Foot and Fire

         It has always been a dream to try fresh truffle in my lifetime but well, a bottled Italian truffle sauce in ricotta is not bad to satisfy the craving in the meantime. Fresh ingredients and freshly cooked are always the key to a great food experience. Used parsley a lot these days because I got a lot of them from the garden when I planted tall parsley months ago.  I also get to enjoy cherry tomatoes from the garden, so I get to incorporate them in our dishes a lot of times these days. Dried herbs can also be used in this recipe and any other mushrooms can also used. I just love the earthy aroma and woody taste of shiitake that I often use it if I have some dried ones in the pantry. Button Mushroom or straw mushroom which are available in cans can also be used.     Cherry Tomatoes Shiitake Mushroom 250 gms Penne Pasta Reserved pasta water Truffle sauce with ricotta and black pepper (90gms)   Parmesan Cheese Salt and pepper...

MY #TOMATO STORY. Beware of what you asked for. I was intrigued by tomatoes and chilipeppers. They are the kind which does not grow where you want them to be. They thrive in places where I don't want them to be. So it's my dream to have plots of them.  I plotted tomatoes and potted some. (Chili pepper will be on another post). I asked for tomatoes and a friend sent me mixed seeds of heirloom tomatoes. Now, I am mothering a lot of them.  They are nutrient hungry and they need care from pests. Every two weeks, I gather the eggshells we saved to turn them into calcium phosphate. The pests kill the leaves, the fungus must have wilted the healthy ones. The resilient varieties thrived and fruited well. I feel rewarded each time I pick some cherry tomato and pop them in my mouth. I have a lot to learn but since I asked for this, I am determined to grow them.  Peach and Oval or grape-shaped tomatoes #farmingfairiesdiary #urbangardening #heirloo...

The real ratatouille is a stew of basically same veges but this version of mine is baked. If one enjoys vegetables and cheese, I recommend this one. 

Olive oil Garlic cloves 200g ripe tomatoes, chopped 200g bellpepper, chopped 100g celery Salt and pepper Cheese (optional) Reserved water from boiled pasta Tuna in oil Boil angel hair pasta for 2.5 minutes. Set aside. Reserve water. Saute vegetables in olive oil.  Add reserved water and the oil from tuna. Simmer till vegetables are tender to your liking. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Add tuna and olive oil. Remove from fire and serve hot over angel hair pasta.

Blanch kamote tops and drain well. Add sliced tomatoes, onions and grated green mangoes. Toss in apple cider vinegar, a dash of salt and black pepper. Chill and serve as appetizer.

I am posting the photo collage of my sister featuring her fish tinola with kangkong tops. I know that a kitchen rival is born! She has that kitchen sense actually when she just feel like exercising it. She boasts her 25pesos fish slices, bunch of fresh kangkong, fresh tomatoes, and her luscious and plump duhat for her dessert. Here is her enticing prep!

This is my favorite because while I get the full beef flavor just like bulalo without too much animal grease, I also get the vegetable serving of the day. 1 tablespoon canola oil 4 cloves of garlic 1 pc onion, cubed 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 ground beef Soy sauce Salt and black pepper 1 pc upo or bottle gourd, sliced 12 stalks of malunggay, leaves separated from stalks Saute garlic in oil until it turns golden brown and add onion. Add sliced tomatoes until cooked and add then ground beef. Let cook until tender and add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Let meat cook through. Add 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Add about 3 cups of upo and bring to boil until upo is cooked. Add malunggay and close lid. Remove from fire and serve hot over rice or as soup.

By GERLIE M. UY I had this entree for lunch today. So filling, especially with my Java rice with toasted garlic on top. Fried Bangus 6 pcs small Bangus 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup vinegar cloves of garlic, crushed 3 T fish sauce Canola oil for frying Clean Bangus but leave it unscaled and slice it with butterfly cut. Marinade fishes with the next four ingredients, adding a little amount of oil. Let stay for at least 30 minutes before frying. Fry in a a hot oil. Mango Okra Salsa 2 Semi-ripe mangoes, seeded and cubed 8 pcs Okra, boiled and cubed 1 medium white onion 3 tomatoes, seeded and cubed salt and pepper Mix all ingredients and chill before serving.

By GERLIE M. UY 1/2 kilo seaweed hot boiling water 6 medium tomatoes 3 red/white onions grated green mango boiled egg/salted egg (optional) vinegar salt pepper In a steel bowl, place the seaweed. Add boiling water until the color turns from greenish to brownish. Drain. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well. Chill until time to serve as appetizer or side dish.

By GERLIE M. UY Mongo Soup with the green leafy vegetable called Lupo 1 cup mongo water 2 cloves garlic crushed 1 onion, quartered 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered Water dried fish (or dried shrimp) salt 250 gms squash, cubed 2 eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise and quartered 6 cups lupo Boil Mongo in enough water until tender. Mash. Set aside In another soup pot, saute garlic, onion and then tomatoes. Add water and the mashed mongo. Add dried fish. Bring to boil. Add salt to taste. Add quash and eggplant. Let cook. Adjust taste with fish sauce, if preferred. While boiling, add the lupo and cover pot with lid. Remove from fire. Serve hot with rice and fried dreied fish on the side.

By GERLIE M. UY Pinoy's Special salad: Salted eggs with onions and tomatoes 6 salted eggs (red-painted ones in the Philippine Market) 6 medium-ripe tomatoes 2 red or white onions 2 pieces dalanghita (or 6 pcs calamansi or any citrus) 1 T soy sauce (optional as the eggs are salty already) coarse pepper Peel and slice the salted eggs. Arrange in the platter. Slice the tomatoes and onions, round or chopped for easy bite. Add in the platter. Squeeze the citrus and make sure that the seeds are not going to the preparation. Add soy sauce and coarse pepper.. Serve as side dish or on top of hot boiled rice.

By GERLIE M. UY Sinabawan nga Isda nga may kulitis! 800ml water 2 piece tomatoes 1 onion, sliced 6 fried fishes 2 spoons fish sauce pinch of salt and pepper A bunch of kulitis In a stock pot, put tomatoes and onion. Bring to boil and let boil until tomatoes and onion are done. Add fried fishes, fish sauce and salt and pepper. Bring to boil and adjust taste. Add the kulitis and cover. Remove from fire. Serve immediately. More about kulitis  more . "  Kulitis is known in Philippine various dialects as tampala, uray, kuyapa or kujapa; internationally it is known as Chinese spinach and pig weed in the US. It is considered to be the highest tropical yielding leaf plant with excellent nutritional value. The plant is rich in calcium, iron and vitamin A. The scientific name of kulitis is Amaranthus Spinosus L. Studies have shown that amaranths are good source of medicinal cure that can be beneficial to lactating mothers and use to treat patients with fever, hemorrhage, anemia and ki...

By GERLIE M. UY 20 slices of whole wheat bread (Gardenia) Spoonfuls of butter 4 pieces of Turkey Hotdog (Purefoods) 20 half-circle slices of tomatoes (2 big tomatoes) 1 medium head of cabbage, shredded finely Spoonfuls of Mayonnaise Fry the hotdog and slice slantingly in medium thickness. To start, spread butter in the bread and toast. Place spread with a small amount of mayonnaise. Place the a slice of hotdog and add shredded cabbage and tomatoes. Fold diagonally and serve immediately.

By GERLIE M. UY The grilled open-faced sandwich is ready to serve...  A photo before attack... array of wheat bread from Gardenia... 20 pieces of Bolognese Cold Cuts of Purefoods may be served immediately... Slices of Quickmelt cheese... Mayonnaise for the minimal acid twist in the sandwich... Tomato slices adds sour contrast to the salty cheese... Shredded cabbage is a hit!! Step one... Step 2 and all the way through... toasting in the oven the open-faced sandwich is fun... 20 slices of whole wheat bread (Gardenia) 20 pieces of Bolognese Cold Cuts (Purefoods) 20 slices of tomatoes (4 big tomatoes) 1 medium head of cabbage, shredded finely 20 slices of quick melt cheese (Quickmelt) Assemble the open-faced sandwich.  First place the bread on a plate and spread with a small amount of mayonnaise. Place the a piece of cold cut and spread a small amount of mayonnaise and add shredded cabbage. Put a slice of tomatoes and then cheese. Toast in the oven toaster until the cheese melts...

By GERLIE M. UY Salted egg and radish salad is a great appetizer. Here's how to make it: 2 pieces salted egg (painted red) cubed 2 medium radish, sliced thinly or shaved 2 medium white onions 2 medium tomatoes 1/2 cup vinegar salt and pepper to taste

By GERLIE M. UY Fishes are just added...after boiling it again, and adjusting the flavor, camote tops are quickly added. 1 liter water/ 5 cups water 1 big red onion, sliced or quartered 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced or quartered 2 stalks Spring Onions, cut into 2-inch long salt and ground pepper fish sauce (optional) 1/2 to 3/4 kilo fish (any fish suitable for clear soup), cleaned and sliced into serving size Camote tops and leaves In a casserole, put the water with the onions, tomatoes and spring onions then bring to boil, making sure the tomatoes are cooked through. Add salt and ground pepper. Then add the fish. Let boil and taste. Adjust taste with fish sauce. Add the Camote tops and leaves and immediately cover with the lid and put off the fire so as to overcook the leaves. Other options: add tamarind cubes or powder or fresh kamias together with the tomatoes to bring out a sour taste. The purplish and green leaves and tops of camote Fishes above are suitable for soup and are just as b...