Simple Life Matters

Adobo in Buko Juice INGREDIENTS: 1 kilo pork spareribs adobo size 1 garlic bulb with individual cloves removed from cover (leave extra for topping) 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 bay leaf 1/2 cup cane vinegar Juice of 1 buko nut salt to taste 1/4 cup olive oil INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Combine together the pork, garlic, pepper, bay leaf, oregano , vinegar, salt and half of the buko juice. 2. Boil and allow to simmer without stirring under low heat until the liquid is reduced. 3. Add the oil and toast to golden brown. 4. scrape of the bottom of the wok to remove the sticking pieces of meat. 5. Remove excess oil and add remaining half of buko juice. 6. Continue cooking until a sauce is formed. Serve in a platter with shelled cloves of garlic to add contrast to the brown colored adobo. Source: Pinoy Food Blog

Charred Lemon Chicken Piccata INGREDIENTS: 2 small lemons, thinly sliced 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 4 garlic cloves, halved 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 teaspoon grated shallot 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic 1 oregano sprig 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 cup unsalted chicken stock 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional) INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Add the sliced lemons, sugar, and garlic to a medium bowl, tossing to combine. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 2. Season the chicken with 3/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add two teaspoons olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the sicken to the pan, cooking for 4 minutes on each side or until browned. 3. Add the chicken to a cookie sheet or pan sprayed with cooking spray

Apricot Chicken Curry INGREDIENTS 4 apricots (stoned and peeled) 1 tablespoon apricot preserves 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1/2 lime (juice and zest) 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon red curry paste 1 pound chicken breast (cut into bit sized pieces) 6 apricots (stoned and peeled and cut into bite sized pieces) 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped) 1 red chili (sliced) DIRECTIONS 1. Puree the apricots, apricot preserves, fish sauce, lime juice and zest in a food processor. 2. Heat the oil in a pan. 3. Add the red curry paste and saute for a minute. 4. Add the chicken and the apricot sauce and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 6-10 minutes. 5. Add the apricots and simmer for a minute. 6. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. 7. Serve on coconut jasmine rice and garnish with sliced red chilies. Source : Closet Cooking

Black Pepper Chicken INGREDIENTS: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) 6 tablespoons cornstarch (for dusting) 1 white onion (diced) 1 cup frozen peas and carrots oil (for drying) Sauce: ¼ cup oyster sauce 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon sake or rice wine INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. 2. Cut chicken into ½“cubes and dust chicken pieces with corn starch until fully coated. 3. Deep fry (or fry in a wok) chicken in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. 4. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok and stir fry diced onion for a minute or two. Add peas and carrots and stir fry for another minute. Add sauce mixture to the wok and heat until bubbling. Add chicken stirring to fully coat with the sauce. Serve with white rice. Source: Blog Chef

Roasted/ Lechon Pork Belly Recipe Ingredients: 1.5 kg pork belly slab, skin on 3 whole garlic bulbs, peeled and roughly chopped ½ cup oregano leaves, washed then chopped 3 red onions, peeled and chopped around 4 – 5 lemongrass stalks, sliced the zest from 1 lemon juice from 1 lemon a little over 1/8 cup salt, plus more for an even rub around the pork 4 tablespoons crushed black pepper Cooking Instructions: 1. Combine all the aromatics in a bowl and mix well. 2. Lightly mash everything together with the back of a spoon. 3. Alternatively, use a food processor to bring everything together with only around 2-3 pulses.With the skin side down, rub the mixture all over the meat. 4. Roll the slab, carefully invert the meat and secure it with butcher’s twine. 5. It’s okay if there are a few pieces of herbs that fall off, you can place it back later. 6. Rub coarse salt all over the meat, including the skin. 7. With a paring knife or fork, poke the skin of the meat. This will ensure a nice crackl

Arroz Valenciana INGREDIENTS: 1 cup glutinous rice 1 cup ordinary white rice 2 pieces sausage or Chorizo de Bilbao*, thinly sliced ¼ kilogram shrimp, medium sized ¼ kilogram pork liver, chopped into small cubes ¼ kilogram chicken fillet ¼ kilogram pork loin 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced ½ cup cooked green peas 1 red bell pepper, sliced ½ large onion bulb, minced 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 teaspoon of saffron** ¼ teaspoon paprika 2 pieces dried bay leaves 1 stalk spring onions, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Notes: * Chorizo de Bilbao is a Filipino invention and not Spanish. It is available in local stores or markets. ** If having saffron is not possible, you can substitute powdered annatto or turmeric.

Orange Glazed Salmon INGREDIENTS: 4 salmon fillets, about 4 oz / 110 gr each 4 tablespoons mustard 4 tablespoons orange marmalade 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat broiler to 450°F (230°C). 2. In a small bowl combine mustard and orange marmalade. Set aside. 3. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden (if it the salmon has the skin on, cook skin side first). 4. Turn off the heat and brush fillets with orange-mustard mixture. Transfer the skillet from the stovetop to the oven and broil for 5 minutes until the top is golden brown and perfectly caramelized. 5. If your salmon had the skin on, gently peel it off before serving (it should come off very easily). Source: The Iron You

Paella Ilustrado INGREDIENTS: Step 1: 50 gms shrimps 50 gms clam meat 50 gms squid 50 gms chicken breast 50 gms pork lomo 30 gms garlic 1 tbs Spanish paprika 1/4 cup white wine 1 1/2 cup chicken stock 1 cup tomato sauce 1 cup California rice 1 tsp annatto oil glaze Salt and pepper to taste Step 2: 50 gms baby prawns 30 gms green peas 30 gms Chorizo de Bilbao 20 gms red and green bell pepper 1 hardboiled egg (for garnish) Sliced lemon (for garnish) INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Sauté garlic, onion and annatto oil glaze in a medium sized paellera (about 10-12 inches in diameter). 2. Add all the ingredients including rice in step 1 and continue cooking for 3 minutes. 3. Add 1 1/2 cup stock then simmer for 10- 15 minutes until the rice is cooked halfway. 4. Then put all the ingredients in step 2 and cover the paellera with foil. 5. Bake for another 10 -15 minutes at 180 degrees in the oven or until the rice is fully cooked. 6. Garnish with hardboiled egg and lemon wedges and serve. Source: Pinoy Food B