Cucumber Canapes

Ingredients:

• 2 cucumbers
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 2 chorizo de Bilbao, diced
• 3 pcs sweet ham, diced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp each of fresh thyme, rosemary and oregano, finely minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice cucumbers lengthwise. Scoop out seeds then slice into bite-size boats. Set aside.
3. Saute garlic and onion n olive oil ntil aromatic. Add chorizo and ham. Saute for 2 minutes. Pour in chicken stock. Follow with crushed tomatoes and herbs. Mix well. Bring to boil then simmer until almost dry. Season to taste.
4. Scoop a small amount of cooked mixture on each cucumber boats. Top with cheese.
5. Bake until cheese melts and lightly browned.

Asparagus and Mint Fritatas

Ingredients:

• 200 grams fresh asparagus, chopped
• 2 whole eggs plus 3 egg whites
• 2 tbsps light sour cream
• 2 tbsps skimmed milk
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsps mint leaves, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Blanch asparagus in a pot of lightly salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Dain and cool in an ice bath. Drain well and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Get a nonstick muffin pan and divide asparagus equally in each cup.
3. In a bowl, beat whole eggs and egg whites together with sour cream and milk. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and mint. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into muffin pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until firm and lightly golden.
5. Carefully remove fritatas from the pan and cool slightly before serving.

Laing

Ingredients::

• 450 grams pork belly, cut into 2”x ¼” cubes
• 1 tbsp of rock salt
• 3 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• A thumb sized ginger
• 2 tbsps fish paste (bagoong isda)
• ½ pack -45 grams of dried authentic taro leaves
• 6 pcs finger chilis, cut diagonally
• 2 pcs chili pepper, minced
• Coconut cream (kakang-gata):
• 2 pcs (800 g) coconut, grated
• 1 cup warm water
• Coconut milk (pangalawang gata):
• Coconut used in extracting coconut cream
• 3-2/3 cups warm water

Procedure:

1. Foremost, extract the coconut cream. Then, follow the coconut milk. Set aside separately.
2. In a bowl, combine the first-two ingredients. Mix well. Set aside. Meanwhile, pound together the garlic and ginger with a mortar and pestle until finely crushed.
3. In a pan, over high fire, put the cooking oil. Add marinated pork. Lightly fry both sides of pork. Remove from pan.
4. Back to the pan, reduce fire to medium-high, sauté the garlic and ginger until golden brown. Pour the fish paste. Saute until oil sizzles. Add the coconut milk and dried taro leaves. Stir lightly. Let it cook over low fire until all liquid evaporates or taro leaves are soft.
5. Put the coconut cream, chillies and fried pork. Mix lightly. Simmer in low fire until desired thickness of coconut cream.
6. Best serve with cooked rice

Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Ingredients:

• 12 cups spinach leaves
• 24 strawberries, halved

for the dressing:

• 1/2 cup nan-fat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate or juice from 2 oranges
• 2 tbsps poppyseeds
• 1 tbsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste.

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the first-four ingredients for the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Put the spinach and strawberries in a bowl. Cling wrap. Chill until ready to use.
3. Drizzle with the dressing, just before serving. Toss well.