It really is true what they say – there are as many adobo recipes as there are people who make it. I decided I would write down my recipe which I consider to be a very good version of a Filipino adobo. I like my adobo chicken crispy but not with too much oil. My secret for this is baking, then basting the chicken with coconut oil, and finally placing the chicken under the broiler. The recipe is finished by reducing the adobo sauce to a nape. Try this version of a traditional Filipino adobo and let me know your thoughts. I have provided all the techniques here to ensure your meal is delicious.

• 1 whole cut up chicken. I prefer to use skinless chicken with a mixture of dark and white meat
• 12 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 Turkish bay leaves or 6 California bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/3 cups cane vinegar. For sweeter adobo use coconut vinegar
• 2/3 cups light soy sauce. Do not use dark.
• 20 whole peppercorns
• 1 tsp. light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

I prefer to use a cast iron pot with a heavy lid so that my chicken will remain tender after it is cooked. The heavy lid helps to keep the moisture and pressure in the pot so the chicken cooks quicker and stays tender. Add 8 cloves of garlic, bay leaves, chicken stock, vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, brown sugar, and chicken to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil with the lid off, then place the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to simmer Cook for 40 minutes. 30 minutes through cooking pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a brush, apply a small amount of coconut onto a baking sheet. When the oven has reached temperature, remove all the chicken from the pot and place the chicken on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. While the chicken is baking turn the heat up on the pot to high (Note: For a stainless steel pot use medium high. Continue to reduce the sauce in the pot to nape (where it coats the back of a spoon). Remove the sauce from heat and set aside.

Cut up the remaining 4 cloves of garlic then quickly fry in the remaining coconut oil until golden. After 15 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven and brush lighty with coconut oil. Then broil the chicken on a high rack in the oven for 5 minutes at 450 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the broil, and pour
reduced sauce over chicken. Then add fried garlic atop chicken.

Growing up, Sundays were reserved for homey meals – soul food, comfort food, family food. I like to the continue this tradition with my wife and kid. So every Sunday I try to make something a little extra special. Sundays are my day to use [uhmmm..] butter, oil or coconut milk. It’s my day not to count calories, but just to go for it. Curries are one of those foods. Good curries require oil and coconut milk. Low fat curries, while they can be excellent, always seem to lack that little something. While it helps tremendously, making a low-fat curry very spicy does not make up for the lack of fat.

This past Sunday, was our day to eat goat curry. Goat meat is regaining popularity in American especially Texas with its large Latino and Caribbean populations. I like to turn on a little reggae and make a hot pot of goat curry. I start preparing the goat early since the curry has to cook for 3 hours.

Recipe for Jamaican Goat Curry

Interestingly, curry goat was introduced to Jamaica by Indian immigrants to the island. If you hear “curry goat” it’s Caribbean. “Goat curry” would be Indian. You will need

2lbs. lean goat meat. Depending on where you live obtaining goat meat can be easy or not so. In Houston, many large supermarkets carry it as “goat meat” or “cabrito”. Checkout your local African, Middle Eastern, Indian, Pakistani, or Halal grocer. Or order some online http://www.goatmeats.com/

• 2 lbs cut up lean goat meat including bones divided into 4 batches. Trim fat away fat and any skin that has no meat on it
• 1 medium yellow onion (large dice)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 cups goat or beef broth. Goat broth can be made by boiling your goat trimmings and bones in 6 cups of water for 30 minutes
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk or 1/2 cup full cream coconut milk + 1/4 cup water
• 1 or 2 habaneros, depending on how spicy you like it. For the habanero taste without the spiciness, split the habanero and carefully remove  the seeds.
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 1 tbsp for later.
• 2 tsp flour for later.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot on medium high for 1 minute, then fry onions and garlic for 2 minutes. Then braise the goat so that it will be remain tender when it cooked, but not fall part or get mushy. Add the goat to the pot, such that it is not not overcrowded. Cook each batch of the goat,1 at a time until lightly browned. Remove each batch, then add the next. After all batches are cooked return all the goat to the pot.

Add the broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add thyme, black pepper, and curry powder. Stir in, then bring heat down to a simmer. Set timer to 3 hours and cover the pot. Go watch a movie.

After the timer goes off, drain off 1/2 cup of the curry liquid into a separate bowl and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in saucepan on medium, add 2 tsp flour and stir in to make a roux (lightly browned flour). Add the curry liquid that was set aside, then stir in vigourously to prevent clumping. Then re-add the liquid to curry pot with the goat. Turn up heat to medium. Add coconut milk and stir in. Add habaneros. Then cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with fresh steamed rice.

Another great curry idea using fish

Technorati Tags: curry goat

Most non-Koreans’ first introduction into Korean includes some type of Korean barbeque – the best known of which is bulgogi. Bulgogi or Korean barbeque is sirloin marinated in a sweet, and salty mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, then quickly grilled. It is often served with rice, kimchi, and other vegetables.

I decided to try my hand at my own bulgogi marinade. I wanted to create something delicious but with a less sodium and no MSG. I wanted to create something that I would feel perfectly safe serving to my 3 year old.

1 lb. bulgogi meat or very thin slices of ribeye
2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
4 tbsp. mirin
2 tbsp cooking sake
6 cloves garlic (quartered)
1 quarter size piece of ginger (chopped)
2 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/8 tsp crushed black pepper
1 bunch of green onions (chopped into 2″ long pieces)

Tip: allow 2 hours for the meat to marinade.

Spread out meat on large plate or platter or place in a large bowl.

Prepare the marinade by mixing all wet ingredients in bowl. then add black pepper, garlic, and ginger, and green onions.

Pour marinade over beef and move to refrigerator to marinate.

Purchase bulgogi meat, or very thin slices of sirloin or prime beef. Bulgogi meat should be available in your local Korean market or Asian grocer.

Start by marinating the meat in the bulgogi marinade for 2 hours. Keep the marinated meat in a refrigerator.

Heat an iron skillet on medium or heat a grill to 400F. Cook each slice of meat for 1 minute on each side.

Serve with rice, kimchi, lettuce or fresh raw vegetables.

Technorati Tags: Meats, Recipes

Kaldereta, also spelled Caldereta is a hearty Filipino dish originating out of Spain. The name Caldereta comes from the the spanish “caldera”, meaning cooking pot. In most of Spain caldereta is made with lamb, beef, or goat. In the Balearic Islands and Minorca it is commonly made with lobsters. Caldereta is similar to the cooking style of guisado (stewed) commonly found in Mexico and Texas – think carne guisado with the Filipino touches of soy sauce and a sweeter taste. This is one of my favourite mainstay dishes. We have it in some form several times a month. It fuses flavours of tomatoes, olives, peppers, and sherry or red wine. This dish can be cooked with a number of meats including lamb, chicken, beef , or goat. My favourite preparation is with goat.

2 lbs. chicken (preferably a mixture of chicken breasts and boneless, skinless, chicken thighs)
1/2 cup cooking sherry
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup onions
1 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
20 slivers of red bell pepper, sliced.
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
2 bay leaves (preferably Turkish)
1 tsp paprika
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup uncooked chicken livers
1/2 cup green olives, pitted
2 oz. Edam cheese (can also use Gouda)
3 tbsp. olive oil for chicken + 2 tbsp. (kalamata works very well)
2 Thai chilies (optional) if you want spicier.

Cut the chicken into pieces (not to small). Remove the excess fat.

Heat the olive oil in pan on medium, then braise each piece of chicken until light brown. This method will help keep the chicken from falling apart as it simmers. Remove each piece as it is browned. Then add 2 tbsp additional olive oil to the pan. Cook the garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, diced bell peppers, and chili peppers (if wanted) and cook for 3 minutes.

In order add the chicken and stir in, then bay leaves, paprika, tomato sauce, soy sauce. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook on simmer low for 1.5 hours.

Bring mixture to low, add sherry, cheese, the 20 slivers of red bell pepper, sliced, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes. Cook liver in a separate pan in a small amount of oil until done, then chop up and add to kalderera. Add olives and cook for 2 minutes.

In small bowl, cut up thai chiles and add 1 tbsp of fish sauce. Sprinkle this over kaldereta.  Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

If you are new to Filipino cooking also checkout my recipe for Adobo Chicken

Technorati Tags: caldera, caldereta, filipino, kaldereta, manok, Philippines, Poultry, Recipes