Smoked Salmon Platter

Smoked salmon…………I am not sure if I will be posting this one, because it is very easy and simple recipe and “no cooking” involve on this dish. Just want to share you a quick and easy appetizer if you have an unexpected visitor in your place. You can serve this while you are cooking for your dinner, It is a great starter paired with a good glass of wine. Or maybe a snack will do, just add a bread and butter on the side preferably a bagel or just a simple toast……………………..Did you know that smoked salmon is a good source of omega3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated fats found in oily, meaty fish like salmon, as well as flax-seed, walnuts, canola, and soy. These fatty acids are very beneficial for overall good health. Smoked salmon is also a ”superfood” with multiple health benefits as a great source of protein, the antioxidant vitamin E and vitamin B-12.. Smoked salmon also has lower mercury content than other larger meaty fish such as swordfish and shark, making it a safer choice for fish rich in omega-3. Sometimes touted as a miracle food, smoked salmon isn’t going to cure any diseases on its own; however, there is evidence that including it in a balanced diet on a regular basis can help the body maintain good health…….

Ingredients: good for sharing

• 5-10 pcs of thinly cut smoked salmon
• salad greens
• 1 – 2 tbsp of cream cheese
• slices of cucumber and tomatoes
• dressing of your choice.

Procedures:

• using your creative imagination, assemble ingredients to your plate and serve.
• Best paired with a glass of wine.
• Enjoy!! 

 

Smoked Fish and Raddish Salad

Smoked fish and raddish salad…………..The favourite of my wife especially if accompanied by a fried fish or grilled pork chop, even crispy pata, fried pork chop or any fried and grilled dishes. The flavor is more on the sour side as it has tomatoes and vinegar that’s why it helps you boost your appetite plus the smoked fish that gives the dish the complete flavor……………….Did you know that raddish are a low-calorie vegetable that have no fat or cholesterol. With very little sodium and no protein, radish nutrition facts reveal that the major nutrient contained in radishes is dietary fiber and with one serving of radishes, it will keep you full of energy. …..

Ingredients: good for 3-4 persons

• 1 large raddish (grated)
• 1 large red onions thinly sliced
• 1 large tomatoes sliced
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 100 grams smoked shredded fish (tinapa)

Procedures:

• In a container with cover, mix all ingredients together. mix well and keep in fridge – will last for 3 days.
• Best side dish for your favourite fried or grilled items
• Serve cold.

Salt and Pepper Chicken

Salt and Pepper Fried Chicken……………This is the simplest way to cook a very flavourful fried chicken. I remember when I was in Manila, on my boss house, there is an agent who is selling a “salad master cookware”, One of her demonstration is to cook a fried chicken without using an oil. She just seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper and place in a covered salad master cookware and cooked for 15 minutes on low heat setting and that’s it. You had a very flavourful and simple fried chicken. Accompanied by the fried chicken is our favorite coriander salad. You may noticed that most of my fried dishes here are always comes with a side salad made of coriander, tomato, onions, chillies  and fish sauce……………………………Did you know that chicken is a very good source of protein which helps keeps immune system healthy. Meat, poultry and fish are high in quality protein. Chicken provides this mineral which works by producing cells to support the immune system and increase energy. ………..

Ingredients: Serves 4-6 persons

• 12 pcs chicken legs
• oil for frying
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground pepper

Coriander Salad:

• 2 pcs tomatoes quartered
• 1 medium onions sliced
• 1 bunch of coriander sliced
• 2 tbp fish sauce
• 5 pcs chopped chillies optional

Procedures:

• In a mixing bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper and rub evenly.
• In a frying pan, heat oil and fried chicken until brown.
• Enjoy and serve hot!!

Igado (pork liver)

Igado……..A very common food in the Philippines. You will find this in almost all cafeterias / turo-turo (small restaurants) in every corner streets. There are many ways to cook this dish, some cooked it as “adobo style” and some just cooked it stir fry with tomatoes, some loves cooking it with a thickened sauce. I cook the simplest way – cooked with tomatoes or what they called ‘”sinangkutsa”. Where in you will just combine all ingredients together and cook it in a slow heat settings. Well, It saves your time, so you can watch TV or a movie while cooking. Just remember to keep a timer……………………..Did you know that pork liver contains significant amounts of certain vitamins and minerals and is a good source of protein. Protein is important for muscles growth and for repair of body tissues. This pork liver is one of the most concentrated sources of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to promote healthy vision, promote fertility in males and females and allow for proper embryonic development.

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 500 gms pork liver cut in strips
• 250 grams pork meat cut in strips
• 2 whole tomatoes chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 medium red onion chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup water

Procedures;

• In a non-stick pan, combine all ingredients together expect water and oil. let it simmer for 30 minutes using a low heat settings.
•  Then when the mixtures starts to seared. Stir with oil and stir fry for about 5 minutes. then add water
• Boil for another 5 minutes. Then serve hot!!

 

 

Restaurant Tour – Buffalo Restaurant (Steak House)

Buffalo Restaurant…………Everytime we had a special occasion and we are craving for steak or grilled dishes, we go here at Buffalo Restaurant. The price is very reasonable and the serving portion is huge enough to satisfy an empty stomach of a man. probably good for sharing for woman. (but not my wife-because she eat a lots-LOL)…The picture above is their 400-500g ramp steak valued at 23.00 dollar. but since we had a buy one get one voucher on which you can find at the back of supermarket receipt. I get two ramp steak for the price of one. You can also find the voucher in leading newspapers and magazines. The menu is priced from 15-25 dollar. and best of all their kid’s meal is only 12 dollar complete with a drink and a dessert. ………..

They are located at:

Buffalo Bar & Grill,

3 Northcroft St, Takapuna, North Shore. Auckland, New Zealand Phone 09-4898615

Enjoy!!!

Stir-fry Pork Spareribs in Black Bean Sauce

Stir fry pork spareribs in black bean sauce…………….A very popular dish in chinese takeaways, but my version is more on the filipino taste as I used mainly Philippines’ ingredients. There are many ways to cook this dish using the black beans, for recap, I already posted Beef in Black bean sauce, Pork spareribs in tausi, fried fish in tausi sauce and more. And best of all, the black beans itself has a distinctive flavor that is very appetizing. And it it very easy to cook…………………Did you know that black beans are very high in fiber, folate, protein, and antioxidants, along with numerous other vitamins and minerals. Black beans make a complete protein when paired with brown rice, which is often why they are so commonly included in a vegetarian diet. The high quantity of both protein and fiber in black beans help to move food through the stomach to the large intestine at a healthier pace. This keeps any one part of the digestive tract from having to work too hard and supports the ideal balance of chemicals and populations of microorganisms required for a healthy digestive system………

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 2 tbs oil
• 1 thumb size ginger sliced thinly
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 kilogam pork spareribs, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 cup water
• 1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 small can of black beans (use 3 tbsp and mashed it)
• pepper to taste
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Procedures:

• Heat oil in pan , add pork and stir fry until brown and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, ginger and onions and soy sauce. Saute’ for 2 minutes.
• Add black beans. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes.
• Add 1 cup water and boil for 15 minutes until reduced, then add coriander and remove from heat.
• Serve hot and enjoy!!!!!

Paksiw na Isda (Fish in vinegar)

Paksiw…….A dish that can last for a week. It is a dish made of fish cooked with vinegar and some seasonal vegetable such as ocra, eggplant, onions and raddish. It is a common dish in our country especially those who lives nearby the seas. I remember I used to live in a town somewhere in pangasinan(a province in the PHI), Where it is 90 percent surrounded by seas. Every time my uncle catches fish(minimum of 10 kilos of different kinds), We almost cook quarter of it as paksiw, other half might be fried fish or sinaing because we don’t have a refrigerator that time to keep all the fish. Those I mentioned method of fish cooking can last for 4 days to a week without keeping it to your fridge.  On the background is my little daughter. She is my model for this “paksiw pictorial” She doesn’t want to leave the plate so I didn’t get a chance to take a clear shot. So decided to have her as my model………………….Did you know that vinegar is the main ingredients to this recipe? and Vinegar is touted as a healing wonder tonic. It seems like it can cure everything. People claim that it can help you lose weight and that if you eat a teaspoon of it, you’ll be immune to mosquitoes. Believe it or not? try it?………..

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 1 kilo fish cut into half(preferably small fish like mackarel, trevalry or sanma)
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pc eggplant sliced into serving sizes
• 10 pcs ocra
• 1 pc medium sliced onions
• 1 thumb size ginger sliced
• 1/2 cup water or rice wash

Procedures:

• In a wide sauce pan, just place and arrange all ingredients together and bring to a boil for about 15 minutes. that’s it.
• Serve hot!

Chamberlain (beef casserole)

Chamberlain…………The name was invented by my father-in-law. meaning in tagalog is “chamba chamba” or in english – lucky dish”. It is very similar to kalderetang baka as they have both almost the same ingredients with the absence of some major ingredients such as chicken liver or spread, sky flakes and more. That’s why I really love the culinary world. You can modify every kind of cuisine depending on your taste as long as you make your dish with love and loyalty. Do you agree?……………………Did you know that the main ingredients of my recipe for today is tomatoes? and tomatoes number one source of lycopene which act as a powerful antioxidant that fight cancer cells. And in addition, according to the some studies, daily consumption of tomatoes decreases the oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes. Also tomato helps in reducing the risk of developing hypertension………….

Ingredients: serves 4-6 persons

• 1 kl Beef brisket with bones (cut in serving size size)
• 3 pcs potatoes (big diced)
• 2 pc carrots (big diced)
• 3 pcs tomatoes chopped
• 1 large capsicum
• 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 large onions (sliced)
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup grated cheese
• 2 tbsp fish sauce(patis)
• chillies optional

Procedures:

• in a large sauce pan, place all ingredients except carrots & potatoes. bring to a boil using low heat for 45 minutes. (stiring every 5 minutes)
• when beef is half tender, pour in potatoes & carrots, chillies
• check if beef is ready, seasoned with salt & pepper then add cheese before serving
• Enjoy!!!!!

Lea’s Brazo de Mercedes

This is the first time my wife bake this, a special request from me as our dessert this holiday season. If you looking for a quality dessert with a very reasonable price of ingredients, this is the answer. It is mainly made with eggs and condensed milk. Believe it or not, We made this 4 consecutive days as our dessert. Because we had 4 consecutive days of invitation to our friends. So if you’ll invite me to your place, My wife will be very happy to bake this for you.(by the way, this will be the second time I will be posting this recipe)……………….Did you know that eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12………

Ingredients:

• 10 raw eggs, separate yolks from white
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 4 tbsp confectioner sugar
• 1 can 14 oz condensed milk

To prepare custard:

• In a saucepan using low heat settings,  whisk egg yolks then add condensed milk, vanilla extract. cool down and set aside

To prepare merengue:

• In a mixing bowl, pour in egg white and cream of tartar and mix using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. add in caster sugar in small quantities and whisk.
• Pre-heat oven at 170 degrees celsius. In a cookie pan, spray oil and place baking paper, spread merengue using a spatula evenly. You can use fork to create lines and designs. Bake for atleast 10 minutes or until lightly brown. cool down and set aside and dust with sugar confectioner
•  flip over the merengue and spread custard evenly. again, dust it with sugar confectioner
• Then slowly roll over the cake to form a cake roll look-alike. Be gently.
• Place in fridge for minimum of two-hour.
• Enjoy!!!

Restaurant Tour – Koreana Barbecue Buffet

Hi everyone….. Today, let us take another tour to one of our favourite place to eat here at New Zealand………….If you are craving for a “buffet of barbeque” like eat all you can, grilled all you can, this is the best restaurant for you. For a very reasonable price of 18.00 NZ Dollar per head for adults and  one dollar per age of your child, you can grill / barbeque all you can. if you are like me who love to cook by yourself, this is the place to be. Ofcourse please don’t waste food and consume only what you can eat because this restaurant is the cheapest Korean barbeque of them all. The buffet consist of several kinds of meat, whether you like it marinated or plain meat, cooked stuff like korean side dish, noodles and other dishes. The ambience is fair as I suggest you to wear your comfortable dress because after leaving the restaurant you will taste and smells like barbeque…..LOL

The name of the restaurant is KOREANA BARBEQUE BUFFET and they are located at 12 beresford St, Auckland City, NZ / Phone 09-3021221………

Enjoy!!!!!