Recipe of the Week! #7

When I was making this post, I was thinking 'Chicken nanaman?!' I blame my mom, because she makes me cook chicken every Sunday. The thing is, I am just sick of looking for new recipes for chicken so I usually use my old recipes and find things to make them different or even better.

Then recently had this chicken with garlic (the ones you usually find in buffets) and I loved it! I was trying to figure out what you call it, but I knew I had it before and it's a Spanish cuisine. But finally, I have found it! This turned out really good and I don't think I'll ever get sick of cooking this, especially because I love the combination of chicken, garlic and potatoes!

 

Pollo al Ajillo - Spanish Garlic Chicken
Ingredients

Marinade: 
10-12 Chicken Thighs (Skin on)
2 lemons
1 garlic head - the cloves must be finely chopped
Salt
Pepper

White Garlic Sauce:
1 cup White Wine
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 can of Evaporated Milk
Garlic cloves - skin off (I used a head)
5 dried bay leaves
Flat Parsley
Cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper.

Additional Ingredients:
Oil
Potatoes (Sliced or baby)

Procedure:

1. Clean your Chicken thighs and put together the juice of 2 lemons (don't add the seeds since it will make it bitter,) garlic, salt and pepper. Allow the thighs to marinate for 2-4 hours.

2. Add oil to your pan. Remove the Chicken thighs from the marinade and drain well. Brown the chicken in the oil on both sides. (MAKE SURE YOUR PAN IS HOT.)

3. When you see the skin is already browned and it's half-cooked then you can already remove it from frying pan and place in a plate. Let it rest.

TIP: Don't get rid of the pan used to cook the chicken, since you can still use that to cook your sliced or baby potatoes.

4. In big pot (something that can fit your Chicken thighs) Add the White wine and the Red Wine Vinegar and let the liquid reduce. When it starts to bubble, you can add your garlic cloves.

5. After 3 minutes, you can now add your Evaporated milk and Cayenne pepper. Let it boil.

6. After you let it boil, you now add your Chicken thighs and the juices on the plate. (YUMMY!)

7. Add your bay leaves, and put it on low heat for 15-20 minutes. You can now add the salt and pepper according to your taste.

8. When it's almost done, you can add your flat parsley (stems off)

9. And you are done! You can now plate your Chicken thighs and top it with the potatoes and the sauce. So good!

ISOGI -- San Antonio Plaza, Makati

Isogi is one of the newest addition in the San Antonio Plaza! It's a really tiny restaurant between Purple Oven and Kashmir, but do not underestimate their size for their food! To be honest, I thought it would be one of those pasosyal na Japanese restaurants, but this one is definitely not one of those! Isogi is by KAI (Greenbelt 5)

My parents and I tried it after the anticipated mass in San Antonio Parish. Note: Go early! It's tricky to find parking in the area, unless you're hearing mass there. Just to be sure also, call ahead so you'll have a table! Even though you're a small group still call. I had to call in the morning just to make sure we get a table.

Recipe of the Week! #6

 

Wicked Oreos 
(aka Fried Oreos) AKA my friends' newest favorite dessert that I make!

Ingredients:
1. One bag of Oreos (I use the Original one, by Nabisco)
2. 1 pouch of Pancake mix (I personally use Maya)
3. 1 1/2 cups of milk
4. 2 eggs
5. 4 teaspoons of Vegetable oil
6. 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

OPTIONAL:
Cinnamon sugar
Confectioner’s sugar 
Vanilla ice cream

Procedure:
1. Chill the Oreos in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. (I refrigerated mine overnight! Hehe)
2. Mix the Pancake mix, milk, eggs, oil and Vanilla extract together to make the batter. There should be no lumps at all. (Tip: Count to 100!)
3. Soak the Oreos into the batter. Make sure that both sides are fully covered. Let them sit there for 2 minutes.
4. Pour 3 inches of cooking oil into a pot. Put it to 'High' so the oil will heat faster. Make sure the oil is VERY HOT.
5. Use a spoon to move the Oreos to the pot. Put the Oreos into the pot carefully. You must leave room between them for the batter coating to rise/expand without the cookies touching each other.
6. The cookies will float, then it's time to flip. (It usually takes a minute.)
7. When it's golden brown (mine usually turns brown, but nice kind of brown) you should strain the excess oil.
8. Once it is fully strained, you can mix the Cinnamon sugar and Confectioner's sugar together to make the coat for the Oreos. Just roll them or use a Ziplock bag and shake them in.
9. Plate and add a scoop of Ice Cream (I suggest Magnolia or FIC) and just add another dash of Cinnamon sugar and SERVE!

Recipe of the Week! #5

Outback's Steakhouse's Kookabura Wings 
COPYCAT!

Ingredients:

For the chicken coating
13-15 chicken wings and/or wing drummettes
2 1/2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon of Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of Paprika
1 tablespoon of Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Salt

3-5 cups of canola oil (you can use vegetable too.)

Spicy Sauce (coating)
1/3 cup salted butter

1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce (Original)
2 teaspoons Ortega taco seasoning (Chiptole)
1/2 tablespoon Tabasco
3 tablespoons Brown Sugar (depends how mild spicy you want it to be)

Procedure:
1. Clean your wings and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Combine flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper, garlic salt all together.
3. Coat the wings with the dry rub. Make sure each piece is well coated.
5. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat oil. When oil is heated, fry the chicken until it floats and golden.
6. Drain the oil from the chicken. (use a strainer)
5. Let chicken wings rest then put it in a bowl.

For the sauce:
1. In your sauce pan, let the butter melt, then add the hot sauce. Stir.
2. When it starts to bubble, you can now add the Taco Seasoning. Mix.
3. Let it bubble up and add your Tabasco and Brown sugar. KEEP STIRRING. (Make sure the brown sugar is completely dissolved)
4. Let it bubble again, then turn off heat.
5. While it's hot, pour the sauce into the bowl of chicken and use a thong to fully coat the wings.

AND ENJOY!

Calderón -- Little Baguio, San Juan

YES, I AM BACK!!! I am so sorry for being gone for almost two months, beacause I was swamped with school work this summer since I took advance class. It took up my whole week, and I would only have Sundays as my "rest day."

As my comeback (lol), I was invited by OpenRice Philippines (thank you so much for the invite!), to try the latest addition in Little Baguio's street of restaurants, which is Calderón. This is the newest Spanish Kitchen and Tapas Bar in the Metro! It serves authentic home-style Spanish food, tapas, sangrias, and more inside a homely, warm-lighted interior.

This night was the perfect combination of good food and good laughs! A night to remember and I'm happy that I got to spend it in Calderón!

 Calderón is the baby of Angela, Marmi and Monchet, plus Chef Rafa!
With this team-up, you can only expect to be pleased and very delighted!