Fish Fillet with Garlic and Tomatoes

When I started cooking fish I messed up a lot. And I mean, A LOT. I tried almost everything in the fish section and I failed.

I remember one time I was newly married and I bought sole fish because I love sole fish. My grandmother use to fry them up really nice and crispy. When I got home I fried mine up too. Except when I ate it, it was really bitter and nasty.

Because... because I forgot to clean and gut the darn things. Gross. Disgusting. Blech!

I decided I was a lot safer off buying a jar of Montano sardines and heating them up in a microwave. Back in the time, that was a winner!

Then I discovered packed fish fillet in the frozen food section and alleluia!

Life became a lot easier.

No need to clean, gut, scale, or skin the swimmers. Just defrost and slice away.

This packed fish fillet is called cream dory, also known as white river cobbler. It is so easy to cook. You can't fail.

Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a nonstick pan.

Put 1 cup of flour and 1 tablespoon paprika in a shallow bowl. To this add just a pinch of chicken powder and mix together.

Dredge your cut up fish fillets in the flour mixture.

Fry in skillet for about ten minutes per side.

Don't worry. Unlike salmon or sea bass, you can't overcook these. If you undercook them (and you can tell because the inside is still pink), just throw them back in the pan. You can't fail with cream dory.

When the fish is nice and golden brown in color, transfer to a serving plate.

In the same skillet, add 3 tablespoons finely minced garlic. Let cook for a bit until the garlic browns.

Next throw in 3/4 cup of diced tomatoes and sliced basil leaves. I use fresh ones because my son grows two pots of this plant in the yard.

Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. But only because I ran out of red wine vinegar. Stir together for a minute then turn off heat.

Top your fish with the tomato and garlic. Serve and enjoy!

My kids love everything fish fillet, including this one!

Oysters and Spinach

Oysters and Spinach
by Cress Sia

I heart seafood.

All of them...

I heart shrimp.
I heart fish, eel included.
I heart crabs.
I heart lobsters.
I heart scallops.
I heart roe.
I heart seaweed.
I heart clams.
I heart muscles and legs.

Oops...!

I mean, mussels, and the crab kind. Gee what was I thinking!

And... I especially love oysters. I think nothing in this world can taste quite like oysters. It's sooo singularly can't-get-enough-of-it good.

I manage to get 3 kilos of oysters today. I'm so excited! (Rubbing my hands together!)

First, oyster shells have to be cleaned. I run warm water on the oysters and scrub their shells lightly with a dish sponge. Make sure every one of the shells are closed shut.

If it isn't, throw it away.

Now, now don't give me the "Oh what a waste!" reaction... Because it's not going to be a waste. It's going to be lethal. So away with it.

Fortunately mine are all fresh and nicely closed shut!

The reason why I scrub them is because their outside shells are mucky and icky, smells like crap and looks like crap kindda thing. Although frozen imported oysters don't have this mucky-ness on their outside shells. But why oh why does one choose to pay a fortune for frozen imported oysters when you can get fresh ones around the corner and just wash them clean? Boggles me.

So once they're all scrubbed and much less crappier (hahahaha!) than when you got them, lay them on a single layer on a baking sheet or roasting pan.

I know some people can eat this uncooked with a little lemon and vinegar. But not me. Uh-uh. I don't even like them cold like how fancy restaurants like to serve them. I prefer mine cooked and warm.

Now oysters aren't really for those with a weak stomach... or for the pregnant. If you think, suspect, or know you're one of them, find something else to cook. No joke.

I preheat my oven to 200 degrees celsius. Then I slide my oysters on the middle rack. It's going to bake for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, I get started on my topping.

Actually to be honest I don't like any topping on my oysters. I like them best straight out of the oven, with their distinctive taste of the sea and all. But that kind is way too easy for this blog.

So instead, I'm writing on the second best way I like them served.

To make the topping, I melt 2 tablespoons of butter on a saucepan over medium heat.

Then I throw in a tablespoon of flour. And a teaspoon of garlic salt.

Let the flour cook for two minutes.

Then add in a cup of milk. Let this boil.

Then I throw in a cup of shredded cheese. I'm feeling a little broke today so I use Quickmelt. If you're feeling quite the opposite use shredded parmesan. And I'm in a hurry too so I don't even bother shredding my Quickmelt. I chop it in to cubes.

It's going to melt anyway, right? Absolutely.

Once the cheese has melted and the mixture and has thickened, I throw in the fresh green spinach leaves. I have prewashed these in cold water. But I didn't bother to chop them. You should. Though I'm not one to mind chewing on big pieces of spinach leaves...

Let the spinach wilt and keep stirring for about 3 minutes more, then turn off heat.

At about this time take a peek inside your oven. Your oyster shells should have opened at least a quarter to a half an inch wide. If it is only just slightly open, add another 5 minutes to your baking time.

If at that time it still hasn't opened, it could be saying:

a) I'm lethal.
b) Don't eat me because something's wrong with me.
c) Throw me away.
d) All of the above.

That's it. That's all it could be saying. You can pick whatever answer you like. Depending on how gruesome you like to think.

Once they are opened, take them out of the open and let cool. Your oven will be very hot, take extra care when taking them out.

Look how beautiful the oysters are! Just begging to be shucked!

Pull apart the shell and lay the shell with the oyster on a nice serving plate.

Oh and stop praying you'll find a pearl. You won't. Pearls don't grow in the kind of oysters that is edible to us earthlings. It grows in a different kind of shell that is commonly called a pearl oyster. But even that is incorrect because it's not biologically an oyster but a different class of mollusk altogether. And it can be as big a dinner plate!

Now that we have established the fact that there is more chance of you finding an alien is in your bedroom than finding a pearl in your oyster, let's get back to business.

Spoon your still warm spinach mixture on top of each of the oyster. You can sprinkle this with toasted bread crumbs. But I ran out of bread crumbs.

Happy shucking!!

Roast Pork Steak with Mustard Gravy

I am experiencing a writer's block right now so I have no idea how to start this blog. The most difficult step is the first, or so they say.

Can I start by talking about the weather?

The weather's always a safe start.

How's the weather on your side of the world?

I've started using accuweather.com for forecasts now and it's so cool. Here's why. We were scheduled to check in at a resort the other weekend and a day before that most awaited day I receive a text message from my buddy: "Is it going to rain tomorrow?"

I thought, are you kidding me?

How in the world am I supposed to know if it will rain tomorrow?

I frown.

But I start to wonder too, if it will rain tomorrow.

I googled Cebu Weather, knowing this would be so totally useless because nobody cares to monitor the weather in this country.

Anyway I got on Accuweather.com for a forecast of Cebu and typed the forecast to my friend in reply. The next day it rained at the exactly time that accuweather.com said it would. I was amazed.

Sunday morning I went on accuweather.com again to see what the weather would be like. It said, "WARNING: 0.52 inches of rain on the way!" Or something to that tone. Now wait, it looked pretty sunny out. I rolled my eyes. But just in case, I ran outside.

And lo and behold!!!! After about three minutes of messing outside, 0.52 inches of rain tip tapped on my face!!!

 How cool is that???

No, duh, I didn't measure the rain! I'm not THAT geeky...

FINALLY, I told myself, there's one reliable weather forecast for a third-world country like the Philippines. Oh oops, I almost forgot! It's not right to use "third-world country" because it is so demeaning... etiquette says must use PROGRESSIVE country, instead.

In my progressive side of the country I make roast pork steak with mustard gravy for Saturday night's dinner.

I take out the pork meat. I use pork loin chops. Sometimes they call this pork tenderloin, pork prito cut, pork steak. I used to make this with pork chops, but now I discovered pork loin is so much better. But if all you've got is pork chops, use them.

Salt and pepper both sides and put on a baking dish.

Prepare your rub: honey, yellow mustard, dijon mustard, italian seasoning.

Mix together 3 tablespoons of yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard.

Rub this mustard mixture on the chops.

Lightly sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Flip your chops and repeat on the other side. Then throw in the oven and bake at 150 celsius for an hour.

When the chops are cooked, transfer them to a nice plate.

To make your mustard gravy, spoon about half a cup of the drippings to a saucepan on medium heat.

Add half a tablespoon of flour and stir. 

Let the flour cook for a couple of minutes.

Add half a cup of milk and bring to a boil.

Keep stirring until the gravy thickens. Season with 1 tablespoon worchestire sauce, salt, and pepper.

Turn off heat and spoon the mustard gravy on top of your chops. Or serve the gravy in a nice gravy boat alongside the pork loin. 

If you don't have a gravy boat you can use a magic lamp but leave the lid out.

Just kidding.

These steaks are so tender and good! Even your kids will love them!

Here's a close up.

Lamb Ragu

It's another special occasion for our family tonight - the eve of my hubby's **th birthday! I know I know... I'm such a sucker for celebrations. I think we have close to a hundred "special occasions" for this family that I cannot let pass without some sort of celebration.

The **th birthday is a secret.

So tonight I make Lamb Ragu. It's fancy for pasta with ground lamb.

I'm really not a big fan of lamb, I must confess... The smell bothers me so much its an effort to get the lamb to my mouth. Actually, I'm not even a fan of mediterranean cuisine. Once, my mom and I went to a five-star hotel in Florida called The Gaylord Palms. It is one of those very beautiful hotels. And by very beautiful, I mean it is so very majestically picturesque, you'd gasp the moment you walk in it.

You'd gasp when you get your bill too.

Anyway, that night at the hotel my mom and I decided to splurge on a $75 per head buffet spread inside the hotel. It was a Mediterranean spread - lamb cooked in all different ways, cous cous, pita, tzatziki...

I was gagging the whole time. Mediterranean food and me just don't click like that.

I think hummus and pita made all of my $75's worth.

Here's the recipe for lamb ragu. This is Giada de Laurentiis's recipe, modified just a little bit.

Start by heating 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add your garlic.

In goes your chopped red onions. Inhale that good, good aroma. Trust me.

Add in your ground lamb.

If you are like me and you don't like the smell of lamb, exhale the bad, bad smell and walk away. This would be a good time to call your kitchen help.

When the ground lamb has browned nicely, throw in some dried rosemary. This can really help you go through the cooking process by making the lamb aroma less pungent.

Just slightly less pungent. I.e. it's not gonna smell like beef. Unfortunately.

Pour in a cup of red wine. Stir and simmer for a bit.

Throw in some sliced enoki mushrooms. Cook until brown.

Add 2 cups of tomato sauce. I used the Italian variety with chunky tomatoes. Stir until bubbling hot.

Throw in your cooked rigatoni pasta. Stir and add some chopped parsley.

Turn off heat and stir in the ricotta cheese.

Mix well.

Below is Giada's original recipe for Lamb Ragu, from the Food Network website. You should really use mint like Giada did. There's no greater serial killer than lamb breath!

Ingredients

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 cups marinara sauce, store-bought or home made
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet warm the olive oil over high heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground lamb, salt, and pepper. Cook until the lamb has browned and the juices have evaporated. Add the wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Add the marinara sauce and simmer over low heat until the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Add the mint and ricotta and stir until mixed. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Serve immediately.