Fishballs and Pinyakurat ala cuisine-nera

Last week, I felt like eating inununan or pickeld fish, so I went to the Oriental Store to purchase some fish. Since it was only I that was going to have it, I took the pack of 'extras' from the salmon. YOu know, those discards from the salmon fillets which contain tons of fish fat, and tons of meat still left on the bones.

When I got home, I made my own version which is really a whole lemon I cut up, salt, pepper, ginger and a tablespoon of butter. I layered them and stewed it in low fire for a few minutes. When it was done, I had my lunch with a glass of reisling wine. Since I was the only one who ate it (hubby and son were on tour for the band, daughter in law was working and kids were in school), I still had so much left over. So I decided to make my own fish balls.

This is what came out of playing with my food: Fishballs ala cuisinera

My Bisaya Comfort Food ala Cuisine-nera

One of those comfort foods I really miss back home is the 'Saging gisawsaw sa gipusil'. Sounds like a title to a gory movie, right? but truly it's banana dipped in ginamos that was pinched with chili peppers (GInamos na PUSlitan ug SILi). We can't get saba bananas much less the ginamos found in carbon, so this is CIA's (cuisine-nera in America's) version of the dish.



first, mike cleans the sardines, extracts head and entrails and cures it with the 'salting' method
lots and lots and lots of kosher salt....then leave it for a couple of days





Then he cleans it again bu discarding the old salt which would then have accumulated some blood from the fish.
Cure again with lots and lots and lots of salt. Leave for a couple of more days.






wipe off the salt from each fish and then you can now put it in a ceramic dish or bottle. layer your fish after wiping off the salt (do not wash). Then you can add your olive oil and spices.





your anchovies will keep whenever you need it, for as long as it is submerged in olive oil and that the oil is above it. Add your favorite spices like peppers, and garlic.


Then I made my own version of bananas. We don't have saba so, we just have those plantains which I formed into cups. And then plated it. One side the banana, center is my garnishing of shredded green manggo with mini sprouters plus a dollop of storebought spicy bagoong. Then the third side was the home made anchovies.



Kaon na ta!!!

Buen Provecho says Daisy M.

The first time I saw Daisy Martinez' show on t.v. was during my visit to a friend in Michigan. I was fascinated by her flair of handling Latino cuisines because it was so familiarly similar to what we have back home in the Philippines. Years later I finally meet her face to face during a symposium I attended “How to publish your cook book, “ in which she was the main guest speaker. Her prettiness plus the 100 miles per hour blabbering, a combination of comedy and chef, just amazed me. I was star struck.

And yesterday I went to Borders bookstore near Central Park just to hear her discuss and sign her latest book, “Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night.” She was gorgeous in her red flowing dinner attire, with matching bib around her neck that characterized her more of an elite debutant rather than an author/chef.

Her latest book is inspired by her trips to latino populated areas like Mexico, Ecuador, and the like. And for a Puerto Rican , what more can add to her adventure than finding out that there are several names you can call one dish. It depends what area you're coming from. Let me give you an excerpt of the book”

Empanadas with Creamy Corn Filling
==Humitas

“ When it comes to the names of certain dishes, Latin America can be a very confusing place. If you were to order humitas in a restaurant in Ecuador, what you would most likely get is something similar to tamales-- dried corn husks filled with a cornmeal stuffing studded with any number of ingredients. However, in Argentina, ask for humitas, and you will—very happily, I might add-- end up with a plate of empanadas filled with delicious creamed corn. If you have a couple of sprigs of thyme in the vegetable drawer, throw them in with the bechamel sauce (fish them out before adding the corn).

4 T unsalted butter 2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
3 T all purpose flour 1 heaping T. chopped parsley
1 c. milk empanada wrappers (homemade or storebought)
¼ tsp. Paprika salt and pepper to taste

melt butter in pan. Add flour and cook stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly around 3 min.
Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly paying special attention to the corners of the saucepan.

Add paprika and salt and pepper to taste, stir in the corn and parsely, and return to a simmer
scrape the bowl and let cool completely.

Using 1/3 c. filling for each emapanada, form and cook the empanadas. (you can either bake or fry empanadas. But frying takes faster to cook)


Chicharon Carnitas is similar to our Pinauga na Adobo in the sense that the former uses beer to braise then when dried would just fry in its own fat, and the latter uses vinegar and soy sauce.

Asado in South America (like Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) is what we call Sinugba in the Philippines. In Brazil, Asado is called Churrasco but the meat is done with Brazilian spices.
So you see, one name of a dish can mean another depending on what area you're coming from. It's like saying, “There are several ways to skin a cat.”

APOtizers

I met the Apo Hiking Society when they were stepping up their foothold in the music industry. I was still in my teens, just a year shy of being in College. I recall that summer, when a testosteronic organization sponsored them to do a show in Cebu.

My Gazebian friend asked me if I wanted a summer job as secretary/gofer for the Apo Concert and I'm talking about the Summer of 1974.

Danny J. brought along his pretty wife (he was married then to a t.v. Comedian) Boboy was the playful one, but Jim was the eloquent one, whom I had an easy rapport with. Even when he was back in Manila, Jim and I used to correspond through mails. And the next summer, vacationing at my aunt's place in White Plains, Jim and I hooked up.

But just like all summer charms, it was good while it lasted.

The Apo went on to become one of the Philippine's top entertainers of all times. They did several more shows in Cebu after that and even conquered the Pinoy community around the world. I was too busy with my own schedule, a family to raise and several businesses to run, that I haven't had the chance to see any of their shows when it came to town. In retrospect, I should have at least seen another one. Our paths have not cross since.

After 30 years and thanks to the internet, I was able to hook up with Jim again. Moreover, I am now friends with Danny and Boboy in facebook. No sooner was my elation upheld when the news came that they were retiring from the industry after 40 years. I felt so sad, because now, my chances of seeing them perform together is gone kaput! Nada! Muy pasado!!!! Pastilan!

Hooking up after all these years, the only commonality I have with my good friend Jim is that he feeds the soul with his Joseph Campbell, while I feed the body with concoctions of Campbell soup (the one in can). And so as a tribute to them, I made my own version of amuse gueule or APOtizers. I have named my pieces using the first initials of their names.

To the APO HIKING SOCIETY:

-The only group that calls themselves, the hiking society, but in reality never walked—they rode planes or cars. The only time they walked is when they'd join rallies in Manila.

-The only group that used the name of Apolinario Mabini – but none of them looked anyone like him even when they reached Mabini's age.---maybe one..and I'm not telling.

-The only group that has 3 members and call themselves a society ....... by the way society in bisaya is called sosyidad.....it's probably why they feel they have to”go?” ...kasi Society na may Idad--Sosyidad


My memories of the APO , I will always cherish. And hopefully when my stars will allign with Mars and Jupiter is in the 4th house of Venus and it will be in the age of ARIES (my sign) I might get lucky to see them all together even if it's just for a day in summer. Love you guys!



WELCOME THE APOtizers!!!!!


Bulalao in Garlic with parsley on crackers.

Many Pinoys love bulalo or bone marrow in soup, but it can also be served on toast or crackers since they have that rich buttery taste.
Have your butcher cut up beef bone marrow in pcs about 2-3 inches each. ) Clean off the beef meat from the sides of the bones.. Season with salt and pepper, then bake for 15 minutes or until the marrow loosens itself from the sides but still gelatenous.. Top with aoili (garlic paste)
Prepare parsley salad with mixture a mixture of balsamic vinegar,capers and evoo. Place on top of cracker or toast. Scrape of some buttery marrow and spread on toast. Top with aoli. YUMMM!


Daing on Java rice puto

Puto is rice cake, so I wanted to make it as my bottom canape for my home made daing. (Mike makes one of the best anchovies. When it comes to fresh anchovies, he's like a surgeon deboning it and places lots of spices, garlic and seasonings. If we can't have daing because it might make the apartment smell, we resort to homemade anchovies)
But Java rice is just like fried rice with a mixture of ingredients such as lemongrass, onions and much more. If I had the powdered ingredients above, I would have mixed it with my puto ingredients, but instead, I just minced some and placed it on top before baking it. Even my grandaughter kept on coming back for more.


Jazz Patatas

I went to the grocery to buy kamunggay leaves to put as topping for my crispy potatoe chips.
When I got home, I realized I bought ampalaya leaves, so I used nalang my parsley and used that
but you can use any herb you want, to make this crispy potatoes.