Spaghetti with Seared Cajun Chicken and Salsa Fresca

This is the latest dish I created in our Cafe…It turns out to be my boss favorite meal. It is a grilled chicken spiced with cajun seasoning served with a salsa and spaghetti tomato based noodles…Did you know that cajun seasoning is mainly composed of cayenne pepper. Cayenne is known for its thousand of health benefits. It is great for the stomach and the intestinal tract. It stimulates the peristaltic motion of the intestines and aids in assimilation and elimination. . . Some reserach says it can do everything from kills cancer cells in the prostate, lungs, and pancreas to immediately stop a heart attack within 30 seconds. “A teaspoon of cayenne could bring the patient out of the heart attack.” . . .

Ingredients (good for sharing)

For Pasta:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp minced onions
• red & green capsicum
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• salt & pepper
• 150 gms spaghetti noodles
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
• dash of marjoram & thyme
• chopped fresh parsley

- In a teflon pan, heat oil and saute garlic and onions. add in the rest of ingredients and set aside

Chicken:

• 150 grams chicken breast (seasoned with cajun & sat & pepper)

- heat a little oil in a grill pan…seared chicken for 5-8 minutes until brown.

Salsa Fresca: (makes 6-8 servings)

• 1 medium tomato
• 1 medium green capsicum
• 1 medium red capsicum
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 medium onions
• 1 stalk coriander
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp of salt & pepper

- in a container, mix all ingredients together, let it chilled for 30 minutes or overnight, cover and keep in fridge will last 2-3 days. 

Plating:

- using your imagination, plate nicely in a 12 inches round plate. serve with garlic bread

Peri Peri Chicken

How spicy can you go?? .. . . Peri peri chicken, one of our favorite!!! It is a  hot and spicy chicken recipe, Peri Peri chicken is a speciality of the Nando’s restaurants. It’s a home made Peri Peri sauce that use several kinds chillies, chile powder and other ingredients. I think almost every week we go to nandos restaurant to eat this meal(Hey, nandos, you need to pay me for advertising your restaurant free!! hehehe)……..Did you know that the more chillies you eat, the more healthier you go…Because chillies are also good in other antioxidants like vitamin A, and flavonoids like beta carotene, alpha carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthins. These antioxidant substances in capsicum helps to protect body from injurious effects of free radicals generated during stress, diseases conditions.

Ingredients: good for 3-4 persons

• 12 pcs chicken nibbles or wings
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup Peri-Peri Sauce (see recipe below)
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp paprika

Procedures:

• In a container add butter, Peri Peri sauce, lemon juice, garlic and paprika. mix well then add chicken and rub evenly.
• Marinade for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• You can use charcoal grill or grill in the oven. Brush with the remaining sauce every 5 minutes
• Enjoy!!!
• Best with a chips or java rice 

Peri Peri sauce recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 fresh hot chilli peppers (jalapeno), chopped
• 1 medium capsicum chopped
• 8 Tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup olive oil (or more to achieve desired consistency)
• 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper or red pepper (adjust quantity to taste)
• 3 tsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp chilli powder

Procedures:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and adjust your taste with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight
• Keep in a container and may last to one week. keep it fridge.

 

Double Chocolate Cake

To be honest, It took me 50 shots to take this photo..sorry I am not really a good photographer. I wish I could be someday…While taking photos, we start eating the cake then I realized I havent take a full photo shot of the cake…huhuhuhu!!!..A very sinful chocolate cake!!!….Did you know that chocolates  are high in potassium and magnesium, chocolate also provides us with several vitamins – including B1, B2, D, and E. As for calories, no one is going to claim chocolate is the quintessential diet food. But still, it is low enough for a dieter to enjoy one as an occasional treat. Besides, indulging your chocolate craving from time to time can help prevent the bingeing that is a dieter’s worst enemy….

Ingredients: Makes one round sinfully delicious chocolate cake

• 150 gma butter
• 1 cup white caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1/2 cup bakers flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 100 gms 70% dark chocolate melted
• 3/4 cup fresh cream

Topping: Chocolate ganache

• 400 dark chocolate melts
• 1 cup fresh cream
• Rainbow choco sprinkles (optional)
   

Procedures:

• Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease a deep 20 or 22 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper
• Beat butter and sugar in a mixing bowl with until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.This will help create a smooth texture.
• add the following ingredients by sifting flours, bicarbonate of soda, and cocoa, then stir in the melted chocolate and milk
• Spread in cake tin and bake for approximately 1 hour or until firm to touch.
• Leave in cake tin for 30 minutes, then turn onto wire rack to cool. cut half way(for chocolate ganache filling inside) 
• To make the topping, place chocolate and cream in a container and microwave for 2 minutes, stir over heat until chocolate is melted. Pour over on half of cake , assemble other half and pour the remaining ganache on top of cake. 
• Using your imagination, decorate your cake with rainbow sprinkles or some chocolate shavings.
• Best with a cup of coffee or tea.

Baked Mussels Casino

Its one of the best appetizer(pulutan) in the world. best paired with a bottle of wine.(a glass would not be enough for me,heheheh)..A great starter for a small catering “plated set menu”…We called it casino because the first time I made this was in school…Its an italian style starter paired with their wines while playing casino or any form of gambling….Did you know that mussels are full of healthful vitamins and minerals. Shellfish particularly mussels are one of the best dietary sources of zinc, a mineral necessary for keeping your immune system healthy and to promote the healing of wounds…

Ingredients: serves 3-4 persons

• 15 pcs big mussels
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tbsp hot sauce & mayonnaise on top(optional)
• 6 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1 medium finely chopped onions

Procedures

• in a pot, pour water and mussels and boil until it is mussels are opened. set aside. remove meat and save half shell
• IN a pan, heat butter but do not boil, add in garlic and onions and bread crumbs . set aside
• in a plate, pour in bread crumb mix and coat with mussels then place to its half shell
• preheat oven for 5 minutes at 180 degree celsius, bake for about 10 minutes.
• serve with mayonnaise on top and hot sauce
• enjoy it while drinking a bottle of wine

Double Cheeseburger with caramelized onions

An episode of a cooking show just featured a very yummy selection of burger, and it makes me crazy and craving for it, but don’t have time to go outside. So I decided to make my own. lucky I still have my burger buns on the fridge..I made a traditional burger with caramelized onions…So simple, but believe me, it will rock your world. If I will call my burger as a business building, It would be twin towers like”. I make it double the patty and cheese using a 100% lean beef mince….and because I am really hungry, I did not exert a lot of effort on taking its photos, just 1 shot and eat it straight away……Did you know that lean beef is a very good source of protein and vitamin B12 and a good source of selenium, zinc, iron, phosphorus and also contains nutrients that protect your heart and prevent colon cancer…..

Ingredients: serves 6 burger (12 patties)

In the plate:

• 1 pc burger bun
• 1 tsp of mayonnaise
• 1 tsp of hot sauce
• 1 tsp of mustard
• 3 pcs of pickles
• 2 pcs burger patties
• 2 pcs sliced cheese
• some fancy lettuce
• 2 slices of tomatoes
• caramelized onions

* using your imagination, just assemble the following ingredients and eat it straight away.

Burger patties recipes: makes 12-15 patties depending on your desired size

• 500 gms minced beef
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 med minced onions
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Procedures:

• In a bowl, mix all ingredients together and form a patties at approx 80-100 gms each
• your choice of cooking method will be, pan fry or grill.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Chicken Laksa with egg noodles

laksa….To be honest, I just watched this on television with the famous show “master Chef”, They are featuring Malaysian and Thai cuisines. Since I have all the ingredients on my fridge, the following day, since we have a visitor coming, I cooked it us our dinner. It’s very tasty meal savouring lots of spices such as ginger, chilli peppers, garlic, onions, coriander, curry, turmeric and more… . Delicious!!!…..  Did you know that turmeric is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties, It is a natural wonder and proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions and can prevent breast cancer, leukemia,  wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin and many more…..

Ingredients: good for 4-6 persons

in a mortar and pestle: grind the following

• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 shallots
• 1 red chillies
• 1 green chillies
• 3 tbsp ginger
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 2 stems lemon grass
• 2 tbsp shrimp paste
• 1/4 cup cashew nuts

Other ingredients:

• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 whole chicken cut in serving portion
• 200 gms egg noodles
• 3 stems coriander
• 1 medium carrots cut in serving size
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut cream

Procedures:

• In a wok,  heat oil and saute laksa mix, saute well.
• in a separate pan, heat oil and stir fry chicken until golden brown seasoned with salt & pepper
• combine chicken to wok of laksa and add in coconut cream, carrots and water. cook for 10 minutes
• add in egg noodles and cook for another 2 minutes
• serve hot with chopped coriander on top.

Steamed White Chicken

A favorite appetizer(pulutan) of my father-in-law (rene), We usually have this starter when we are drinking hard beverages such as whisky, brandy or cognacs. It is a slow cooked chicken with some spices. It’s really best to dip it into a kikoman soysauce with chillies after a shot of a brandy(wheew!!….please drink moderately!)….Did you know that in steam cooking or steaming, the boiling water never comes in contact with the food. Heat from the steam is gentle and uniform. It slowly diffuses through the food and let the food cook in its own juice thus minimizing loss of nutrients and retaining its texture and flavor and all the vitamins and minerals.

Ingredients: (good for 3-4 persons)

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 1 medium onions chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger chopped
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup slices of leeks
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 cups of water

Procedures:

• In a large sauce pan with steamer. mix all ingredients together except chicken and water. mix well. add chicken and rub evenly.
• add water to the sauce pan with all the remaining “rubbed mixtures”and place the chicken on its steamer. slow cook for 45 mins or until cooked.
•  if you don’t have a steamer pot., you can wrap the chicken to a cling wrap(make atleast 4-5 small holes to prevent from ballooning). then place to a large saucepan of boiling water and its mixtures. serve hot with its remaining reduced stocks.
• Best dipping sauce is a kikoman with lots of chillies and a twist of lemon juice. 

Sinigang na Baka sa Bayabas(Beef in guava soup)

My wife cook this recipe, she learned it from her mother. I only have this dish in their house because to be honest, I did not know that guava can be used in cooking.  Best serve with a side dipping sauce of bagoong with chillies(wow, I am hungry)…Did you know that nutrients in guava, such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium strengthens and tones up the digestive system and disinfect it. Guava is also beneficial in gastroenteritis due to reasons stated above..It is also good in treatment for diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin care, high blood pressure, weight loss and more… 

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 1 kl beef brisket with bones and meat(cut in serving size)
• 1 pc courgettes slices
• 1 can guava 320 gms or 6 pcs fresh ripe guavas
• 1 sachet sinigang sa bayabas (guava soup) or just a tamarind base soup
• 1 medium onions
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp salt
• 1.5 liter of water
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

procedures:

• In a container, rub beef with salt. cover and place in fridge for minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
• In a sauce pan, pour in water, beef & onions. boil for 45 minutes or until beef is tender
• add in guava and courgettes and seasoned with sachet of sinigang na bayabas
• serve hot

Banquet Stlye – Beef with Mushroom Sauce

A popular dish for banquet and caterings. It’s always on the menu list of our clients back in the philippines (celebrity sports plaza) It is a tender slices of beef served with mushroom sauce. You can pair this dish with roast chicken, buttered vegetables, fish fillets and a pasta plus the soup & salad bar.(that was one of our banquet set menu) …Did you know that mushrooms are among the best foods you can eat to bolster your immunity. Maintaining a strong immune system is very important, especially as you get older.  It produce a compounds known as beta glucan, which keep immune cells in a state of vigilance, guarding against disease. Some research reveals that mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant that contributes to immun health, as well as to the protection of the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys and bone marrow.

Ingredients: (good for 3-4 persons)

• 1 kl of beef (sirloin ) cut in thinly slices
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups cream of mushroom sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 medium onions (diced)
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp cornstarch dissolve in 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup oil for stir-frying
• Botton mushrooms (optional for extenders)

procedures:

• in a container, season beef with salt & pepper, soy sauce & baking soda-helps beef become more tender)
• in a pan, heat oil and fry beef until medium done. set aside
• in the same pan, cook onion on the remaining oil until caramelize. add butter. then pour botton mushrooms and cream of mushroom sauce, let it boil and add cornstarch mix as thickening agent. seasoned with salt & pepper.
• toss beef on the pan and remove from heat. Serve hot.
• Enjoy!!

Pork Steak Tagalog

This is one of my favorite dish especially when I go to a “TURO-TURO” or canteen(small cafeteria) in the philippines…It’s a marinated fried pork with canalized onions and served with its remaining marinade mix. A simple dish that you can definitely eat a bunch of rice on it….whew!!!…..Did you know that onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure. In some places, communities that never consumed onions had blood cholesterol levels substantially higher, and blood clotting times shorter, than the communities that ate liberal amounts of garlic and onions….

Ingredients: good for 3-4 persons

• oil for frying
• 6-8 pcs of pork chops or 1/2 a kilo
• 2 big white onions
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup lemon or calamansi
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp sugar

Procedures:

• in a container, mix soy sauce, salt & pepper, 1 tsp sugar(save 1 tsp for onions) and lemon, mix well then add pork. marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• in a frying pan, fry pork until medium well. set aside and remove oil from the pan.
• from the same frying pan, add a little oil and saute onions for 3-4 minutes or until caramelize. add 1 tsp sugar.
• add in fried pork and its remaining marinade mix. add in water and bring to a boil.
• serve hot & enjoy!!!