Broccoli and Longganisa Pasta

Although longganisa originated in Spain (longaniza), it is perhaps the most famous sausage in the Philippines.  It is usually served during breakfast together with fried egg (sunny side-up) and garlic rice. There are different kinds of longganisa.  Among the most notable ones are Lucban longganisa from the province of Quezon and Vigan longganisa from Ilocos, both made from pork.  There is also longganisa made of ground chicken.

This recipe is very easy and can be done in minutes.

First, choose your pasta.  I preferred not using the ribbon family so the meal can be eaten easily.  Besides, this dish isn't saucy at all.  Cook your pasta according to the package instructions.

While waiting for your pasta, in a separate pan, saute one medium minced white onion in two tablespoons olive oil.  Once the onion becomes translucent, add two pieces of thinly sliced longganisa (that's about 1/2 cup).  The sausage I used here were brought from a local market. Saute for about a minute, then add one and a half cup of broccoli flower.  Pour 1/2 cup chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Add a few dashes of paprika, dried basil and chili powder. Let it simmer over low fire until the broccoli is tender.

Toss the pasta to your veggie and sausage and mix thoroughly.  Continue mixing for 30 seconds to one minute.  Add some parmesan cheese on top. Serve hot!

Happy eating!

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

Mediterranean-Style Salad with Yogurt Dressing and Spicy Grilled Chicken

Eating out or calling a delivery hotline is always tempting especially for those who come home uber exhausted from work. We actually see this situation on TV every single day. But what many do not know is that there's pleasure in cooking your own food. It makes you creative. It allows you to spend some time with yourself or a loved one. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Now here's something very quick for those who say they don't have time to cook. It'll take you not more than 10 minutes to create this healthy, simple and satisfying meal.

Cut some romaine lettuce (about 400 grams) into not more than 1 inch wide. Toss in black olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and feta cheese.

In a separate bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt, add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing into your veggies and toss thoroughly.

For the protein, rub 2 pcs of chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon each of chili powder, paprika and cayenne powder. Add a few dash of salt, pepper and dried thyme.

Coat a pan with olive oil and heat over medium fire. Fry each side of the meat for about two minutes. Let it rest for about five minutes before slicing.

Happy eating!

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

A Three-Course Dinner: Mushroom Risotto (Appetizer)

It was my sister's birthday and I wanted to make it special. Usually our family eats out on special occasions like this. But it's been a while since I cooked a salmon dish and my sister has asked me several times to cook one again.

To make things more challenging (and complicated), I thought why not prepare a three-course meal for that day? So I've gone through a lot of recipes to see what best appetizer and dessert will complement my salmon dish.

To start off the dinner on that evening, I decided to cook another risotto dish. That's easy and not really complicated (but requires proper timing). You can check my parmesan risotto recipe for the ingredients and procedures. The only difference is that instead of cheese, you add sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 3/4 cup) before the rice is fully cooked (together the last ladle of stock you added) and some crushed parsley .

I separated the entry of each course to spare you from reading a very long boring blog. Check on the next blogs for the entree and dessert.

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

Parmesan Risotto

I have tried several risottos and every time I do, it always fascinates me how a simple rice dish can be so tasty.  For us Filipinos, rice has always been paired with viands whether be it saucy or soup-based. But a risotto can be eaten on its own without any additional dish.

So  I finally decided to give it a try. But this time, I did a few research on how exactly it is done rather than cooking right away based solely from what I have tasted. I came up with two important facts. First, risottos are supposed to be creamy and oozy, not clumped up and sticky (about half of what I tried from various restos served me the latter). And second, you cannot use an ordinary rice. Nope. Sinandomeng, Dinurado nor malagkit won't work. It's gotta be an Italian rice like arborio, ribe or carnaroli, which I used here.

Then I decided what kind of risotto I want to cook.  That was easy.  Since I'm a sucker for cheese I thought a parmesan risotto would be the best to do. Here's the rest of the ingredients you'll need:

1 liter of stock, slowly simmered, 1/2 cup minced white onion, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (or more, adjust to your liking),  2/3 cup risotto rice, 1 cup white wine, butter (optional)

Pour the oil on a non-stick pan and heat over medium fire. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add rice and roast for a minute mixing continuously.

Add wine and simmer until the rice absorbs all the wine. Stir. Add a ladle of the stock. Continue stirring, adding another ladle of the stock whenever it dries up. Do this until your rice is cooked, which is about 12-15 minutes. When the rice is about to cook, season with salt and add the cheese. Remember to keep the rice from being all clumped up. Remove from heat, add a tablespoon of butter and mix well.

Tip: When transferring to a plate, place the risotto at the middle then tilt the plate at the sides. The rice should   be oozing. Serve immediately.

Here I added a few pan-seared scallops only as garnish.

Happy eating!

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

Quick Spinach Salad

I came home one night uber exhausted. Worse, my stomach was crumbling like crazy! I had several options on what to eat. I could cook a meal from what's available at home. But it's gonna take some time to thaw frozen food and prep the other ingredients. I was tired so I scrapped the idea right away.

Well, there's always been canned goods. But...they're meat. And it wouldn't be satisfying to eat them without rice. Rice! Extra calories at night? No good.

I opened the fridge again and there, miraculously, appeared a bundle of spinach! I immediately grabbed Popeye's power food and hand cut the leaves from the stems. I made about 1.5 cups. Then I sprinkled some salt before washing them .

While draining the leaves, I mixed 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 teaspoon cider vinegar. I squeezed a quarter of lime and added 1/2 teaspoon of tarragon.

I tossed the leaves in a bowl, poured the dressing and added some sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers and feta cheese, which I found in the fridge (that refrigerator is truly magical).

After eating, oh my! I felt as strong as the Sailor Man! :) Toot! Toot! Haha!

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

Blue Cheese Farfalle

How can something so stinky be so good all along?

This dish will prove that.

Cook 250 grams of farfalle (or your choice of pasta. but this recipe already says what you should use) a minute less than the given cooking time.

While waiting for your pasta, combine 1.5 cups of cream and some 50 grams of blue cheese (add more to your liking) in a bowl and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps.

Sauté 1/4 cup minced white onions in olive oil. Add 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms. Pour 1/2 cup stock then add the blue cheese and cream mixture. Let it simmer.

Toss in the pasta and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.

No more talk. Just eat.

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

Pan-fried Chicken Breast with Chunky Tomatoes and Basil

I don’t always find the food in the office cafeteria appetizing. But sometimes I let myself buy a cup of white rice and a viand because I failed to bring my own packed lunch. So one evening I searched through our fridge and cabinets for something easy to prepare the next day. I found chicken fillet, fresh basil and some concasséd tomatoes, which I previously prepared.

First I pounded the chicken breasts then seasoned with salt, ground pepper, crushed garlic, ginger powder and Spanish paprika.  I heated about two tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan and fried the chicken. Depending on how thin the chicken was pounded, mine took not more than three minutes on each side. Make sure it’s brown and golden.

While doing the chix, I sautéed some white onions in olive oil, added ½ cup of the tomatoes and poured in ¼ cup of chicken stock. Once simmered, I tossed some olives and fresh basil. Voila! Just top the veggies on your chicken and it’s done.

Happy eating! 

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

Creamy Cheesy Egg Sandwich Spread

Back when I was in school, my mama would always prepare me a sandwich and a Zesto juice pack aside from my rice meal. Cheese, tuna, ham and egg sandwiches were my usual snacks during recess time. But the latter has always been the most enjoyable for me. Until now, I find eggs delicious, and simple and trouble-free to cook ingredient in any dish.

So today I decided to make perhaps one of the most common sandwich spreads. It’s very easy to do and perfect for those I’m-too-lazy-to-cook moments.

What I learned about hard boiled eggs is that you have to boil the water first before adding the eggs. Then turn the fire low and simmer for not more than ten minutes (large eggs may need to be cooked for 15 minutes). Once done, immediately soak the eggs in cold water. This will help the shell be easily removed from the white. Cracking the egg will also release the gas that causes the greenish discoloration around the yolk.

I used two sliced eggs combined with ¼ cup mayonnaise and ¼ cup less-fat cream. (You can actually lessen the mayo and cream should you like the spread to be thick). I added two tablespoons of American cheese and tossed some crushed parsley, and seasoned with a few dashes of salt and pepper.

Place in a clean container with cover any unconsumed spread and store in the fridge.

I'm on Twitter @imavjavier

Go and Share!

Mushroom Whole Wheat Spaghetti

Mushrooms are undeniably one of my favorite foods. It’s a major turn on for me to try dishes served with any mushroom whether it’s soup, pasta, risotto, burger or pizza. I find them simple yet savory and filling.

I’ve tried several mushroom pastas but this one I cooked was made healthier by using whole wheat spaghetti. Although it is still starch, whole wheats are high in fiber, which aids in digestion and helps on weight management.

Cook 200 grams of your choice of whole wheat pasta one minute less than the given instruction. While waiting for your starch, sauté two gloves of minced garlic in olive oil, adding ¼ cup of minced white onion. Once your onion turns translucent, add one cup of minced shiitake mushroom. You can use either fresh or dried but fresh produce ar oftentimes better.

The trick: use food processor (or blender) to easily mince the mushroom.

Pour one cup of chicken stock, ¼ cup white wine (I used chardonnay) and ¼ cup non-fat cream. Add salt and pepper then simmer and reduce the sauce by ¼ cup. Once the pasta is about to cook, toss it to your sauce, mix well and cook for another minute.

That’s healthy and savory without the guilt.


I'm on Twitter @imavjavier