Spice Up Your Salad

Hi everyone :)

It's been a while. I've been recently busy juggling school, work, and writing my manuscript at Wordpress.com and Wattpad. With the impending holy week, I'd like to share a simple salad dressing I invented last week. It's a fusion between Asian and European, I guess. It goes like this:

Ingredients:
1 ½ tbsp Kewpie Japanese Mayo
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Parmesan
Wasabi

Procedure: 
Mix everything together and serve with Romanian lettuce.

Easy peasy, right?

If you have novel recipes of salad dressings, I'd love to hear from you.

Cheers! :)

Vegetarian Chili

Last Thursday, 31st of October, Mamá visited her hometown leaving behind the whole family in Manila. With a limited budget for the weekend and after considering available resources and me, the sole pesco-vegetarian, I decided to cook a Sunday dish that everyone could eat.

If you like your food a little spicy, this one's for you. Bon appetit! :)

Vegetarian Chili 

Estimated Times

Vegetarian Chili

Preparation Time: 30 mins.

Cooking Time: 45-60 mins.

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 medium onions

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

1 large eggplant (cut in ½-inch cubes)

1-2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

9 oz. chickpeas, drained

9 oz. red kidney beans, drained

2 Tbsp. dried mixed herbs

Salt

Large handful flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Procedure

1. Cook the onions and garlic in olive oil, over low heat in a large nonstick pan for about 10 minutes, until the onions have wilted and softened.
2. Add the chili powder, cumin, and paprika and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes before stirring in the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the eggplant, green bell peppers, red kidney beans, chickpeas, and dried mixed herbs to the pan. Add salt to taste.
4. Stir, bring back to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes to the let the flavors infuse.
5. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Adapted from The Book of Chilies & Stews by Sara Davis

Lenguas de Gato

Lenguas de Gato is the Spanish name for cat's tongue, named for its shape and size. It's crispness and rich buttery taste makes it a good complement for ice cream and coffee.

I found this recipe from my Abuelita's possessions, a collection of recipes from newspaper clippings from the fifties or sixties. I tried the recipe as an alternative for disposing egg whites left from leche flan. It's a lot easier than meringues and an ideal gift for special occasions.

Lenguas de Gato

Yields: about 5 dozen

Finished product: Lenguas de Gato

Ingredients

½ c. butter

⅔ c. sugar

1 c. sifted all-purpose flour (if eggs are large ones, use 1 ¼ c. flour)

¼ c. egg whites (2 egg whites)

½ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. salt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add unbeaten egg whites little by little, beating well after each addition.
4. Add flour a little at a time. Then, salt and vanilla.
5. Place mixture in a piping bag with plain tip and drop in oblong form (2 ½ inches long) on a non-stick baking sheet.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
7. Remove from sheets while hot.

Meringue Cookies

Meringues dropped in rough rounds onto lined baking sheet

We've been making leche flan at home for quite some time using a dozen egg yolks per batch that we were quite at a loss on how we could salvage the egg whites. The first thing that came to mind was meringues.
A recipe was already at hand and I started baking it alongside my sister, who was preparing the leche flan. My first batch was okay considering it was my first time making it. The meringue's middle portion was still soft and whole thing stuck on your teeth when you eat it. The second, the output was the same.
My third trial was a disaster. I left the meringues to cool on their trays to eat dinner. The rainy season had started. When I returned for it, everything was sticky.
The fourth was an improvement. I researched for other recipes and adapted it to the ingredients I have. Moreover, I wanted something less time consuming. You have to make sure that the sugar completely dissolves and not to over-mix the mixture.

I've included some advice, which are based on my research and experiences.

Reminders/Tips

You can use granulated sugar. The recipe below uses caster and powdered sugar. Caster sugar is finer than granulated sugar but not powdery in form. It is easier to dissolve than granulated sugar. If you wish to make caster sugar, use a food processor to refine granulated sugar until it can pass through a sieve/sifter.
Before you decide making meringues, check the weather forecast for rain and make sure your work area is not humid. This dessert does not like moisture.
In preparing ingredients, use clean and dry equipment. 

Eggs must not be cold. Egg whites at room temperature would allow it to expand more. 

Use a weighing scale instead of cups for precise measurement of ingredients. Baking is a science. ☺
Adjust the cooking time, if you wish to make smaller meringues. 

The meringues will weep when cooked on very high heat. The oven's low temperature would allow its shell to set and dry the interior.

Meringues must be cooled gradually, which is why you have to leave them in the oven after baking. You will see cracks on its shell when it is cooled too quickly.
Store them in a dry airtight container.

Meringue Cookies Recipe

Ingredients
6 egg whites, at room temperature

175 g. caster sugar

175 g. Peotraco confectioners’ powdered sugar

Procedure

1. Preheat convection oven 100°C (conventional oven 110°C / gas ¼). Line 2 baking sheets with Glad Cook ‘n’ Bake non-stick paper.
2. In a large clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed with electric beater until soft peaks form.
3. Shift to high speed and gradually add a spoonful of caster sugar at a time. Continue beating mixture until it is thick and glossy or form stiff peaks.
4. Sift ⅓ of the powdered sugar over the mixture. Gently fold it in with a big spoon or rubber spatula. Continue pattern for remaining powdered sugar.
5. Scoop large spoonfuls of the mixture and drop them in rough rounds onto baking sheets.
6. Bake for 1 ½ - 2 hrs. in the oven, until meringues sound hollow when tapped underneath.
7. Turn off oven and let meringues cool inside for 3-4 hrs.

Adapted from:

• Ultimate Meringue | BBC Good Food
• BBC - Food - Recipes: Meringues with clotted cream and strawberries
• Meringues recipe - Kids cooking

Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna

An experiment my mother ventured into after eating a dish similar to this recipe in an Italian restaurant somewhere in Manila.

The family at that time was divided into two. types of diet. The majority are what one of us coined as "any-tarians" since we all enjoy good food and trying out new dishes. The minority, actually two, which I am a part of, has some limited food choices with our pesco-vegetarian diet.

For everyone to get to taste something new, it was better to serve a dish that all of us could eat. The recipe has been modified for personal preferences. We like a lasagna that has more tomato sauce, just like its meaty counterpart. You may visit the websites at the end of this recipe, if you wish to make the original dish.

Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna

Yields: 6-12 servings

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut crosswise into ½ inch-thick slices

2 large zucchini, cut diagonally into ½ inch-thick slices

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 oz. pre-cooked lasagna noodles

Parmesan mixture

1-2 cups grated Parmesan

¼ tsp. dried basil

¼ tsp. dried oregano

Tomato mixture

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. dried basil

1 ½ medium cans Capri whole-peeled tomatoes

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini w/1 tbsp. olive oil and ½ tsp. salt. Place in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until brown. Set aside.
3. Repeat procedure no. 2 for eggplant.
4. Sauté ingredients for tomato mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add water if needed.
5. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
6. In a 9-inch rectangular pan, cover its base with tomato mixture.
7. Arrange noodles over mixture. Top with eggplant and zucchini, then pour tomato mixture and sprinkle with parmesan mixture. Repeat pattern.
8. On topmost layer of noodles, spread evenly remaining tomato and parmesan mixture.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until parmesan melts and turns golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes.

Adapted from:

• Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna
• Meatless Monday: Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna with Fontina

Homemade Salsa

The family just loves spicy food. My father got this recipe from a Mexican cooking book and modified it a bit.

Ingredients
2 medium onions (sliced)
1 bulb of garlic (chopped)
118 mL hot jalapeño peppers (sliced)
1 small can pimiento (sliced)
1 large can diced tomatoes (preferably Capri brand)
Salt

Procedure

1. Sauté onions and garlic. Add tomatoes, pimiento, and jalapeño.
2. Season with salt to taste.
3. Simmer salsa, partially covered, under low fire for 15-30 minutes.

Note: We usually add a small amount of vinegar to get the taste right.

Deluxe Oatmeal Cookies

An easy drop cookie recipe

Deluxe Oatmeal Cookie 

Estimated Times
Preparation Time: 15 mins.  
Cooking Time: 9 to 11 mins.  
Cooling Time: 15 mins.  
Servings: About 4 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
⅛ tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups quick-cooking or rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
2. Sift and combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
4. Beat in eggs; gradually beat in flour mixture.
5. Stir in oats and nuts.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto nonstick baking sheets.
7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
8. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from Nestlé’s Milk Chocolate Raisinets: Deluxe Oatmeal Raisinets Cookies Recipe