How to Make Tomato Salsa Brushchetta

Bruschetta is a famous Italian antipasto.  A friend of mine makes really good bruschetta with tomato, much better than the ones served at La Tegola.  So I'm off to the test kitchen and made this:


Ingredients:

6 Medium sized Baguio tomatoes cubed
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Pesto
2 cloves finely minced Garlic
1 tsp Lemon/Calamansi
Salt and pepper to taste
Baguette/French Bread

Prepare the Salsa:

Chop tomatoes, place them in a bowl.  Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, pesto, lemon and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Store in the refrigerator.  Serve a few hours later when the tomatoes have sipped in the flavor.  Adding some fresh basil or cilantro will enhance the flavor.

Prepare the Bread:


Toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.  Alternatively, simply brush olive oil on one side, rub with garlic then toast.

This also goes well with paper thin pizza bread, you may use this pizza dough recipe and roll it really thin, you may add some herbs to give it a kick.

You might also want to try mushroom bruschetta.

Popular Homegrown Restaurants in Cebu

Cebu is a melting pot of homegrown restaurants, that's uniquely owned and operated by Cebuano (or Cebuano by heart) entrepreneurs.  Here are my top picks (in no particular order):

Filipino food:

• Golden Cowrie (unlimited rice, crispy garlic shrimps)
• Hukad by Golden Cowrie (fish kinilaw and grilled pork belly in one, bibingka)
• Cafe Laguna
• AA's Barbeque (grilled pork belly and bangus)
• Cheaverz (ngohiong, grilled pork belly and smoked bangus)
• STK (grilled panga and scallops)
• Alejandro's (crispy pata)
• Abuhan (sizzling pochero)
• Lighthouse Restaurant (lechon de leche)

Chinese food:

• Manila Foodshoppe (garlic buttered chicken)
• Ching Palace
• Grand Majestic Restaurant (peking duck buffet)
• Dimsum Break (steamed rice and spring rolls)
• Shabu way
• Red House Shabu-shabu

Mexican food:

• Maya (queso fondido)

Italian food:

• Michael Angelo (biancaneve pizza, four cheese gnocchi)
• Idea Italia (four cheese pizza)
• La Tegola (salsa and foccacia)

Japanese food:

• Yumeiya
• Nonki (salmon sashimi)
• Wakamatsu (eat all you can yakiniku)
• Kamikechi Ramen (Tonkatsu Ramen and Gyoza)
• Kanyoen

 Continental:

• Cafe George(angus beef, salad, spinach dip)
• Sunburst Fried Chicken
• The Ranch (pot roast)

Coffee shop:

• Bo's Coffee

Gyoza Recipe by Kamekichi Ramen

During my visit in Tokyo, I can say that we are lucky that there are a couple of Japanese restaurants sprouting in Cebu serving authentic Japanese Cuisine.  For one, I particularly love the gyoza at Kamekichi and I'm happy to learn the techniques how to make them from their very own chef.

Ingredients (Serving 24 pcs)

use this type of ginger grater

150g ground pork
100g minced cabbage (quarter of a large cabbage)
80g minced pechay (two large leaf)
2 stalks minced spring onion (use ganda leaves if available for stronger aroma)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp minced white onion
2 pinch of salt (1/2 tsp)
1 tbsp white sugar (brown will do)
1 tbsp chicken powder
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp shoyu (Kikoman Soy Sauce)
1 1/2 tbsp sake (Japanese wine or chinese wine or white wine)
water for pleating the wrapper
1/4 cup hot water
sesame oil

Dipping sauce:  shoyu, rice vinegar, chili oil or sesame oil.

Prepare the meat: 
1. In a bowl, hard massage (in kneading motion, gather and throw em back repeatedly) ground pork for about 10 minutes until some fats (white ones) are sticking on the sides of the bowl.  Tip: This is the secret to tenderize the meat.

Prepare the vegetable mixture: 
2.  Mince cabbage, spring onion and pechay.  Set aside in a separate bowl.

3.  Add garlic, ginger, onion into the vegetable mixture.  Mix them lightly with your bare fingers.

4.  Add shoyu, sake, salt, sugar, sesame oil, chicken powder into the vegetable mixture and mix lightly with your bare fingers.

Prepare the meat - vegetable mixture:
5.  Add the meat into the vegetable mixture, knead them with your hands until the mixture thickens.  When kneading, the meat absorbs the moisture.

6.  Settle the mixture flat in the bowl with your fingers, tilt the bowl from side to side.  If the mixture does not slide, it's the right consistency; not too wet, not too dry.

Prepare the wrap:
You need not get yourself into trouble by making them from scratch, head to a Japanese grocery.  I grabbed a pack of wheat cake wrapper for gyoza at Machiya Mart for P110 for 24 pcs.

 
7.  Thaw frozen wrapper.  

Tip: Remove from plastic, cover the wrapper with wet towel to keep it moist.  Leaving it inside the plastic will cause some wrapper to be wet and hard to handle.  Put inside the ref to thaw. 

Tip: The wrapper and wrapped gyoza must be covered with moist towel at all times while working to keep it moist and prevent it from breaking.

8.  Take one wrapper on your palm and with one finger, wet the outer sides of the wrapper.

9.  Put 1 tsp of the mixture in the middle of the wrapper.

10.  Fold in into half over the filling and pinch the middle.

11. Holding the wrapper in that middle spot that you just pinched with your left hand, make a pleat on the top part of the wrapper, pinching it against the flat edge of the wrapper at the back using your right fingers.  (Tip: I find it easier when I let it stand on the plate/table while holding the middle to keep the filling from slipping while pleating.)

12. Holding the filled half-circle in the left hand, pleat the top of the wrapper from the middle out, pressing it to the flat edge of the wrapper at the back (only the front edge will be pleated, the back edge stays flat).  Proceed to make two or three more pleats to the right of the first pleat.

13. Then switch sides and pleat the other side (to the left of the pinched middle) with your left fingers.

Note: Store them in the freezer when not yet ready for consumption.  When ready to eat, place frozen gyoza onto pan in the same manner below.  It may just take a little longer for its wrapper to turn translucent because of the thawing process.

Pan Fry Gyoza:
14.  With no fire, oil the pan with 1 tbsp of oil, spread it over the pan with paper napkin.

15.  Line the gyoza on the pan with small distance as it expands when cooked.

16.  Put 1/4cup of hot water into the pan. (make sure water is equally distributed on the pan covering the bottom of the gyoza)

17.  Cover the pan.

18.  Turn on the stove in high heat, for about 4 minutes, until the wrapper turns translucent.  The steam will cook the gyoza.  Add hot water if it dries up before it becomes translucent.

19.  When it turns translucent (just in time when water has evaporated), open the pan, put little sesame oil over the pan to pan fry the gyoza. (This will make the bottom brown and crisp.) Keep the pan open.

Tip:  On fire, avoid adding oil onto water, as this will cause it to splatter.

20.  When it starts to smoke, lower the heat.

21.  Remove from heat and serve on the plate up side down.

22.  Consume while hot with dipping sauce.

-0-

Kamekichi Ramen
F. Cabahug Street, Cebu City
(032) 4224511

Machiya Mart
TPE Building
Corner Gov. Cuenco Avenue (Talamban Road) and AS Fortuna Street, Cebu City
(032-5056592) or (032) 344-0355

Substitution for Sweeteners

There are several factors at variance among the different types of sweetener, among them weight, moisture, acidity, and, of course, taste. You can manipulate most of these variables, though, to allow you to substitute one for another selectively.

First of all, consider the difference in weight. A cup of granulated sugar weighs 8 ounces. A cup of brown sugar weighs only 6. But a cup of maple syrup weighs 11 ounces and a cup of honey weighs 12. So if you were to substitute honey in a recipe that calls for brown sugar, you’d be adding twice the amount of food. Maybe that’s OK, but since honey is sweeter than sugar, you’re not only adding more material, but more sweetness as well.

In addition, honey and maple syrup add moisture to a recipe, which can upset the texture of what you’re making. Honey adds acid to a recipe, which you might have to neutralize with the addition of a pinch of baking soda. And honey can cause baked foods to brown more quickly. Brown sugar, on the other hand, attracts moisture, so it will keep baked goods from drying out so quickly. Also, brown sugar includes molasses, which adds moisture, and certainly changes the taste. On that question of taste, you’re on your own.

Having babbled enough now, here are the general substitution rules for sweeteners, but remember, most people consider these emergency substitutions, not daily rules to live by:

In spite of their difference in weight, you can substitute brown sugar for granulated white on a 1 to 1 basis, and the most significant difference will be taste.
Substitute white sugar for brown sugar on a 1 to 1 basis, but add 4 tablespoons of molasses per cup, and decrease the total amount of liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons.
To use honey in place of sugar, use 7/8 cup for every cup of sugar, and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons.
To use sugar in place of honey, use 1-1/4 cups of sugar plus 1/4 cup more liquid.
To use maple syrup in place of sugar in cooking, use 3/4 cup for every 1 cup of sugar.
To use maple syrup in place of a cup of sugar in baking, use 3/4 cup, but decrease the total amount of liquid in the recipe by about 3 tablespoons for each cup of syrup you use.
To use sugar in place of a cup of maple syrup, use 1-1/4 cups of sugar plus 1/4 cup more liquid.
Finally, granulated sugar has 46 calories per tablespoon, brown sugar has 50, maple syrup has 53, and honey tops them all with 64.

Red Velvet Cupcake

Yields 2 doz cup cake

3/4 c sugar
1/4c unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4c vegetable oil or extra light olive oil

1 egg


1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (1/4c evaporated milk + 1/4c hot water + 1.5tsp vinegar)
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2  Tablespoons red food coloring

Dry ingredients:
1 1/8 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F, bake at 325F.
2. Whisk together all dry ingredients, set aside.
3. In the bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Turn mixer to high and add  the egg (one at a time).
4. Add the vanilla and vinegar.
5. Add dry ingredients to the batter,  alternating with the buttermilk. Beat on high until smooth.
6. Add the red food coloring to desired color.
7. Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
8. Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting

Chahan: Japanese Fried Rice ala Ginza

Ginza has been Cebu's longest operating Japanese Restaurant, known for it's quality and pricey menu. Ginza's fish head is their bestseller. Our family's favorite is their mizuno table cooking service, where food ordered is cooked right in front of you. The kids especially loves it when the chef does acrobatics by throwing eggs up in the air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3uKPqHZKH0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

1 cup cooked Japanese rice
1 egg
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp kikoman soysauce
Diced crown onion
Diced carrots
Diced baguio beans
Ground shirmp
Ground beef
Ground chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil or butter

1. Heat pan or mizuno table, put oil or butter.
2. Cook the onions, carrots, beans.
3. Add ground chicken, then later add the shrimp and beef, add sake.
4. Add the rice, put the egg on top then mix.
5. Add soysauce, salt and pepper to taste. Press and mix all ingredients but don't overmix.
6. Once cooked, remove from fire.

Where to Buy the Best Lechon in Cebu?

This time, I'm not sharing how to cook, I'm listing down the contact numbers of the best available lechon in Cebu, order one and enjoy it without all the hassle.

Lechón (Tagalog: Litson and Cebuano: Inasal) is the Spanish word for suckling pig. In the Philippines, it connotes a whole roasted pig, lechón baboy. Chicken and beef are also popular. The process of lechón involves the whole pig/piglet, chicken, or cattle/calf being slowly roasted over charcoal.

The pig had always been the center of communal feasts in pre-Hispanic Philippines, and "Lechon" is the normal manner it is prepared.


Undeniably, Cebu's Lechon is the best in the country. It is tasty as it is, there's no need for any savory dip to go with it. Ask for Mang Tomas (liver sauce) and Cebuano's will stare at you and laugh.

Cebu's lechon baboy is whole black native (free range) pig roasted over charcoal, skewed in bamboo, stuffed with herbs and spices like lemongrass locally known as "tanglad", salt (injected into the meat), pepper corn and more, then baste with either milk or soda or coconut water to keep the skin crispy.


I once saw how it is prepared, it's never a pleasant sight. Hot water is poured onto live pig to shed its hair and the rest is history. I've entered the roasting station of CNT Lechon, it is impressive to see several lines of mechanical rotisserie. That should make the cooking even, not to mention efficient.

We normally forewarn foreign guests, other nationalities especially from the west, find it barbaric to see a whole pig served on the table. But Chinese and Filipinos just love EVERY part of it, right? I feast on the belly and the skin, most on the ribs, some even rave about the tail, the tongue, the ears, the dinuguan (pork blood stew with internal organs), and the brain!

My previous post about Cebu drawn more than the usual readers, googling for information and contact numbers for Cebu's Lechon houses, there are hundreds of lechon houses in Cebu but these are the more popular ones:
NOTE: To contact via telephone, use COUNTRY CODE 063, AREA CODE 032

Cang's Lechon
Sanson Road, Lahug
Telephone Number: (032) 2328899
- the original Cang's Lechon, with crispy skin and tender meat, the fat looks like it's trimmed off, it's very tender that the vertebra easily collapse.

Cary Cang's Lechon (Edna Cang)
Sanson Road, Lahug
Telephone Number: (032) 2358886; +639276441923
-(similar to Cang's Lechon, now operating independently) my family's personal favorite. Aside from the usual lechon, a whole chicken (add P150 each) or rice can be stuffed inside. Imagine chicken or rice that tastes exactly like lechon.

Alejo's Lechon
Labangon
Telephone Number: (032) 2618575

Lighthouse Restaurant
Gen. Maxilon Ave
Telephone Number: (032) 2332383
-famous for Lechon de Leche, a few days old piglet, so tender and milky, they use plates to slice it. For dine-in, you can order whole or smaller portions.

CNT Lechon
Archbishop Reyes Ave # (032) 2326146
V. Rama # 2544249; (032) 2546641
Juan Luna Ext Ave # (032) 2335339
(with outlets in selected malls)
-famous for their retail outlet that sells lechon per kilo*, they can pack them in a box ready for cargo. Also available in Las Vegas, USA:
1203 E Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, USA # 702-270-2500



Rico's Lechon
Talamban, (Enrico Dionson, owner) # 3440119
-rumored for being former President Erap's source of lechon

Zubuchon (as endorsed by Anthony Bourdain)
(Edrid or Beverly) # 2365264 (M-F 9am-4pm)
Sunday Market at Banilad Town Center, Sundays, 10am-1pm


- but frankly, it doesn't come close to Cebu's best lechon.  You might just wanna try it simply because it was endorsed by travel channel Anthony Bourdain's blog.

Lechoncebu.com
www.lechoncebu.com
- offers the convenience of online orders, recommended by a few bloggers who are non-Cebuanos. I haven't tried this, but the published rates are quite expensive.

Carcar Town Market- famous for having lechon juice, a seasoned clear (salty) soup.

Lorenzo's Lechon Baka
Telephone Number (032) 4162849 or mobile phone +639155404221
- specialize in roast beef/calf with sweet brown sauce. My birthday party isn't complete without them roasting a leg for my guests. :D They also serve roast turkey and goat.

The price of Lechon Baboy has increased about P300 for whole and P50/kg compared to last year. During peak season, price increase about P200-500 or they serve a smaller sized lechon. Peak season is from December, extending upto January (for Sinulog). Normal price range now should be:
P300 per kilo
P2800 good for 20-25 (whole)
P3200 good for 25-30 (whole)

Updated price for 2010:
P360 per kilo
P3500 good for 20-25 (whole) about 8-10 kilos
P4000 good for 25-30 (whole) about 10-12 kilos

Airport to airport airfreight from Cebu to Manila costs about P500, the seller usually charge additional P100 for packaging. Including freight, it is actually cheaper to buy from Cebu than in Manila.

*lechon sold per kilo tends to use bigger and older pigs, the meat may not be as tender and the skin is thicker which tends to be harder even crispy. So I still prefer to order in whole, the younger/smaller the better. Don't worry about left overs, stewed (paksiw) or sauteed, they are still worth the added cholesterol. :D Our household cook has a superb recipe, I'll try it out soon and post the receipe here.

Ever wondered how to keep the skin crispy?
- while it's steaming hot, keep it loosely covered. Don't keep it too long in the (car) trunk either. The steam tends to soften the skin.
- while waiting to be served in an airconditioned room or windy area, keep it covered.
- reheat leftover skin (if any!) in pressure cooker or toaster on high heat.

A celebration isn't complete without lechon, Christmas season ('Ber months) is coming up, I'm so eager to feast on more lechon again with hanging rice "puso" to match it.

Grilled Salmon Teriyaki

I've just learned to make my own teriyaki sauce with Kamekichi Cooking School, this time, I'm trying it on salmon steaks.

Serving for two.
Ingredients:

Terriyaki Sauce:
4 Tbsp shouyu (soy sauce)
4 Tbsp Sake (japanese rice wine)
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp shouga (ginger), grated
1/2 tsp spring onion, chopped thinly
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp tomato catsup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)

1. Chop the spring onion into half, discard the all green part for other use. Slice off the top most of the spring onion, slice the head (white part) lenghtwise twice, then chop it in circles, including a little green.
2. Mix all the ingredients of the terriyaki sauce together. Add honey to desired sweetness.  Instead of sake, one may use the more expensive mirin, in this case, omit the honey and tomato sauce.
3. Seat aside 1/3 for marinade.
4. When salmon is ready to cook, heat small pan with little oil.
5. Pour the remaining 2/3 of the sauce mixture in pan and consistently stir sauce mixture until desired consistency.   Remove from fire.

Ingredients:

2 salmon filet/steak
2 Tbsp Corn oil or canola oil
2 pcs calamansi (or half lemon)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Defrost salmon.
2. Squeeze 1 calamansi/lemon per steak.
3. Season with salt and pepper, rub and massage into the meat.
4. Add 1/3 of the teriyaki sauce mixture, marinate for an hour.
5. Heat the grill (or pan) upto 180 dregree centigrade.
6. Place the salmon filet (skin down) or steak on the griler.
7. Flip over when ready.  Baste cooked side with the remaining cooked teriyaki sauce.
8. Remove from fire, baste the other side with cooked teriyaki sauce.
9.  Ready to serve.

Website	http://www.cebunihongo.com/
Email	kamekichi.cooking@gmail.com
Facebook	http://facebook.com/kamekichi.cooking

Vietnamese Spinach with Garlic

With their slender built, Vietnamese are obviously fond of eating green leafy vegetables and herbs.  We wanted to make our mama proud, and included a vegetable dish in our private cooking lessons at Goian, Bach Dang Street, Hoi An, Vietnam.

Ingredients:
100 grams spinach
1 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 liter boiling water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
pinch of pepper (black or white)

Procedure:
1.  Add boiling water in pot, add salt.  Boil for 2 minutes.
2.  Add spinach, boil for 2 minutes. (and notice the change in color to bright dark green).
3.  Remove spinach from the boiling water then drain.
4.  In a pan, heat oil in meadium heat.
5.  Stir garlic for 30 seconds
6.  Add spinach and oyster sauce.
7.  Cook for 2 minutes, add pepper to taste.

Are you ready to cook some healthy dish?

Vietnamese Noodle Soup: Pho

A trip to Vietnam or a Vietnamese restaurant can't be complete without the local's staple food, Vietnamese noodle soup "Pho".  Pho is of French and Chinese influence, served in a bowl with a specific cut of white rice noodles called "banh pho" in clear broth with thin slices of meat.

Learning to cook Pho is on top of our list during our private cooking lessons at Goian, Bach Dang Street Hoi An.

Ingredients: Serve 4

200 grams rice noodles
50 grams bean sprout
2 tbsp fresh mints
2 tsp lemon juice
2 star anise
1 tsp dry coriander leaves or whole cinnamon
4 tsp vegetable stock powder (2 tsp for stock, 2 tsp for marinade)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chili paste
1 inch ginger, crushed
1/2 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts, crushed
1 liter boiling water
100 grams beef bones
200 grams beef, thinly sliced
2 shallots
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure:
1.  To make the stock, Add beef bone in a large pot of boiling water with 2 tsp stock powder, 1/2 tsp sugar, ginger, dry coriander leaves, star anise, shallots. Cook for 20 minutes at high heat  or 1 hour at low heat.
2.  Marinade beef with chili paste, 2 tsp stock powder, 1/2 tsp sugar for 30 minutes.  You may add the juice from squeezed carrots and turnip.  Set aside.
3.  In a separate pot, soften rice noodle in boiling water for 20 seconds, then transfer it to a bowl of bean sprouts.
4.  Heat oil in a pan in medium heat, add marinade beef (2) and saute for 2 minutes, until cooked.  Remove from fire and add it on the bowl with noodles(3)
5.  Add the broth (1) into the noodles (4) when ready to serve.
6.  Garnish with mint, lemon juice and peanuts.

The verdict:  It's one of the tastiest Pho we've tasted all across Vietnam.

Vietnamese Country Pancake

All across Vietnam, we were introduced to their version of the pancake.  Vietnamese cuisine is rich in green vegetables and herbs and their pancake is no exception.  They have quite a number of versions, when I participated in a private cooking class at Gioan, 94B Bach Dang Street, in Hoi An, their's was the so called "country pancake".

Ingredients: (serve 4)

4 tbsp rice flour
2 tsp tumeric powder
8 tbsp water
50 grams bean sprout
2 tbsp vegetable oil
8 devined shrimps
8 pork/chicken slices
fresh mint

1.  Mixture: Mix rice flour and tumeric powder, add water little by little to avoid clumping.
2.  Heat 1 tbsp oil until medium hot in a frying pan, saute shrimp and meat until half cooked.
3.  Add mixture (1) into the pan, spread like pancake, then add bean sprout on top.
4.  Cover for a minute then uncover for another 3 minutes or until crispy.
5.  When crispy, remove from fire and fold pancake into half and serve with dipping sauce.


Dipping Sauce:
1 fresh chili, crushed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fish sauce (saltier than soy sauce)

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Chicken Terriyaki Don by Kamekichi

Kamekichi is one of my favorite casual dining when I'm craving for some good hot ramen and gyoza. The owner came up with Sunday afternoon cooking class and I signed up for it.

Serving for two.
Ingredients:

Terriyaki Sauce:
4 Tbsp shouyu (soy sauce)
4 Tbsp Sake (japanese rice wine)
2 Tbsp honey
1/4 tsp shouga (ginger), grinded
1/2 tsp spring onion, chopped thinly
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp tomato catsup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)

1. Chop the spring onion into half, discard the all green part for other use. Slice off the top most of the spring onion, slice the head (white part) lenghtwise twice, then chop it in circles, including a little green.
2. Mix all the ingredients of the terriyaki sauce together. Instead of sake, one may use the more expensive mirin, in this case, omit the honey and tomato sauce. Set aside.

Ingredients:

Whole chicken breast with skin, deboned
1/4 cup san miguel beer pale pilsen
2 Tbsp Corn oil or canola oil

1. Remove the excess meat of the chicken breast. Discard or use for other purpose.
2. Skin down,cut the breast into half, make sure, skin is equally distributed. Avoid the spine and remove remaining bones.
3. Cut two diagonal lines onto the meat halfway and in opposite direction, to create diamonds. These cuts enable the flavirs to sip in.

4. Season with salt and pepper, rub and massage it into the meat. (onto one side, w/o the skin)
5. Place the meat on your palm and dust with cornstarch. (both sides)
6. Heat the pan, with oil upto 180 dregree centigrade.
7. Place the chicken in the pan, skin down. (shuffle to make sure it is cooked evenly)
8. Flip over when light brown.
9. When brown, add the beer, then cover to simmer for about 3 minutes.
10. Shuffle the pan to cook it evenly.
11. Switch off fire.
12. Tilt the pan and remove excess fat and sauce, wipe it with tissue paper.
13. Switch on the fire again and continue cooking by adding the Terriyaki sauce.
14. Keep the chicken moving so as not to burn the sauce. Cook for about a minute per side.
15. Remove from fire and transfer to a chopping board.
16. With skin up, slice chicken into thin bite size.
17. Serve over rice. Add the remaining sauce from the pan.

Website	http://www.cebunihongo.com/
Email	kamekichi.cooking@gmail.com
Facebook	http://facebook.com/kamekichi.cooking

Classic Tiramisu

Classic Tiramisu


I'm discovering the use of Mascarpone cheese; and I'm surprised to know that a 250 gram tub costs almost P500 at Tinder Box.  Let's see how good this cheese is.

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin
1/3 cup (75 mL) water
1 1/4 cups (300 mL)strong coffee or espresso
1/4 cup (50 mL)almond or coffee flavoured liqueur
2 tbsp (25 mL)custard powder
3/4 cup (175mL) milk
1/3 cup (75 mL) granulated sugar
1 tub (475 g) Tre Stelle® Mascarpone
8 egg whites
2 packages (150 g) ladyfingers
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder

Sprinkle gelatin over water to soften. Heat until dissolved. Combine coffee and liqueur; set aside. In a large bowl stir custard powder into milk. Add sugar and Tre Stelle® Mascarpone. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat dissolved gelatin mixture into Mascarpone mixture until smooth. Fold in beaten egg whites. One at a time, dip ladyfingers into coffee mixture and place fingers in bottom of a serving pan. Spoon 1/3 of Mascarpone mixture evenly over. Repeat with 2 more layers of ladyfingers and mascarpone. Sift cocoa over top and refrigerate overnight. Makes 10 servings.

Red Velvet Cheesecake

It's actually a mistake, I was craving for red velvet like the one I had at Cheesecake Factory.  Browsing through my photos, I realized it was not just any ordinary red velvet, twas a red velvet cheesecake.  Cheesecake Factory's red velvet cheesecake was definitely to die for.  It's their second best seller next to the classic new york cheesecake and the only one flavor that's not classic that remained on the shelf after several years.  Who introduced me to red velvet?  Oh, no less than Oprah Winrey :)

Red Velvet Cheesecake

---

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 11-13 pieces

Crust Ingredients:
32 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely processed into crumbs
5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt

Ganache Ingredients:
3/4 cups heavy cream
10 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used half semisweet and half bittersweet)

Cake Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 tablespoon cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
1 ounce red food coloring

Filling Ingredients:
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Decorative Toppings (optional):
2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
white chocolate for drizzling
strawberries

Directions:
Note on cheesecake making: Cheesecakes are simple and super customizable. New to cheesecake making? Watch my 6 minute Cheesecake Video Tutorial for visual assistance!

Note on scheduling: This cake is easily separated into two days of preparation, and can be prepared ahead of time. On day one, prepare the red velvet cake, cool it, and freeze it. On day two, prepare the cheesecake. You can then assemble and decorate right away, or leave this for day three.

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and the sides of an 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides to make it easier to lift the cake out of the pan when it’s done. Cream shortening, sugar, and eggs. Make a paste of the cocoa and coloring and add to the shortening mixture. Add salt and vanilla. Add buttermilk alternately with the flour, beginning and ending with flour. Mix vinegar and soda right before using and add to mixture by folding in. Pour batter into the cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely, cover in wax paper, and freeze for 30 minutes or until firm.

Make the cheesecake: To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides).

Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Once the cream reaches a simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk in small circles until a smooth ganache has formed. Pour 1 – 1.5 cups of the ganache over the bottom of the crust. Freeze until the ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes. Reserve the remaining ganache; cover and let stand at room temperature for later decorating.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended. Beat in the flour. Add in the vanilla and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition.

Pour the filling over the cold ganache in the crust. Place the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the top is lightly browned, puffed and cracked at the edges, and the center moves only very slightly when the pan is lightly shaken, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire cooling rack. Cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and let cool at least 3 hours, until completely chilled and set.

Assemble topping: Whip room temperature ganache to create a fluffy texture perfect for piping. In a separate bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar to make a small amount of cream cheese frosting for decorating.

Assemble the cheesecake: Wrap a warm towel around the outside of the springform pan to help loosen the crust from the sides. Carefully remove the springform. Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Place cake layer on top of cheesecake (right side up). Decorate top of cake with drizzled white chocolate, piped cream cheese frosting, whipped ganache, and strawberries.

How to make Red Velvet Cake

I was craving for some sweets today,  I came home early from work so I dropped by Leona.  Often mistakenly called as Leona's, Leona Cake and Pastries Company serves one of the best breads and cakes in Cebu, ideal for home or for give aways.  Their price is fairly reasonable for good quality stuff.   I particularly like their moist chocolate cake, guava chiffon cake, their mamon comes close to Goldilocks, their wheat bread is an everyday bestseller.  I grabbed a few slices of banana carrot loaf, mamon, moist chocolate cake and was dumbfounded seeing a four inch red velvet cupcake selling for P50.  It looked so tasty, I can't wait to get a bite.  Except for the white sprinkles on the icing, although less cheesy than Los Angeles' Cheese cake Factory version, I was totally satisfied with this one.  Aaah, heavenly!

I'm off to the grocery since I'll be trying out this recipe:

Red Velvet Cake:

2 1/2 cups (250 grams) sifted cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (15 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

2 tablespoons liquid red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

1 - 8 ounce (227 grams) tub of Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (115 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 (360 ml) cups cold heavy whipping cream (double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

Red Velvet Cake: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Set aside. 
2. In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. 
3. In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. 
4. In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. 
5. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 
   Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight). (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

Cream Cheese Frosting: 

1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until smooth. 
2. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. 
3. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread. 
4. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Assemble: With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting.  Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish the cake with sweetened or unsweetened coconut.

Serves 10 - 12 people.

Source: http://www.joyofbaking.com/

Location Map of Leona Bakery in red star

Leona Cakes and Pastries Company
Juan Luna Avenue, Cebu City
Contact number (032) 233 0386

Door #5 GQS Plaza, Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue, Banilad

232-4450  () ‎

Substitution of Ingredients

Although recommended ingredients is still best for any recipe, circumstances dictate you need to substitute some ingredients.  I often resort to this when ingredients are not available in the market or need very little when I have ready substitute on hand.  Here's a helpful guide:

For 1c butter, substitute with:
1c margarine
7/8c lard plus 1/2 tsp salt
7/8 to 1c hydrogenated shortening plus 1/2 tsp salt

For 1 square oz of unsweetened chocolate, substitute with:
3Tbsp cocoa plus 1 Tbsp fat

For 3 native eggs, substitute with:
2 regular sized eggs

For 1c cake flour, substitute with:
7/8 c all purpose flour (sift it several times)

For 1c buttermilk or sour milk, substitute with:
1Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar plus enough fresh whole milk to make 1 cup
or 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar plus half cup evaporated milk and half cup hot water.

For 1c fresh whole milk, substitute with:
1/2c evaporated milk plus 1/2c water

For 2 1/2tsp or 1pkg active dry yeast, substitute with:
1 cake compressed fresh yeast

Ngohiong

Ngohiong has been a staple food in school.  Later did I realize that ngohiong is only available in Cebu.  Ngohiong is like a vegetable spring roll with a wrapper that has a unique texture dipped in five-spiced chili sauce.

Popular ngohiong stands in Cebu are:

Cebu Lumpia House

• DELIVERY 254.4675 / 256.1055; CATERING 416-8481; MABOLO 422.4768 / 512.4797
• http://www.lumpiahouse.tk/
• Manalili Street

 Doming's Ngohiong

• Fairlane Village, Guadalupe

Cheaverz Fried and Grill

• Cheaverz AS Fortuna St, Mandaue +63.32.345-6860
• Cheaverz Labangon: +63.32.262-8907
• Cheaverz Talamban: +63.32.345-8182
• Cheaverz M. Velez: +63.32.255-5661

If you want to make one, here's a recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 kl singkamas (jicama), stripped
3 tbsp ngohiong powder
2 tbsp 5 spice powder
1/2 kl ground pork
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
season to taste with salt, pepper, honey and soy sauce
lumpia wrapper

batter after wrapping with lumpia wrapper:
* Mixed 2 cups cornstarch, 5 tbsp paprika/white pepper and 700 grms water
* Stir with fork to remove lumps

Cooking Procedure:
1. Put a little bit of oil then saute garlic and onion. Put  the pork and cook until slightly brown.
2. Put singkamas, ngohiong powder, spice powder and season with salt, pepper, honey and soy sauce. Cook for a minute.
3. Let it cool.
4. After cooling, put 2 tbsp of the mixture in a lumpia wrapper, then roll.
5. Do the same procedure in all lumpia wrapper.
6. Deep in the batter mixture.
7. Deep-fry in lard (pork fat) until golden brown.
8. Then serve with lorbak sauce (as follows)

Lorbak Sauce:
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp castor sugar
1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder (ng heong fun)/ Ngo hiong hun
1/8 tsp salt
4-5 tbsp water
1/2 tsp corn flour or tapioca flour
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Cooking Procedure:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepot.
2. Boil then turn the fire low and simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Stirring occasionally until sauce turns smooth. Add in egg white and stir with a fork to form fine strands.
4. Set aside to cool then use.

Tip:  five spiced powder is available in groceries (if you don't find it in your local grocery, check it out in a chinese grocery downtown)

Sans Rival (and Sylvanas in Cebu)

I started baking in my elementary years, when I read the recipe book as a kid, it went, "Sans Rival (without rival)" I thought how could Sans Rival be like without "Rival" in it? ;)

I've long wanted to try baking Sans Rival, but had been too lazy to make the meringue.  It has been too convenient to just order.  The best tasting sans rival in Cebu is available at Cebu Country Club for a cheap price of less than P500 for a large pan.  However, it's exclusively available for members and their guests.  Alternatively, you can orderly directly through one of their chefs, Pilpa. (I lost her number, I'll update this as soon as I can get hold of it).

Can you try baking this for me and let me know if it tastes good?

Ingredients for Meringue:
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup unsalted cashew nuts, coarsely chopped

Ingredients for Buttercream:
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup butter
2 tbsp rum or other flavoring
green food coloring, optional

1. Make meringue by eating whites with cream of tartar until stiff, gradually adding sugar.
2. Add flavoring and one half of the nuts.
3. Prepare cookie sheets; use 2 regular-sized sheets lined with white bond paper.  Overlap if bond paper is too small.
4. Spread meringue evenly over bond paper and bake at 350F, for 1 hour.
5. When quite brown, remove from oven and cool completely before removing bond paper.  (If meringue has not dried out, it will get sticky later).
6. For buttercream, combine sugar and water and heat over fire until syrup almost reaches thread stage.
7. Meanwhile, beat egg yolk, then add hot syrup in a stream.
8. Beat yolks continuously as you add syrup.
9. Cool very well.
10. In another bowl, beat chilled butter until creamy and whitish; add cooled syrup-egg-yolk mixture to butter and beat continuously.
11. Remove bond paper from meringue and spread one layer of it with the buttercream; sprinkle with some nuts.
12. Top with second layer and spread with rest of cream and sprinkle with nuts.
13. Freeze immediately and, when ready to serve, use a heavy sharp knife and cut with a quick downward motion.
14. A tiny amount of green food coloring may be added to the buttercream to give a nice pleasant green color and the yellow color of butter is comouflaged.

-0-

Cebu Country Club 
Banilad, Cebu City 
(032) 231-0345/ (032) 231-1802

Alternatively, sylvanas are likewise popular in Cebu, it's price rising as its popularity.  Home baked Montenegro's sylvanas is the most popular; it's round, thin and crisp (purchased one recently, the meringue is thicker) while that of Mrs. Unchuan is growing popularity; it's oblong and thicker.  My personal choice still goes for Montenegro's.


Mrs. Maria Luisa "Nena" Montenegro
(032) 2322902
# 20 Dr. Tojong St. Lahug, Cebu City
(near Ayala Center Cebu, located one street before Golden Prince Hotel, next to Islands Stay Hotel & the new Metrobank/Asia United Bank Lahug)

Mrs. Marissa Unchuan "Mrs. U"
(032) 2334348

Yemas

A Cook's Treasure by Gloria Parinas Duterte, from Cebu City, Philippines has always been a reliable source of recipes for home cooked meals and goodies.  It was published in 1984, and with a sigh of relief, I still have the book.  It was lost, borrowed, misplaced so many times, and I always go frantic whenever it went missing.  I've already posted some of her recipes here, as a back up.

Since myfriendsunjun asked for this, I'm posting two versions of the Yemas, I as a kid loved.  I can't remember anymore which I preferred, it's your choice between more milk or more yolk.  I suppose, more yolk will turn out creamier in the inside, crisp on the outside.

Yemas

I.
1 can condensed milk
8 large egg yolk or 12 native egg yolk
1 tsp orange rind, minced or any flavoring
2 cups sugar for caramel
Cellophane cut in squares 4"x4", plain or colored

II.
10 egg yolks
2 cans condensed milk
1 tsp lemon rind or other flavoring
2 cups sugar for caramel
Cellophane cut in squares 4"x4", plain or colored

Beat yolks slightly and mix with milk.  Cook over low fire until mixture is thick.  Add flavor.  When mixture is difficult to stir, remove from fire and form into balls (or as you please).

Heat sugar in low heat to make caramelized sugar.  Once caramel is ready, coat balls quickly, using toothpick to dip yemas into it.  Let balls stand for a few minutes to dry coating on greased pan before wrapping.  Use caramel quickly, if it hardens, place over fire again on low heat.  Cool yemas thoroughly before wrapping in cellophane.

Note:  I like yemas minus the caramel coating. :)

Other than the yemas, my childhood favorite includes Duterte's recipes on Lenguas de Gato and Polvoron and I've been wanting to try her sans rival, and I've been saying that for the past twenty years. haha