Pancit Palabok (Pancit Luglug)

Description:
Pancit Palabok is aptly called because of its numerous ingredients (palabok is often used when a person is rich with words). In the olden days, a bamboo skewer with a deep scooper is used to dip the noodles into hot boiling water to cook and strain the noodles--that's why it is also called "luglug" Nowadays, more often, the stainless steel strainer is substituted for the bamboo skewer.

This dish is quite heavy--so that just a little can stuff you. It also makes an attractive dish in any buffet table!

Ingredients:
Main :

-Corn oil
-Garlic, minced finely
-1 c. bean curd (tofu) diced
-1/2c. lean pork, diced
-1/2c. squid cut into rings
-1 c. shelled oysters
-2 to 3 c. shelled whole medium sized shrimps w/o the head
-Pinch of salt
-1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
-1 lb rice noodles (bihon)

Sauce:

-cooking oil
-finely minced garlic
-finely minced onion
-annatto liquid (around 2 tbsp) –bottled or from soaked annatto seeds
-lots of garlic toasted but not burned – set aside
-2 tbsp. Cornstarch
-1 cup shrimp juice **
-1 c. tofu – mashed into tiny pieces
-1 c. pork cracklings (chicharon) – pound to powdery consistency
-1/2 c. smoked flaked fish (tinapa)
-1/2 c. minced scallions

** Prepare by pureeing shrimp heads in a food processor or pounding them using an almires or mortar and pestle. Add 1/2 cup of water to the puree, mix, mash and strain. To short cut the work, I think ready-made sauces are now available---or any shrimp bisque will also be ok.



Directions:
-Heat oil and saute garlic until brown.
-Add bean curd, pork, oysters and squid. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, leave remaining oil and cook the sauce,
-Heat the oil. Saute garlic and onion.
-Add anatto water.
-Dissolve the cornstarch in the shrimp juice and add to the mixture.
-Add the bean curd and simmer over moderate heat
stirring continuously until thick.
-Season with fish sauce and pepper- and set aside.
-Meanwhile, soak the noodles in hot water for about 5 mins till soft.
-Drain noodles well and transfer into a serving platter
-Pour the sauce over the noodles.
-Garnish with pork cracklings, fish flakes and scallions
-Sprinkle toasted garlic flakes and top with hardboiled eggs
cut into rounds.
.- Serve hot with lemon slices and fish sauce on the side.

Chicken Pastel

Description:
Delight your guests or your family with this dish once more with Spanish inlfuence. Usually, a Filipino family serves this during special occasions and fiestas. I guess the crust is just needed to surprise diners.


Ingredients:
1 Whole chicken (cut up) or chicken cutlets of your choice
1 chorizo de bilbao, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
Minced garlic
1 can button whole mushrooms
1/2 c fresh butter
1 medium sized carrot cut into cubes
2 potatoes cut up into medium size cubes
1 small can sausage cut into cubes
8-10 pcs. olives (optional)
1/4 kilo chicken giblets-cut into bigger cubes
1/4 kilo liver cut into bigger cubes
1 c evaporated of fresh milk
1/4 c flour dissolved in enough chicken broth
salt and seasonings of your choice
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
2 c canned chicken broth
2 pcs. of hardboiled eggs
1 beaten egg.

Crust
4 c APF (sift 3x)
1 c shortening or margarine
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 c cold water



Directions:
-Brown garlic and onion in butter.
-Add chicken (cut into small serving pieces), giblets, liver, and chorizo. Stir for 2 minutes,
-Add 1/2 of the chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 10 mins.
-Add remaining ingredients and sttir in remaining chicken broth.
-Lastly, add milk and thicken sauce with dissolved flour.
-When chicken is almost done, transfer to baking (pyrex) dish. garnish top with sliced hard-boiled egg
-Cover with pie crust, trim edges...and prick (6x) top aroundwith fork
-Brush top with beaten egg yolk.
-Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until crust turns golden brown.

Crust:

-Add salt and sugar to flour.
-Cut in shortening using two knives.
-Gradually add water and mix with hand without kneading.
-When well blended, roll out on floured surface.

Beef Caldereta

Description:
Quite rich---with cheese, olive oil, chorizo, etc...and very colorful. I even add a few chili peppers to make it slightly hot!
I was told this is really of Spanish origin---altho this is popular among Filipinos and served on special occasions.

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, sliced
6 c. water
some pieces of bay leaf
500g (1 lb) pork liver
2 chorizo sausages, sliced diagonally
Minced garlic
1 1/3 c canned tomato sauce
1/3 c white vinegar
1 c grated Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons white sugar
Salt and pepper, and seasonings to taste
potatoes, quartered
2 carrots, sliced rounded
1½ c green peas
1/s c sliced green or black olives
A few hot chili peppers (optional)
Hard boiled eggs (optional)


Directions:
olive oil
1 kg (2 lb) stewing beef, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, sliced
6 c. water
500g (1 lb) pork liver
2 chorizo sausages, sliced diagonally
Minced garlic
1 1/3 c canned tomato sauce
1/3 c white vinegar
1 c grated Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons white sugar
Heat olive oil and brown beef on all sides then transfer beef and olive oil to a stockpot.
-Add the onion to the beef and pour in water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer.
-Grill pork liver until it is half cooked, about 5 to 10 minutes, chop or grate finely.
In a large saucepan, heat oil and saute chorizo until firm, set aside. I
In same oil saute garlic and add the chopped liver, tomato sauce and vinegar.
-Add the cheese, sugar, salt and pepper, mix well and simmer for about 5 mins. stirring occasionally until of smooth consistency.
-Pour liver and cheese mixture into the simmering beef . Stir to combine mixture well with the liquid. Allow beef to continue simmering for about 30 minutes.
-Add potatoes and carrots and simmer until beef, potatoes and carrots are tender and sauce has thickened, about 30 more minutes.
-Stir in cooked chorizo, green peas and olives.

When served, garnish with hardboiled sliced egg.

Crab Relleno (Rellenong Alimasag)

Description:
Crabs can be expensive and one way of mutiplying crabs is this recipe as a handful of crabs will give you a lot of servings (based on your shells)
The stuffing contains only pure crab meat, sauteed with garlic, onion and tomatoes, which give it added flavor. You may steam the crab ahead and fry the meat from the shells. Keep crab meat refrigerated until ready to cook as stuffing.


Ingredients:
6 crabs
oil
minced garlic
tomatoes, (2-3) diced
Salt and pepper
1 egg, lightly beated
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp bread-crumbs
seasonings of your hcoice

Directions:
-Steam crabs until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Cool.
-Open crabs, including the claws, and take out all the meat. Set aside. Reserve shells
-Saute the garlic, onions and tomatoes
-Add the crabmeat and mix well.
-Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
-Stuff crabmeat mixture into each shell and Brush lightly
with egg cornstarch and top with breadcrumbs.
-Heat oil and fry stuffed crabshells faced down until slightly
brown and the surface is formed.
Remove from heat and serve with catsup.

Eggplant Teasers

Description:
Expecting impromptu guests and thinking of a quick appetizer? This dish is perfect! Even non-veggie lovers will think twice before rejecting having a taste of this! Serve with cold drinks!

Ingredients:
Large to medium sized eggplants
1 can Tomato Sauce
Cooking oil
Parmesan Cheese
Kraft of Edam (or any kind of grated cheese)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 180 0
-Slice eggplants into ½ inch thick.
-Pan fry using very little oil, (not too much oil as eggplant absorbs a lot of oil. You may use oil spray just to oil the pan without excess oil.)
- Pan fry the eggplant until golden brown.
Spread a heaping spoon of tomato sauce into each slice of eggplant
- Add cheese, preferably Kraft of Edam, on top and lots of parmesan cheese.
Bake for 5 minutes and serve
-Drizzle with Parmesan as soon as you take the pieces out of the oven.

Cocretas de Patatas

Description:
A complete meal by itself---you'll get the carbo and protein...I thoroughly enjoyed this when I was a teenager--and when I became a mother, Anne and Jade loved this too.
So here it is for you to try and relish!

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo potatoes, boiled and mashed well
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup milk, or enough to make a paste
salt and pepper
minced garlic
minced onions
1/2 kilo ground beef or pork
Cooking oil (veg, corn, etc.)
1/2 cup water
spring onions, minced
1 c flour
Bread crumbs (plain)
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Directions:
-Blend the mashed potatoes with butter, milk, a little salt and pepper to taste. The mixture must be smooth and must form a paste. Set aside.
Saute garlic, onions, and ground meat
-Stir in the water and simmer until the meat is cooked, and the mixture almost dry
-Season with salt and pepper, and then add the spring onions.
-Blend in a little flour to get a molding consistency.
-Shape mixture into raw egg-sizes
-Cover individually with the mashed potato mixture.
- Roll each one in breadcrumbs. Set aside.
-Heat the oil for frying. Dip the potato-meat "eggs" into slightly beaten eggs, and then fry.
-Serve with catsup

Crispy Kangkong

Description:
Years ago, the "LOWLY" Kangkong enjoyed a "novel" popularity!!! Some eateries even showcased this as their specialty! And, surprisingly, it became so in-demand and popular!
So, this is what I am sharing with you---other than doing adobong kangkong, or adding this with your sinigangs, pakbets, etc...try this one--and use any kind of dips or sidings with it! You will certainly enjoy its crispiness!

Ingredients:
A bunch of kangkong leaves, thouroughly washed and drained
1-1/2 c. water
3 c. corn starch
5 c. cooking oil
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Some extra cornstarch in a separate plate
1 egg
salt
seasonings of your choice (Mrs. Dash, Accent, etc.)


Directions:
-Remove leaves from stem. Set aside.
-In a combine cornstarch, flour, egg, seasonigs, salt and water ( batter mixture ).
-Mix until smooth in consistency.
-Heat oil to 250?F and reduce fire to medium.
-Dip kangkong leaves one by one in batter and deep fry until crispy.
Lastly, dip into the extra corn starch before frying
-Drain in paper towels

Serve immediatly to enjoy the crisp!