Notes From My Kitchen 2: Notes From My Kitchen by Reggie Aspiras, #2

By Reggie Aspiras

Notes From My Kitchen 2 continues to share Chef Reggie Aspiras's compilation of notes from her kitchen, cooking classes, and years of experience in the culinary world. Prepare your palate for sumptuous recipes that explore the flavors and tastes of classic Philippine dishes, done the Chef Reggie way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anvil Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9789712737343

Book preview

Author's Note

Notes From My Kitchen 2 is like Notes From My Kitchen 1—a compilation of everyday recipes done differently.

This cookbook is a reflection of how I enjoy my food—alive, full of textures and depths of flavor from sweet with salty and sometimes, with hints of tart and spice.

NFMK 2 highlights my style of cooking—that is, tossing what’s available in my fridge, various produce in season, and what I fancy at the moment.

It’s about allowing my food to be as I want to enjoy it today, which is why my recipes are ever-changing, ever-evolving.

As a teacher, this how I want you to cook—by feel. I dare you to be bold, to be different. I want you to create food that is unique to you and to serve what excites you. Let the ordinary be extraordinary!

And keep in mind that while there are rules to cooking, the best rendition of a dish is the one that makes you happy!

As food is personal, what one whips up is a reflection and the ultimate expression of the person who prepared it. So, cook with love and with patience—brown, simmer, slow cook, and taste your food! A delectable adobo or a tasty sinigang is never made in an hour!

Developing flavor takes time. Do not rush.

Let thy food be thy prayer!

Happy cooking!

Chef Reggie’s Kitchen Notes

Soy sauce is always Silver Swan while vinegar is Datu Puti, unless otherwise specified.

You can substitute Chef Reggie’s Aromatic Seasoning Wine with rice wine.

The oil I use is Chef Reggie's Philippine Coconut Oil, unless otherwise specified.

For salads, I use Wesson vegetable oil, depending on the recipe.

The salt I use is Chef Reggie's Sea Salt. I particularly like it for lechon.

The light and dark soy sauce I use is Tai Hua, available in Unimart. I also use their seafood soy sauce for steamed fish and the chili cod recipe in this book.

Shallot sauce is available at The Little Store on Hill. Their address is at #2 Abad Santos Street, San Juan City.

You may substitute shallot sauce with fried shallots. Slice shallots thinly and leave in ice water with salt for 10 minutes. Drain and deep-fry, until brown. Drain on paper towels. Shallots are ready to use and makes a tasty topping for pansit, adobo, etc.

When making rice recipes in this book (except suman and risotto), use the same measuring cup for rice and water.

When roasting lechon, make sure that the temperature is steady at 350oF. You can start at 325oF and increase to 350oF until 375oF, while browning. Make sure the temperature doesn't dip.

Always use pure first press fish sauce. It makes a difference. I use Chef Reggie's Fish Sauce for my recipes.

My ingredient line is available at R and Co Essentials.

Tel. [phone] | www.randcoessentials.com

Facebook and Instagram @randcoessentials

Contents

AUTHOR'S NOTE

CHEF REGGIE’S KITCHEN NOTES

SALADS

Indian Mango Salad

Pako, Arugula, and Pansit-Pansitan Salad with Lakatan Dressing

Green Salad with Sweet Egg Yolk Dressing

Marinated Kesong Puti Salad with Panucha Dressing

SOUPS

Siomai Soup

Roasted Sweet Corn Soup with Coconut Milk and Cilantro

Monggo Soup with a Buffet of Condiments

SEAFOOD

Daing na Bangus Belly with Pepper Rice and Lemon Cream Daing na Bangus

La Vista Sardines

Steamed Chili Cod

Crab with Sampaloc Sauce

Adobong Talaba with Asparagus Rice

Bangus Pâté

POULTRY

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Afritada

Roasted Ginger Tinola

Sunshine Joe’s Native Chicken Barbecue, with Ensaladang Ararosep (Sea Grapes’ Salad)

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Coconut Milk Chicken with Curry Rice and Mango Chutney

Delicious Chicken Pochero

Chicken Binakol

PORK AND BEEF

Paksiw na Pata with Banana Blossom Salad and Pandan Rice

Spareribs Adobo with Pineapple Chutney and Shiitake Suman

Lengua Estofado with Mashed Banana Sauce

Crispy Beef Rib Tadyang, Pickled Radish, and Pakbet Vegetable Rice

Slow Roasted Beef Belly Bistek Style with Caramelized Onions, Fried Talong, and Toyo-mansi Gravy

Amparing's Beef Mechado with Squash and Cherry Tomato Risotto and Arugula, Kale, and Salted Egg Ensalada

Lechon De Leche Stuffed with Igado Served with Lakatan Salsa and Poqui-Poqui

Ox Tail Kare-Kare Stuffed Lechon

PASTA AND NOODLES

Pancit Musiko

Mami

Oh My Batchoy

Salted Egg and Longganisa Pasta

Prawns with Taba ng Talangka Butter Sauce Over Sun-Dried Tomato & Aglio e Olio Pasta

Pancit Luglug

DESSERTS

Suman Champorado with Peanut Latik

Cathedral Window

Halo-Halo Panna Cotta

Ginumis

Pinoy Fruit Ice Drops

GLOSSARY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Salads

Indian Mango Salad

Inspired by the beloved Thai Som Tam, My Indian Mango Salad is how I made it our own. Pako gives it crunch and texture while the pineapples make it fresh. Mix and match components to give exciting twists and turns with every bite.

Ingredients

3 Tbsps. small dried shrimps

1 Tbsp. water

8 red Thai chilies, stemmed seeded and julienned

1 shallot minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 pcs. sitaw (string beans), sliced thinly into rings

1 cup cherry tomatoes

zest of 1 lime

6 large Indian mangoes, shredded

PROCEDURE

In a Thai wooden mortar and pestle, pound together the first eight ingredients.

In a bowl, toss together the green mangoes, the dressing, and the pounded ingredients.

Surround with the finishing ingredients.

The Dressing

4 Tbsps. patis (fish sauce)

3 Tbsps. fresh lime juice

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