Thursday, October 20, 2011

Honey Eggs Benedict

With H on the gourmet roll, this is what she made for us for breakfast, Eggs Benedict.


Eggs Benedict recipe

Ingredients (For 4 people)

* 4 fresh English muffins
* 8 rashers of back bacon
* 8 eggs
* 1 tsp of white vinegar
* 4 egg yolks
* 2 tbsp of lemon juice
* 9 oz (255 g) of butter
* pinch of cayenne pepper
* salt and pepper


To make a simple Hollandaise sauce:

1. Place the 4 egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and the salt and pepper into a fairly large saucepan and with a hand whisk, whisk all the ingredients until they have blended together.
2. Cut the butter into small chunks and add to the saucepan.
3. Turn the heat on the cooker to medium and begin to whisk the ingredients. As the butter melts, make sure that you blend it thoroughly into the egg yolks. Continue to whisk vigorously until all of the butter has blended into the eggs.
4. If the sauce begins to separate, add 2 tsp of water to the sauce mixture and whisk briskly until the mixture has combined together to form a creamy sauce.
5. Once all of the butter has melted and a sauce has been formed, continue whisking until the sauce thickens to the desired consistency.
6. Add more salt and pepper if required.
7. Remove from the heat and keep the sauce warm before serving for up to 30 minutes.

Once the Hollandaise sauce has been prepared and set to one side, you can concentrate on the other ingredients.

The next step is to prepare the eggs and the ham, if possible simultaneously.

1. Preheat the grill to a moderate heat and cut the bacon or ham into circles that will just cover the base of the muffin.
2. At the same time start to poach the eggs (see our section on: How to poach an egg).
3. Place the bacon or ham under the grill and cook on both sides until browned. Keep warm if the eggs are still cooking.
4. When the eggs and the bacon are almost ready, tear the muffins in half with your hands, taking care to break them evenly and place them in the toaster or under the grill.
5. When the muffins have been lightly toasted, butter them generously and place in the middle of a warmed plate.
6. Remove the bacon from the grill and sit one circular piece on top of each half muffin.
7. Arrange the drained and trimmed poached egg on top of the bacon or ham and finally spoon the warmed Hollandaise sauce over the egg.
8. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Help with cooking

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Pizza hut lunch

One of my comfort food is pizza. As one may notice, when I like a food group, i like it in any variant. Pizza is no exception. So to treat myself, again, I got the 2 pizzas for Php55 (around Aus$1.20) from Pizza Hut for lunch.




Two pizzas of the same flavor for only Php55. They also have a combo meal where you can get 2 pizzas with a drink for less than 100 pesos.You can find it at any Pizza Hut stores in malls nationwide.

Becky's kitchen

I love chocolate...chocolate fudge, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, chocolate cake, chocolate with nuts, without nuts, with fruit...the list can go on and on.....

And here's a chocolate treat I cannot resist



From Becky's Kitchen, Singalong

1601 P. Ocampo cor. Bautista St. Singalong

Manila, Metro Manila

Philippines

(02) 525- 1648

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Lemon Shrimp scampi

HD likes to have her hand in the kitchen and regularly treats her family to good home cooked meals she prepares herself. She realized everything you try at restaurants you can actually make yourself at home and it has been her passion to cook her favorite restaurant dishes.

This week she cooked Lemon Shrimp Scampi. I love seafood and I love pasta! What could be better?




Lemon shrimp Scampi Pasta recipe

Ingredients

* 6 garlic cloves, pressed or grated
* 2 lemons, zested and juiced
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 pound medium shrimp (21 to 25), peeled, deveined and butterflied (reserve shells)
* 1/4 onion
* 3/4 pound thin linguini
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 small bunch parsley, leaves chopped

Directions

In a bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the shrimp. Set aside.

Meanwhile make a quick shrimp stock: In a small pot, over medium heat, add the shrimp shells and onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and discard the shells and the onion.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. Add the linguini and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate and add the remaining marinade. Let cook a few minutes then add about 1 cup of shrimp stock and about 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half. Add the zest and juice of the remaining lemon, the butter and the parsley and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Sai Bhaji Pulav lunch

I spent the day with my relatives and as always, was in for a treat. Whenever I am asked where the best Indian food in Manila is, I always spout off their address. Seriously, it IS the place to find the best Indian food there is and I am lucky enough to be able to partake of my favorite Indian dishes with them.

Lunch that day was a vegetarian delight. The meal consisted of

Mango chutney, made from green mango, red chilli, salt and pepper

Pulav (pulao) Rice

Sai Bhaji (Spinach, Split peas, gourd and other vegetables cooked in various spices)

Pappad or otherwise also known as Pappadom (kind of an indian cracker)


Fried vegetables seasoned with red chilli, salt and pepper - Eggplant, potato, green chili


My aunt did the cooking and the food styling!!

For Sai Bhaji Pulav recipe and other Indian dishes, click here

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Arnott's Tim Tam in Manila

I really love Tim Tam and when my bestfriend found out that I fell in love with Tim Tam from Arnott's in Australia, she looked for it in the neighborhood grocery and got me some.

Apparently, we had Tim Tam's here in Manila!!!!



They come in smaller packaging and have a different consistency.



The Philippine version of the TimTam is made in Indonesia and it specifically says on the packet---- Not for sale in Australia and New Zealand



Australian Tim Tam


Maybe that explains the slight difference in quality and texture.

Remind me to take some back to Manila next time I come here for a visit.