Ingredients:

24 dry red hile peppers
1 tablespoon salt
4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon oregano leaves, chopped
2 large onions (1 roughly chopped and 1 onion sliced)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 to 5 cups water
4 to 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed and meat cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Procedure:

These can be found already dried in packaged in bags in the ethnic food section and/or produce section of most supermarkets. Remove stems and seeds of the red chilies and put to soak in a large pot of water for several hours. When the chilies are soft, blend them in a blender with the garlic cloves, oregano leaves, the chopped onion, sugar, and vinegar with enough water that the mixture is only slightly thickened (it should cling to the end of a spoon). It is best to start out with only a small amount of water (1/2 to 3/4 cup) adding more as the mixture blends to a smooth consistency. In a large pot or a large casserole dish, pour the chile sauce over the pork cubes. Layer the sliced onion on top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at minimum of 24 hours (48 hours will make it better, but 24 will work). If you don’t have 24 hours for marinating, then you can vacuum seal it and chill it for 24 hours and it is as good if not better.Once the meat has marinated, place it in a slow cooker or heavy pot along with the marinade.

Slow Cooker: Using your slow cooker, cook on low for a minimum of 12 hours. This can be kept going by adding additional water as the meat mixture begins to look “dry”. The completed sauce should be rich and thick, not watery. You can let it simmer all day in your crock pot.

Stovetop: Using a large pot on the stove, cover and simmer gently until the meat is very tender, approximately 2 to 4 hours.. The completed sauce should be rich and thick, not watery. It also can be brought to a boil on the stove then transferred to a 350 degree F. oven and baked, covered, for 2 hours.

Variation: For those of you out there who love to barbeque, this meat can also be cooked in that manner, but will not be able to keep as with the above method. To do this, place the meat in an aluminum pan (preferably disposable), and cover tightly with heavy aluminum foil. Place the meat close to the coals and allow to cook until done (160 degrees F. at the center, using a meat thermometer.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg. chicken, cut into serving portions
1 tablespoon calamansi juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece medium onion, sliced
1 piece medium singkamas, cut into cubes
1 pouch (250 grams) Del Monte Original Style Tomato Sauce
100 grams chicharo
1 piece medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
4 stalks green onions, cut into strips

Procedure:

Marinate chicken in 2 tablespoon soy sauce, calamansi juice and 1/3 teaspoon iodized fine salt (or 1 teaspoon iodized rock salt) for 30 minutes. Fry until brown. Fry garlic, onion and singkamas. Add chicken, Del Monte Tomato Sauce and 1/2 cup water. Season with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/3 teaspoon iodized fine salt (or 1 teaspoon iodized rock salt )and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer until meat is tender. Add chicharo and bell peppers. Simmer until vegetables are cooked. Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
16 ounces trimmed pork tenderloin
14 ounces beef broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together black pepper, rosemary, salt, garlic and one teaspoon olive oil. Rub all over the pork tenderloin and let sit for 15 minutes. In a large skillet (oven safe), heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium high. Add pork and brown on all sides. Place in the oven and bake for roughly 10 minutes - for medium, take the tenderlion out when a thermometer registers around 145. Cover and let sit for about 10 minutes. Thinly slice pork. Place skillet back over medium-high heat and add broth. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Whisk in sherry and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Serve in crusty rolls, split in half, with small bowls of the jus to dip.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup dry brown jasmine rice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups snow peas, trimmed
1 1/2 pounds large peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 cup diagonally cut green onions
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Procedure:

In a medium saucepan, add water, broth and rice. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 35-40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, pepper sauce and garlic. In a large pot of boiling salted water, add snow peas and shrimp - cook just until the shrimp are done, about 2 minutes. Drain well. Add snow peas, shrimp, green onions and cooked rice to soy mixture - toss well to combine. Scatter the top with the toasted almonds. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/4 cups chopped seeded plum tomato
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (4 to 6 ounces each)

Procedure:

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato, wine, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon basil. Prepare grill. In a small bowl, mix together thyme, remaining 1 tablespoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the herb mixture. Grill chicken until the center is no longer pink, about 5 minutes per side on the grill. Serve each chicken breast with an even portion of the roma tomato sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon sriracha

For the broccoli:
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 pounds broccoli florets
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts

Procedure:

In a small bowl, mix together peanut butter, hoisin, lime juice, garlic, brown sugar and chili sauce. In a small bowl, stir together water, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add broccoli and cook, without stirring, until the bottoms just begin to brown - about 2 minutes. Add water mixture and cover the skillet - cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the cover and cook until the liquid has almost evaporated. Stir in basil. Pour in the peanut butter mixture and carefully toss the mixture to get all of the pieces evenly coated. Remove from heat and top with chopped peanuts to serve. Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced leeks
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
2 10 ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 ounces grated Romano cheese
12 sheets of thawed phyllo dough

Procedure:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add leeks, onion and garlic - cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in nutmeg and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in spinach and cook 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper - stir in fresh lemon juice. Scoop mixture into a colander and let cool and drain for 10 minutes. Press any remaining liquid out of the spinach mixture. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together spinach mixture, eggs, feta and Romano cheese until thoroughly combined. Divide filling in half. Working quickly, spray 1 sheet of phyllo with cooking spray. Stack another sheet on top and repeat the spraying and stacking until you have used 6 sheets total. Gently spread half of the filling onto the sheets of phyllo - leaving a 1 1/2″ border on the sides. Fold the short edges over the filling - then roll up the sheets, starting with the long side, into a log. Don’t make it too tight, but it should be snug - it may burst if it does not have room to expand. Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray - coat the top with nonstick spray. Cut slashes into the top of the strudel 1″ apart with a sharp knife. Cover the baking sheet while you repeat procedure with remaining phyllo sheets and filling. Remove the cover and bake until the strudels are golden brown - about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons grated fresh Romano cheese
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
16 ounces trimmed pork tenderloin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 garlic clove, minced

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. On a shallow plate, toss together breadcrumbs, parsley, cheese and thyme. Season pork with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together mustard, crushed fennel seeds and garlic. Rub pork evenly with the mustard mixture. Dredge the coated pork tenderloin into the breadcrumb mixture until well coated. Set the tenderloin on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Bake until a thermometer registers between 150 to 160 degrees - about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and let stand, loosely covered, for 10 minutes. Cut into 1/4″ slices to serve. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

For dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1/8 teaspoon anisette or other anise-flavored liqueur (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chervil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil

For salad:
1 head romaine , ribs removed
1/2 head escarole, pale green leaves only, ribs removed
1/4 head iceberg lettuce , ribs removed
1/2 head Boston lettuce , ribs removed
1 Belgian endive, leaves separated and torn in half crosswise
1 (3-inch-long) heel from a day-old baguette
1 garlic clove, halved crosswise

Procedure:

Make dressing:
Whisk together all dressing ingredients except oil in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until dressing is emulsified.

Make salad:
Tear romaine, escarole, iceberg, and Boston lettuce into bite-size pieces and toss with endive in a large salad bowl (preferably wooden). Rub bread liberally all over with garlic and toss with greens. Add dressing, toss well, then discard bread. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb. salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 teaspoon capers
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Procedure:

Slice salmon fillets in half lengthwise to make a pocket and place in well greased baking pan. Saute’ onion in butter for approximately 3 minutes. Add parsley, salt, pepper, capers, and lemon juice. Stir mixture into bread crumbs. Stuff salmon fillets with bread crumb mixture. Spread the top of the fillets with butter and bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until fish flakes.