Eggplant Parmigiana, Scallops En Papillote, Baked Maple Beef Shortribs & Sapodilla Neapolitan

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It has been a while since I cooked lunch at home - coz I was travelling the past weeks. :)

Feels so good to be able to cook again. Here are the recipes for this Saturday's lunch.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA
(Trust me, prep work is worth the taste of Italy on your plate)

Ingredients:

1 giant eggplant (1/2 kilo per piece) - got mine from Baguio but saw some being sold at Rustan's (smaller, so get 2)
1 cup raw spinach leaves
1/2 cup grated Perfect Italiano Permesan Cheese
4 eggs
200 grams Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
oil for deep frying

Marinara Sauce:
1 - 450g can whole stewed tomatoes
1/8 cup capers
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
pinch of red chili flakes
salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil (olive or canola)

Procedure:

1. Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds. Do not do this ahead of time or the eggplant will brown.

2. Dip in beaten egg seasoned with salt.

3. Dredge in Panko.

4. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown; 2-3 minutes per side.

5. Drain on a wire rack and set aside.

6. On a sauce pan, heat oil and saute herbs and spices over low heat to release flavor (1 minute).

7. Turn fire to medium, add tomato paste and capers, saute for 1 minute.

8. Stir in tomatoes and crush with spoon.

9. Add water and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.

10. Chop spinach.

11. Saute over 1 teaspoon oil over low heat until wilted.

12. Transfer to a small bowl and add in 1/4 cup Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese. Set aside.

13. To assemble, add some sauce over a baking dish (9x4 in or 6x6 in).

14. Layer with fried eggplant and more sauce.

15. Spread spinach mixture over the eggplant.

16. Top with last layer of eggplant and cover with remaining sauce.

17. Cover with the remaining Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese, top with parsley and bake in a 350F oven for 20 minutes.

Serve hot with rice, bread or noodles. I had it between a nice crusty baguette. :)

Scallops En Papillote
(En Papillote means wrapped in paper/parchment. Feel free to use parchment paper but foil works just as well. These are very easy to make and you can bake these together with the Eggplant. Use fresh scallops when available.)

Ingredients:

8 large scallops in shell - got these Hokkaido scallops at the Cold Storage in Rustan's
chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
thinly sliced lemon
drizzle of olive oil

Procedure:
1. Place scallops over the sheet of foil (2 inches wider than the layer of scallops).
2. Season with salt & pepper. Place a slice of lemon over each. Sprinkle parsley and drizzle with olive oil.

3. Tightly seal with another sheet of foil. (Steam will form inside cooking the scallops). Bake in a 350F oven for 15 minutes.

4. Open on the table, just before serving. (Also a great showpiece).

Baked Maple Beef Shortribs
(I marinated these for 2 weeks! Imagine the flavor! But overnight will be ok. Patience is key in making this the best ribs possible.)

Ingredients:

1 kilo beef shortribs
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cups soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple (flavored) syrup
5 pcs bay leaves
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon chili flakes
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour

Procedure:
1. On a baking dish, add soy sauce, tomato paste, sugar, maple syrup, chili flakes, bay leaves, salt and water. Cover with foil and marinade in the fridge for at least overnight.

2. Before baking, let stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Bake at a 325F oven for 4 hours. Uncover foil and bake at 350F for 1 hour minutes, turning every 15 minutes. Remove the sauce an bake at 400F until golden.
3. Make the sauce by preparing roux by cooking butter and flour over low heat for 3 minutes.

4. Add in sauce mixture and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes until smooth and thick. Use a whisk to prevent lumps.

Serve ribs with sauce. Garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge.

Sapodilla Neapolitan
(Sapodilla is known as Chico here. For those who have not tasted chico, imagine caramel becoming a fruit. Yum! A Neapolitan is basically a dessert made up of different layers. Try this and look at the lowly chico in a different light.)

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo ripe Sapodilla (should smell sweet and flesh is soft to the touch)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup cream cheese 
1/2 cup all purpose cream
18 pcs wonton wrappers
dash of nutmeg
pinch of salt

Procedure:
1. Beat together salt, cream cheese and cream until smooth and light. Chill for at least 30 mins.

2. Deep fry wonton wrapper. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

3. Peel and cube the sapodilla (remove seeds).

4. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add sapodilla and honey. Cook for 3-5 minutes until it caramelizes.

5. To assemble, place a wonton at the bottom of a plate, add sapodilla and the cream mixture. Repeat twice ending with the cream. Top with nutmeg.

Nice contrast of sweet and salty; hot and cold.

Whew! :)

Let me know which ones you have tried and if there are suggestions! Until next post!!!

Of Art, Strangers, Laughter and Cheeses

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Got invited to a Mystery Dinner last Friday, May 11. I kind of  forgot that I actually signed up for this at the Perfect Italiano (My Favorite Recipes) page until I got the SMS and email 2 days prior. Without a doubt, I said yes being the inquisitive, adventurous and spontaneous (bored?) person that I am.

In the email, it just said to be at Starbucks Magallanes at 6:30 PM and wear something artsy & colorful. The email came with this "clue".

Picasso, I told myself.

Then came Friday and I braved to go to the meeting place where I had no idea who I will be having dinner with that night. Short chat, shook hands, and then we went to nearby Magallanes Village where we were dropped off and let in a fab and modern house (owned by Star for All Seasons, Ate Vi where son Luis Manzano also stayed).



We were greeted by artist and house owner Ms. Ocampo, and Chef JJ and Chef Namee of Pinoy Eat World)

Very nice still life - bold color sand strokes, intricate Asian patterns

Perfect ambiance - casual enough for everyone to loosen up but inspired with art to aid in the gustatory delight waiting for the 10 guests (bloggers, photographers and food enthusiasts). We were then handed out the 8-course menu and apple vodka + Sprite as an aperitif. Everything of course was expected to have cheese from Perfect Italiano.

The Menu


CRABBY NAMEE
Crab. Cream Cheese. Parmesan. Scallions, Wantons.
Named after Chef Namee by Chef JJ (haha) this little 1 1/2 bite parcel was bursting with creamy cheesy crabby goodness. The wanton was crispy and the filling had the right amount of cheese and crab with a hint of onion flavor. Nice opening to the meal.

ANTI-VAMPIRE SABAW
Garlic. Onion. Thyme. Parmesan. Lemon.
The name says it all - garlic soup! I was expecting a clear soup to be very garlicky with bits of chopped and fried garlic. When the soup came out, it was a surprise to see a white soup - from the cheese of course. One spoonful reveals a hint of garlic complimented by citrusy aroma and tang from the lemon (juice and zest). Being the garlic lover, would have wanted more garlic but this was a twist!

CORNY MO!
Polenta. Tomatoes. Pesto. Parmesan.
A simple toasted polenta (made from corn meal, milk and Parmesan - boiled, cut-up, pan-fried in butter) with a fresh tomato salsa, dribbled with pesto and tomato oil. I've never had polenta without any meat (love it with beef stew) so surprising to like this dish which would be perfect for vegetarians. The cheese in the polenta makes it very creamy and savory.

CHEESE LOUISE
Angus Beef Tapa. Ciabatta. Mozzarella.
A glocalized (globally local) Philly Cheese steak Sandwich. Simple yet it works!!! Can easily be replicated either as a lunch sandwich or hors d' oeuvres in mini versions.

WHITE FLOWER
Cauliflower. Onions. Carnoroli. Anchovy. Breadcrumbs. Parmesan. Romano.
Carnoroli was used instead of Arborio rice - but I guess both can be interchanged. Fat rice grains produce creamy results. The cauliflower gives it a nice bite and the anchovy breadcrumbs gives it crunch. Just the right amount of Romano and Parmesan pulls together the risotto.

UFOs
Scallops. Butter. Panko. Parmesan. Tarragon. Prosciutto.
This is a UFO I would like to see (and eat) often. Poached scallops topped with a prosciutto (dried, cured ham), Parmesan and tarragon infused butter-toasted breadcrumb (Panko - one used for Tempura). Tarragon oil drizzled on the plate to bring together the wonderful taste of the sea from the scallops.

CHICKEN BLEAH
Chicken Breast Fillet. Prosciutto. Mozzarella. Breadcrumbs. Macaroni. Parmesan.
Their take on a Chicken Cordon Bleu - Chicken, Cheese and Prosciutto (rolled, breaded and fried). This was served on top of some glorified macaroni and cheese smothered with mozzarella and Parmesan. At this part of the mean we were all getting so full, in a good way. I am sure the macaroni and cheese would be a hit on its own to kids!

HONEYCREAM
Ice Cream. Balsamico. Honey. Parmesan.
And there is always room for dessert! I've had cheese and reduced balsamic vinegar on ice cream (gelato)before and it's a match made in heaven! This came in as a surprise as it came out with the best warm chocolate chip cookie I have tasted ever! The dish is a collaboration of the chefs and the artist and house owner (Ms. Ocampo - who also has a dessert/pastry stall at Mercato). Perfect ending!

One happy table of strangers who talked and dined as if we were friends from way back.

It was a really fun experience for a wanderer and food enthusiast like me. I really think Pinoys should be more adventurous and even more social when it comes to "dining". More guerilla dinners and food adventures please! Check our Pinoy Eats World on their blog and Facebook to learn more about these food tours - they're going to HongKong and Turkey soon!

Thank you also to Perfect Italiano for hosting the dinner! Love the cheeses!

We got goodies bags!!!

Check out what I made with the cheeses I got in my earlier Croque Monsieur post. I would like to host a guerrilla dinner like this soon! Hit me up if you are interested! Don't forget to share and tweet too!

Eat, drink and be merry!

*credits to Miguel and Pickles for the pictures