Let's MEAT-UP 2

Let's Meat Up is an initiative of Meat Livestock Australia's (MLA) Philippine Office to promote awareness of premium quality Australian beef and lamb. I've been developing recipes for MLA for the past few years.  I aim to share with home cooks my mouth-watering beef and lamb recipes in line with MLA's Let's Meat Up program.

Last year, I had the opportunity of cooking in front of home cooks showcasing my original recipes.  And on my recent trip to the Philippines, I did the same thing.  Yes, I was excited to do it last year as it was my first time but I'm doubly thrilled this time since, a: it is in a larger venue (Kitchen 1B, a high-end organic gourmet restaurant and I love the modern ambience), b: in front of a bigger audience (Food Media and Manila Mommy Bloggers) and  c: with a better set-up (in an open kitchen and with a DJ hosting the event).

That's me prepping in the kitchen.  I was lucky to have the whole kitchen crew of Kitchen 1B helping me out during prep time.  Their expertise in mise en place came in handy.  I couldn't have done it without them.

An overview of Let's Meat Up was presented by Paul P. Perez; country manager for Meat Livestock Austrailia for the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Through the years, I've developed more than 30 recipes for MLA.  It feels good to see my recipes in print.  Hmmm... is a cookbook next in line?  Maybe?  Fingers crossed.  I am throwing positive vibes to the universe that I would have a cookbook soon!

Out of the 30 recipes that I created, I cooked 5 dishes for tasting.  No worries, I will be sharing all five recipes that I cooked for this event in later posts.

To start with a bang - I am sharing with you the most raved recipe for the event, which is the Mango Tango Australian Beef Tenderloin. The recipe appears at the end of this post.

Do you see me behind the counter? Well with me was my kitchen assistant Lito, who was very efficient in helping me.  The lady in red is DJ Jada of Jam 88.3. She acted as the  host/commentator who made the event even more livelier.

I cooked 5 of my original recipes.  Right after each dish was cooked, it was immediately served for tasting.  I thought it was scary... there was no room for error.  I felt like I am being judged like the ones you see on reality food TV. Fortunately, after each bite, all I heard were wows and oohs and saw thumbs up.  It's gotta be the Australian meat that I used that made my dishes so tasty :).  But thank you MOMMY BLOGGERS, it felt good for all of you to be on my side.

Photo-op with the lovely Mommy Bloggers. It was great meeting these ladies who are so much like me--- a wife, a mom and a BLOGGER... and we can all relate to having deadlines for our posts.

I can't thank enough the MLA Team Manila headed by the country manager Mr. Paul Perez for giving me this opportunity to collaborate with them.  Cris, thank you for your patience and your calm and smooth efficiency in coordinating the event.  Therese and Sigrid, thanks again for the feedback and support.  And of course Joyce, thank you so much for the bringing in the audience.  You guys rock.  

I look forward to doing more gigs with MLA Manila in 2015!

Mango Tango Beef Tenderloin

2-3 lbs beef tenderloin

1/2 tsp cayenne powder

salt and pepper 

2 tbsp olive oil

Pre-heat grill to medium high.

Season the meat generously with salt and pepper.  Lather with olive oil.

Then sear the sides of the beef until it’s nice and brown.

Lower the heat and cook for another 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the beef.

Remove the beef from the grill and brush with butter.

Mango Tango

Mix together sliced mangoes, scallions and tomatoes. You may also add chopped cilantro. Set aside.  Mix together 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1/3 cup vinegar, sliced onions, 1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger, 1/2 tsp of chili garlic sauce, salt and pepper and sugar  to taste.  Drizzle a little sesame oil.  You may add chopped Thai Bird's Eye Chili. 

Toss the mango tango together with the sliced beef tenderloin.  Mmmm good!  Enjoy!

My Purple Yam Stint

5 weeks.

That's how long I took off for my recent vacation in the Philippines.  I sit here quietly reminiscing - and the first things that come to mind include two significant cooking gigs during my visit.

First off - my stint as a guest chef at Purple Yam Malate.  And second, my gig Let's Meat Up, an initiative by Meat Livestock Australia wherein I shared my recipes to a group of bloggers and the media.  I'll share more details of the latter gig in a future post.

Now I can hardly sit still.  Thoughts start to flood my mind every time I attempt to write. I have a hangover.  Well, from my vacation rather than from alcohol.  But today I shed off the sluggishness, the headache and the thirst - I say to myself:  HEY GIRL, BACK TO REALITY.. TIME TO WORK!

One of the biggest achievements in my culinary career is to be invited as a guest chef by world-renowned Filipino Food advocate Ms. AMY BESA.  You see in my book, Amy is the hottest name globally in promoting Filipino food.  Together with her husband Romy Dorotan, they brought Filipino food to the mainstream in New York city when they opened the highly acclaimed Cendrillion.  They then moved to Brooklyn to open Purple Yam.

Now for a flashback (insert music and animation here): Last year, I got an invite from Ms. Amy to meet up with her while we were both visiting Manila.  I couldn't believe it! She mentioned to me that she will be opening Purple Yam in her ancestral home in Malate.  "I would love for you to come and cook once we open" she said.  Did she just say I could come cook with her?  Well yes she did.

So let's fast forward to this year.  Days before my trip I couldn't decide whether to go home, but alas a private message from Amy Besa was the voice of reason.  So after a few days, I found myself packing my bags and went for a 5 week vacation.

On the last week of my stay, surreal as it may seem, I was briefing the  Purple Yam team. Imagine my excitement because one, I will be cooking at PURPLE YAM, and second, I will be showcasing the cuisine of  Tuguegarao, my hometown.  Indeed, preparing Ibanag cuisine is very special to me.

To feature Ibanag Cuisine, I named the dining experience Pabirillayan or sharing (the love for Ibanag Cuisine).  The food I shared is close to my heart.  It is the food of my childhood - the food of my soul.

Thank you Amy for giving me this opportunity.  It warms my heart to know that someone who is way up there in the culinary field treats me so special.  Thank you for giving me the confidence to "just do it".

Thank you especially to the Purple Yam team and my brother-in-law for your help with the recipe development and execution... And a special shout out to my new found friend Chef Cocoy Ventura.   Cocoy brought fresh vegetables all the way from Isabela despite the rainy conditions and helped out prepping for the event.  Thank you Mama Isi and Nangnang for procuring the freshest ingredients  that I took with me to Purple Yam.

Lastly, thank you to all my family and friends who attended the special lunch I served last Oct. 18th.  You continuously support me in so many ways.  I could not have done this without you.

I'm so grateful, I'm so happy that I am close to tears.

Here are the photos I'd like to share with all of you... Enjoy!

Briefing the team with what Ibanag Cuisine is all about

I could have not done it without collaborating with these young and very talented PY team.  Also included in the team is my brother in law Oliver, who helped me conceptualize the menu

The Purple Yam team: Chefs Joesph, Patricia and Rap  Also included here is Chef Cocoy Ventura who came all the way from Isabela, and of course Ms. Amy Besa

So grateful to see old friends from childhood and college 

Celebrities in the house!

My daughter Izzy, who was with me throughout my trip home ---thanks Izzy.  And my sister in law Donna and Oliver's family, who unselfishly hosted us during our stay... 

My nephew Enzo with his girlfriend Eenah and my pretty niece Ayi, and again my lovely daughter Izzy

Chef Cocoy enjoying the food.

My brother Paul and wife Sigrid cuing up to get Amy sign her cookbook.

Sinanta: a combination of flat noodles and glass noodles with Cagayan river clams, chicken and shrimp with crustacean broth

Fried Fillet of Catfish with Dinengdeng Puree

Amy's dedication on her book Memories of Philippine Kitchens, which reads: Dearest Malou, As I've said I am a fan.  What a delicious meal you cooked at our home in Nakpil.  You are a goddess of Philippine food and culture.  I'm stoked.  I am truly your biggest fan.

My 4 Minute Thrill on TV

Wow! I just did another segment on a local morning TV show.  And the excitement is as thrilling as the first time I appeared on the boob tube. 

I was featured on Great Day St. Louis on KMOV Channel 4 as the Food and Lifestyle  expert to do a gadget round up on how to throw the ultimate labor day bash even on a budget.   This is to help viewers to end summer with a bang. 

But it was challenging - as the verse "the show must go on" meant nothing to me until I experienced it yesterday.  Phew! It is funny now in retrospect but a few minutes before the I was "live" on TV, I had to go through different challenges, that I couldn't even think about being on the show.  But then .. yes I have to say it: THE SHOW MUST GO ON... lol!

Here's the link for you to check it out.  But before you view it, let me say thank you to the hosts of Great Day St. Louis, Kent, Virginia and Matt for making me feel at ease in front of the camera.  And to Patti and Daniella, thanks so much for all the help and moral support.

Video Blog | How to Make Leche Flan

Are you ready for 2014?

Yes, I can't wait. For I know that a new year brings in fresh starts, new dreams, new plans... oh well should I dare say that includes new diet plans? haha!  

But before we embark on a new diet plan, let's indulge for a few more days before the new year commences shall we?  How about a creamy, delicious, rich leche flan? So, I am excited to share a new video blog featuring my brother in law, Dick.  If you've been following my blog I have featured him in so many blog posts in the past.  But I'm so happy that this time, he agreed to do a video with me and for sharing one of the most raved recipe that he makes: LECHE FLAN.

I hope you will enjoy the video.. and I would like to wish you a...Happy New Year!

Leche Flan ala Benedict

(double recipe for 2 pans of flan)

16 egg yolks

2 cans of evaporated milk

2 cans of condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 lemon, rind

1 c sugar

Watch the video here:

Happy Thanksgiving

Video Blog: HOW TO MAKE FILIPINO STYLE PINEAPPLE GLAZED HAM .

A table  showcasing the ingredients for a roasted turkey at the grocery store made me realize that the Holidays are here again. You see, I have mixed emotions about the holidays. One is that it's the most "merry" of times, while it also reminds me of holidays past--- and yes it makes me miss home a lot!

One of the ways where I could bring myself closer to home is revisiting my mom's old recipe notebook. It never fails to evoke warmth  and  love. Seemingly it triggers powerful and pleasant memories. So today as I leafed through its fragile pages,  I came across my mom's recipe for Home-made Ham.  I felt like it  called my name. Instantly it gave me the inspiration to make another video... so voila click away to watch another episode of my MODERN ASIAN COOKING SERIES.  

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One with Tacloban

Enough.

Enough of just sitting down in the comforts of my home watching the news. I cry as I watch a mom making a desperate plea, begging for food and water, and shelter for her young children. I am stoic as I hear a mom wailing frantically as she searched for her three missing children as the camera pans to the bodies of her three other children who drowned in the typhoon surge.  I get goosebumps hearing stories upon stories of families separated. Families losing everything they own.  Families losing their loved ones.

Yes, I am saddened, which is an understatement.  The devastation caused by the Super Typhoon is haunting.  Apocalypse seemingly crafted for the movies suddenly comes alive as I see the rubble and the massive destruction.  

Enough. 

It's time to roll up my sleeves, no our sleeves, as we all need to do something.  I know we all leverage our special talents for a good cause.  And for me,  I hope to launch my One with Tacloban project

I am booking small dinners where I offer my cooking class and/or cooking services for free.  I will create a customized Filipino inspired menu for each party.  All donations collected from the gathering will go directly to the Philippine National Red Cross.

I have booked 4 dinners so far.  I hope to get more.  Please if you are in the St. Louis area or if you know anyone in the area who is willing to experience  fellowship over a Filipino-inspired meal, please contact me.  I will be excited to discuss with you this opportunity to host and tell you more about the project.

Thank you!