Spicy anchovies spaghetti aglio e olio with capers

Ingredients: 

200g Pasta
3tbsp Capers
4 cloves garlic (sliced thin)
1tbsp Chili flakes
1/2cup Olive oil
5 Strip anchovies fillet (minced)
hand full of chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package direction and before drain save at least 1 cup of pasta water to be use later on.

2. On a sauce pan pour olive then add thinly sliced garlic, chili flakes and capers.

3. Place it on a very low fire to infused the garlic on olive oil, once the garlic started to color add the minced anchovies  and saute for 1 minute.

4. add the pasta together with chopped parsley and mix.

5. season it with salt and pepper then serve.

Note: If your sauce to dry for the pasta you can add the saved pasta water earlier.

 

Chicken Embotido

Since the Embotido is made of Pork and wasn't available here in Riyadh as well, then i decided to substitute it with ground chicken breast.

the only different in this recipe is the meat that i used and the rest of ingredient is pretty similar with the traditional pork embotido, so here how to make the "Chicken Embotido"






Ingredients:


400g Ground chicken breast
2 eggs
1/2 cup Sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup Finely chopped green and red bell pepper
1 cup Raisins 
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots 
1 Spam Classic 7oz (grated)
1/2 cup Grated parmesan cheese 
1 Medium size onion chopped finely
3 Cloves garlic minced 
Salt and pepper to taste 




Procedure:


1. After preparing all the ingredients, mix all the ingredients in one large mixing bowl and season it with salt and pepper.


2. to taste fry at least 2tbsp of the mixture and adjust the seasoning if needed for additional. 


3. once the correct balance of taste is achieve you are now ready to wrap the mixture in foil.


4. in a sheet of foil putt a desire amount of the mixture then roll and squeeze tight by turning clockwise and counter clockwise both end.


5. after wrapping all the mixture trim both end of each roll and place them on a steamer.


6. steam them for about 1 hour.

Chicken and Tofu in Oyster Sauce with Beans Sprout

Chicken breast is usually disregarded for some reason like dry, tasteless and chewy texture and that was the result of improper cooking, but when you cook it right and season it properly am sure you will gonna like it.

sharing my recipe that might change your perception about the chicken breast. 

So here how to do the simply, easy to cook and full pack of protein "Chicken and Tofu in Oyster Sauce with Beans Sprout"

Ingredients:

400g Boneless Chicken Breast (cut into nice thick strip)

200g Beans Sprout

4 blocks of Diced Tofu

1 Shallots

2 Cloves Minced Garlic

3Tbsp Butter

2Tbsp Olive Oil

4Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1Tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

1/2cup Chicken Broth  

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

A. Fry the tofu until become golden color and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil

B. Blanch the beans sprout on hot water and wash with cold water to wash off any fishy smell

Direction:

1. Pour 2tbsp olive oil in a hot wok or sauteing pan, stir fry the chicken for about 5 minutes then add worcesttershire sauce and season it with salt and pepper

2. Add butter follow by onion and garlic then saute for about 2minutes 

3. add the beans sprout and fried tofu and saute follow by 1/2 cup chicken broth and bring it to boil

4. season it whit salt and pepper according to your taste

Tiramisu "Alcohol Free"

Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert made of Lady finger deep in coffee flavored liquor with a whipped egg yolks and mascarpone cheese, top with cocoa or grated chocolate.

Tiramisu means “Pick me up” in English and you will literally pick up the serving once you started to taste the combination of the entire flavor in your mouth at the first bite of it and surely ask for more.

As we all known that alcohol is not allowed in Riyadh, that's why i called it "Tiramisu - Alcohol free" and that's what makes my Tiramisu little different from the traditional recipe and this is perfect for some out there having issue with alcohol, so here's how to do it.

  

Here is an ideal serving style if you are hosting a party and planning to serve Tiramisu.

Ingredients:

3 - Egg separated
8oz - Mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
1cup - Espresso
1/2 cup - Caster sugar
8oz - Mascarpone 
2tbsp - Cocoa
10-15pcs - Lady finger



Directions:


1. In a large mixing bowl combine 3 egg yolks, 1tsbp espresso ans sugar. Beat 2 -5 minutes. add mascarpone and beat 3-5 minutes until lumps free. (if you wish to substitute the egg white you can use 1cup of whipping cream)

2. In a separate bowl  combine 3 egg whites and a pinch of sugar and beat until stiff peak form then gently fold the mascarpone mixture. (make sure that mixer attachment and bowl are thoroughly clean, if not any fat or water remains may affect the whipping of the egg white and make sure don't over mix when combining mascarpone mixture and egg white to keep the air on it)


3. Quickly deep each lady finger into remaining espresso and layer on small size serving dish. spread mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with cocoa powder or grated chocolate bar.



Refrigerate at least 4hrs before serving. 

Yemma Balls

Since am far way from the Philippines and Yemma Balls isn't around where i am then i decided to make by my own, so here how to make it! 


Ingredients:

1can condense milk 
5 egg yolks 
4tbsp unsalted butter
2tbsp vanilla extract 
2cups Caster sugar for coating

Directions:

1. In one sauce pan combine egg yolks, condense milk, butter and vanilla extract and cook in a medium heat...continues stirring to prevent burning.

2. Keep stirring the custard until thicken and form a big ball in a sauce pan...gradually lower the heat when starting to thicken the custard

3. When the right consistency is achieve remove from the fire and let it cool or until it become tolerable the temperature to handle

4.  Its time now to form the custard into a small ball depend on your prefer size, take a pinch of the custard and roll in in your palm to form ball shape.


5. Once your finish  forming the custard you can now proceed on the sugar coating.


6. In a sauce pan put the sugar and melt in on a low fire until you get liquid golden syrup...never stop stirring the sugar to prevent burning.

7. Once the sugar is done and still piping hot, using a spoon drop one custard ball on the melted sugar then place it on a baking try to set and harden the sugar coating...it is important to maintain the temperature of the melted sugar to maintain the runny consistency and prevent hardening, to hot it will burn your sugar and taste bitter.


Warning: Take extra careful working on a melted sugar and don't let to spill on your skin, melted sugar is 5x more hotter that the melted plastic.

Baked Mac

Last few days my friend asked me to cook something that he can bring to a party.

since the party is for Filipino and European i decided to make Baked Mac for him, so that everybody will enjoy the food.  




Ingredients:


500g - Elbow macaroni 
1kg - Ground beef or pork 
3 - Can of sliced button mushroom
1cup - Bell pepper
1/2cup - Tomato paste
500g - Italian spaghetti sauce
1 1/2cup - Banana ketchup
1/2cup - White sugar
2 cup - Mozzarella cheese   
salt and pepper

White Sauce:

2cup - Mozzarella cheese
1cup - Cheddar cheese 
3cup - Milk 
1 stick unsalted butter
1cup - flour 
pinch of nutmeg  
 

Directions:


1. Pre heat the oven for 350°F 


2.Cook the macaroni half way through of the package direction


3. On a large sauce pan saute onion and garlic until become soft or translusent, then add the ground beef.


4. saute the ground beef until liquid evaporate, then add the tomato paste and let it simmer for at least two minute.


5. add the italian spaghetti sauce follow by the banana ketchup, rinse the bottle of spaghetti sauce with 1 cup of water then add to the sauce and bring to boil.


6. once the sauce is boiling you can add now the diced bell pepper and sliced button mushroom, mix well and let it simmer.


7. season it with sugar, salt and pepper to balance all the flavor according to desired taste.

8. once you achieve the desire taste balance you are now ready to assemble and bake.

Note: if you find your sauce is too thick you can add more water to lighten the thickness of the sauce.  

Cheese Sauce:


1. melt the butter in a large sauce pan then follow by flour mix thoroughly cook it for about 2 minute, be careful not to brown the flour and butter.


2. add the 3 cups of cold milk and bring it to boil, then add cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese  and pinch of nutmeg then season it with salt and pepper.


3. let it simmer in a low fire for at least 5 min.




Assembly:


1. pour the macaroni and half of the sauce on a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly, you can add more sauce defend on how you like.

2. in a baking dish spread 1/4 cup of cheese sauce then add the mixed macaroni and make sure you pack and flat on top.

3. then pour some of the Cheede sauce on the top at sprinkle generously with mozzarella cheese.

4. cover with loose foil and don't let to touch the cheese so it won't stick to it.

5. bake on a pre-heated oven for at least 20-30min at 350°F.

6. after 20min remove the foil cover to brown the cheese on top.

7. after baking remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minute, then serve and enjoy.  

NFC Orange Chicken

I have a stock of Orange on my ref and i decided to use it to make sauce for Orange Chicken instead using powder juice or orange juice bought from the store.

Ingredients: 

400g - Chicken Breast (Boneless & Skinless)

5pcs - Orange   

1/2cup - Chives

4pcs - Garlic Clove

2tbsp - Corn Starch (diluted in 1/4 cup water)

1cup - Brown Sugar

1cup - Water

2tbsp - Soy Sauce

1pc - Egg

1cup - Flour        

1/4cup - Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Direction:

1. cut the chicken breast into cube.

2. put the flour on a separate container with a tight lid and season it generously with salt and pepper.

3. coat the chicken cube with a beaten egg and coat them on a seasoned flour by shaking and totally coated with flour.

4. after coating all the chicken with flour its time to deep fry until they become golden brown and set aside and you are ready to prepare the sauce.

Sauce:

1. squeeze the orange juice.

2. on a medium sauce pan pour the orange juice, water, soy sauce, vinegar, half portion of onion leeks, brown sugar and minced garlic, bring it to boil.

3. let it boil and reduce by half.

4. once you get the desire amount of the sauce its time to add the corn starch mixture to thicken the sauce.

5. slowly pour the cornstarch mixture until you get constancy thickness of the sauce.

6. once the thickness of the sauce is achieve you can now add the chicken and mix with the sauce for a few minute, then serve and garnish with the remaining chives.

Stir fry garlic chicken

Ingredients:

Two piece boneless chicken breast (cut into strip)
Two carrots (cut into diagonal)
1 big green capsicum or green bell pepper (cut into square)
10 cloves garlic and minced (dived into two portion)
2tbsp Oyster sauce
2tbsp Lea & perrins Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Corn starch
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil

Procedure:

1. In a hot wok add 2tbsp oil and half portion of the garlic and immediately add the carrots and capsicum, stir fry for 5min and add 1tsbp of Lea & perrins Worcestershire sauce, Remove from the wok and set aside.
2. On the same hot wok stir fry the chicken by adding 2tbsp of cooking oil and the remaining garlic for about 6min or until color become lightly brown and add 1tbsp of Lea & perrins Worcestershire sauce and 2tbsp of oyster sauce.
3. Add ¼ cup of water and let it boil for 2min, then add the 2tbsp of cornstarch to thickened the sauce.
4. Season it with salt and pepper.
5. Before removing from the fire add the vegetable and butter.
6. Serve and enjoy

Kare-Kare

Kare-kare is definitely my favorite Filipino dishes at all time, as a matter of fact this is the last food i ate in the Philippines before my flight to Riyadh way back 2006.

until i decided to cooked my very own Kare-Kare,but as you may know here in Saudi Arabia pork is not allowed that's why i end up cooking Beef Kare-Kare.

Baklava

For now Pistachio Baklava is one my favorite sweet pastry, to know more about baklava read below history courtesy of Wikipeia.

History 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baklava

The history of baklava is not well documented. It has been claimed by many ethnic groups, but there is strong evidence that it is of Central Asian Turkic origin, with its current form being developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkapı Palace.^[3]

Many Ottoman sweets are similar to Byzantine sweets, using dough, sesame, wheat, nuts and fruits, and some were similar to the Ottoman börek, halva, and so on. Indeed, Speros Vryonis identifies the ancient Greek gastris (γάστριςà,^[4] kopte (κοπτὴ σησαμίς), kopton (κοπτόν), or koptoplakous (κοπτοπλακοῦς),^[5] mentioned in the Deipnosophistae, as baklava, and calls it a "Byzantine favorite".^[6] But though gastris contained a filling of nuts and honey, its outer layers did not include any dough, but rather a honey and ground sesame mixture similar to modern pasteli or halva.^[7]

Perry assembles evidence to show that layered breads were created by Turkic peoples in Central Asia, and argues that the "missing link" between the Central Asian folded or layered breads (which did not include nuts) and modern phyllo-based pastries like baklava is the Azerbaijani dish Bakı pakhlavası, which involves layers of dough and nuts. The traditional Uzbek pakhlava, puskal or yupka, and Tatar yoka, sweet and salty savories (boreks) prepared with 10-12 layers of dough, are other early examples of layered dough style in Turkic regions.^[8] The thin phyllo dough as used today was probably developed in the kitchens of the Topkapı Palace.

The Sultan presented trays of baklava to the Janissaries every 15th of the month of Ramadan in a ceremonial procession called the Baklava Alayı.^[9]

Other claims about baklava's origins include: that it dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, and was mentioned in a Mesopotamian cookbook on walnut dishes; that al-Baghdadi describes it in his 13th-century cookbook; that it was a popular Byzantine dessert.^[10] But Claudia Roden^[11] and Andrew Dalby^[12] find no evidence for it in Arab, Greek, or Byzantine sources before the Ottoman period.

One of the oldest known recipes for a sort of proto-baklava is found in a Chinese cookbook written in 1330 under the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty under the name güllach.^[13] "Güllaç" is found in Turkish cuisine. Layers of phyllo dough are put one by one in warmed up milk with sugar. It is served with walnut and fresh pomegranate and generally eaten during Ramadan.

Cheesy beef baguette

With my left over ground beef and French baguette i end up doing this snack or appetizer and I name it “Cheesy beef baguette”

I simply sauté the ground beef with olive oil, garlic and onion after sautéing the beef for a few minutes i added ½ cup of Spaghetti italian sauce and season it with salt and pepper.

I want a crispy baguette so i let my meat simmering for a few minute to reduce excess liquid.

Pre heated the oven for 350°F  

Cut the French baguette and start the assembly, put a decent amount of meat on each baguette and top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then bake for at least 15min.

Place them on the cooling rack and serve.

Seared Tilapia with Cherry Tomato

The most common dishes we cook for tilapia are Paksiw, Prito (Fried) and Inihaw (Grilled) but we didn’t notice that we can give it a new look and different taste by using our talent and creativity. 

Ingredients:

1 Large tilapia (Fillet)

10 pcs Cherry tomato (cut in half)

Chopped Parley

3 Glove of garlic (sliced thinly)

3Tbsp Soy Sauce

2Tbsp Butter

2Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

Prepare the fish by cleaning and filleting it.

Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. 

On the hot pan add 2tbsp olive oil and 2tbsp butter then add the fish, fry all the fish and set aside.

On the same hot pan add the remaining butter together with the garlic, tomato and parley.

Sauté for at least 3min then add soy sauce and season it with salt and pepper.

Serve and enjoy 

Spicy Cajun tuna pasta

I came up with this idea to use tuna as a meat on my sauce that's why i end with this delicious and easy to cook pasta dish in less than 30min.

Bold flavor and zesty spices of Cajun work perfectly with the richness of the cream.

Ingredients:

1 Onion [dice]

6 Cloves of Garlic [cut into thin slice]

2 tbsp of Cajun Seasoning

1 cup of cooking cream

2 Large tomato [seed and dice]

½ cup of fresh chopped parsley [optional]

1 can of Tuna flakes in oil [drain and set aside the oil]

Salt and Pepper

2 tbsp Olive oil

250g of Pasta [boil the pasta according package direction]

Parmesan cheese

Chili Flakes [optional] 

Directions

In a hot sauce pan add oil from can tuna as well 2tbsp olive oil.

Sauté onion and garlic for at least one minute and add 2tbsp of Cajun seasoning and chili flakes.

Then add the seeded and diced tomato sauté for at least 2 minute, don’t let the tomato to overcook.

Add can tuna and mixed gently to avoid mashing the chunks, after simmering for a minute add the 1 cup of cooking cream and let it boil.

Season it with salt and pepper and add the cooked pasta.

Remove from the heat and add the chopped parsley and mix.

Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve.