my last dinner
(Written December 31st 2011)
It’s noisy outside. Philippines just welcomed 2012 and here I am blogging. Technically writing for the blog. I’m not much of a fireworks person. They’re pretty and all but they’re noisy as well so I don’t like ’em that much. Just a little bit, in occasion.
Earlier something went really wrong and its all the Electric company’s responsibility, I dare say fault. There was a series of 7-12 minute black out the entire time I was making dinner (from 5 pm – 7.30 pm). It was such an inconvenience that my energy was drained as quick as my candle lit dinner(making) was over. So I slept for a couple of hours. When I woke up I was surprised to see people I don’t know, uninvited of course, at our receiving area. “HUH?! Again?”Oh well, I pretty much just let it go. Since there’s really nothing evil about it. Actually I predicted thus so we had extra pork bbq made, just in case.
So anyways, later that night my cousins came over to celebrate (their reason: “There are no fireworks at home.”). That’s how it is that it has become a tradition to be here every New Year’s eve.
hianese chicken
Haianese chicken (courtesy of CASA Veneracion)
Ingredients
8 to 12 c. of chicken broth (or stock)
1 whole chicken, 1.2 to 1.5 kg
onion leaves
2 whole onions
1 whole garlic (I chopped off the ends)
ginger (I used 1 big chunk, larger than thumb size, then peeled it)
fish sauce
Boil the stock with onion leaves,onions,garlic,ginger and fish sauce. When the stock is boiling*, slide in the chicken, breast side down. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer the chicken. Then, carefully turn the chicken over and continue simmering. I simmered the chicken for about 45 minutes all in all (turning included). The thing to remember is to NOT overcook the chicken.
When the chicken is done place it in a big bowl of ice water. Let it soak in the icy water for a bit ( more or less 5 minutes) then it’s time to cut it. I know I wouldn’t be able to cut at that it would still be assembled looking like it went through a cutting machine (you know like the ones we use for boiled egg, just press it down and viola! perfect egg wedges) so I just chopped off the appendages, breast and all them just stacked ’em pretty as possible and served it with the sauce.
*Adding the chicken to the stock after it boils prevents scum from forming.
***
Haianese dipping sauce (courtesy of CASA Veneracion)
Ingredients:
3 heaping tbsps. of finely grated ginger
2 heaping tbsps. of finely grated garlic
4 heaping tbsps. of finely chopped onion leaves
4 to 6 tbsps. of peanut oil
salt, to taste
Instructions
Just mix everything together. I made the sauce just before I started boiling the stock to infuse the flavors.
For me it is imperative to eat the chicken with the sauce together for best results.
The chicken came out tender, clean and absolutely delicious.
The rest of the family ate it with rice. I had mine with a bit of my creamy tuna pasta and a bread. (The bread was for cleaning up the left over sauce and bits.)
I meant to take photographs of my cooking process but like I said because of the random black outs and I made dinner by self, cleaned up by myself and prepped everything by myself so I didn’t have time. (Since I no longer go to church I take it upon myself to do this with or without help. I preferred it though, I absolutely dislike people loitering or hovering in our tiny kitchen as I cook.)
Here’s the recipe for the tuna spaghetti.
creamy tuna spaghetti
Creamy Tuna Spaghetti
2 cans tuna chunks in vegetable oil (don’t drain)
1 big white onion,minced
1 block Eden cheese, grated (I couldn’t find cheddar)
1 pack all purpose cream
3 1/2 c milk
salt to taste
pepper to taste
butter for sauteing the onion
1/2 kilo spaghetti (cooked according to package directions)
In a thick bottomed pan, saute the onion in (1 tbsp) butter until translucent. Add tuna with the oil. Add the cheese and stir constantly until cheese is semi-melted and take care not to burn. Add the cream. Stir. Add milk. Stir then season. My original recipe is spicy but since I was asked not make it spicy I omitted the chili powder( I did not use hot and spicy tuna). I did add a dash of Spanish paprika and oregano. Just a dash. I didn’t think the creamy cheesy flavor was changed dramatically but it smelled herby-licious and I loved it.
Simmer until the sauce thickens and the cheese is completely dissolved. Add in to the cooked pasta at once. Serve immediately as the spaghetti soaks up the sauce fast. i prepared for that by keeping at least 1 1/2 cups of sauce separately, in case needed.
I posted an earlier (meaning the first time I invented this recipe) entry for this but the photos sucked big time and I felt compelled not to share it. Now, I believe this one turned out better looking.
