Lechon Kawali

I made this for our noche buena, I read kse somewhere that mammals needs to store fats for winter ahahaha for hibernation. Syempre Christmas is a good excuse for cholesterol overload kse when the new year comes nasa top 10 ng list of new year's resolution ang DIET. So we are just trying to enjoy the last few days ng 2010 :D


1 slab of pork liempo
2 Pork Cubes
1 head garlic
1 onion
Salt and Pepper
Oil for deep frying
Sarsa ni Mang Tomas

** Rub your pork belly with salt and pepper, use a pressure cooker to boil the pork to save on gas, what usually takes 2 hours in a regular pot would be around 20 to 30 mins. only in a pressure cooker. Just put enough water to cover the pork. Add the pork cubes, garlic and onion. Don't peel the garlic, just prick the whole garlic head with a fork, try to prick it all over so the flavor will come out, and do the same for your onion, but you need to peel the onion syempre.Pricking is the key word here, this is to ensure that the flavor will come out while boiling.Boil the pork until tender, do not over do the boiling because the meat will come off if it's soggy.

Once done, air dry the pork for a while and freeze it. Freezing can be up to several days or kung nagmamadali ka, kahit 1 hour will do.We don't want any water on it before deep frying, we all know that water causes the oil splatter. Put enough oil on your pan as in enough to cover the whole pork. Teh, deep frying nga diba :D I used a deep fryer for this but if you don't have one, just make sure na your pan has a sturdy cover kse pumuputok talaga sya, try to put something heavy on top of the cover kse it has a tendency na mag fly away mag isa yung cover :D So be very careful. The temperature should reach at least 190 degrees so humigit kumulang mainit dapat talaga. Remember that the pork is already cooked and we are just browning the pork slab until the skin becomes really crunchy.

You know that your lechon kawali is done if you can already see blisters on the skin of the pork. Slice the lechon kawali and serve immediately. Best served with Mang Tomas.

Media Noche for 2 in 2 hours

I have always wanted a food blog so that I could keep track of the recipes I used kse more often than not nakakalimutan ko how I came up with a fantastic dish and most likely I could no longer recreate it. Just like Leche Flan, my first attempt was around 6 months ago and it was the perfect "flan"then I tried to do it again for Noche Buena as requested ni hubby and it was super flop kse I tried to use the steamer instead of baking it. I was so damn frustrated and dagdagan pa with lots of pang-aasar from my husband na kesyo ilang breakfast na raw sana ang nagawa ng mga eggs na sinayang ko... So I planned a sweet revenge... kaya ang next "flan" would be included in our Media Noche menu just to prove na di ko kinuha sa ref ng neighbor yung first leche flan na natikman nya 6 months back...



So here's the master flan....

6 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs
1 big can condensed milk
1 can of fresh milk (Use the condensed milk can)
A few drops of Vanilla Extract
1 cup of white sugar (for caramelization)

The easiest way to separate the egg yolk from the white is to use eggs directly from the fridge, kse if its cold the egg whites will easily drip from your hands and the egg yolk will remain intact, you can transfer from one palm to another or from one shell to another para ma separate tung yolk sa white, just ensure na di mababasag yung yolk.

 **Combine all ingredients except the sugar, gently beat with a whisk until the egg yolks are no longer visible, it should mix quite well with the milk. Beating too fast can also render bubbles into your flan and of course we don't want that. So try to beat by hands instead of using electric mixer kse the latter would cause lots of bubbles.

I use teflon pans to caramelize sugar, so it won't stick and it's a lot easier to clean after. Just put the sugar into the pan, I do not add water but you can also opt to add water para kahit half cup lang gamitin mo na sugar. Once the white sugar dissolves it will turn brown, carefully pour it sa mold where you plan to steam bake the leche flan. It will set quickly so be careful and do not worry kahit di pantay it will melt again once you bake it.

Pour the mixture into your mold using katsa and strainer, this is quite important do not omit this step. This will give the leche flan a smooth texture.

Prepare your bain marie, just get a large pyrex dish and add water half way through it and then place your molds. You can cover it with a foil if you like. Bake it for around 45 mins at 325 degrees or you can always check by inserting a toothpick and if it comes out clean, then it's already done.

Fried Chiken ala Max's

We have Chowking, Barrio Fiesta and Goto King here in Abu Dhabi pero walang Max's kaya I decided to make fried chiken ala Max's for Media Noche, since super shopping ako hours before the new year I only have 2 hours left  to cook before midnight kaya I grabbed a frozen spring chicken sa Spinneys and thought I would be able to pull it out in a very short span of time.


Here you go...

1 spring chicken
Chicken Cubes
Salt and Pepper
Mc Cormick's Rosemary and Basil or what have you in your pantry like bay leafs, or oregano
Patis

Fill the steamer with water as you would when steaming, drop the chicken cubes, rosemary and basil (this is just for the chicken to smell good hehehe) and bring it to a boil. While boiling, rub the spring chicken with salt and pepper, put on the rack and steam. You can steam it  for around 20 mins or more, I am steaming a frozen chicken kaya it took me more when I saw that the skin on the chicken's leg has pulled back a bit and it already shows the bone, I just knew it was already done. I froze it first while preparing other dishes. When it's a little frozen na, rub the chicken with patis, just use your fingers to spread the patis all over including it's insides. Deep fry it at 190 for about 10 to 15 mins on each side, do not overcook it so it would be crispy on the outside and  still juicy on the inside ;)


Fruiti di Mare Carbonara

This is by far the easiest to make on this menu, which is by the way not a real menu kse I just cooked dishes that I am able to grab from the supermarket and bilang 8 pm nako nag grocery, nagkakaubusan na rin. My Fruiti Di Mare consists of tahong, squid and shrimps lang naman. The recipe is pretty much the same as my original carbonara but I used seafoods instead of the usual bacon.

Several pieces of tahongs, shells removed, squids cut into rings and unshelled shrimps, you can devein but since I am on a very tight schedule and bago ako abutan ng new year I just bought a pack of fruiti di mare from the supermarket :p 
Olive Oil
Garlic
Half of Chicken Cube Dissolved in 1 cup of water
2 small cans of Nestle Cream 
Half pack of 500 grams Spaghetti Noodles
2 Eggs (slightly beaten)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan

Put 2 table spoons of olive in the pan you plan t o cook your pasta, sautee 4 to 5 pcs of crushed garlic. Add water as as per package instruction on how to cook the pasta. The Olive Oil and garlic will give give the pasta a nice smell and add lil flavor to it. Pour and drain the water as usual.

Saute mussels, squid and shrimps in olive oil, when the color changes pour in the chicken broth and the nestle cream. Once the cream doubles in volume, remove the pan from heat and stir in the eggs. Return to heat, simmer for a minute. Season with salt & pepper and parmesan as per your preference. Pour on top of the pasta

Smoked Ham 

I bought it packed and ready so I just popped it in the oven, and turn it on all sides for even cooking.

Chicken Macaroni Salad

500 grams Elbow Macaroni ( cooked as per package direction)
Cooked Chicken Breast (shredded)
1 medium jar Mayo
2 tablespoon or more Lady's Choice Sandwich Spread
2 small carrots (cubed)
1 medium can crushed pineapple (drained)
Cheddar Cheese (cubed or grated)
1 small box raisins
Sugar, Salt and Pepper to taste

** Put all ingredients in a big bowl and mix thoroughly.

I wasn't able to come up with 13 kinds of fruits so I just thought basta may 13 round fruits sa table and mapuno lang our small table will do. I also defied all feng shui tips for media noche like bawal ang chicken because isang kahig isang tuka daw ang manok, shrimps daw are bottom dwellers... but what the heck I just believe in being positive all the time and the new year will surely bring us all the luck in the world :)