a continuation…

April 5, Day 9 of COVID Quarantine Lock Down…

Movie: Ugly Delicious (Netflix Series) – A food and travel vlog hosted by award winning chef David Chang. In this series he travels to food hot spots around the world and is joined by other chef and foodies. It’s sort of like what Anthony Bourdain use to do but with a Chang kind of twist.

As a chef in this crazy times of lock down this type of shows keep your mind going. Its like using all the time you have to re-educate yourself. Apart from learning new things the show is also entering, it’s an eye opener and it’s an inspiration. It’s like having Robert Kiyosaki, Gordon Ramsay and James Corden all mashed up in one show. No bullshit, no fiction, all flavour and love for good food. From the first episode I was moved on how honest they could be about origins, race and ethnicity. This show made me realise one thing about me being a professional chef, I don’t know much about my roots. I can cook the basics but not really the hard core authentic stuff aka “the good shit”.

So thanks to this lock down period and to Ugly Delicious, I will be trying and testing some dishes local to the Philippines, #pinoyfood #pinoyfoodporn. Food that I grew up eating but have not really cooked any of it. Food that brings warmth and comfort to the soul, nourishment to the body and satisfies cravings. Food that brings back memories of family and friends and having it with them before all this corona shit happened. The only true universal language that binds us. Coming together and sharing a meal is the most communal and binding thing in almost every place in the world. Food is tied to tradition; food is tied to memories, and many people don’t realize the importance of food as a way to bring people together. “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien

So today I’m going to do a set menu that is meant for sharing. Remember going back to my roots yeah, so it will be Filipino inspired but adjusted to what is available during our times in this pandemic.

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Chicken Inasal and Tinolang Tuway

For the Inasal:

2 whole Chickens (I used #8’s, which means they are about 800gms each)

1/4 cup (60gms) Ginger (grated)

10 cloves Garlic (minced)

3 pcs Lemon Grass (chopped fine)

1 medium Red Onion (chopped fine)

2 TBSP (30gms) Sea Salt Flakes

1 TBSP (15gms) Chicken Powder

1/2 cup (120gms) Brown Sugar

1 TBSP (13gms) Cracked Black Pepper

1 TBSP (13gms) Lemon Pepper

1/2 TBSP (5gms) Dried Chilli Flakes

1 1/2 cups (360mls) Lemoade (preferably 7up or schweppes)

1/2 cup (120mls) Fresh Lime Juice

1 cup (240mls) Rice Wine Vinegar

For the Basting:

1/4 cup (60mls) Prepared Annatto Oil (made by soaking annatto seeds in oil)

1 TBSP (15mls) Liquid Smoke Flavouring

1 TBSP (15mls) Fresh Lime Juice

1 tsp (5mls) Patis (fish sauce)

1/2 cup (120gms) Softened Margarine

For the Tinola:

2 kg Fresh Tuway (better known as Pipis here down under)

4 cloves Garlic (crushed)

1 medium Red Onion (sliced)

1 pc Lemon Grass (chopped)

1 pc Tomato (quartered)

Small Ginger (julienne)

1 pc Red Chilli

1/4 cup (60mls) Oil

2 TBSP Patis (fish sauce)

3 cups Stock

salt and pepper to taste

For the Inasal:

STEP 1 – Combine all the basting ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside till ready to use.

STEP 2 – Split chickens in half and pat dry then set aside while you make the marinade. Put all marinating ingredients in a food processor and pulse till there are no big chunks left.

STEP 3 – Soak chickens in marinate and leave for at least 2 hours. If you have time over night is much better.

STEP 4 – Grill chicken preferably over hot coals but during lock down you can roast it in the oven then finish it in a pan over high heat to give that grilled effect. Remember to continuously based it with the basting mix.

For the Tinlola:

STEP 1 – This is considering that your clams are nice and clean already. Heat up a medium sized pot and add your oil.

STEP 2 – Sauté onions, tomato, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chilli until onions are translucent.

STEP 3 – Add the clams to the pot and saute for about 2 minutes. deglaze the pot with your fish sauce and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in stock and simmer until clams are cooked.

*You will know they are cooked when they are all open. Avoid unopened clams as this is a sign that they are not fresh.

*I threw in some chopped up fresh parsley and dill you may use spinach or chili leaves if you want.

*To finish of the set menu I served this with steamed rice.

Happy Cooking and always remember to cook with your heart…