Recipe | Mango Salad with Bagoong Vinaigrette

This week, I made the vow to eat salad for the entire week. Fifth day today, and I am pleased to say that I still haven't gotten tired eating it. There are so many ways of preparing salads, but I don't know, somehow I am stuck at using the few main ingredients - lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes. Next week, I will try other ingredients as well.

One recipe I wanted to do was the Mango Salad with Dijon Bagoong Vinaigrette by Chef Rolando Laudico, published by Yummy Magazine. However, I can't find any Kesong Puti at the supermarket, so I always put off preparing it. Thankfully, one episode of Saksi (a news program at GMA7) featured some easy to do meatless dishes, which included this. Very similar to the recipe by Chef Lau, but much easier to prepare.


Mango Salad with Bagoong Vinaigrette

Ingredients (Salad):

• Salad Greens
• Red Bell Pepper
• Green Bell Pepper
• White Onion
• Green Mango
• Ripe Mango
• Dried Mango
• Carrots

Ingredients (Vinaigrette):

• Bagoong Alamang Guisado
• Dijon Mustard
• Minced Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Pinakurat Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper

How to Prepare:

• Cut the salad ingredients according to your preference.
• Whisk or process the ingredients for the vinaigrette and toss with the vegetables.

We didn't have any Pinakurat Vinegar, so I used the Sinamak Vinegar we have at home. I only needed about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, so processing it with the blender seemed impossible to do. We also don't have a wire whisk, so for me to blend the oil with the mustard and vinegar, I used a shaker. One change I did was to lessen the bagoong (I only used a pinch) and just add salt as needed.

At first I was apprehensive if we will like it because the first time I made my own vinaigrette (using balsamic vinegar and olive oil), I hated it. This Bagoong Vinaigrette turned out to be really good, because the bagoong went well with the rest of the ingredients, and that this somehow taste a little like vegetarian pizza. Mom and sister loved it, too, and my sister is requesting me to prepare it again.

Oh, I also took the liberty of adding cashew nuts, because it was part of Chef Lau's recipe. Now I realized, even without the Kesong Puti, it would still taste great. Of course, I'd still try to prepare Chef Lau's recipe. I am thinking of visiting Sidcor Weekend Market this Sunday to try my luck.

Best Food Forward Year 3 (2013)

These were just a few of the many pictures I took from last year's Best Food Forward. It was one of the best food-related events I have attended last year, because not only was I able to sample new food items from some up and coming food businesses, I was also able to buy and take home some for my mom to enjoy (as she can't travel all the way to NBC Tent at that time). It happened March last year and I was starting to wonder if and when will it take place this year, so I was quite surprised to have learned that BFF is back!


Same as last year, this year's Best Food Forward will happen at the NBC Tent in Bonifacio Global City, happening on April 20 and 21.

What to expect? Over a hundred specialty food stalls, innovative cooking demonstrations, celebrity chef appearances, whole family attractions, celebrity guests, and many more! This is surely one food extravaganza that you shouldn't miss.

Best Food Forward is for the benefit of Unang Hakbang Foundation, which hosts a weekly feeding for program kids. If you're interested to be a part of this event - either as a concessionaire, sponsor, or an attendee, please call 0917.8871933 or 2119644 and visit their website -  www.bestfoodforward.com.ph.

This event is partnered with Electrolux, Alaska Milk Corporation, Kewpie, Flyace Corporation and Philips, as well as with Mac Graphic Carranz, Outcomm, Gourmet Farms, Enzo’s Shawarma and Tapa King.  

See you at the event!
 

ABC Wednesday | Kani

The very first time I had a taste of Kani was when Mama Cion (Dad's Aunt) hosted a party and served a salad buffet which include some Kani Sticks. I did love its taste, but sort of stopped eating it when someone told me it's not real crabs but just imitation, giving more negative emphasis on the term "imitation."


Last Saturday, my sister and I went to the supermarket to buy some food for our own diet projects. She took on a fruit cleansing diet, while I went for a week of salads. I know I'd repeat eating lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes, so I have to make sure I add something different to each of the salad serving so I won't get tired eating it. Seeing this 145g pack of Kani and found out that it was actually made from fish (I thought all along it was made from flour), I decided to buy it.


So far, I have used it as my way of sprucing up the salad, to give it a different flavor. I do love it, so for sure I'll be eating more of it next time.



These I saw at Mercato Centrale sometime ago. Bacon Wrapped Kani... why not? I might cook this next week, because I decided not to eat any land animal meat this week. I am sure this will be delish, because bacon just taste so freakin' good!

 

Everyday Creations with Chef Greg Villalon and Mega Creations Premium Sardines

As hard this is to admit, I say I kinda look down on sardines because at home we usually open a can when we don't have anything to cook. It taste good on its own, but at times we usually cook it with sotanghon and pechay leaves just to elevate its taste. Come to think of it, I seriously can't think of any other way to cook sardines other than that.



This week being the Lenten Season, people at Mega Sardines recently launched Mega Creations Premium Sardines via the Everyday Creations with Chef Greg Villalon, by preparing different dishes using this humble ingredient not usual to the typical types we do at home.


With the help of fellow blogger Josephine of Cogito Ergo Sum, they prepared two dishes:


Asian-Style Sardine Sub Sandwich
True, one can just mash the sardines and spread it on pieces of bread (and toast it if you want to), but why not make it gourmet by adding Hoisin Sauce and Pickled Mushrooms? The Hoisin Sauce added a little sweet twist to the sandwich, while the Pickled Mushroom gave it the fruity tang (as it used Apple Cider Vinegar). It truly tasted good, but I think I will add lettuce leaves when I recreate this at home.


Moroccan Sardine and Sweet Potato Casserole
Next key ingredients paired with the Mega Creations Premium Sardines are cumin and sweet potatoes. Very intriguing and interesting, right? Under the dish is mashed sweet potatoes (the orange kind so it will add more color), in the middle is the sardines layered with spinach and at the top is breadcrumbs mixed with cheese and olive oil. In a way it sort of reminds me of Shepherd's Pie, but very different - in texture and flavor (because of the cumin).

I loved the contrast between the slightly salty sardines and toasted breadcrumbs with cheese to the mashed sweet potatoes, and is perfect as a meal on its own.


The first two dishes may sound expensive, but they are not... and they're quite easy to prepare, too. For the final dish, they made sure cooking with Mega Creations Premium Sardines is very easy, which was why they called off two attendees to have a friendly cook-off. Well, proud sister here... one of the competitors was my brother!


Both of them were given the recipe sheet, all ingredients were cut and prepared, all they had to do was cook. Their dish is called Sardine and Cilantro Pesto Pasta, and at first I was a little worried because Ms. Roxanne of Lifestyle Channel was already a few steps ahead, while my brother was stuck on the first step because his pan wouldn't heat up. :)

They were given 10 minutes to cook their dish, and although Ms. Roxanne finished after 6 or 7 minutes, my brother was able to cook his dish within the time limit.


After tasting both dishes, I was happy to share that my brother was declared the winner. Yey!

This dish was amazing to say the least. Normally, when one say pesto, it would mean using basil as the main ingredient, yet this used cilantro and it tasted really good! Cilantro isn't something I always go for (because its taste can be a little overpowering), yet turning it into a pesto sort of mellowed the taste.

Mega Creations Premium Sardines is available in two variants - in Natural Oil and Spanish Style. I already got to taste both, and found them really tasty. What I loved the most was that it has less scales on the fish, making more pleasant to eat even on its own. The Spanish Style has a spicy kick, but not really that spicy, so even if you're not into spicy food, you will still get to enjoy it.

A Sandwich, a casserole, and a pasta dish. Just three of the many ways you can cook with sardines. If you would like to learn more ways of cooking with this (now) versatile ingredient, you can check the back label of any of the Mega Creations Premium Sardines, or... you can just sit back, relax, and watch "Everyday Creations" with Chef Greg Villalon at the Lifestyle Network every Fridays, starting on 05 April 2013 at 6:30pm, with replays every Sundays at 11:30am and Wednesdays at 6:00pm.


For more details about this up and coming culinary show, check their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MyEverydayCreations or check out Mega Sardines Website for more information about their products.

Alpenliebe Candies

I have motion sickness, but I love to travel. Usually, the way for me to cope up with it is to either sleep or have some candies to divert my attention. Whenever I travel, I always have some candies in my bag, and my favorites are Mentos and Fruittella. Mentos helps freshen the breath during long, overnight travels, while Fruittella sort of tricks my mind whenever I feel hungry.

Perfetti Van Melle, the company behind my favorite candies now has another candy that will surely be loved by us Filipinos:


Alpenliebe candies.

The name certainly is new to me, but it actually has been around the International market since 1984, and is Perfetti Van Melle's first milk-based deposited candy launched in Italy.

A little sometime ago, I was surprised to received a bucket of these candies, and it just reminded me of "Heidi." :)



It comes in two flavors - Strawberry and Caramel. Strawberry is made with real cream, while Caramel is fortified with milk. Both flavors are delicious, but it's the Strawberry one I liked more, because it has two different flavors that blended well together. Savoring the tangy strawberry flavor combined with something creamy is like eating dessert. What I loved the most about these candies is that it is smooth until it all melts in your mouth, meaning... it doesn't have any holes that would injure your tastebuds (I hate candies like that).

The candy is now available in many supermarkets, and is available in bags containing 50 candies - good enough to share to friends and families.