New cookbook

In this third venture, the author captured the strong friendship that continues through the years with recipes that define the cultural treasures of families who cooked and served them.

We have just received a new cookbook authored by our good friend Bingle. This is a compilation of recipes she collected from her former classmates at Assumption. Members of their high school class collected heirloom recipes which, by habit, they would give to Bingle. She, in turn, has done two commemorative cookbooks in the past. Last year, as Bingle checked her brown envelope in which she kept all the contributions, she thought of publishing a third one, thus came about “Once More…with Feeling.”

In this third venture, the author captured the strong friendship that continues through the years with recipes that define the cultural treasures of families who cooked and served them. Among those that caught our attention (and the desire to replicate it) is tacho, a dish we have tasted and liked at our friend Conchita’s house. It is supposed to be a Portuguese bean soup, which to us can actually pass for a one-dish meal. It has a substantial combination of various meats, done with a variety vegetables like white beans, shredded cabbage, parsley and leeks. Like a more substantial nilaga.

One of the more interesting recipes is Hainanese chicken culled from different acquaintances from Singapore. This can also be a one-dish meal, if you add noodles to the broth. This one calls for cooking the rice with coconut milk, which makes the rice richer in flavor.

The book has ample recipes for noodles, chicken, fish and vegetables, even banana bread and bread pudding. Of the desserts, what brought us to years gone by is Bingle’s cathedral windows, which in the then absence of more complicated desserts was a popular choice. This one is easy to prepare using vari-flavored Jell-o, unflavored gelatin, evaporated milk and sugar.

This cookbook will be a big help when planning a meal, either during ordinary days or when one is entertaining. A whole menu can evolve from this compilation.        

Tired of the usual recipe for steamed fish fillet? Here is one which surfaced the day we were checking out our files.

Broiled swordfish with spicy honey sauce

Ingredients :

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon powdered turmeric

3/4 teaspoon powdered cumin

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

4 swordfish steaks

1 small red bell pepper, finely diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:

Preheat the broiler. In a small bowl combine lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, turmeric, cumin, ginger, salt and hot pepper sauce. Place the swordfish on the rack and sprinkle with two tablespoons of lemon mixture. Broil six inches from the heat, turning once for six minutes or until lightly colored or just opaque. Stir the bell pepper and parsley  into the remaining honey-lemon mixture. Put the fish in a serving dish and spoon the sauce over it.

It is already the middle of October. Have you done your Christmas list? You need to go over it at least once a week and check whatever you can buy in advance. There is a warning that prices will shoot up, like they always do, within the ‘ber months. Don’t be caught in a panic.

Have a happy Sunday!

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