffed with anything that is available in the Italian garden, it varies from mushrooms to ground meats. In the Philippines, my introduction was in an Ilokano dish which I savor to this day which was "inabraw" style - boiled with several veggies and seasoned with fish bagoong.
Today, the humble zucchini is served stuffed and deep fried. This is one version of the dish that I have used incorporating native ingredients like kesong puti or buffalo mozzarella. The twist is the inclusion of capers in the recipe.

12 zucchini or pumpkin blossoms
1.75 oz buffalo mozzarella/kesong puti - soften
1.75 oz cream cheese softened
2 tbsp capers (small)
Sea salt
Black pepper (ground)

1 egg (yolk and white separated)
1 cup flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 to 2 cups beer – pilsen

Combine the yolk, the mozzarella, cream cheese, capers, a touch of salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and mix until it is slightly pasty.
Depending on the length of the zucchini stem you may need to cut some off, leave approx 4 cm (2 inches) attached to the flower.
Careful not to tear the blossoms, gently open up the zucchini or kabocha flowers and gently spoon the cheese mixture into the flowers and fill 2/3rds full.
Gently push the remaining air out of the flowers and squeeze the tips of the petals back together

Batter:

Sift the flour and corn starch into a large mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper and make a well in the centre.
Slowly pour some of beer into the well and whisk as you add, slowly moving the whisk out from the well to incorporate more flour until the entire mixture is fluid and thick (it may not require all the beer, so add it slowly).
Whisk the egg white until frothy and fold into the batter mixture

Frying

Gently coat the flowers with the batter by dragging it in top of the mixture, after which turn the flowers down to allow the batter to seal it. Fry in vegetable oil which has been heated over medium high heat. Sprinkle sea salt immediately after and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Sapodilla or Chico or Chiku - Asian Fruit Recipe

2009-01-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

Travelling in Southern California last year, I am always on the look-out for good places to photograph. I chanced upon a Mission - yes those set-up by the Spanish missionaries in California. This one had a fruit bearing tree in the yard, its fruit left to rot in the ground where they fell. Inspecting it closely, since the leaves looked quite familiar, I then realized that it was the sapodilla tree commonly known in the Philippines as chico or chiku in other parts of South Asia. What confirmed it was the distinctive scent of the flesh and its seed with its uncommon hook. Lest we forget, we were warned on numerous occassions by our grandmother to be careful when eating chico - or suffer a slashed throat should one swallow its seed unknowingly.
My introduction to the fruit was by my Grandmother - Dona Pilar Gregorio Castillo - the very person who inspired me to become a chef. Yes, she was and I know still is my guide. It was in our ancestral home on Northern Luzon - Pangasinan that I first encountered the chico fruit. My grandparent's home was surrounded by various fruit trees - star apple, mabolo, mango of course, the chico and one that I could not bare to eat - the chessa. We enjoyed fresh fruit - tree ripened - what a way to partake of nature's and God's blessings.
Few chefs use the chico or sapodilla as ingredients in their recipes so I thought I would start with a simple one. Use it in a supporting role for dessert.
So here it is, hope you take time to try the humble chico in dessert and enjoy its subtle but complex flavor.

Rum-Spiked Grilled Pineapple with Toasted Coconut over Sapodilla compote and Banana Chips.

Ingredients

For the Spiked Pineapple:

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced crosswise or use the canned variety to save energy
½ segment star anise
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons sweetened coconut, toasted
Low-fat vanilla ice cream or coconut ice cream

Combine the star anise, sugar and rum in a pan. Over low heat let sugar dissolve and simmer for 1 1/2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Brush rum mixture evenly over pineapple wedges.
Heat butter in a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add pineapple; grill 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks form and pineapple is thoroughly heated. Set aside

Sapodilla compote:

1 ¼ cup good red wine
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup diced ripe sapodilla flesh (skin removed)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 bay leaf
1 segment star anise
1 cinnamon stick or ¼ tsp powdered cinnamon

On a non reactive pan boil red wine, then add brown sugar, lemon juice, bay leaf, star anise and cinnamon. When the sugar is dissolved add the sapodilla. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the fruit is dissolved into the liquid. You might help it by using a fork to press the fruit. Strain through a fine sieve and keep warm.

Assembly:

Get a scoop of good vanilla ice cream or my favorite is coconut ice cream. Place in bowl, top with the pineapple slices and insert several banana chips. Drizzle the sapodilla compote over the ice cream. Sprinkle with sweet coconut flakes that have been lightly toasted.

Enjoy!

2009-01-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

The Original Chawan Mushi Recipe

2009-01-24T10:07:00.000-08:00

This original recipe was requested by a friend and she suggested that I posted it to follow-up on the original post of Green Onion Custard. I thought that it made sense should one be not too adventurous to try the Green Onion recipe. So here's the Chawan Mushi recipe

Ingredients:

3 eggs - large (4 if using small eggs)
1 2/3 cups bonito stock (you can use the instant bonito powder instead of real flakes)
1 Tbsp mirin (use 1 tsp salt if not available - this isnt so important)
1 Tbsp light shoyu (1/2 Tbsp if using regular shoyu)
2 tsp sake or sherry wine or white cooking wine

Nuggets you can use as filling:
sliced cooked shrimp
pumpkin - cooked and diced - to give it an earthy taste
crab chucks
shiitake mushrooms - thinly sliced
chicken breast fillet
Corn - yes I used sweet corn with a bit of everything above

Directions:
Break the eggs into the bowl, to minimize bubbles in the final product, do not beat the eggs but very gently stir them with a chopstick in a slicing action.
Add the rest of the custard ingredients to the egg mixture. When everything is incorporated, strain through a fine sieve. The next step is to your liking, place whatever ingredients you want to add into the custard - chicken, prawns, mushroom, etc. I tried using a sliver of salted duck egg and it was delish.

Pour the custard into cups or ramekins but do not top. Leave enough room for the custard to expand. Cover with lids or aluminum foil. Steam the cups over high heat then at 10 mins, check for doneness. To test, insert a bamboo stick into the custard, if a clear liquid flows it is done. Try not to overcook the chawanmushi or it will become bland and the broth will separate from the egg.

Enjoy

NEXT: Sapodilla Fruit Known in the Philippines as CHICO

Green Onion Custard with Bacon, fried spinach and Miso Broth

2009-01-23T23:54:00.000-08:00

This is a stunning recipe which is a riff on the tradional Japanese Egg Custard Chawan Mushi. Chawan Mushi is one of my favorite side dish when I crave for Japanese food. Its a cross between custard and soup - on the savory side. It is served both hot and cold, but I prefer it right out of the steamer - almost to burn your tongue. Chawan mushi roughly translated means "steamed in a teacup". I usually have it at Kamameshi House in Westborough South San Francisco. The dish is ordered 30 minutes ahead of time, much like their Kamameshi (rice dish). The custard is usually a combination of ingredients, tiny nuggets of poultry,seafood like shrimp or white fish, carrots, mushrooms and gingko nuts. Pleasant secret treasures hidden inside as you work your way through the custard and broth.
This is a kicked-up version of the custard - with a twist

Custard:
1/3 cup minced green onions (both white and green parts)
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
pinch of grated nutmeg
fresh ground pepper
3 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
1/3 cup bacon diced
5 tbsp cold butter
bunch of spinach leaves paper dried
1 tablespoon miso

In a small skillet cook the diced bacon until lightly browned - remove from the pan into paper towels to drain the fat. Set aside for later

In another skillet, combine two (2) tablespoons of the butter with the green onions. Cover and cook until softened over low heat, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and then puree. In a bowl, whisk the egg, then whisk in the half and half, milk and onion puree. Ensure that no bubbles are formed otherwise, it will spoil the presentation of the custard. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 pepper and the nutmeg.
Meanwhile butter four 8 ounce coffee mugs or ramekins. Slowly pour the onion mixture and cover with plastic wrap.

Using a rack in a large pot, add water to reach under the rack and bring to a boil. Set the ramekins on the rack and steam (covered) over low heat until the custards are barely set about 18 minutes. Try not to overcook the custard or it will be tasteless.
Chiffonade the spinach into strips, then fry them in small batches in hot vegetable oil until crispy. Drain in paper towels - set aside

Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the 1 cup of the remaining chicken stock to a boil. Whisk in the creame fraiche or sour cream, miso and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid the cream from separating. Turn off the heat then gradually incorporate the butter into the broth by using a whisk. check the seasoning, at this time not much salt is needed due to the miso.

When the custards are done, remove the plastic wrap. Scatter the bacon and spinach strips on top. Serve the custard and pour the miso soup.

Enjoy!!!