Pinkpleasers

CEBU, Philippines -  Be in the pink of health with these healthy eats presented by Cebu City Marriott Hotel Executive Chef and Director of Food & Beverage Brendan Mahoney during the Pink of Health interactive cooking demo held at the Garden Café. The demo cum five-course lunch was for the benefit of I Can Serve Foundation, a breast cancer advocacy group.    

For a fresh start, Chef Brendan prepared a vegetable tart with a modern twist. Using pastry sheets, the Vine Ripe Tomato and Pumpkin Tart (with Organic Arugula, Calamansi Oil) is an interesting balance of strong flavors. 

Herb Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

8oz/240 grams cream cheese

1 tbsp. garlic, minced

1 tbsp. French basil, minced

½ tsp. lemon zest

½ tbsp. lemon juice

5 tbsp. skim milk

Salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure: Combine ingredients. Refrigerate for use.

Salsetta Rosa/Cold Tomato Sauce (Italian foundational sauce, just like salsa.)

Ingredients:

15 pieces tomatoes, fine diced, skin only

4 cloves of garlic, minced

5 leaves of basil, chiffonade cut

Salt and pepper

50 ml olive oil

50 ml extra virgin coconut oil

Procedure:

Place tomatoes in a strainer and strain for 12 hours to remove excess water. Place in a bowl with remaining ingredients and season to taste.

Notes:

Use good quality olive oil.

To preserve herb mixture, add olive oil.

For additional flavor, add lemon zest.

You can add salami, cured beef or different toppings.

Cured Tanguigue Martini with Beet Vinaigrette

and Root Vegetable Crisp garnish

Beet and Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

½ cup beet vinegar  (Cook beets in water. Use a small amount of water and add small amount of balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt)

9 pieces calamansi juice

1 piece lemon juice

1 tbsp. honey

1.5 cups olive oil

1 tbsp. basil

½ piece egg yolk

Salt and black pepper to taste

Procedure:

Combine beet vinegar, calamansi juice, lemon juice, honey, egg yolk in blender. Blend in low and gradually add in olive oil until the mixture thickens. Add basil.

Coconut and Lemongrass Soup with Ginger Marinated Chicken is Thai-inspired comfort food.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups coconut milk

2 pieces lemongrass stalks, bruised

5cm. piece of ginger, peeled and cut into pieces

½ piece of red onion, peeled and cut into pieces

1 tbsp. fish sauce

½ tbsp. dark sugar

1.5 tbsp. lime juice

½ tsp. lime zest

1 piece birds eye chili

75 grams re-hydrated mushroom

100 grams tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

Ginger and herb marinated chicken

Cilantro sprig for garnish

Procedure:

Pour coconut milk in a small pot. Add lemongrass, ginger, red onion and bring to a boil. Add sugar, fish sauce and simmer, stirring constantly for five minutes. Just before service, add the tomatoes and mushrooms. Simmer for two minutes. Add lime juice, lime zest, chili, taking caution not to damage the tomatoes. Season to taste.

Mushroom Eggplant Crusted Dory Fish with Barley, Lentils, Pink Picked Onions and Achuete Dressing is a new take on preparing this melts-in-the-mouth fish.

Dessert was a fresh perspective on a Filipino all-time favorite, Cranberry Basil Halo-Halo with Mint Marinated Pineapple, Sago Pearls and Sweet Potato. Drink was Cebu Jungle Tea (cold), a refreshing concoction of passion fruit and mango tea.

Chef Brendan carries with him an impressive 22-year culinary experience with Marriott hotels worldwide. Noteworthy is his achievement as a Marriott International Culinary Excellence Awardee in 2003, as well as being the featured chef on the recent Chaine des Rotisseurs dinner at the CCMH in May 2011. (FREEMAN)