My BFFs

Getting older, I find it hard to make new friends. We all have BFFs that we can call to ask silly things like would it be cool to wear black shoes with brown pants, or what should one do if the recipe calls for buttermilk and you're fresh out and too lazy to go to the store. I also have this one dear friend that no matter how long time has lapsed since the last time I saw her, we start back into conversation like we just spoke yesterday.

So, when I recently met a new friend, it's hard to believe that she falls under the category of BFF in such a short time. Another thing I love about my new friend is she is just as adventurous about cooking as I am. Take for instance, this recipe for pancit palabok. It's a filipino dish, which I thought, was in the same category as marshmallows. You know, you don't make it, you just buy it at the store! It has a bunch of components, and I've had it at restaurants and the red color of the sauce always mystified me. Come to find out, it's just a little annatto or achuete seeds and primarily used, surprise, to color dishes.

We enjoyed the pancit palabok tonight, and I've packed a few 'baon'-sized dishes for my new filipino friends. Guess what you're having for dinner, Penny? Oh, and yes, indeed you can stay home as long as you have milk and a small splash of white vinegar. Enjoy!

Pancit Palabok

My friend, Tess, serves this dish deconstructed, which allows to put on as much or as little toppings as one wishes.

1 pkg rice sticks or bihon

Sauce

2 tsp annatto or achuete seeds

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb lean pork, grounded

1/2 pkg firm tofu, lightly fried and diced in small pieces

1 lb shrimp, head and peel on

3 tbsp cornstarch

fish sauce to taste

Toppings

3 eggs, hard-boiled, sliced

3 stalks of green onions, sliced thinly

1 small pkg pork rinds, grounded

1 lemon, sliced

Prep

Soak annatto seeds in 3 tbsp warm water. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 3 tbsp water, set aside. Peel and devein shrimp and reserve peel, including shrimp heads. Reserve peeled raw shrimp. Place shrimp heads and peel, and pound on a mortar and pestle. Once pounded, place in a bowl, add 3 cups of water, and strain. Discard shrimp peel. Reserve shrimp broth. Ok, I know that seems daunting, so if you want a shortcut, you can buy Knorr shrimp bouillon cubes, and it will probably do the same trick.

Sauce

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add ground pork, and cook until brown, about 7 minutes. Drain oil, if needed. Add cubed tofu. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Strain annatto seeds, add red liquid to shrimp broth, discard seeds. Add the shrimp broth, or if using shrimp bouillon, add 3 cups water (with annatto liquid) and 3 bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil. Add fish sauce to taste. Once boiled, simmer for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture a little at a time to thicken the sauce. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes and let rest.

Toppings

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Place peeled shrimp in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until cooked. Drain immediately and run under cold water to stop cooking process. Cut the shrimp in half vertically and place in a serving bowl. Arrange the eggs, green onions, pork rinds, and lemon in the same fashion.

Noodles

Soak noodles for 15 minutes to soften, drain. Add noodles to boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, drain well.

Finish

Place a portion of noodles on a plate and ladle the sauce on top of the noodles. Place a few pieces of the topping over the sauce and give the dish a lemon squeeze to complete. Delicious!

Roots

I'm a girl with a few regrets, but one that I wished I had done when younger is to watch my mother cook filipino food. My sisters and I frequent filipino restaurants, some fancy, some not so much. But after every meal, one of my sisters will inevitably comment, "mom makes it better!"

My mom still cooks, but not as often. These days, I wait patiently for a trip to Los Angeles or the Bay area to experience good filipino cooking.

I can cook most anything, why not try making my own filipino food? I think the problem is I am not sure how to re-create the flavors of the savory dishes. Here's my first attempt of making ginisang munggo. This is a lentil soup dish, with many versions. Some add tinapa, a dried, smoked fish popular on the island, and sometimes pieces of deliciously salty chicharon. A girlfriend mentioned that she tops off the dish with some olive oil and red vinegar. I made mine with pieces of pork belly and shrimp, and topped with spinach.

I often think of my mother's cooking, her meticulous way of preparing her mis en place, how she intuitively knows what comes next, what spice is missing from the pot, and I'm hoping someday, my food will taste just as good as hers.

Ginisang Munggo

1 pkg lentils
1/2 b pork belly, skin removed, diced
1/2 lb shrimp, with head, peeled, deveined, and cut in bite-sized pieces
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tomato, diced
1 bunch spinach, washed and cleaned

Soak lentils overnight. Drain and discard green outer skin. Place lentils in heavy pot with enough water to cover lentil. Cook until lentils are soft, about 25 minutes. Do not drain.

In a medium pan, place pork belly with a cup of water. Bring to a boil, and simmer until cooked. Once all the water evaporates, and if there is not much pork fat rendered, add a teaspoon or two of cooking oil to brown the meat. Remove the cooked pork and set aside.

In the same pan, drain all oil except for 2 tablespoons. In medium heat, saute the garlic, followed by the onions. Once the onion is wilted, add the tomatoes, for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 2-3 minutes. Add the lentils including liquid. Let it come to a boil. Simmer for another 5 minutes, add the spinach, then cover. Take off the heat and season with fish sauce. Enjoy!

Seriously?

It was so gorgeous this summer that I never even had a chance to write about it. But as you can see, it's that time again to bring out the rain gear. Although I'm not a big fan of the rain (I know, I know, I live in Seattle!) there are many aspects of the cold season that I really love. One is layering clothes. Another, Starbucks comes back with the pumpkin spice latte, yum!

This weather also makes me want to braise a big pot of something. Maybe it's not even the good wafting smell of slow-cooked food, but just the homey-cozy-feeling of cooking something with love. That's why I made tamales! Seems far out, you say? Well, my relationship with tamales remind me of the holidays. It is a yearly event at my sister-in-law's home during Christmas time. My mom and I were lucky enough to be invited to my SIN's mother's house last year to witness the tamale fest, and since then, I've always wanted to try to make them on my own.

The actual cooking time of the tamales isn't so bad, it's the prep that makes me wish I have more relatives that live nearby! I didn't know where to find fresh masa, so I used the masa harina and made it from scratch. It was fairly easy with my handy dandy Kitchen Aid (thanks, Maria and Bernie!!). The recipe called for rotisserie chicken, I roasted a chicken or I bet that Costco chicken will work just great. Also, Rick Bayless' recipe called for bottled tomatillo sauce, but as long as you can get your hands on tomatillos, it's a piece of cake to make your own.

The hardest part for me was assembling the tamales. Once I smeared the masa on the cornhusks, I scooped on the filling, and wrapped, folded and tied the little bundles.
Three hours later, the steamed tamales were ready and and I must say it was worth all the trouble. But really, there is a reason that families make these morsels together, not only it is fun to be with the ones you love, the extra set of hands will make this daunting task a breeze.

Below you'll find several recipes. The basic tamale recipe is from Rick Bayless. It's pretty detailed, but I added yet more notes. I made baby-sized tamales because I was going to a tapas party so I thought little ones would be cute! The chicken filling is also Bayless' recipe, however, I highly recommend that you try making your own, recipe below. When steaming the tamales, I kept them upright with unused corn husks and wads of aluminum foil. I also made a small path in the tamales so I can pour more water to create additional steam. Would I make this again? Absolutely..but it's going to be a tamale party with at least 10 of my family and friends!

Basic Tamale
Makes about 26 tamales

INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce package dried cornhusks
10 ounces (1 1/3 cups) rich-tasting pork lard (or vegetable shortening if you wish), slightly softened but not at all runny
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 pounds (4 cups) fresh coarse-ground corn masa for tamales
OR 3 1/2 cups dried masa harina for tamales mixed with 2 1/4 cups hot water
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 to 3 cups Chicken in Green Chile Filling

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare the cornhusks. Cover the husks with very hot water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged, and let stand for a couple of hours until the husks are pliable. For forming the tamales, separate out 28 of the largest and most pliable husks—ones that are at least 6 inches across on the wider end and 6 or 7 inches long. If you can’t find enough good ones, overlap some of the large ones to give wide, sturdy surfaces to spread the batter on. Pat the chosen husks dry with a towel. For smaller tamales, I used one husk at a time.

2. Prepare the batter. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the lard or shortening with 2 teaspoons salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about 1 minute. Continue beating as you add the masa (fresh or reconstituted) in three additions. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add 1 cup of the broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a 1/2 teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water (if it floats you can be sure the tamales will be tender and light). Beat in enough of the remaining 1/2 cup of broth to give the mixture the consistency of soft (not runny) cake batter; it should hold its shape in a spoon. Taste the batter and season with additional salt if you think it needs some. For the lightest textured tamales, refrigerate the batter for an hour or so, then rebeat, adding a little more broth or water to bring the mixture to the soft consistency it had before.

3. Set up the steamer. Steaming 26 husk-wrapped tamales can be done in batches in a collapsible vegetable steamer set into a large, deep saucepan. To steam them all at once, you need something like the kettle-size tamal steamers used in Mexico or Asian stack steamers, or you can improvise by setting a wire rack on 4 coffee or custard cups in a large kettle. It is best to line the rack or upper part of the steamer with leftover cornhusks to protect the tamales from direct contact with the steam and to add more flavor. Make sure to leave tiny spaces between the husks so condensing steam can drain off.

4. Form the tamales. Cut twenty-six 8- to 10-inch pieces of string or thin strips of cornhusks. One at a time, form the tamales: Lay out one of your chosen cornhusks with the tapering end toward you. Spread about 1/4 cup of the batter into about a 4-inch square, leaving at least a 1 1/2-inch border on the side toward you and a 3/4-inch border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger). Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling down the center of the batter. Pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together (this will cause the batter to surround the filling). If the uncovered borders of the two long sides you’re holding are narrow, tuck one side under the other; if wide, roll both sides in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is small, you may feel more comfortable wrapping the tamal in a second husk.) Finally, fold up the empty 1 1/2-inch section of the husk (to form a tightly closed “bottom” leaving the top open), and secure it in place by loosely tying one of the strings or strips of husk around the tamal. As they’re made, stand the tamales on their folded bottoms in the prepared steamer. Don’t tie the tamales too tightly or pack them too closely in the steamer. They need room to expand.

5. Steam and serve the tamales. When all the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover cornhusks; if your husk-wrapped tamales don’t take up the entire steamer, fill in the open spaces with loosely wadded aluminum foil (to keep the tamales from falling over). Set the lid in place and steam over a constant medium heat for about 1 1/4 hours. Watch carefully that all the water doesn’t boil away and, to keep the steam steady, pour boiling water into the pot when more is necessary. Tamales are done when the husk peels away from the masa easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off the heat for a few minutes to firm up. For the best textured tamales, let them cool completely, then re-steam about 15 minutes to heat through.

Chicken in Green Chile Filling for Tamales
Yield: a generous 2-3 cups, enough for 24 tamales
From Rick Bayless

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh masa or masa harina
1 16-ounce bottle tomatillo salsa (make your own, see recipe below)
3 cups lightly packed, coarsely shredded cooked chicken (I like to use rotisserie chicken)
Salt, if necessary

DIRECTIONS
Pour 1/4 cup water into a small bowl and whisk in the masa or masa harina until thoroughly blended. In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, bring the salsa to a boil over medium-high heat. Strain in the masa mixture, and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Scoop the chicken into a bowl and stir in the thickened salsa. Taste and season with more salt if you wish.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Adapted from Bon Appétit
Yield: Makes about 2 cups

1 pound tomatillos (about 6 large), papery husks removed, rinsed
1/2 large onion, cut into thirds
2 serrano chiles, halved, seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss first 5 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Roast in oven until tomatillos and onion are very soft, about 1 hour. Transfer contents of baking dish to processor and add cilantro. Puree until almost smooth. Transfer salsa to bowl.

18 Days

It's true! It hasn't rained in Seattle for 18 straight days, I think it's a record! There's a sun buzz in town..the farmers market is bursting with spring produce and lovely peonies, lillies, begonias and irises. Everywhere you turn, someone is enthusiastically digging in their garden planting an heirloom tomato or staking a bean plant. The women at work, normally clad in jackets and boots have abandon their usual and are walking around in sandals, with new pedicures and sleeveless sundresses. I even have an extra skip to my walk. Wow, have I become a Seattlelite and not realize it?!?!

My CSA box brings me spring onions and was calling out to be cooked in a special way. I dug up a recipe from a Donna Hay magazine. Do you know her? She's a fabulous cook and author from Australia. I've been following her for a few years now, and love her take on simple but delicious food.

I don't know why I'm so intimidated when using yeast. Maybe it's baking in general, it's just the unfamiliar to me which makes it the more exciting, eh? I liked the consistency of this savory bread. I followed the recipe pretty closely and I was very happy with the results. The one small change is that the bread baked for closer to 30 minutes instead of the 20 min, as instructed in the recipe.


Again, substitution is a great possibility for next time. I may use the baby leeks so prominent at the farmers market, with a little gruyere on top. Oh, I only waited about 35 minutes for the bread to double in size before I popped it in the oven. I then went out to the deck with a tall glass of lemonade to enjoy the rest of the 18th sunny day in Seattle.

Spring Onion Tray Bread
From Donna Hay, Spring Issue 29

8 spring onions, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar (superfine)
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp caster sugar, extra
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
3 cups plain all purpose flour, sifted
1 tbsp olive oil, extra
1 tsp sea salt

Place the spring onions oil, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.

Place the yeast, extra sugar, milk in a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Place the flour, extra oil, and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture and stir with a butter knife to form a dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 4-5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Press the dough into a lightly floured 7x11 inch rectangle slice tin and press the spring onions into the dough. Cover with a clean damp cloth and set aside to prove (set in a warm place for the dough to rise) for 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 390 degrees fahrenheit. Bake the bread for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Serves 6.

Oh Boy, Treats!

Buddy and Maddie are so reliable. When we get home from work, they're always waiting, so happy to see us. They're so easy to please, just a few pats on the head, a little doggie talk, and they are on a wagging fest. Today, I made them treats.
I was on a roll so making cookies for the rest of the family was on the agenda. I've been itching to use a block of Scharffen Berger 62% cacao dark chocolate on a baked good and this is the perfect opportunity. On the SB website, they featured the best chocolate chip cookie, perfect for the ingredients I have on hand. Not owning a chipper, I wasn't too successful in turning the block of chocolate into small chips thus producing uneven chunks of deliciousness, but in the end, I think it worked out fine.


I also added toasted walnuts and whole dried tart cherries to the mix. The combination of the cherries and chocolate reminded me of a Cherry Garcia'esque cookie, very yummy!


My last tip is to not over bake these cookies. Keeping it under baked slightly lends to the chewiness of the cookie, and not so crispy although I must say, they were fabulous either way. Enjoy!

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES Adapted from the Scharffenberger website, the Baker's Dozen Cookie INGREDIENTS 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 ssticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (approximately 8 ounces), try either our 62% Cacao Semisweet or our 70% Cacao Bittersweet 3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted nuts (your favorite), optional PREPARATION Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl. Beat the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture and blend well; scrape the bowl again. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until just mixed; scrape down the bowl. Add the chocolate and optional nuts and mix until incorporated into the dough. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake, switching the position of the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown but the centers seem slightly underdone, about 13 minutes. Do not overbake or the cookies will be crisp throughout instead of chewy. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely. The cookies will crinkle as they cool. (Store at room temperature in airtight containers for up to 1 week.)

Rolling it Back

I know I was in LA for only a week, but I had a chance to visit some favorite old places and new places, such as the bar pictured above. Tammy met me here for a beer and I was seriously worried when I pulled up to the parking lot. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in. The bar was cozy and warm, with dark, leather benches and intimate booths. They had 4 beers on tap. I tried the Norwood ale, very similar to an IPA. Since it was ladies night, the $3 12-oz beers, cozy atmosphere, and great company made me happy I made the trip.
So, it's almost a ritual when we come home. We take a trip to Glendale and visit Porto's Bakery. It's a Cuban bakery that makes a guava cheese streudel that is so flaky and delicious, it was actually mentioned on a Six Feet Under episode! But really, it all started because I read an article that Andy Garcia comes to Porto's for a ritual cheese roll daily. I've yet to see him, but a girl can dream, can't she....



Since we visited LA, we went by our old house on Sanborn. The neighborhood changed drastically since we left the area in 1976. It's hard to believe that all 7 of us fit in this tiny house. With the color change and exaggerated attic, the house looks almost whimsical.

We also stopped to check out Vivian, Techie and Gerry's old high school, Marshall High. Did you know that Grease was filmed at Marshall's football field? I think we impressed the kids with useless trivia! Remember, you're the one that I love, woohoo hooo!

On our last night, Vivian hosted a Silpada jewelry party.
So many of our good friends came to visit, we had a great time and the food..fabulous! We decided on an all appetizer menu, it was a hit!




It's been a lengthy post, but here's the real reason I wrote it. I wanted to share this recipe with you. It's a great appetizer, and so simple to prepare. There's a myriad of possibilities too, if you want to exchange some of the ingredients in the recipe. Next time, I was thinking of exchanging the asparagus for spinach and adding some kind of protein,maybe ham? Sorry, Stiroh!

I followed the recipe pretty well, except I sauteed the asparagus with some diced onions for a few minutes before adding it to the mushroom mixture. I also used lemon zest instead of the peel, and a little extra to boot. Lastly, we made 9 small square tarts out of each puff pastry sheet, but I think next time, I may opt to stretching that to 12. It will be a perfect 2-biter tart!

Asparagus and Mushroom Tarts
By Betty Rosbottom, Bon Appetit April 2009

1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
12 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 pound slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/2 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 2 ounces)
Fresh thyme sprigs (for garnish)
*Sold at most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

Roll out each pastry sheet on work surface to 10-inch square. Cut each into 4 squares. Using small knife, score 1/2-inch border (do not cut through pastry) around inside edges of each square. Arrange squares on 2 rimmed baking sheets. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sauté until tender and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to large bowl; cool 15 minutes. Add asparagus, chopped thyme, lemon peel, 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to mushrooms. Mix in crème fraîche and cheese. DO AHEAD Filling can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Mound filling atop pastry squares, leaving 1/2-inch plain border.

Bake tarts 12 minutes. Reverse sheets. Continue to bake tarts until crusts are puffed and golden and filling is cooked through, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer to plates; garnish with thyme sprigs.

Camera, Lights, Action!

When I was a teenager, my friends and I used to go to Hollywood to watch movie premieres and hang out at the Grauman's Chinese Theater. Thanks to Techie, this past week, I again had a chance to hang out in Hollywood. Wow, what a difference! Adjacent to the Grauman's is the Kodak Theater and the Hollywood & Highland Center, a shopping center with high-end stores and eateries. Outside on the street, amongst the famous stars on the sidewalks, are costumed characters. $2 got us several pictures of Taylor with a couple of Star Wars fighters, bargain! The Spiderman guy was looking pretty ratty, we stayed away from him.




But wait..that's not even the main event! I had a chance to have lunch at Susan Feniger's new restaurant, Street, on Highland and Melrose. Jason is the sous chef at this fabulous establishment, and the food was fantastic. I'm a big fan of tapas-type food, and this falls under that category as each dish was meant to be shared. Vivian, Jacqui and I ordered several dishes to get a global feel of the menu and we were not disappointed. We started with the Cuban stuffed potato cake with spiced beef, raisins, and capers. The cake was sitting atop a tomato mint salsa and poblano crema, which I think really made the dish.
Next, we had the paani puri. They were delicious little morsels, a crispy dough filled with spiced potatoes and sprouted peas with a tamarind chutney, yum!
Let's move on to the Middle East, we had the lamb kofta skewer. This was one of my favorite dishes. The perfectly seasoned spiced lamb was served on a flatbread with beans, harissa eggs, tomato jam, spinach and Lebni yogurt. I guess it doesn't sound too good listed here, but it was an explosion of flavors in my mouth!
I am notorious in forgetting to take pictures before consuming it, so you'll just have to visit the restaurant and experience it for yourself. The other items we tried were: Saigon chicken salad, the dressing was of chili and lime, it was delicious! Another favorite was the saag paneer, a spinach dish with homemade cheese, spices, and served with dried plum dal and yogurt rice. We finished our meal with Turkish doughnuts. They're small pastries fried and simmered in cardamom rose syrup and served with rosehip jam.

I would definitely go back to this place to experience more food. The bar menu looks interesting as well, I'll have to try an exotic drink next time. Make a reservation today and feel like you've traveled the world!

Street Restaurant
742 No. Highland Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90038
www.eatatstreet.com