our 2017 New Year celebration

The idea of fondue for our New Year's eve celebration was welcomed with much enthusiasm by my husband :-) as it has been awhile since we brought out the fondue pot. It usually goes to the back of the cabinet and stays there unseen for months until another special occasion such as this comes along. We're happy to welcome 2017 with a classic fondue dinner!

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

can't do without this traditional fruit centerpiece 

This small retro appliance - the fondue pot - is something I've never even heard of growing up in Manila. It was only much later through recipe books and magazines that I read and learned about Swiss fondue. In Manila, we often use cheese but it wasn't anything fancy. We like our quick-melt cheese for pasta and the big red ball of imported edam cheese that's also popular during the holiday season. It's funny but I only knew about cheese with holes from watching cartoons when I was a kid :-)

Our table setting (shown above) with three kinds of protein - beef tenderloin, salmon and chicken breast, cut into cubes and chilled until ready to eat. I made three kinds of dipping sauces. We also had some French bread cubes, assorted vegetables and fruits to dip into the melted cheese.

fondue forks

Fondue at home can be labor intensive but everything may be prepared in advance and chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Timing though can be challenging at serving time but it's always enjoyable, fun and a delicious treat!

bread cubes, roasted and fresh vegetables

Cheese fondue (shown above) with the classic fondue cheese Emmentaler.

dipping sauces

electric fondue pot with simmering broth

fruits and chocolates for the dessert fondue

butterscotch dessert fondue

project bento for lunch

My first bento lunch projects :-)

fruit and green salad bento with hard-boiled eggs and ham

torta (ground beef omelet) with quinoa and vegetable salad

bear shape hard boiled egg with cantaloupe flowers

fish shape egg with green bell pepper and cucumbers

A creative way to present food in healthy portions that's just right for a light but satisfying lunch. This is what I like most about bento. The colorful fruits and vegetables in cute shapes definitely add a fun element to everyday meal time.

chimichurri sauce

A popular condiment in South America particularly in Argentina, the bright green color of this chimichurri mixture, shown above, makes an attractive and flavorful topping for roasted and grilled meat. It also worked quite well for my pan-fried salmon (shown below). It may also be used as a marinade or dip. I had some fresh prawns that I butterflied and stuffed with the chimichurri then baked. It turned out quite tasty too.

pan-fried salmon topped with chimichurri

In a food processor or blender, grind together a mixture of chopped parsley, garlic (use roasted garlic for milder flavor), a pinch of red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, lemon juice (optional), olive oil, salt and pepper. Gradually add more olive oil if mixture is too dry. The sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.

roasted pork tenderloin with chimichurri

madeleines

I think my fascination for these traditional shell-shaped French tea cakes must have started with the pan :-) I've never had madeleines before and I've always wondered about their taste and texture. Thanks to the many recipes and information I found online, my first madeleine baking session turned out well.

The distinctive hump of the madeleine (shown above) that's supposed to appear in these petite cakes, slowly rose and formed as the madeleines baked in the oven.

The underside, as shown above, with the characteristic shell design became nice and golden brown. Sprinkle them with powdered sugar before serving.

The batter is a basic sponge cake mixture or genoise which may be enhanced with different flavors. I found the first recipe I tried on youtube from the Culinary Institute of America baking videos. I ran out of butter so I searched and found a recipe using canola oil instead. These madeleines turned out soft and light but still just basic in flavor. I have to try another recipe with butter next time which I found on the Joy of Baking website.

the madeleine pan that started it all :-)

I found the recipe and video for these Lemon-Grand Marnier Madeleines on youtube demonstrated by a chef from the Culinary Institute of America.

troubleshooting hollow macarons

Whether using the Italian or French method for the meringue, I've never made a single macaron that's not hollow inside. Like these ones I baked recently, shown below. Although they may look almost perfect from the outside, I've always wanted to solve the issue.

After my macaron troubleshooting project recently using different recipes and oven temperatures, I finally found the answer. The single baking sheet I was using all the time wasn't insulated enough and the macarons were rising too fast creating taller feet and hollow interiors.

The solution: I just put one baking sheet on top of another and proceeded to line it with parchment paper. A cross section of the ube macaron is shown below. They're very delicate and finicky but I think I found the right combination of mixing technique and oven temperature that worked for me. The extra insulation underneath was crucial when baking them with parchment paper. I think with Silpat (a reusable nonstick liner) a single baking sheet will be fine. Silpat is much thicker than parchment paper and provides much better insulation.

finally...macarons that are not hollow inside!

pork carnitas

Using the same basic cut of pork and the same braising technique, I just have to say that pork carnitas can very well be the Mexican version of Filipino adobo :-) The flavors are quite different though but both dishes are very easy and quick to make.

I like that the carnitas were broiled in the oven and not pan fried in oil like with certain versions of adobo. I'm afraid I made these carnitas more Filipino than Mexican because I even had it with steamed jasmine rice rather than with the more traditional tortillas :-) The convenience of using a slow cooker for this dish makes it even more appealing for everyday meals.

I just had to take a closer shot of the tender chunks of pork

Served with thinly sliced jalapenos, serranos and another kind that resembled habaneros but were red and not orange, shown above. Sliced green onions and some cilantro were served on the same plate.

chicken kabab koobideh

The inspiration to make this at home started after our memorable dinner experience at Persepolis, a Greek and Persian restaurant we recently tried in Savannah, where we had a taste of Persian cuisine for the first time. 

Kabab Koobideh is a uniquely flavored Iranian grilled chicken, beef or lamb cooked with traditional Middle Eastern spices. I love how grilling the meat intensifies the flavor of the spices. I also like the idea of using ground meat as it allows the spices to get distributed better and evenly into the mixture. I had to think of other ways to shape the meat without the traditional wide metal skewers. On the flat side of a small wood chopping board, I formed the mixture into narrow logs using a spatula. Then I carefully transferred them to the grill pan and flattened them (as pictured below). The ground chicken meat cooked fast and retained it's nice shape.

Shown above, (1) I used my favorite stove top grill pan to cook the chicken kebab koobideh (2) ready for plating (3) a pinch of saffron soaked for a few minutes in hot water is all that's needed to flavor and give the rice an intense yellow color (4) combination of exotic spices.

It was only upon learning more about this recipe that I was introduced to advieh. It's an aromatic Persian spice mix that's a blend of cumin, cardamom, coriander and rose petals to name a few. The exotic world of spices is amazing. We always appreciate trying new flavors like this.

kebab koobideh served on a bed of saffron rice sprinkled with toasted pistachios

Food discovery has always been a part of our itinerary when we travel. We have fun seeking interesting restaurants offering local and international cuisine. Thanks to informative apps and popular websites, looking for restaurants is now faster, easier and more interesting. Ideas that I get from our occasional food trips and dining experiences often inspire me to cook at home.

For the recipe...

glazed Italian cookies

There was an "instant party" feeling the minute I started glazing these cute cookies and topping them with pastel-colored candy sprinkles :-) 

I think I should rename them happiness cookies

These were supposed to be anisette cookies but I ran out of anise flavoring so I substituted amaretto flavoring instead. It has been awhile since I made them and this week, I was craving Italian cookies so I thought about baking them.

They can be left simple and plain without the powdered sugar glaze but the glazed cookie wins everytime in our taste test at home. It just brings them to another level and even with the added glaze and the sprinkles they're still not super sweet.

The never-fail recipe makes delightful delicate round cookies with crispy edges and cake-like interior. These cookies are so addictive that it's impossible to eat just one :-) They make my tea time so much more enjoyable!

GLAZED ITALIAN COOKIES (Anisette Cookies)

3/4 cup shortening (I combined 1/4 cup butter & 1/2 cup Crisco)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
4 tablespoons baking powder
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons anise or amaretto flavoring

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Cream together shortening and sugar for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until mixture is smooth. Add the flavoring. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just blended. Measure the dough using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon then form into balls. Arrange them about 1" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Makes about 45 cookies. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack. Spread with powdered sugar glaze. Decorate with your choice of colorful candy sprinkles.

For the powdered sugar glaze, just mix sifted powdered sugar with a little water to make a spreadable glaze. I've tried a recipe using melted butter and milk but this simple powdered sugar and water combination worked for me.

cross section reveals the light cake-like crumb

the cookies look cute inside a covered cake pedestal

beef rendang

Warning: This dish requires rice :-)

Inspired by our recent food experience that I wrote about in a previous post, I tried to cook a more well-known Indonesian dish called Beef Rendang. As listed in this recipe I found from Saveur, some of the key ingredients like kaffir lime leaves, candlenuts and galangal can be hard to find at regular grocery stores. For me, there's no substitute for fresh kaffir lime leaves, which makes me miss our kaffir lime plant even more :-( However, on a recent visit to a bigger Asian food market, I was happy to find Indofood brand rendang seasoning sauce mix. It was very convenient and turned out quite tasty. I added more coconut milk to make the sauce extra rich and creamy. It's best to use beef with more marbling such as those intended for beef roasts. Short ribs will also be perfect for this dish. Cooking beef rendang at home turned out to be a much easier process. It normally takes hours to cook but with this instant seasoning mix, it takes only an hour or less. In a skillet or a medium pot, just pour the concentrated sauce over the beef cubes, add more coconut milk then simmer until beef cubes are very tender and sauce becomes richer and thicker. Add red bell pepper strips and serve with steamed rice.

a taste of Indonesian food

A recent long weekend escape to a favorite destination led to another tasty food discovery. Another off the beaten path restaurant that we will surely be returning to. Tan's Asian Cafe serves Chinese food too but we went there particularly for their Indonesian menu. It was our first time to try Indonesian food and we loved it :-) The flavors are intense and complex, spicy hot but was made less overwhelming with a dose of sweetness and seasonings. My tolerance for spicy food is significantly lower than my husband's but I had no problem with the level of heat in these dishes.

Babi rica-rica, shown above and below, was spicy and very flavorful. In the menu, it's described as Manado pork cooked in a spicy and tangy red "rica-rica" sauce. The pork which was very tender must have been simmered for hours in a traditional blend of spices and seasonings.

Udang Bumbu Bali or Balinese Shrimp, shown above, skewered shrimp served with a rich delicious red sauce (shown below) that's spicy with a hint of sweetness.

I look forward to trying many other items in their menu when we come back. I'm intrigued with their noodles and soups particularly the Soto Ayam. The deep-fried appetizers we sampled were also very good. In the meantime, inspired by our food experience, I tried to recreate a well-loved Indonesian dish called Beef Rendang at home. It's coming up next :-)

croque madame

Salty ham, melted cheese and a runny fried egg with toast may be one of the best combinations for a comforting breakfast meal. However, the same basic combination, when elevated to another level, becomes Croque Madame. It's basically Croque Monsieur made more special with a fried egg on top. Bechamel sauce, which can be made ahead, plays an important part in this classic French sandwich.

Start off with a few slices of good quality soft bread. I used my favorite challah bread which I bake at home :-) To assemble the sandwiches, spread bechamel sauce on the bread slices then the layer ham and grated cheese. Pile a generous helping of grated Gruyere cheese on top.

Bake the sandwiches until toasted with the cheese melted and dripping along the sides, as shown above.

Top with fried egg and serve hot. Recipe for bechamel sauce can be found in The Kitchn website. As suggested, the bechamel may be adjusted to a slightly thicker consistency that's more spreadable than saucy.

bibimbap ~ Korean mixed rice

This may not be the most authentic bibimbap since I didn't really have the complete ingredients but I tried my best to make up with the presentation :-) Bibimbap is a well-known Korean mixed rice dish. It usually consists of meat and sauteed vegetables then topped with egg. I find the concept very appealing as I've always liked traditional rice dishes like Spanish paella, Southern red beans and rice and many more. My bibimbap version had corn kernels, chopped shitake mushrooms, sliced kale (which I substituted for the spinach), julienned carrots, green and red bell peppers. The dried shitake mushrooms may be soaked overnight. All the vegetables were sauteed in a little sesame and vegetable oil. The colorful mix of vegetables looked quite appetizing arranged on top of the rice. Raw egg may be mixed in with the hot rice but I made fried egg instead, with the yolk still a bit runny. The rice dish may also be transfered and served in a heavy cast iron skillet, then heated over low fire until the underside gets lightly toasted and forms a crust. Just before serving, I sprinkled toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish and additional flavor. Mix the steamed rice, the vegetable toppings and the egg together before eating. Serve with kimchi, hot sauce or sriracha if desired.

For the most flavorful bibimbap meat (shown above), I marinated thinly sliced beef with finely chopped ginger, lots of chopped garlic, soy sauce, a little sesame oil and ground pepper. The beef was very aromatic so I thought it was best to pan-fry them outdoors using our handy electric wok. I fried the beef until well-browned and crispy.

my wok set-up at our screened sunroom :-)