White Beans & Cabbage

It’s official. Summer is leaving...being shooed away by gloomy skies and rainy days. Just as with all transitions, it’s a happy-sad time.

Sad because I say goodbye to my blindingly gorgeous summer mangoes that can slay a girl with their sweetness. Sad because summer sunshine and beach trips are coming to an end (not that we can’t go to the beach out of the summer season…advantages of living on a tropical archipelago and all). Sad because I already feel the celebratory spirit that only summer can bring (even if you’re all grown up and summer vacation seem to have gone the way of Santa and the tooth fairy) slowly slipping away.

Happy because the weather will finally be getting cooler! Happy because there is nothing quite like sipping hot coffee beside a rainy window. Happy in the hope that the electricity bill will return to more respectable levels. Happy because it’s soup and stew season (hello monggo, nilaga, and callos) and I can once again cook long and slow without too much pain.

Summer isn’t the only one leaving. I’m off to Spain (!!!), Barcelona to be exact…one of my very favorite cities in the universe. I won’t be long, just nine days, too short really. But it’s the longest I will have been away from little C since she joined our fledgling family. So this too is happy-sad. Happy because, well, it’s Barcelona (what more needs to be said right?)! Sad because I’ll miss my little cherry bomb’s wild antics and solemn kisses.

But I’ll be back before we all know it! Hopefully with a stash of pimenton de la Vera and a Nespresso machine :) And who knows what other goodies!

Meanwhile here’s another delicious dish from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day (I am just loving this book much too much!). It is what she describes as “the sort of simple dish I find myself enjoying on the most blustery of San Francisco afternoons”. Let me tell you, it does equally well in the Manila rainy season.

White Beans & Cabbage
(Reprinted with permission from Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen by Heidi Swanson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.)

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or clarified butter, or unsalted butter)
• 4 ounces/115 grams potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes
• Fine grain sea salt
• 1 large shallot thinly sliced
• 2 cups/12 ounces/340 grams cooked and cooled white beans or 1 425-gram can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups/8 ounces/225 grams very finely shredded green cabbage
• A bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese

- Pour olive oil into a large skillet over medium high heat. Add potatoes and a big pinch of salt. Toss, cover, and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Be sure to scrape the pan and toss the potatoes once or twice along the way so all sides get color.
- Stir in the shallot and the beans. Let the beans cook in a single layer for a couple of minutes, until they brown a bit, then scrape and toss again. Cook until the beans are nicely browned and a bit crispy on all sides.
- Stir in the cabbage and cook for another minute, or until the cabbage loses a bit of its structure. Serve dusted with parmesan.
- Serves 4.

I used canned beans for this but I will try making my own next time. The canned ones didn’t seem to brown as enticingly as Heidi’s did in her photo. On the whole though, I loved this dish. It’s a combination of 3 things I like -- cabbage, beans, and potatoes -- each of these registering very high on the comfort scale. All together, and generously dusted with finely grated parmesan, this is like a slow, warm hug on a rainy night.

For now I leave our summer’s end (and the start of our own rainy nights) to head to another summer’s beginning. Although it is still warmer here then over there! See you all when I get back!

While I’m away, and if you have absolutely nothing to do, which I am sure is the furthest thing from the truth, but you know, just in case, you can visit me on Pinterest. It’s a “virtual pinboard” of images that I love, or are inspiring to me, for one reason or another. Maybe you’ll find something that inspires you too? :) You can click on the Pinterest link on my right sidebar or HERE.

Breakfast #40: Pimenton Fried Egg

I’m confused. Do I want a light summer breakfast that involves no cooking? Or do I want something more savory and substantial? We are still technically in summer's embrace/clutches but June (and our "wet" season) is already around the bend and a typhoon supposedly ready to drop the ax on our shores. Outside my window the weather seems likewise confused. Sun peeking through the clouds, alternately becoming overcast then back again. What’s it to be?

When it comes to breakfast, when in doubt, the answer is always eggs (in my book at least)! They are a fantastic source of protein, have the ability to be a meal unto themselves, and, most importantly, are absolutely delicious. Golden, runny yolk, sprinkled with salt, and mopped up with buttered toast is one of life’s most sublime offerings.

And now that I’ve found a new favorite way of having them, all the more reason to have eggs on this wishy-washy-weather morning.

I “discovered” pimenton fried eggs one day while making these Chickpeas & Sweet Potato Greens. I was going to have it for lunch and needed something to round it out into a meal. A fried egg is my usual standby in cases like this, but I turned a saw my little tin of Pimenton de la Vera and the wheels in my head would not be stopped.

Pimenton Fried Egg

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Pimenton de la Vera, dulce
• Sea salt

- Heat the olive oil in a skillet. When the oil is hot add the pimenton, leaving some for sprinkling later.
- Swirl the pan so the pimenton spreads and the oil takes on a red-orange hue. The smell will be amazing, be ready for weak knees.
- Add the egg and let this fry. When the whites are set swirl pan around carefully so the orange oil gets on the whites. Sprinkle remaining pimenton on the yolk. Sprinkle sea salt all over the egg, being more generous with the yolk. I like to take mine out when the yolk is still quite runny but by all means cook it to your preference.

Pimenton de la Vera is a Spanish smoked paprika. It is made in La Vera, Spain, from local peppers that are smoke-dried and then ground. It comes in dulce (sweet), agridulce (medium spicy), and picante (spicy). I use the dulce variety here as, honestly, it’s my favorite. You can use a mixture as well of dulce and picante if you want more heat. Authentic pimenton de la Vera comes with a D.O. (denominación de origen) and it is well worth it to seek a proper one out. Pimenton is one of my favorite spices and definitely a pantry essential in my home. Its smokiness is deeper and more pronounced than regular paprika and it adds a very distinct Spanish flavor to any dish you add it to. It is essential in my fabada and callos, and works very well with any dish involving a tomato-based sauce.

This very simple preparation highlights all that is good in its three main ingredients, so don’t skimp! The earthy smokiness of the pimenton, the richness of the egg, and the flavor of the olive oil. Don’t forget to salt the egg as it fries. I ate this atop some spinach and rösti potato**, but really this would be great with many things, not the least being a piece of toast.

As I look out my window, the sky still seems a bit unsure of itself (although I did hear a peal of thunder just now and the scent of rain is in the air). I on the other hand, glancing at my breakfast plate that is all but licked clean, am no longer confused. This is, for certain, one of my favorite ways to prepare egg in any weather.

**Just in case you were wondering: For the rösti, peel and grate a small potato. You should have a scant cup of grated potato. Fry half a white onion, sliced. When the onion is soft add to the grated potato. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet and when hot add the potato and onion mixture. Press down with a spatula and fry until the underside is golden, pressing the rösti every now and again. Flip the rösti and fry the other side until golden as well, continuing to press on it once in a while. For the spinach just blanch a handful of it in boiling water for a minute then drain.

P.S. It just started to rain!

P.P.S. It stopped raining.

Stir Fried Chicken with Dried Chillies

What is life if not a juggling act, a dance, a frenetic shimmy here, and languorous glide there? We try to keep pace, keep as much balls in the air as we can. We’re not happy unless our agendas are filled to the brim, including margins and side notes….only to moan and cry as we struggle to check each task off. When did “busy” and “stressed” become status symbols?

Not everyone is like this. Oh no. There are brilliant people who know the real score and smile gently in the background as we do our frantic dance, racing to somewhere nameless with only the stubborn knowledge that we must race there, ideally with a hundred balls in the air and oh the chiding if we let one slip. These people have got it all figured out.

I don’t.

I still throw myself onto the hamster-wheel, running pell-mell into nowhere. I still grab much too many balls and then sigh about having to keep them all sailing smoothly.

But I’m learning.

I’m learning that I can set the pace at which I dance. I can choose the music and the steps too. I can choose how many balls I want to juggle, and which I can leave behind for others. I’m learning that all dancers have breaks and so should I. That doing nothing sometimes has its own purpose (my strong predisposition for “me-time” helps me along). That sometimes it is not life that is complicated, but we that make it so.

Cooking is one of those “balls” that I gladly keep in the air. It nourishes me and my family, but I’ll have to admit that I also cook for purely selfish reasons. I love it. It makes me happy. In truth, it is the therapy that keeps my stress at bay. As does scribbling it all down here. I suppose I wouldn't be doing it for almost 6 years if it wasn't :)

Stir Fried Chicken with Dried Chillies

(adapted from Xi Yan Cuisine by Jacky Yu)

• 400 grams chicken thigh fillets
• 1 egg white
• A big pinch of sea salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 10 pieces dried chillies (adjust based on your preferred level of heat)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns, ground
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
• Canola or other vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

- Cut the chicken fillets into 1-2 inch chunks. Mix with egg white, salt, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch and let this marinate for 1 hour.

- Mix Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, black vinegar, water, sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and sesame oil together and set aside.

- Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Fry chicken until about 60% done (you will finish cooking it later). Drain and set aside.

- Drain pan leaving only about 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the dried chillies and garlic and stir fry until chillies are toasted (slightly burnt is the original directive). Return chicken to the wok and fry. Add the sauce and cook further. Add peanuts and ground Sichuan pepper and toss until everything is well coated and the sauce is sticky.

I have taken liberties with the original recipe and have adjusted some things to suit what is easily available for me. The original called for caltrop starch which I have not the foggiest clue where to find, so I substituted it with cornstarch. The original also indicated Zhenjiang vinegar, which is likewise unavailable (if anyone has a supplier in Manila let me know!) so I used regular Chinese black vinegar instead.

I found this recipe in a old cookbook my godfather and his wife gave me. They live in Hong Kong and had attended a function of the chef/author (who has a restaurant in Singapore). His name is Jacky Yu and I know nothing about him except that he looks young and happy, his cookbook is half in Chinese, and that I love his stir fried chicken with chillies. And that's enough for me. In my kitchen I dictate how complicated or simple I want things to be.

Chickpeas & Sweet Potato Greens

It stands to reason that during the summer, when the heat keeps you from the stove and the beach keeps you less clothed than normal, everyone’s thoughts would turn to eating light. That is not always the case though. Especially not when trips out of town, and the celebratory air that accompanies them, involve meal after bountiful meal, tables groaning with food, and everyone serving up their best or ushering you to favorite restaurants. I am, of course, very much up for this blissful challenge. The vegetables and fruit are going crazy with goodness right now, and if you’re vacationing on a tropical island (which, by the way, every one of our 7,107 are – so technically we all live on one) you’d be foolish to pass up on all the fresh seafood.

My trip to Iloilo was definitely one of those aforementioned high-octane eating trips. We were surrounded by family, good food, and good wine. Every meal had us vowing that we would go light for the next one. And every next meal had us breaking that vow. This weekend I am off on another beach trip, this time closer to home and only a car ride away. But I know that again we will be spoilt with good food (and lots of it), good wine (lots of that too), and fantastic company (which makes eating all the more enjoyable don’t you think?).

A little preparation is in order methinks. Just in time comes Heidi Swanson’s new cookbook Super Natural Every Day. I have long been a fan of 101 Cookbooks, Heidi’s gorgeous blog that has been feeding my inner vegetarian (yes, some of us carnivores do have inner vegetarians…it’s actually quite common so please don’t scoff). I was so happy to finally get my hands on her new book and it has been sitting on my bedside table since I got it...giving me little bits of inspiration before I nod off, thinking of ways to eat a little lighter and healthier to compensate of weekend feasting!

Chickpeas & Sweet Potato Greens
(adapted from Chickpeas & Dandelion Greens in Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson)

• 1 400-gram can chickpeas, drained
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Piment d'Espelette
• Fine grain sea salt, to taste
• 100 grams kamote tops (sweet potato greens), leaves picked
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

- Place the chickpeas in a bowl.
- Place a skillet, and, while it is still cold, add the olive oil, garlic, Piment d'Espelette, and two big pinches of salt. Place over medium heat and stir until the garlic starts to sizzle but does not brown.
- Add the kamote tops and toss until they start to wilt. This will be very fast, just seconds. Stir in the lemon zest.
- Pour the whole lot of greens and flavorful oil over the chickpeas and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Serves 2 (as a main) or 4 (as a side).

Heidi uses dandelion greens in her original recipe but, even if they sound quite charming to me (like something out of Aesop’s Fables), they cannot be found over here. I substituted kamote tops (sweet potato greens) of which I think Heidi would approve as she is a staunch supporter of locally sourced produce. For the red pepper flakes she calls for I used Piment d'Espelette (recently gifted to me by a beloved chef aunt who hails from the Basque region of Spain). To make this more a main meal Heidi recommends topping it with a crumbled hardboiled egg. I decided to go the runny route and topped mine with a Pimenton fried egg (my latest breakfast obsession that I will soon be posting about!).

I have pretty much bookmarked Super Natural Everyday to an inch of its life but this simple preparation of garlicky-lemony chickpeas pushed itself to the forefront one lunchtime when I needed something fast and light, but still tasty and filling. This dish hits it on all counts. Especially on the tasty count.

So a big thank you to the lovely Heidi, who provided me with this delicious respite between summer trips. I am looking forward to trying more! Just as I am looking forward to once again trading city for beach this weekend!

Back From Neverland

My goodness. I have been remiss here haven’t I? But you know how it is…fresh from the arms of a wonderful vacation you land smack in a mammoth mountain of work. How I wish I had the luxury of “recovering” from the blissful days of sun, sand, and sea by lying on my bed, reflecting on the joy of being with family and the perfection of Guimaras mangoes.

But, as you and I both know, that is not the way the cookie crumbles, and hitting the ground running (sprinting!) is more the reality of the day.

So…I am currently between all-week meetings, and as such, can only offer you some photos from my little summer getaway in lieu of a proper post and recipe.

I had been brimming with excitement about our Iloilo trip for over a month already. That is where my mother’s side of the family comes from and I used to spend summers there as a child. I hadn’t been back since then so I was beside myself. I couldn’t wait to return…now with a little one of my own.

The trip was a whirlwind of fantastic food and even more fantastic company. Sadly, I will have to disappoint and say that I don’t have much photos of the food…I guess the summer air, coupled with pre-meal wines and afternoon San Miguels, made me a tad lax when it came to serious food photography. I did manage to snap some shots with my phone to give you a peek at the amazing seafood to be had in Iloilo.

From there we were off to Guimaras, famed for their pristine beaches, untouched coves, and out of this world mangoes. One such cove was our destination. Our "neverland" as my aunt refers to it. And what a "neverland" it was!

We camped out under the stars. We had fresh grilled fish, lobster, roast pig, and of course, the mangoes (which Little C enjoyed immensely). Good wine, tinto de verano, and mojitos (which Little C is not yet allowed to sample).

We had a fantastic time. There is really nothing like taking some time to sink your toes in the sand and be with the people you love. And Little C loved it just as much! Even more if that is at all possible. We could scarcely tear her away from the beach. She is truly an island girl!

I hope this tides you over until next week! I promise I have some dishes to share…one that comes from my latest cookbook purchase with which I am so very pleased! Till then wish me good luck and much energy!