BRENTOboxes

Just an ordinary twentysomething wanting to master the dishes he's going to cook for his future kids. "My weaknesses have always been food and men - in that order." – Dolly Parton

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Pecan Bars

Ingredients

18 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed ½ teaspoon salt 3 cups all purpose flour For the filling: ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 6 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons heavy cream ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups (8 oz.) pecan halves ½ teaspoon pure vanilla

Directions

Place rack in the center of oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Making the crust

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add salt, and mix to combine. Add the flour 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.

Press dough into 9 by 13 by 1-inch baking pan about ¼-inch thick. Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.

Bake until golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Reduce oven to 325 degrees F.

Making the filling

Place butter, butter brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat and stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour filling onto cooled crust. Bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 20 minutes.

Carefully transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a paring knife around edges of the pan and invert onto cooling rack, leaving pastry on the rack. Invert rack with pastry onto a cutting board, leaving the pastry on the board, filling side up. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1 by 3-inch bars. Store in airtight container, up to 1 week.

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Mexican Street Corn

I tasted Mexican Street Corn for the first time at the Blind Burro in Downtown San Diego and I fell in love. I had to recreate it.

Courtesy of Chris Santos, Food Network

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons chipotle powder

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

6 ears corn

1/2 red onion, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese

3/4 cup Mexican crema, or mayonaise

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Zest of 2 limes

Lime juice

Directions

For the chipotle salt: Combine the chipotle powder and salt and store in an airtight container.

For the corn: Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat until hot, and then add the corn and char on all sides, turning occasionally, until blackened in parts, 12 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, oven roast the corn with the husks at 350C for 30 minutes, or until soft. Remove the husks and char the corn over a gas stove. When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cobs.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and saute the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the charred corn kernels and cook until warmed. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese, the mayonnaise, cilantro and lime zest. Season with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of the chipotle salt.

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cotija cheese and more chipotle salt. Squeeze lime juice over the corn. 

Review

This was exactly what I was hoping for. The flavors and textures are simply incredible and harmonious. The char on the sweet corn, the sweet creaminess of the Mexican crema, the salty cumble of the cotija cheese, the citrus of the lime zest and juice, and the bold punch of the chipotle pepper are just unbelievable. This makes an excellent side dish. It also goes well on a taco or in a burrito. Either way, it is delicious.

The original recipe calls for mayonnaise, which is probably easier to find, but you just have to go for Mexican crema. It has the better consistency and the dash of sweetness for balance. Also, it might be difficult to find chipotle powder anywhere. The Mexican market I went to didn't even have it. But they did, however, have whole dried chipotle peppers. I just de-seeded them and put them in a blender to make them into powder. 

As a caution, don't immediately put all of the chipotle salt or the cotija cheese. Add them in increments and keep tasting until you get the perfect amount. Too much of either or both will set the dish overboard on the salty profile. 

★★★★½

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Kimchi Fried Rice

One of my absolute favorite things to have when I'm out drunk karaoking (well, other than soju and beer) is kimchi fried rice. A simple concept that just hits the spot when I'm drunk, like carne asada fries or silogs (Filipino breakfast meats with garlic rice and fried egg).

Ingredients

3 cups of cooked rice, preferably day-old

1-2 cups of kimchi, drained and chopped

1/4-1/2 cup kimchi juice, to taste

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1-2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon of sesame oil

Vegetable oil

1/2 can of spam or 2-3 andouille sausages, small cubes 

3 eggs over easy

Dried seaweed, sliced in thin strips

Toasted sesame seeds

Salt

Directions

Heat pan under medium heat and add in 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Saute the spam until they are lightly and evenly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. 

Heat another pan under medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add garlic and onion until onion is transparent, stirring frequently about one minute. Add the kimchi and stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Once transparent, add the spam, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, butter and continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes. 

Add the rice and combine with the kimchi and spam or sausage. Add kimchi juice and the rest of the soy sauce and sesame oil. If desired, add another tablespoon of butter and salt to taste. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Fry an egg per serving, usually cooked over easy, and place on top of each serving. Top it off with dried seaweed and toasted sesame seeds.

Review

This recipe has been cut from several different recipes, taking elements I thought would help recreate the kimchi fried rice that I'm used to eating. When I first made it, somehow there was one small thing missing that I hoped would give it that punch of flavor that I love so much. Could very well have been because I wasn't drunk. Or maybe instead of buying store-bought kimchi, I could make my own. Regardless, I still loved this dish. The second time I made some adjustments: I used andouille sausage since I didn't have spam on me and I doubled the amount of kimchi juice, soy sauce and sesame oil (the recipe above reflects this). I felt like the kimchi flavor was much bolder and the andouille sausage added an extra kick. On top of that, the dish is really rounded out with the egg over easy and seaweed. Definitely much better the second time around. 

★★★★½

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Roasted Cauliflower Purée

Mashed potatoes are always delicious, but as a fan of healthier eating and an even bigger fan of cauliflower, I will take this over mashed potatoes any day. Laying some seared scallops or seared fish on a bed of this roasted cauliflower purée is just pure gold. In the picture above, it is served with pan-seared salmon with a brown sugar soy glaze and green beans. 

Courtesy of The Food Network, Guy Fieri

Ingredients

2 heads cauliflower, core removed, cut into florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups whole milk (or beverage coconut milk)

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 bunch chives, minced for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a sheet tray, spread 1/4 of the florets with the oil, season with salt and bake until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining cauliflower, milk and half a teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Strain cauliflower from milk mixture, reserving both. Transfer cauliflower to a blender. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and butter to the blender. Add half of the reserved milk liquid. Secure top on blender and puree mixture until smooth. If mixture is too thick, thin by adding some of the remaining liquid. Season, to taste. Serve in a large serving bowl topped with caramelized florets and chives

Review

The best part about cauliflower purée is its silky smooth texture because of the lightness of the cauliflower and the creaminess of the milk. It barely needs butter. On top of that, the roasted cauliflower gives so much of that rustic flavor. It's so delicious it's hard to believe that this is relatively healthy for you. I actually did not have whole milk in the fridge and ended up using beverage coconut milk instead. Not only did it make it just a little bit healthier, that slight hint of coconut easily elevated this purée from delicious to amazing. 

★★★★½

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Basil Pesto

A simple, fresh basil pesto.

Courtesy of The Food Network

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup pine nuts

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Directions

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Review

You can easily buy basil pesto in all types of variations at the market, but you just can't beat fresh basil pesto. Yes, it is a little more work but with fresh basil and freshly grated pecorino romano, the difference is impressive. Moreover, the color is more vibrant and markedly enhances the presentation of the dish.

Pesto itself is incredibly versatile. Traditionally served with pasta, it can easily be served as a sauce for meatballs, as a spread in sandwiches or burgers, mixed with butter to be topped on garlic bread or corn on the cob. The list goes on.

This recipe uses Pecorino Romano, but it can easily be substituted with other cheeses, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Parmesan or Romano. Besides cheese substitutions, no need to be overly adventurous because this pesto shines on its simplicity. Delicious as is.

★★★★

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Pan-Seared Rib-Eye

My absolute favorite way to cook rib-eye. No need to say more.

Courtesy of Alton Brown, The Food Network

Ingredients

1 boneless rib eye steak

1 1/2 inches thick Canola oil, to coat

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions

Place a 10-to-12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Bring the steak to room temperature.

When the oven reaches temperature, remove the skillet and place on the range over high heat for 5 minutes. Coat the steak lightly with oil and sprinkle both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Grind on black pepper.

Immediately place the steak in the middle of the hot, dry skillet. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 2 minutes. Flip the steak and cook for another 2 minutes. (This time is for medium-rare steak. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.)

Remove the steak from the skillet, cover loosely with foil and rest for 2 minutes. Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto plate.

Review

I was such an idiot when I first did this. First of all, since I didn't have a cast-iron skillet I used a nonstick pan with a plastic handle! I had no idea why I thought that would be okay (I had barely started learning how to cook, don't judge me). Not only does it cripple the plastic handle but you don't get that nice dark brown sear you want to see on the steak. Don't make my mistake, use a damn cast-iron skillet. 

After learning from my mistakes, I fell in love with this method of cooking rib-eye. For one, it is beyond simple. All it takes is some salt, pepper, oil and about 10 minutes. For another, it is much more consistent than the grill. As long as I stick to the set times, I always get that medium-rare that I love so much. But most importantly, the way this is cooked it just brings out so much natural flavor. The juices just come rolling out. I am blown away by how tender, moist and flavorful this steak turns out. Best home cooked rib-eye ever.

★★★★★

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Honey Soy Broiled Salmon

When I want to start eating healthy again, this is the first dish I think about. I first cooked this dish a few years ago and ever since then this is my go-to recipe for salmon. It is incredibly simple with light but beautiful flavors. 

Courtesy of EatingWell.com

Ingredients

1 scallion, minced

2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1 lb center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions

1 tsp toasted sesame seed

Directions

Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

How to skin a salmon fillet: Place salmon fillet on a clean cutting board, skin-side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.

To toast seeds: cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

For the pictured vegetables, steam the broccoli for a couple minutes. Spread out the broccoli on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes. Cut cherry tomatoes into halves and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. About 2 minutes before removing the broccoli, toss in the cherry tomatoes onto the same cookie sheet. Remove roasted vegetables and serve.

Review

When I first cooked this dish, I did a terrible job de-skinning and portioning the fillet. Despite my mistakes, the flavors were still there. After making this salmon, I cannot stop cooking it and I am still not tired of it. First of all, it is incredibly simple. Second of all, the soy sauce and rice vinegar are easily elevated with light additions of ginger, scallions and honey. It brings together a sweet, tangy and salty blend to the natural flavors of the salmon. Served with some roasted vegetables and brown rice, it is a wonderfully healthy but delicious meal. 

Note: I love drizzling extra sauce on the salmon so I do one of two things: (1) double the marinade to create extra reserve sauce or (2) pour the entire marinade in with the salmon and after marinading, put the sauce in a pan and bring to a slow boil, adding a little water if necessary. 

★★★★½

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Glazed Roasted Spamsilog (Spam with Fried Eggs and Garlic Fried Rice)

Silog is a term often used for popular Filipino breakfast dishes, or in my case post-club late night dinner. It often consists of some sort of meat (oftentimes cured meat), a pair of fried eggs and garlic fried rice. If this was served with, for example, longanisa, a Filipino cured sausage, this dish would be called longsilog. 

I'd venture to say that most people hate spam, but when people tell me their disgust with spam, I almost want to slap them. Almost. I LOVE spam. With garlic fried rice and eggs. With banana ketchup. In kimchi fried rice. As musubi (wrapped in rice and seaweed paper). Glazed roasted spam, however, is completely new to me. 

Courtesy of Marvin Gapultos, The Adobo Road Cookbook

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon brewed hot coffee, or hot water

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika, or regular paprika

One 12-oz can of Spam

4 cups of cold leftover steamed white rice

2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil

6-8 gloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more, to taste

Eggs

Directions

Combine the sugar, coffee (or water), black pepper, and paprika in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high.

Remove the Spam from the can and cut the spam into 1/4 inch slices. Place the Spam slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the brown sugar glaze onto the first side of the Spam slices.

Place the Spam underneath the broiler and broil until the glaze begins to bubble and caramelize and the edges of the spam begin to brown, 3-5 minutes. Flip the Spam and repeat to the other side.

For the garlic fried rice, heat a large wok or sauté pan over high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Swirl the oil into the pan and then add the garlic and stir-fry until the garlic begins to lightly brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the rice to the pan and quickly toss and mix with the garlic and oil, breaking up any remaining clumps of rice with a spatula. Sprinkle in the salt and continue to stir-fry until the rice is coated with oil and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Season the rice with additional salt if needed.

Serve spam and garlic fried rice with eggs cooked to one's liking. 

Review

First of all, glazing Spam just seems so unnecessary in my head. It's good as it is! Just throw them in a pan and serve. But you know what, not too shabby. The sweetness helps balance the saltiness of the spam and as a huge coffee fan, I absolutely love the hint of coffee flavor. The glaze almost makes the Spam taste like candy. In a way, it is similar to what banana ketchup does because it has that sweetness that complements Spam so well. Also, throwing spam into the broiler is a pretty clever idea. It cooks much more evenly than it normally does in the pan. Plus, I think it cooks faster as well so it's good for cooking for large groups. However as a person who loves super crispy Spam, the broiler just doesn't get that crisp.

I think this just comes down to preference. I can see how this, in theory, could convert some Spam haters. But in general some people will love their Spam salty because it complements the garlic rice and runny eggs so well. Others will love the sweet-salty balance. In any case, I think it is definitely worth trying.

★★★★

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Massaged Kale Salad

The name of this salad is, uh, an interesting choice of words. I would have simply called it Mango Kale Salad, but I suppose to each his or her own. Nonetheless, this had kale and mango and I just had to try this out. Plus, I thought this would be a nice break from Filipino cuisine. 

Courtesy of Aarti Sequeira, The Food Network

Ingredients

1 bunch kale (black kale is especially good), stalks removed and discarded, leaves thinly sliced

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons honey

Freshly ground black pepper

1 mango, diced small (about 1 cup)

Small handful toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 2 rounded tablespoons

Directions

In large serving bowl, add the kale, half of lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and a little kosher salt. Massage until the kale starts to soften and wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside while you make the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining lemon juice with the honey and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stream in the 1/4 cup of oil while whisking until a dressing forms, and you like how it tastes.

Pour the dressing over the kale, and add the mango and pepitas. Toss and serve.

Review

Such a simple and balanced salad and it only took about five minutes to make. The tanginess of the lemon, the sweetness of the mango, and the crunch of the pepitas all roll up into just the perfect bite. The massaging of the kale helps bring out this wonderful aroma that reminds me of bananas, which adds to the freshness and flavor of the salad.

I had a couple issues with the dish, however. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup of olive oil for the dressing, but I think that is too much. What ended up happening was the flavors of the lemon and honey were drowned out. As a suggestion, better to just slowly add the olive oil and continuously taste until there is just the right balance. Also, the salad does falls a little flat when you don't get some mango in each bite because all you taste is the lemon, lemon, and lemon. Either add more mangoes or make sure you don't eat all the mangoes too early. Trust me, the latter is pretty hard to do, especially if you're a huge mango fan.

In spite of its small issues, I love how easy it is. These are ingredients I generally have or use on a regular basis (except for the pepitas, but they can easily substituted for other seeds or nuts), so this just might be a salad I frequent nowadays.

★★★½

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Pork Sisig (Filipino Sizzling Pork)

One of my all-time favorite Filipino dishes, simply grilled pork with onions and peppers. If a Filipino restaurant can make a crazy delicious sisig, they automatically get five stars in my book. Kuya's Asian Cuisine in San Bruno, CA makes one of my absolute favorite sisig dishes, especially their bangus (milkfish) sisig.

Courtesy of Marvin Gapultos, The Adobo Road Cookbook

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup of white Filipino cane vinegar, or distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup fresh calamansi juice, or fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup sambal oelek chili paste

2 cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled

2 1/2 lbs skinless pork jowl, or skinless pork belly, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

1 large onion, diced

1-2 Thai chili peppers, sliced

2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Calamansi halves, or lime wedges, for spritzing

Directions

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, calamansi juice (or lemon juice), chili paste, and garlic in a medium bowl. Place the pork into a large resealable food storage bag, and then pour in the marinade and seal the bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Heat the grill for high-heat, indirect cooking (one side of the grill should be very hot and the other side cool) and brush the grill grates with oil.

Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade. Place the pork slices on the hot part of the grill and cook, turning every few minutes, until the edges are charred and nicely caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Because of the high fat content in the pork, you may have flare-ups on the grill. In this case, just move the pork to the cool side of the grill until the flames subside.

After the pork has browned directly over the heat, move it to the cool side of the grill and cover the grill. This will allow additional fat to render out of the pork without causing flare-ups over the direct heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes more, turning the pork occasionally.

Transfer the pork slices to the cutting board and set aside to cool. When the pork is cool enough to handle, cut it into 1/4-inch cubes. Heat a large heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over high heat. Add the cubed pork, along with the onion and chili pepper, and cook and stir until the onion softens and becomes tender, about 5 minutes.

If needed, pour off fat that has accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Garnish with the green onion and serve the sizzling sisig in the hot skillet with calamansi or limes for spritzing, and with steamed white rice on the side.

Review

When I tasted the marinade, I thought, "Okay, not bad but doesn't seem like anything special." Then I tasted one of the pieces of pork after I grilled it, and I said to myself, "It's good but not what I was expecting or hoping for." Then I put the whole thing together and spritzed it with calamansi juice. My eyes became huge and I literally said, "OH. MY. GOODNESS." Now THAT is what I call pork sisig. 

Despite it being one of my all-time favorite Filipino dishes, I didn't really grow up with it. My dad never cooked it and it never looked appetizing as a kid. It wasn't until college when I fell in love with it. That being said, I'm not completely sure what is generally considered traditional with pork sisig since it has been such a trendy dish with Filipino food trucks and Filipino fusion restaurants in the past couple years. But in the past, I've had it mostly with all parts of the pig (jowl, ears, snout, belly, shoulder, butt, liver). As for the vegetables, I've eaten it with red, yellow or white onions, serrano pepper or jalapeño, and sometimes with minced garlic. Some places either sauté the vegetables with the pork or simply provide them fresh as a topping to be mixed in.

Although this recipe uses a few unconventional tricks (marinading the pork instead of brining or braising, using sambal oelek chili paste in the marinade, and using Thai chili peppers), this recipe was seriously amazing. The pork perfectly tender and moist, the high fat content adding so much natural flavor, with an excellent blend of heat and acid. 

I intended to use pork jowl but I couldn't find it so I used pork belly instead. Since I used pork belly, it almost felt like I got it from a food truck since pork belly is so trendy these days. I also didn't buy skinless pork belly, but I was fine with that because I love me some good crispy skin. Lastly, I didn't garnish it with green onions, mostly because I forgot but also because I didn't care for them and I normally never have green onions on pork sisig.

Next time, I'll probably add more peppers and chili paste to turn up the heat for my personal taste. Otherwise, I am honestly blown away. Five stars all the way.

★★★★★

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Chicken Adobo

The classic Filipino dish, Adobo. Somehow when I first did it years ago, the meat was too dry and the flavors were just wrong. Like I said in my previous post, I almost wanted to cry because I seriously don't get how I messed up Chicken Adobo. Second time is the charm?

Courtesy of Marvin Gapultos, The Adobo Road Cookbook

Ingredients

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1 cup of white Filipino cane vinegar, or distilled white vinegar

6-8 cloves of garlic, smashed with the side of a knife and peeled

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Directions

Place the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large, nonreactive saute pan, and then nestle the chicken thighs, skin side down, into the pain. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, and then cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Uncover the pan and then increase the heat to high and return the sauce to a boil. While occasionally turning and basting the chicken, continue boiling the sauce, uncovered, until it is reduced by half and thickens slightly, 5-7 minutes. As an option during the reducing, transfer the chicken thighs skin side up to a foil-lined sheet pan and brown the chicken underneath the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

Review

Success. I couldn't be happier that I didn't screw this one over. The meat was tender and moist and the flavors were on point. A few things I found interesting. First of all, this calls for 2 parts vinegar and 1 part soy sauce. From most people, I thought it was equal parts but I actually quite enjoyed this proportion. Second of all, this calls for peppercorns but fresh ground black pepper would suffice. I assume it is for presentation, as it does add some visual texture and contrast. Lastly, the Marvin Gapultos adds the option of browning the skin in the broiler, which I thought was genius. It adds a gentle crisp to the skin that is just delicious. 

The big question: was it better than my dad's Chicken Adobo? In general they are about the same, but psychologically I probably love it better when my dad cooks it because that's what I remember as a kid and it brings back so many memories. I will probably ask my dad how he makes his and make modifications to bring more of the homey-ness to the dish. Regardless, I love this recipe and I will undoubtedly use it over and over again. 

Note: I doubled the amount of soy sauce and vinegar because I like my Chicken Adobo saucier so that I can put extra sabaw (Flilipino word for soup or broth) on my rice.

★★★★½

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Bistek (Filipino Pan-Fried Beef Steak)

Though I grew up with Filipino food and my dad is one of the best Filipino food cooks I know, I'm actually not that good at cooking Filipino food (yet). I once made Chicken Adobo but it sucked so bad I wanted to cry. And I made Sinigang na Baka and it was alright but hardly had the sour I wanted and the vegetables were undercooked and the meat was overcooked. 

I finally got a Filipino food cookbook and now I'm going to change that. I decided to start with Bistek, since I already had everything, even the fresh calamansi which I got from my dad's massive tree in the backyard. 

Courtesy of Marvin Gapultos, The Adobo Road Cookbook

Ingredients

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup fresh calamansi juice, or fresh lemon juice

2 lbs flank steak

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 large onion, cut into thin rings

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup water

4 teaspoons brown sugar

Salt, to taste

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine the soy sauce and calamansi juice (or lemon juice, if using) in a small bowl. Place the steak in a large resealable food storage bag, or in a shallow baking dish, and pour the marinade over the steak. Marinate the steak for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, in the refrigerator.

Remove the steak from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Pat the steak dry all over with paper towels. If the steak is too big to fit into a large saute pan, cut the steak in half. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan over moderately high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the steak to the pan and cook until the steak is seared and nicely browned on both sides, 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare doneness. If you had to cut your steak in half, cook each half one at a time so that you don't overcrowd your pan. Transfer the seared steak to a cutting board to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat over moderately high heat. Toss the onion rings into the pan and cook until the onion softens, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and cook until the garlic just begins to brown, 2-3 minutes. Pour the water and the reserved marinade into the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the sugar and bring the sauce to a boil. Cover the pan, and then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the seared steak across the grain. Taste the sauce in the pan and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. 

Drizzle the sliced steak with the sauce and onion, and serve with steamed white rice.

Review

I have finally and officially cooked a delicious Filipino dish. This was just so good. Bistek is one of my favorite dishes and this is probably the best I have ever had it. Many times when I eat Bistek, it is just over salty. With the low-sodium soy sauce that I substituted as well as the brown sugar, it was just the perfect balance for me. Brown sugar is not traditionally added but I appreciate the addition. Also normally with Bistek they use thinly sliced beef sirloin, but what I liked about the recipe is that they used flank steak (in this case, I used beef chuck because it was cheaper) and the beef is seared to medium rare with a nice browned crust. Although this recipe took a couple twists to traditional Bistek, it was perfect to me. My dad even told me it was really good!

Note: The original recipe asks for half of the soy sauce, calamansi juice, and brown sugar than what is listed above. I doubled it because I like my Bistek very saucy. Also if you want to thicken the sauce, add some corn starch.

★★★★½

[brentoboxess]

Chile-Glazed Chicken Wings

My dad started working swing shift and asked me if I could cook him dinner for when he got back from work. I only recently moved back to my parents' place while I'm in between places, and it's kind of cute how things have changed. My dad was the cook of the household growing up. Now that I'm back and I'm older, I'm doing all the cooking. 

Courtesy of Megan Moore, Food and Wine

Ingredients

Vegetable oil spray

5 pounds chicken wings, tips discarded, wings cut in half at joint

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup sake

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass or 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 2 large rimmed baking sheets with vegetable oil spray. Spread the chicken wings in a single layer on the baking sheets; season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes or until the wings are cooked through and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the sake, orange juice, dark brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is reduce to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Pour half of the glaze into a small serving bowl.

Preheat the boiler. Transfer the cooked chicken wings to a large bowl and toss with remaining glaze. Spread the wings on one of the baking sheets and broil on the middle rack of the oven for about 10 minutes, turning once, until browned. Transfer the wings to a platter. Serve hot or at room temperature with remaining glaze.

Review

Okay, I was expecting these to be good but not THIS good. I didn't even taste the glaze before I put them on the chicken, which I should have. But when I had my first bite, I was genuinely surprised. I seriously could have eaten the whole batch myself.

After I reduced the glaze, it told me to reduce to one cup but it looked more like 1/2 cup. When I glazed the chicken, there was barely any left for the chicken after it was broiled. I got worried so I ended up starting a whole new batch of glaze. After the chicken was broiled, it didn't have the thick glaze I wanted. I ended up reducing the new glaze even more than the first time and I used it to reglaze the chicken. Perfect. Just how I imagined it.

These are definitely the best homemade chicken wings I've ever tasted. It's the perfect blend of sweet, salty and citrus. It has elements of the chicken wings from Sam Tung in San Francisco, which are my favorite wings of all time. Although they don't come exactly to that level (but I mean, come on how can I possibly come close to Sam Tung), these are still damn good.

★★★★★

[brentoboxess]

[brentoboxess]

Brussel Sprouts Salad

My boyfriend’s sister is always making something different and she introduced us to a simple brussel sprouts salad with lemon and cheese. It didn’t look like anything fancy but after one bite I was fan. 

Ingredients

1 bag of brussel sprouts from Trader Joe’s

1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, grated

1 lemon, juiced and zested

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Roughly chop up the brussel sprouts by hand or in a blender. About half the bag yields about 2-3 servings. Squeeze between half to all of the lemon juice (depending on your taste) and zest about quarter teaspoon of the lemon on top. Toss the brussel sprouts to give an even coat. Mix in both cheeses and pour in the garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Mix it all together and serve.

Review

I am absolutely in love with this salad. First of all, I’ve never had a brussel sprouts salad before and I can’t believe it took me this long to try one. This recipe is all in the contrast of the sourness of the lemon with the sharp, savory flavor of the cheeses. The salad is incredibly simple and it literally only takes about 5 minutes to make with a blender. On top of that, this salad will last a few days because it does not get soggy because of the firmness of the brussel sprouts so it’s easy to make this in batches for multiple meals.

★★★★½

[brentoboxess]

[brentoboxess]

Thai Chicken with Mushrooms, Green Beans and Basil

The first time I made this dish was for Valentine’s Day for my wonderful boyfriend. I loved it so much that I made it again for my parents.

Courtesy of Joyce Jue, Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 pound green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths

3 scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets, pounded thin and cut into strips

1/4 pound small mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

1/2 cup drained canned baby corn, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 large jalapeno chiles - halved, seeded and thickly sliced lengthwise

1 loosely packed cup torn basil

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce with the Asian fish sauce and sugar.

In a wok, heat 1/2 teaspoon of the oil over high heat until it is smoking. Add the green beans and cook, stirring them occasionally, until they are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer beans to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok and heat until smoking. Add the scallions, garlic and salt and stir fry until the garlic is lightly golden, about 45 seconds. Add the chicken in 3 batches, waiting a few seconds between additions, and stir-fry until the chicken just barely turns white, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, corn, jalapeno chiles, and green beans and stir-fry until all of the vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the oyster sauce mixture to the chicken and vegetables and stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in the torn basil, transfer to a platter and serve at once.

Review 

First of all, I just made a small modification: instead of using small mushrooms, I used straw mushrooms because I thought it felt more appropriate for a Thai-inspired dish.

This dish soars because of its simple flavors. The sweetness of oyster sauce, the saltiness of the fish sauce blended with a punch of basil just gives it a light but rounded flavor to the dish. The first time I cooked it, the chicken was just perfectly moist and tender. The second time I cooked it, however, the chicken was overcooked and you can tell how much of a difference it makes in the dish. 

Simple ingredients, takes less than 30 minutes to make, and overall a healthy dish. I have a feeling I’ll be making this pretty often. 

★★★★

[brentoboxess]

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

I first cooked this for our annual holiday potluck with my college friends and I always like to try something new for it. My boyfriend is vegetarian so I wanted to make sure that were was something he could eat at the party. This was my first attempt at a truly vegetarian dish.

Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips

2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cremini mushrooms, halved

1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence

1 pound penne pasta

3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)

1 cup grated fontina cheese

1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander. In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined. Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Review

First of all, the picture does not do it justice. That is just a terrible photograph and I wish I had a more well-presented picture of this dish. I should have plated it right away and taken a picture. Second of all, there was a slight complication because my boyfriend and I had to go to another holiday party before the one with my friends so the dish was sitting in the oven (turned off) with aluminum foil, which ended up hardening the top layer of the pasta dish and making it taste overcooked. Regardless of the fact, I actually still enjoyed the dish. I loved everything that went into it and I just know if I didn't overcook the top layer then it would have been perfection. But that's okay, first time around I am bound to make mistakes. I will definitely make this again and retake the damn picture to make it look more delicious.

★★★★

[brentoboxess]

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Parmesan roasted potatoes? You had me at parmesan.

Courtesy of megkat.com

Ingredients

3-4 medium red potatoes, cut into small wedges

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp paprika

Sea salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and dry the potatoes then cut each potato in half length wise, then cut each half into 4 or 5 wedges, then cut those wedges in half.

In a small bowl, combine the parmesan, garlic salt, and paprika and set aside. Next, toss the potatoes and oil together in a mixing bowl then add the bowl of cheese and seasonings and stir to coat. Dump onto a cookie sheet and arrange in a single layer.

Bake for about 25 minutes then remove from oven and turn over all the potatoes. It takes a few minutes but it is SO worth the time.

Put them back in the oven for another 10 or 15 minutes until they’re sufficiently crispy and divine. Season with sea salt if needed.

Review

Delicious. So crispy and so cheesy, I cannot complain. I loved every crunch of these potatoes. They are just perfect when dipped into some ketchup and Tabasco. I think these potatoes are a great complement to any dish whether it is steak, hamburger, roasted chicken, and the list goes on. I don’t think I would change anything about this dish. They are amazing the way they are.

★★★★½