Our Last Day, 2012

It's been a long time since I last posted mainly because work has kept me busy and the fact that it may be difficult to delineate what I can and cannot share.  Work entails creating recipes for supermarkets across the globe and often times, I find that what I make at home finds its way to my professional kitchen.  So I'd rather not take the risk.  

Today, on my third week of vacation, I find it easy to share something that does not take any form of intellectual property.  I'm going to share how we lazed about on our last day and cooked a very simple meal with less than 5 ingredients.

At home, next to good food (and wine for adults), we love flowers, books, and pretty little things.  On the upper left hand side of the photo above (or the lower right hand side below), is my daughter's rendition of a snowman.  

The only books I can never part with whenever I move to a different country are those that truly inspire me.  My daughter loves looking at the photographs in them from time to time.

Plants and flowers add a pop of life in our urban setting which my little one chooses with delight on a weekly basis.  A few days ago, she chose ferns and lilies.

Then there are things we put together... christmas balls that didn't quite make it to our tree, sunglasses that belonged to my mother when she was about my age or so, antiques from our house in Manila, and hand-sewn silk pillowcases we recently bought from a beach trip in the Southern shores of Thailand which she gladly chose.

Lunch is effortlessly put together by simply rubbing salt, pepper, and thyme into lamb chops and frying them in olive oil.  Once cooked medium rare, remove it from the pan and pour some red wine to deglaze the sediments, then add 2 tablespoons of mint jelly.  Allow for the sauce to reduce by eighty percent or until thick to cover the back of a spoon.  And serve with your steamed greens.

Cheers to a happy 2013!  And I hope to find time to keep this blog going...

Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School

I've always been curious as to how the other Le Cordon Bleu schools look like aside from London and Paris.  I finished my Cuisine Diploma in London which at that time, was situated in Marylebone Lane.  They've recently moved to Bloomsbury Square.  I mentioned a few thoughts about my alma matter here when I started this blog.  Some day, I'll share a few stories.

How did the Bangkok campus compare?  It definitely was a smaller version of what we had then in Marylebone lane.  Though the Dusit facility is smaller, the practical kitchens seemed wider and more spacious.  

I noticed a slight variation on the cooking countertops and wider room for each student.  I also noticed that there's enough room for 3 students in each side, whereas in London, there were 4.

Everything is as neat as it should be and to some extent, I felt that the Dusit facility had a more relaxed vibe.  

During my time, there was 1 instructor for a maximum of 8 students per class.  We started with 5 sections during Basic Cuisine and as we progressed to Intermediate, the drop out rate was quite high.  By the time we reached Superior Cuisine, we were down to 3 sections with less than 8 to a class.  

Things always seem different in the pastry department, where all things nice and sweet were churned.

As I walked down memory lane, I chanced upon the marks of current students.

The highest mark you can obtain is 50 and judging according to the figures above, these students are having a really tough time.  Somehow, they'll eventually manage to pick up their pace and learn their craft.

And yes, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.  These Superior Pastry students are definitely having a sweet time.

And, as if luck would have it, there was a free demonstration being conducted during my visit.  There were about 60 guests, which I found a bit different from the London facility (Marylebone), which could only accommodate a maximum of 30 in the lecture room.  Also, I don't have any recollection of free classes/demonstrations then.

To set themselves apart, Le Cordon Bleu Dusit has the Professional Thai Cuisine Program led by the ever-so engaging Chef Rapeepat Boriboon.  The classic cycles are taught here by  European chefs.

Chef Boriboon shared recipes for Sakoo Saimoo, Ma Haw, and Kratong Thong in less than 2 hours; all of which, tasted very good.  

This is on my definite must-go-to schools for learning Thai cooking.  Now all I need is time.

Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School

946 The Dusit Thani Building

1st Floor, Rama IV Road

Silom, Bangrak; Bangkok 10500

+662-237-8877

chEAT SHEET: Wine I Love You

Admittedly, I've been eating around.  I just can't help it when Bangkok has so much to offer.  No drama, no strings attached, and the restaurants don't get all too clingy.  I particularly like Wine I Love You, because of the thrill of not knowing whether I'd get some action here or not, they apparently, do not take reservations.  And just because you're so hard-to-get, I like you more.  Twice I've been lucky (or perhaps thrice -- but who remembers when you've had too much) to get a table in big company.  The strategy we've devised is to actually drive to this place when we finish work early.

Depending on my mood, my wine of choice usually ends up with the bold flavors, earthy at times then, and then, the occasional fruity ones!  

The salads here are good but of all that I've had, I particularly like the spinach with foie gras and bacon.  Looking at the photo I had just posted, I wish I didn't fool around with the app on my phone.

You don't really need to commit to a particular order when in big company.  So we went haywire with random musings.  We pretty much had appetizers ranging from Thai sausages, satays, quesadillas, spinach and cheese, steaks...oh what joy when you can just try one or two bites, and depending on the degree of interest, pursue as your heart desires!

Anything goes really, when you can't decide.  Oftentimes though, I find myself looking for hearty flavors.  Their chili pasta with sausage did just that and few pieces of ribs (although to be honest, I'm still searching for the best ribs in town).  If you want local flavors, I suggest you hit the streets, this is not the place to eat Thai dishes, for real.

The truffle-infused ravioli sounded and looked interesting on the menu, but it didn't quite live up to the hype.  I suppose I had too much fun with the other dishes.  Perhaps I'll give you another chance next time, if you let me.  

Right next door is their dessert bistro, I Love You II.  Why, I love you too!  Because I can have my cake and eat it too.


Wine I Love You
I Love You II
Building E, Crystal Design Center
Ekamai-Ramintra Road (Ladprao)
Bangkok, Thailand
089-141-7000

Paella

I have to apologize for being inconsistent with my posts.  Since my "big move" to Bangkok from Manila, I've been preoccupied with a day job that pretty much takes my 8-5s.  I've also been having issues with the quality of the photographs I come up with in the evenings, since my flash is as insatiable with batteries as The Young Tongue is with food.  I'm not a serious photographer, I just come up with a few lucky photos (thanks to natural lighting), so working without a flash at night is a pain.  Last night, I finally found my off-camera flash and tried to take a few snaps.

(food without the use of flash photography)

(and with an off-camera flash-- see the difference?)

This post is about several people and I'll narrate in no particular order.


I was going to be very lazy about posting this year and had planned on shying away from the blog until my friend, Mia, had decided to blog about this blog last week.  Seriously Mia, you just had to do it when I was about to put this blog to an end.  Tee Hee.  So thank you for encouraging me to make this a "going concern."  The other moms in that awesome party you had invited me to kept letting me know how my recipes have been useful.  What a great reminder of why this blog came to be.


Then a good friend of mine had recently returned from her trip to Paris so we decided to have dinner at my place, thus the beginning of Food Nights in Bangkok.  We've done this several times in several occasions -- when I used to live in Kuala Lumpur and she would visit or when we both lived in Makati, literally our buildings facing one another's.  We also used to work together, so it was the nature of her job to ask me to whip up several dishes in the kitchen for her ever-so-thorough market research.  Paten, this one's for you!


And last but not the least, a friend from childhood, Rose (married to a Thai), with a "bun in her oven,"  requested for the recipe of Paella this morning.   Now I don't know about you, but how do you say "no" to a pregnant woman?  You just don't (ha ha).  


So without further adieu, here's my very-easy-to-follow Paella recipe.

First, allow your saffron to bloom.  You can click on this link to learn how.  Saffron is an integral ingredient for this dish and I highly encourage you to use saffron threads rather powder or some form of processed copy (like those instant paella mixes).  And yes, I'll be a food snob on this one.  

In a hot cast iron pan (if you happen to have a paellera, now would be a good time to use it), saute your prawns, clams, and squid.  I would've loved to throw in a few mussels in there but finding fresh seafood in Bangkok late in the evening can be a nightmare.  Once they're all cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.  Place the jus (liquid rendered from cooking the seafood) aside too, which will come in handy later.  Saute sliced chicken thighs (would've loved to use rabbit, but how and where to find one in Bangkok can be, pardon my French, a b@#$!) and once they're about to brown, add sliced onions and garlic.  Allow them to caramelize then add a dash or two of smoked paprika (the sweet variety if you have some and when I say "smoked," this means you've allowed for it to sweat in a hot pan with no oil -- sort of like releasing it's own oils allowing it to become robust in flavor).  Deglaze with wine or if you don't have any, just use chicken stock.  Toss in some thinly sliced bell peppers (the colorful, the better), chopped tomatoes, and sliced chorizo Pamplona then allow it to sweat a little.  Add a tablespoon or two of tomato puree and saute for two minutes.  Throw in your risotto or short-grain rice and saute yet again, for another two minutes. 


There is a ratio between stock or cooking liquid with the risotto -- and the arguments can get pretty much heated, but I'd rather not say how much, with each brand having their own magic number.  But generally speaking, it's anywhere between 1 part risotto to 2 or 3 parts cooking liquid (chicken broth + seafood stock or the jus leftover from sauteeing it earlier + the saffron in hot water).  Good grief!  Have I been ranting?  Right, by this time, your pan should have the chicken, onions, garlic, chorizo, bell peppers, and cooking liquid all happily mingling with one another.  You can toss in a sprig of fresh rosemary and bay leaf at this point, which will definitely add personality and a kick to your dish.  Bring everything to a boil then gently simmer without a lid.  Do not touch the pan, do not stir and basically, do not do anything with it.  Leave it and let it get all toasty underneath.  Unlike risotto which needs stirring and constant attention, paellas tend to be more tough -- it doesn't like to be bothered, so let it be.  Tough love!


Once the risotto is cooked to perfect doneness, you can add all the seafood we set aside earlier and garnish with sliced lemons and another sprig of rosemary.  I served this with an aioli (just mayonnaise and fresh garlic puree) to add some balance and an easy salad.  Just remember, this is not a risotto.  So it shouldn't be wet, creamy, or anything risotto-like.  It should be drier than risotto, with a good crunch as the grains come closer to the pan.  In fact, if some of the grains have gotten toasty to the point of almost getting burnt, you've hit the right spot.  And chances are, if I know you, I'll invite myself for dinner at your place.  That's just how I like my Paella.


Here are some photos of our food night...

Enjoy!

Focaccia with Balsamic Vinegar

We love bread at home and I always have it with my meals.  Focaccia, an Italian flat bread, remains to be on my top 10 list of all time.   We're celebrating our last few days of 2011 on a high note and I've decided to limit my time in the kitchen so that I could spend some more quality time with visitors, both family and friends, from the Philippines.

Just get good quality ingredients and let them speak for themselves as I always say and stress.  I like to warm up my focaccia in the oven before serving it with really good balsamic vinegar from Modena, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil (I like mine from Spain or Italy), and a stravecchio (24-36 months) Parmigiano-Reggiano.  And oh, pair it with a good Chardonnay and you'll say life has been good.

Thank you Lord for all the wonderful blessings, surprises, and goodness 2011 gave!  We are looking forward to 2012 already.

Foie Gras Pate on Poppy Seed Bread

Who doesn't easily gravitate towards Foie gras?  The Young Tongue, her grandfather, and I were all magnetized by its creamy and rich goodness!  We over indulged to be quite honest.  Just spread the love on hot toast...  Isn't this what the holidays are all about?

Roast Baby Carrots

Shapes can be a big game changer for feeding picky little eaters.  Luckily, The Young Tongue is not part of the club.  But she was quick enough to point at the baby carrots in the organic section!


I peeled each and every single one of them, but usually, this step is unnecessary.  Then I placed them in a le creuset dish and added some capers, sea salt, and olive oil.  I then plopped it in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 Degrees Celcius.

I then added some Balsamic Vinegar from Modena just to add that bit of tartness (baby carrots are really sweet).  The Young Tongue enjoyed eating them because she could hold each and every piece!

Tapenade

Eating tapenade takes me back more than a decade ago, back to Paris, at Saint-Germain-des-Pres to be exact.  I may have been a student living on allowance, but I occasionally allowed myself to eat very good food always using research as an excuse.  While most Asians find French cuisine too sophisticated, I beg to differ.  I find that most of their common fare is quite simple to prepare.  Case in point...the tapenade.  Do you have at least 5 minutes to spare in the kitchen?  Here's how...


Chop black olives along with capers (drained) and anchovies.  I don't like using the food processor for this as it tends to keep things way too mushy.  Just keep chopping until the ingredients are very tiny in size and well combined.  Incorporate some olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and freshly cracked black pepper.  I usually don't add salt unless necessary (and if I have to, I use some ile de rhe).


You can make this ahead of time and there are various options for your pleasure.  Bottle it and drizzle with loads of olive oil until it covers the top of the tapenade (this will ensure quality and freshness, trust me).  You may also toss it into some pasta and add some freshly cooked seafood into it along with freshly chopped herbs.  Or you can just simply serve this with any fish dish of your choice.


On this occasion, I had it on crackers and some cheese.  

Considering this recipe uses quite a sum of highly-salted tinned products, I only allowed The Young Tongue to have a cracker (okay, two).

Cacio e Pepe

All it takes is less than 5 ingredients and less than 5 minutes to prepare this dish.  Cook pasta al dente (click here) and drizzle with some extra olive oil (you can also add a bit of butter if you want it to be creamier).  Then add freshly grated Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, and freshly ground black pepper.  Season with salt.  

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

The Young Tongue and I really love pasta, eating more of it at home than rice.  We never tire of it and I love preparing it because it's fuss-free.  I also love making pesto at home because I can bottle it or keep it in the fridge for use when I don't have enough time to labor in the kitchen.  

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto is one of those easy-to-make and easy-to-keep sauces.  Great as a dip, as a pasta sauce, or as an accompaniment to salads or appetizers, all you'll need is food processor and a few ingredients.  If you don't have a food processor, don't worry.  You can just chop the sun-dried tomatoes really fine and put everything together.

In a food processor, place the sun-dried tomatoes along with some extra virgin olive oil, roasted pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, salt, and pepper.  Pulse until well-combined.  When making some for storage and later use, ensure that a layer of extra virgin olive oil covers the pesto.  

In this pasta dish, I added about 4 Tablespoons of sun-dried tomato pesto to freshly-cooked pasta.  Want to have al dente pasta?  Click here.  See how much The Young Tongue can't wait to get her hands on it?  Spread the love, make some pesto, and have more time with your child!

Bacon Wrapped Lemon Pepper Chicken

Easy to the eye, satisfying on the tummy, and fairly simple to prepare, here's how...

Slice your mushrooms lengthwise.  Then slice your scallions the same length as the mushrooms.  Marinate your chicken breast slices along with the vegetables in some extra virgin olive oil and Lawry's Lemon Pepper Seasoning.

I find the flavor a bit subtle, so I actually added some freshly squeezed oranges. 

Then, in a red chopping board (use this color for raw meat), place a slice of bacon.  Then top with the chicken breast and assemble the mushrooms and the scallions one of top of the other.  

Roll the bacon until it securely wraps everything and then place a toothpick to ensure everything remains in place.

Roast in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 20 minutes or until cooked to the core.  Like so...

Once it's fully cooked, remove the toothpicks.  You can serve this as is or along with summer mushroom salad  (click here for recipe).