6 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 INQUIRER LIFESTYLE TELLING THE FILIPINO STORY TO THE WORLD

25 food icons and their favorite recipes From page 4

Larry J. Cruz driver to take you there. But if you

can’t go to Singapore, just call Chef
200 g okra
200 g green mango, peeled and
The most respected man behind
all of the action in Malate—Larry’s Ninoy at Café Adriatico, a day before. sliced into 4 pcs length-wise
Bar, Café Havana, Bistro Lorenzo, He went to Singapore to check out 200 g tomatoes, quartered
Bistro Remedios and Café Adriatico the dish. He’ll serve you a similar Some coriander leaves for garnish
1900. The trendsetter in cafe dining, dish—minus the sarong.” Optional: 1 tsp chopped siling
he was always on the lookout for labuyo
new restaurant concepts. Today,
Race Course Road Fish Curry Season fish with salt and pepper.
daughter Lorna Cruz Ambas man- (Singapore-style spicy curry with Set aside.
ages the restaurant business, includ- fish fillet from Ang Hang days) In a wok, heat the butter and add
ing the successful Abe and Fely J. the ginger, onions, curry powder,
800 g fish fillet
For his favorite dish, we quote his cumin and turmeric powder. Cook
authentic ambiance and even better Salt to taste
note from the book “Malate: A Matter using a wooden spoon and mix well
fish-head curry, head for the Civil ground black pepper, to taste
of Taste:” “The thought of eating this until a thick paste is achieved. Add
Service Club on Dempsey Road. It’s a 100 g Anchor butter
South Indian curry in Muthus or Ba- the tamarind juice, coconut cream,
club, so only members are admitted. 30 g chopped ginger
nana Leaf Apollo, kamayan style, is tanglad and fish stock. Simmer for CORA Ongpauco Tamayo poses with her
How to become a member? Just pay 1 c chopped onions
enough to make me plan a trip to Sin- about 10 minutes, add fish fillet and “Mama Chit.”
$.50 (about P10). I can’t tell you how 4 tbsp fish curry powder
gapore. Lately, however, these two ri- finger chilis. Simmer further. Adjust
to get there—just tell an Indian cab 1 tbsp cumin powder
val restaurants, owned independent- 1 tbsp turmeric
seasoning. Sixta Evangelista Ongpauco,
ly by two brothers in Race Course Halfway through cooking time,
RACE Course Road Fish Curry powder Barrio Fiesta
Road, have become so popular with add okra, mango and simmer again
120 g tamarind It’s more than a restaurant, it’s Filipino
Caucasian tourists that they have for a few minutes.
juice family tradition. It’s been a place for cele-
been dressed up to perceived ‘West- When fish and vegetables are ten-
4 c coconut cream brations and get-together of families and
ern’ taste—shiny brass and marble der, remove from heat and transfer
(gata) friends. It’s been a part of our eating cul-
and ornate chandeliers. Even the In- to a serving bowl. Add the quartered
20 g lemongrass or ture since Sixta Evangelista Ongpauco or
dian waiters who used to be garbed tomatoes and some coriander
tanglad, crushed “Mama Chit” put up Barrio Fiesta in 1958.
in sarong and sandals are now in leaves. Serve with white rice. For
2 c fish stock (op- Crispy Pata and Kare-kare instantly be-
crisp white shirts complete with vests hotter taste buds, add one teaspoon
tional) came house specialties. When she passed
and black bow ties. If you want the of chopped red chili labuyo.
12 pcs finger chili away in 1996 at age 72, her children took
over. They are Roger, Rey, Rod, Romy, Cora,
Connie, Boy and Kris. Even the grandchil-
Doreen Fernandez Doña Engracia C. Reyes,
dren are helping keep the legacy of Mama
A well-loved and endearing Chit alive, including Happy Ongpauco and
author of popular food books, Aristocrat Heart Evangelista.
she immersed herself in Philip- “Aling Asiang” was the epitome of a
pine food through her research smart and practical Filipino cook who
and travels around the country. took pride in her cuisine. She champi-
A professor at Ateneo de Manila oned Filipino cooking and built Aristo-
University, she was also a prolif- crat, the first of a chain of restaurants
ic essayist. She wrote literary, specializing in Filipino food. She was
theater and culinary topics for better than a chef—she was an instinc-
various publications. Among tive cook. She was gifted with a sharp
her notable books are “Sarap: nose for food aromas and, by instinct,
Essays on Philippine Food,” knew the chemistry of foods.
“Kinilaw: A Philippine Cuisine To this day, with Aling Asiang’s chil- BARRIO Fiesta’s Crispy Pata RICHARD REYES
of Freshness,” and the restau- dren and grandchildren at the helm, the
rant guide “Lasa.” She had a Aristocrat chain enjoys the stature it did Crispy Pata
column “In Good Taste” for In- rock salt, to taste under the beloved Aling Asiang. 500 g pork knuckles
quirer Lifestyle section. 1 tbsp achuete oil* Granddaughter Nancy Reyes Lumen 1 pc bay leaf
Good friend Micky Fenix has water shares how Aling Asiang would prepare 2 whole cloves garlic
provided this Ilonggo recipe Boil all ingredients in enough ginisa. “She never really had a tightly writ- 2 tbsp salt
knowing that Fernandez hailed water to cover the beef, then al- ten and tested recipe. At that time, who 1 pc medium onion, quartered
from Silay, Negros Occidental. low to simmer over low fire. Re- cared? As long as her cooking was consis- cooking oil
move meat and test if tender tent and really always masarap. More of whole black peppercorns
Kansi (Boiled Beef Shank) and done. Place into a serving techniques than recipes were what we For the sauce:
(Recipe courtesy of Food bowl and set aside. Strain broth learned … and they are of value till now.” ¼ c soy sauce
Magazine) (you can use cheese cloth) and Heat achuete oil. 10 g minced garlic
1 k beef shank with marrow allow to simmer for a while. A simple all-purpose ‘ginisa’ recipe Lower heat and sauté shallots till wilt- 10 g sliced onion
1 green bell pepper, sliced Season the broth according to For 1 k seeded, hand-chopped over ed and transparent, about 30 minutes. 1 tsp calamansi juice
2 onions, sliced taste. To serve, ladle hot broth ripe tomatoes: Add garlic and sauté 15 minutes. 1 pc siling labuyo
1 thumb-size ginger, peeled into the serving bowl. 500 g peeled, chopped shallots Add overripe tomatoes and on lowest 1 tbsp crispy fried, minced garlic
and sliced *Heat one cup oil over medi- 100 g peeled minced native garlic heat cook till all tomato skins have 1 tbsp vinegar
1 pc tanglad (lemon grass), um flame. Add achuete seeds. 1 tbsp patis curled and sofrito is reduced by half. This Boil the pork knuckles with peppercorns,
leaves tied into a knot Stir until the oil picks ups the 2 tsp rock salt will take about one hour or more. In the salt, onion, garlic and bay leaf until tender.
whole fresh batuan color of the seeds. Turn off the 1 tsp freshly cracked peppercorn middle of cooking the tomatoes, add Set aside knuckles when done and let cool.
2 pc beef bouillon cubes flame and let the mixture cool dash of MSG patis. In a deep pan, heat enough oil. Fry the
down. Strain and discard the 2 c achuete oil Taste before adding knuckles until golden brown, occasionally
KANSI SOFRITO
achuete seeds. Store cooled. To make achuete oil: seasonings: rock salt, sprinkling with cold water to make skin
PHILIP LOYOLA CRYSS ARRIETA
Heat two cups corn peppercorn and MSG. crispy. Remove from pan when done; drain
oil. Turn off heat. Add Store sofrito in a glass to remove excess oil. To make sauce, mix all
¼ c achuete seeds. jar, keep refrigerated or ingredients. Serve with chopped knuckles.
Allow seeds to ren- frozen for future use.
der bright orange Make a big batch and
color. Strain seeds. store in one-fourth-cup
Store achuete oil in portions and freeze.
glass jars. Every time you need
Mash tomatoes to sauté, get one por-
with hands to re- tion and you’ll be
lease more gluta- saving on precious
mates. cooking time.

Vicky Pacheco der. Continuously add water to keep Tonyboy Escalante

Young, innovative, adventur-
ous and the granddaughter of
Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes, she’s
carved a niche in the culinary are-
na with restaurants like Chateau
1771, Sentro and Portico. Trained
in Switzerland, Pacheco has rev-
erence for the classics but likes to
play with contemporary dishes.
She has a number of signature
dishes, one being the mouth-wa-
tering Corned Beef Sinigang.
Corned Beef Sinigang
(A Sentro 1771 Original Recipe)
Brine solution:
11.5 c water
1 c + 2 tsp rock salt
¼ c prague salt
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 pc red onion, peeled, quar-
tered
3 cloves whole garlic, peeled
Bring to a boil then transfer to
another container to cool faster.
Strain the brine and let cool com-
pletely.
Meat:
2 k beef camto boneless, 3-inch
cut
2 k beef short ribs, 3-inch cut
Place meat in nonmetal contain-
er. Pour the brine. Cover the con-
tainer and place in the refrigerator.
Brine the meat for about three to
five days. Meat must always be
submerged in brine.
After brining period, drain the
meat. Discard the brine. Do not
rinse the meat.
Cooking process: tenderizing the
PACHECO’S Corned Beef Sinigang
meat
2 pcs leeks, trimmed at root end
2 pcs red onion, medium.
peeled, halved
4 pcs celery stalk, trimmed,
leaves removed
4 pcs bay leaf
2 tbsp black peppercorns, whole
Purified water
Place the meat in stock pot. Add
vegetables. Fill up with water until
covered. Simmer until meat is ten-
meat submerged. When meat is ten-
der, empty the pot, drain the solids
and keep the broth. Separate the
meat from the vegetables. Do not
rinse the stock pot. Strain the broth
and taste so that you’ll know how to
season your sinigang. Taste the meat
too if well-flavored or too salty.
Sinigang:
4 pcs native tomato, quartered
2 pcs medium red onion, quar-
tered
2 pcs native gabi, peeled, quar-
tered
2 pcs eggplant, sliced diagonally
1 tali sitaw, cut 2” long
6 pcs okra, sliced diagonally
1 pc labanos, peeled, sliced diag-
onally
1 tali kangkong, leaves and
shoots
2 pcs green long sili (sili pangsi-
gang)
Rice washing
¼ c Sinigang Mix (my favorite
brand), use fresh sampaloc when
available and if in season
Rock salt to taste
Add tomato, red onion and gabi
to stock pot. Add broth and water
to cover. You have to determine ra-
tio of broth to water depending on
taste of meat and broth. Bring to a
boil. When boiling, reduce heat
and simmer gabi until tender. Add
sinigang mix or pang-asim and sili.
Add corned beef. Add eggplant,
sitaw, okra, and labanos. Add
kangkong leaves and shoots just
before serving. Season with salt if
necessary.
The award-winning chef took Filipino eat-
ing crowd by storm with the opening of his
posh Antonio’s in Tagaytay, which has made
the Top 20 of the Miele Guide Asia since its
inception. He recently built its new breakfast
restaurant inside to accommodate intimate
weddings and functions. Soon guests can
come for breakfast as early as 7 a.m. (until 4
p.m.) and order à la carte. He has chosen this
dish because it has been a favorite for wed-
dings and functions. “A good-quality beef
paired with high-end mushrooms are your
safe choice,” he says.
Grilled Beef Fillet
Gratinated with wild Mushroom,
Mashed Potato
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 fat garlic clove, crushed
4 tbsp olive oil
100 g wild mushrooms (ceps, morel, Por-
tobello, chanterelle), trimmed and finely
chopped
100 g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp. white wine
1 tbsp each finely chopped parsley, chervil
ESCALANTE’S
Grilled Beef
Fillet
Gratinated
with wild
Mushroom,
Mashed
Potato
and chives
4 tbsp double cream
1 large egg yolk
4 beef tenderloin steaks, about 180 g each
and 4-cm high
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Prepare the topping ahead. Gently sauté
the shallot and garlic in one tablespoon olive
for about five minutes until nicely softened.
Add two tablespoons olive oil and sauté
mushrooms on high heat, stirring frequently,
for about seven minutes until browned and
cooked.
Add wine and cook until it has reduced
away. The mixture should be quite dry. If nec-
essary, tip it into a sieve to drain off remaining
liquid. Transfer the mushrooms into a bowl,
season and mix in the herbs. Allow to cool.
Whip the cream until softly stiff, fold into
the mushrooms with egg yolk. Cover and chill.
Brush the steaks with the remaining table-
spoon of olive oil and season them. Heat a
large nonstick frying pan until you can feel a
strong heat rising. Cook the steaks for about
two to three minutes, turning them to sear
all over. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
When ready to serve, heat the oven 220
°C, Gas 7. Put the steaks on shallow baking
tray. Pile the mushroom mixture on top of
the steaks and dust with cheese. Cook, un-
covered, for five to seven minutes until the
topping is bubbling and golden. Serve as
soon as possible, with roasted or sautéed
potatoes and a salad.
25 FOOD ICONS 7