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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Is Filipino Cuisine the Next Big Thing?

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Will Filipino food be the “it” cuisine in the United States? One celebrity chef seems to think so. Andrew Zimmerman, of Bizarre Foods fame, boldly predicted that in 2 years time Filipino food would be talk of the culinary world.

image by VirtualErn

After his stint in the Philippines to shoot an episode of his show, Zimmerman proclaimed on “Today” that he believes Filipino cuisine would hit it big. He was quick to add that it won’t happen for a couple of years, owing to the still developing interest in Filipino food. Nonetheless, he sees it as a rising star in the culinary world.

Described as an infusion of Western techniques with Eastern ingredients, Filipino food would surely pique the interest of foodies the world over. It’s only a matter of time until Filipino food chains invade America. As of today, there are already restaurants in the States that offer Filipino dishes and a lot of chefs in various restaurants are of Filipino descent.

In one blog post by the A-Lister Gwyneth Paltrow, a popular condiment in the Philippines was featured. Toyomansi is soy sauce infused with Calamansi (of Filipino citrus). It was introduced to the actress by another accomplished chef, Keith Rhodes.

image from: http://goop.com/journal/make/186/cooking-catch

From the looks of things, Rhodes seems to be very familiar with the condiment and uses it for his restaurant, Catch in Washington. It’s no wonder Zimmerman sees the future for Filipino cuisine to be bright if even Hollywood celebrities are getting a taste of it.

The Best Celebrity Chefs When it Comes to BBQ Grilling

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There have always been chefs who are more well-known than others. But we live in an age when celebrity chefs are some of the biggest stars in the world. They become full-fledged famous people who have fans just as dedicated as any movie star or rock singer. And thanks to the Food channel and the Food network, they have a platform where they can show off their skills daily. It’s clear that for many of the chefs, it’s not just hype. They have the skills and ability to back up their fame. If it came down to it, they can still cook up a storm and prepare some of the best food you’ve ever tasted. And when it comes to grilling, the competition is fierce because it’s one of the grandest American traditions around. [Read more…]

Three Chefs That Helped Define Modern English Cuisine

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For the longest time English food had to live with a fairly bad reputation. English cuisine was seen as bland and unimaginative by many people. But the truth is, it is a reputation that it does not deserve. English food has developed and improved over the last few decades and it is now one of the culinary hot spots in the world. [Read more…]

Jamie Oliver’s Awesome Pomegranate Cocktails

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I personally like Jamie Oliver’s style and how simple he talks about cooking. He always makes use of fruits or ingredients that are in season. For this month of love, he chose pomegranates. It is a berry that has the qualities of a citrus fruit as well. So here are some cocktail recipes you can prepare for your loved ones and friends this coming Valentine’s Day.

Pomegranate Shots

It is very easy to prepare and the pomegranate gives off a burst of flavor in your mouth. Just make sure you have enough shot glasses for everyone.

Ingredients:

Gin

Pomegranates

Buy a bottle of gin and freeze it.

Next, peel the pomegranates and remove the arils or the purple “capsule like” pulp. Place them in a bowl and refrigerate. It is good to have them ready just in case you want more shots.

After your meal, place some pomegranate in individual shot glasses and fill it up with frozen gin.

Take a shot and enjoy!

Wicked Champagne Cocktail

This recipe makes regular champagne or sparkling wine more interesting. Cheers!

3 or 4 pomegranates

1 bottle of champagne or Prosecco

Caster sugar (optional)

Cut the pomegranates in half and remove the arils. You can also use a spoon to get them out by scooping or by smacking the rind side with a spoon while holding it over a bowl. Once you have the juicy pulp, puree it in a blender or food processor for 5-10 seconds. After, let it pass through a sieve and discard the solid pieces. Taste the pomegranate juice and add sugar if desired.

Pour around 5 mm or 1/4 of a champagne glass with pomegranate juice and then add some wine. Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of: geishaboy500

Fresh Oysters with Red Sauce

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Bourdain in Brittany

Blame it on Bourdain. A few days ago, we caught a replay of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Brittany episode, which ends with him consuming a “Tower of Shellfish”. Since then, it seems I’ve been thinking of nothing but shellfish, and when my neighborhood fishmonger offered me some fresh oysters yesterday, I simply HAD to say yes.

The truth is, all fresh oysters really need is some good rock salt. Kosher is fine, Maldon if you have it, Fleur de Sel if you’re being fancy. But I love having them with a classic chili-tomato sauce, which my husband and I simply call “Red Sauce”. We use ketchup in our recipe, which makes it a little sweeter than normal, and simplifies things tremendously.

Oysters with Red Sauce, Salt and Limes

Red Sauce for Oysters

1/4 cup tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons horseradish
Juice of half a lemon
celery salt (to taste)
Tabasco sauce (to taste)

Combine ingredients, tasting frequently as you add celery salt and Tabasco, to reach your desired saltiness and spiciness. Whir in a blender, whisk together, or process in a food processor. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.

Serve with freshly shucked oysters, some fresh limes and lemons, and some good salt.

Oscar Eats: Wolfgang Puck’s Menu

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The Oscars are nearly here, and celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has released his menu, for which he brought in

15 pounds of gold dust, 24 gallons of cocktail sauce, 1000 pounds of salmon, 2000 sesame miso cones, 4,800 eggs, 7,200 shrimp, and 50,000 baby veggies

to feed the expected 1500 guests. Want to see what’s on the menu?

Pre-Set First Course
Crispy Potato Galatte, Smoked Salmon, Dill Cream and Baby Greens

Entrée
Organic Chicken Pot Pie
Black Truffles and Root Vegetables

Dessert
“L’Etoile de Oscar”
(Baked Alaska with Espresso Glace and Guittard Chocolate Sorbet)
24 Carat Chocolate Oscar

Sounds like a delicious meal- simple, but comforting (yay for Chicken Pot Pie!)

If I were having it, I would be all over that 24 Carat Chocolate Oscar, which is perhaps the first registered dessert I’ve ever heard of. Executive pastry chef for the event is apparently Sherry Yard, one of my favorites for sure. I’ve made several things from her cookbooks, and they’re always, always perfect.

What are you eating on Oscar night?

Nigella Express, Answer Me Yes!

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I apologize if the title of this post confused you. I’m obviously a child of the 80’s, and think that the rock musical Starlight Express is the bomb. Moving along: today I want to post about one of my favorite cookbooks, the lovely Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast by the lovely Nigella Lawson.

Nigella Express

I have nearly all of Nigella’s cookbooks, but because I’m constantly in a hurry/flurry, this is the one I pull out the most. The titular “Express” refers, of course, to fast food- not the sodium-drenched kind, but quick and easy meals you can make yourself at home, whatever sort of hurry/flurry you find yourself in.

Like this Pea and Pesto soup. I never thought to marry peas and pesto, but a few days ago I found myself staring at the photo of creamy green soup in the book, imagining how such a combination- the fresh mushiness of the peas, the garlicky pepperiness of the pesto- might taste in my mouth. And so I made it:

Pea and Pesto Soup
from Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast

3 cups water
3 cups frozen peas
2 scallions
1 teaspoon Maldon salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) fresh pesto (not jarred)

The quickest way to proceed is to fill a kettle first and put it on to boil. When it’s boiled, measure the amount you need into a pan and put on the stove to come back to a boil.

Add the frozen peas, scallions, salt and lime juice and let everything bubble together for 7 minutes.

Discard the scallions and blitz the peas and their liquid with the pesto in a blender.*

Pour into a thermos flask that you’ve left filled with hot water and then emptied and make sure you screw the top on securely.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

The verdict? Delicious. Almost gloriously so. And so, so comforting.

Super Pizza From Rachel Ray

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Rachael Ray goes shopping for fruit and veg at the Farmers Market in New York City

You either love her or hate her but hey, she does present some great ideas for eats. Her “super pizzas” actually caught my attention and I think that I just might make one of them this weekend. I found some recipes at The Daily Journal – all of her super pizzas – and this is the one that I think has the most potential: the Chicken Pot Pizza.

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
• Salt and pepper
• Biscuit pizza dough (see below)
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, melt 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave; stir in the peas and carrots and the mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Press the biscuit dough evenly into a greased 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Spoon the vegetables on top, reserving the bowl, then bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Transfer to the reserved bowl along with the chicken and half of the cheese.

Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and melt over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the milk and bring to a simmer, stirring continuously; stir in the remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Preheat the broiler. Spoon the chicken mixture over the baked pizza and broil until golden bubbly, about 5 minutes. Drizzle with the cheese sauce and sprinkle with the parsley.

This recipe serves 4 and takes 25 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes of baking time. A fun meal in less than an hour – not bad.

Nigella’s Intense Chocolate Cookies

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Saatchi Gallery - Launch Party

I am a big chocolate lover and for Christmas dinner, I think I shall try my hand at Nigella’s version of chocolate cookies. I have not tried to make them myself but a friend, who is an avid baker, told me that these cookies are to die for! Here is the recipe according to Nigella.

Ingredients
125g/4oz dark chocolate
150g/5¼oz plain flour
30g/1oz cocoa, sifted
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
125g/4oz unsalted butter, softened
75g/2½oz light brown sugar
50g/2oz caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 free-range egg, cold from the fridge
350g/12¼oz dark chocolate chips

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
2. Break the 125g/4oz dark chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.
3. Place the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and mix well.
4. In another bowl, cream the butter and two sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and stir well.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract and crack in the egg, then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop out 12 equal portions of the mixture – an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job – and place onto a lined baking sheet about 6cm/2½in apart. Do not flatten them.
7. Transfer to the oven and bake for 18 minutes, then test with a skewer – it should come out semi-clean and not wet with batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.
8. Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to harden as they cool.

Maybe a tad more chocolate? 😉

Celebrity Chef Of the Day: Mario Batali

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mario-batali-9-5-07.jpgContinuing on with our celebrity chef-ridden month, we’re celebrating the talents of the one & only Mario Batali today.

Batali attended Rutgers University, graduating in 1982 with a double major in Spanish Theater & Economics.  Well, that’s rather impressive & interesting, eh?

Another little interesting tidbit about our little Mario is that he met & married Susi Cahn, the daughter of the founders of Coach Leather.  That was quite a find, if you ask me.  Mario & Susi have two sons together, Leo & Benno. 

With his trademark orange clogs, Batali has wowed us with his cookbooks, such as his 2006 Mario Tailgates NASCAR style as well as with his restaurant pursuits in Las Vegas.

From dishwasher to pizzaman, Mario has seen it all & lived to tell us all about the right way to cook!

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Celebrity Chef Of the Day: Jeff Smith

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jeff-smith-chef-9-4-07.jpgHello out there, dear readers.  I trust that everyone enjoyed a relaxing Labor Day on Monday, I know I tried my best to forget anything laborious & concentrate on more engaging pursuits like lazing around in my hammock.

Well, since we’ve since entered a new month, we have to choose the topic & I think I’ve got a goodie.  For each blogging day the month of September we’re going to learn a little more about our celebrity chefs than we know or maybe even wanted to know!

We’re starting off with the late TV personality Jeff Smith who was the author of several best-selling cookbooks as well as the highly acclaimed host of The Frugal Gourmet. 

Smith was born January 22, 1939, apparently entering into the tasty universe with an insatiable longing for good food.  Graduating from University of Puget Sound in 1962 & Drew University in 1965, Smith first set off as a United Methodist minister who was known for his love of cuisine.

It wasn’t until Jeff started teaching cooking classes to the public with the launch of a show in Tacoma did his career really start taking off.  During this time the celebrity chef started to pen cooking books including The Frugal Gourmet, The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome & The Frugal Gourmet Cooks With Wine.

Smith died of heart disease in July 2004, his obituary called him a “food genius” & I don’t think there’s much mistake in that.

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Celebrity Chef Charlie Totter Teams Up With United Airlines

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charlie-totter-8-21-07.jpgUnited Airlines has been able to seduce celebrity chef Charlie Totter into teaming up with the airline to provide the upper class some tasty bites.

The famous Chicago chef will be crafting two menus for your flights, one for first class & the other for business class.  While there’s no word as of yet what Totter has up his sleeve, I’m sure it will prove to be a success, though I think I’d go with first class if I were you…

Cookbook of the Day: Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals

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rachael-ray-cookbook-7-31-07.jpgWell folks, today is the last day of July.  This year is flying by fast, isn’t it?  The kids & teachers are heading back to school & I only wish I could string out the summer a bit for them.  But time waits for no man, they say.

With today being the end of Cookbook of the Day posts for a while, I wanted to end with celebrity chef Rachael Ray.  Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals cookbook is actually the bestselling of her books & deserves some praise.

With more than 150 dish recipes as well as time-saving tips from a professional, this cookbook is worth its weight in kitchen gold!  From Burgers Gone Wild to Salads that Stack Up, Rachael doesn’t miss a beat.  And  guess what?! Most of the recipes have the added bonus that they’re healthy as well!

Cookbook of the Day: Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals

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rachael-ray-cookbook-7-31-07.jpgWell folks, today is the last day of July.  This year is flying by fast, isn’t it?  The kids & teachers are heading back to school & I only wish I could string out the summer a bit for them.  But time waits for no man, they say.

With today being the end of Cookbook of the Day posts for a while, I wanted to end with celebrity chef Rachael Ray.  Ray’s 30-Minute Get Real Meals cookbook is actually the bestselling of her books & deserves some praise.

With more than 150 dish recipes as well as time-saving tips from a professional, this cookbook is worth its weight in kitchen gold!  From Burgers Gone Wild to Salads that Stack Up, Rachael doesn’t miss a beat.  And  guess what?! Most of the recipes have the added bonus that they’re healthy as well!

Wolfgang Puck Marries Gelila Assefa

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wolfgang-puck-married-7-10-07.jpgCongrats all around to celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck who tied the knot over the weekend.

The famous chef married handbag designer Gelila Assefa on the island of Capri.  The marriage celebration lasted three days, with a rehearsal dinner at the famous Ristorante Da Paolino.

Wish we could have been there alongside the Chinese Chicken Salad!

Celebrity Chef Rachael Ray Not to Divorce

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rachael-ray-happy-marriage-7-6-07.jpg

I don’t know whether you’ve been following or even hearing the rumors of late that celebrity chef Rachael Ray was very near to hiring a divorce lawyer and leaving husband John Cusimano, but calm your fears.

Ray has recently revealed through her rep that the two are still happily married & even currently enjoying themselves in the Hamptons.

“There is no truth to it and it’s a non-item….Rachael and John are happily enjoying the holiday week up at their cabin.”

Whew, I know I was getting worried.  That’s some good news to hit the weekend with, eh?

Celebrity Chef Maria Liberati Launches Virtal Book Tour

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maria-liberati-italian-cookbook-tour-6-4-07.jpg

Model turned celebrity chef Maria Liberati has announced that she will be launching a virtual book tour for her recent bestseller, The Basic Art of Italian Cooking. 

The tour begins today & runs until June 28.  The month-long tour will find its way along eight sites such as BlogTopix & NateBarlow.  Liberati will be discussing her new book as well as tips on cooking Italian.  Portions of the proceeds of the book sales are going to provide support for a nonprofit center for cancer victims.