Here’s another meal I made to use up leftovers from my pantry.  This time I used a bottle of Merlot I’ve been using for cooking for a couple of months, canned tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and basil and bottled parmesan cheese.  It was surprisingly delicious and so easy to make.  I had more than enough Merlot so the sauce came out richly flavored. This had plenty of garlic but I still stashed a head of garlic in my luggage at the last minute!

Preparation was easy, just browned some Italian sweet sausages and threw in almost a whole head of peeled, crushed garlic.  Then I threw in a can of crushed tomatoes with basil and balsamic vinegar.  I let that stew for about half an hour and found my remaining 1/8 bottle of cooking merlot and threw that in.  At the last minute, I checked for seasoning like salt and pepper and more basil.  Then I mixed in a batch of cooked spaghetti noodles and served hot.  Since I was out of wine, we had this with beer and sat down to a World Series ballgame on TV.

My inspiration for this dish was the Shrimp and Scallops Pasta Spouse had at Cucina Colore last month.  It looked so good but I couldn’t taste it because it had shrimps.  Of course, there’s always a way to re-create a dish to suit you and so I did…and I even made it better with the addition of asparagus.

That dish from Cucina Colore had almost fresh sun-dried tomatoes which I suspect they do themselves at the restaurant premises.  I intended for this dish to be lighter in flavor so I used fresh tomatoes and tossed it in at the last minute.

This was a simple saute of all the ingredients in one pan.  You start with a little olive oil over medium-high heat, add the scallops and lightly brown them.  Take out as they brown so they don’t overcook.  Then add some minced garlic and chili flakes.  Stir a few seconds, careful not to brown the garlic.  Add the asparagus and add salt and stir a minute or two.  Splash some white wine, or broth and let everything cook about two to three minutes.  Then add some roasted bell peppers, a diced tomato and the cooked scallops.  Add some pasta water before putting in the cooked noodles so you have a little “sauce” to work with.  Take your pan off the heat and stir in some chopped parsley and add a dash or mre of extra virgin olive oil.  Serve immediately.

How do you make your Bolognese Sauce?  This is probably the oldest spaghetti sauce Filipinos are familiar with.  You might be wondering why I have that title on this post.  Its a tribute to a beloved aunt who is, undoubtedly,  the most colorful and vibrant among the sisters.  She had tons of bangles, baubles and beads, not to mention the real thing.  Every time I hear that song it never fails to remind me of her.

As a  kid, my now Australia-based Tita Mameng del Fierro made the best Bolognese Sauce.  She’s a home economics graduate from UST and is really the best cook among my mom’s sisters.  She’s the total homemaker and was very much  into sewing, crocheting, crafts, cooking, gardening and even cleaning. Her parties were so well-planned I always looked forward to them. Her table was beautifully spruced up and the food always predictably good.  The best part of all was when she stood at the top of the stairs with  a can of coins.  That was our signal to position ourselves because she’d throw the coins at us and we kids would scramble for every centavo.

Tita Mameng also supplied the whole family  with hand-embroidered throw pillow covers and pillow covers with the sweetest designs she copied from children’s coloring books, magazines and sewing books.  She also came up with her own designs, with swirls and twirls and pretty jewel colors. In fact, Tita Mameng used to be a linens supplier for the now defunct COD Department Store in Cubao. She eventually gave it up because the demand grew to a point where she had to expand.  But Tita Mameng still had her household to run and wanted to keep it a home-based business.  So she quit.

My first cousins will all probably remember the paper mache, faux jewel-encrusted  mirrors our parents got as a gift from Tita Mameng.  It wasn’t just square or oval mirrors too…but flower-shaped plywood-backed with several mirrors glued on it.  I believe my mom’s is still around somewhere at home.  Then there were the fruitcakes at Christmas.  So dark, and dense and drunk with brandy. She’d get started on her fruitcakes in October so they would be properly ripe by Christmas. Of course, as a child you didn’t appreciate it.  But now that our lives are lived in different continents, you miss it so your heart aches at Christmas when you get those far inferior fruitcakes.

Now in her 80′s, Tita Mameng likes to travel with her husband.  Last year, they were in Morrocco and Europe.  A few years ago, they went to Tasmania.  Their regular jaunts are Manila and Kuala Lumpur for shopping and of course for visiting family.  It was so nice to talk to her last time I was home.  She called my mom to say hello when we were all there.  Living with cancer for over five years now, she’s still bright and cheerful…just the way she’s always been.  I know she’s blessed because of this attitude she has and because she has always been so generous with herself, without expecting anything in return.

About the Bolognese pictured here, it’s my own version which is deliberately not too saucy.  But it packs a lot of punch and flavor with some sweet red wine and canned Italian tomatoes.   For some reason, canned tomatoes are better than fresh tomatoes for spaghetti, definitely more flavorful.  I also like a lot of freshly grated, stinky parmesan cheese to top my spaghetti and a sprinkiling of extra virgin olive oil on my noodles right after draining – no rinsing please.  Those two ingredients after the cooking give your dish so much more flavor.

Every Filipino has probably disparaged our very unique Macaroni Salad, as I have.   It’s not the usual macaroni, mayo and dill pickle concoction you’ll find everywhere else in the world.  I guess you could call it a bit “confusilcated” as Spouse likes to say.  A little bit of this, a little of that…and so much more.  It’s a reflection of who we are, a melange of flavors and influences all in one bundle of confusion.  I have this theory it’s also a reflection of the Pinoy’s openness to new ideas, cultures and flavors. 

I really ought to stop intellectualizing  now since, one, I’m not good at it and second, it’s just a salad.   All I know is – it can be delicious if you’ll only give it a chance.

I haven’t cooked this for Spouse before, a bit afraid to jar his senses. He liked his bland (for this Filipino) Macaroni Salad with mayo and dill pickles which you’ll get in most diners and restaurants in the US.  You know what I’m talking about….the one that comes in a little plastic container with a roast beef sandwich or something.  What a  huge surprise that Spouse loved the Pinoy version.  He absolutely LOVED it. 

I wanted to make a very Pinoy version of a Mac Salad for this blog.  A lot of readers have been searching for it and ended up here….it’s only fair they finally find the recipe.  I went easy on the sweet pickles…Spouse and I both don’t like sweet pickles.  But I did put the obligatory pinch of something I’m not fond of.  If you were my mom, it would be a whole lot.  But I remember all too well what we kids called it when faced with a scoop of Mac Salad at buffet parties.  The raisins we called “bangaw” or large flies.  The pickle bits….well, we called them boogers.  

Never mind that, this is a good salad and is something you won’t find in many places.  I hope you’ll try it and like it!

Filipino Macaroni Salad

2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni noodles

1 c.- 1.5 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. diced ham (boiled chicken breasts and/or ham is also commonly used)

1 celery stalk, diced if you want crunch and minced if you don’t

2 tbsps. finely minced red onion

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

1 15 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained

1/4 c. sweet pickle relish, drained

1/2-3/4 c.  diced cheddar cheese (Shredded is fine)

1 small carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks ( you can blanch this if you don’t like the crunch.  I like the crunch and leave it raw)

a handful or two of raisins

salt and pepper to taste

Drain the pineapples and pickle relish overnight in the refrigerator.  If you’re out of time, squeeze out the juices instead.  My mom always strained it overnight in the refrigerator.  But when she was mixing everything up….she’d pour in a bit of pineapple or pickle relish juices if she felt it needed more sweetness.  Go figure.

Cook your macaroni according to package directions.  While that’s cooking, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl, minus the mayo.  Add the macaorni when it’s done and cooled to room temperature.  Stir this in, still without the mayo so it’s easier to get everything mixed.  Season with the pepper but not the salt.

Then add the mayo and mix again.  Correct seasonings and chill at least an hour before serving.  The longer you let this salad sit, the more the noodles will absorb the mayo. You may have to add more mayo before serving so it isn’t too dry.

TIP:  Spouse taught me a great way to cook pasta.  Bring your water and a lot of salt to a boil then add the noodles.  Bring it back to a rapid boil then turn off the heat completely.  Cover and let it sit in the simmering water for the required timd. There will be enough residual heat on the stove, your pot and your water to cook the pasta.  It will be perfectly cooked and you only had the heat turned on for a fraction of the time.  Try it, it really works.

This is probably the one Filipino dish most recognized around the world.  You just can’t escape it at birthdays.  It’s traditional to serve pancit on someone’s birthday because noodles represents a wish for the celebrant’s  long life.  It then follows that if you do cook noodles on a birthday, you don’t cut the noodles.

This pancit I cooked was like a fried rice with ingredients that were mainly scraps from my refrigerator.  It’s about that time of the week when I have to do my grocery shopping again you see…

There are different noodles we like using in the Philippines.  Among the more common ones are: bihon or thin rice noodles;  Canton which is a pre-fried wheat noodle; sotanghon, a bean thread noodle; mami which are egg noodles usually used for soups.  The meats that are used to flavor these noodle dishes are always cut in thin strips, as are the vegetables.  My mother used to tell us this was a way of maintaining uniformity in a dish.  So if she was cooking a beef dish with chunks of beef, the vegetables that came with it would be similarly cut. I’m not sure if this is a peculiarity of my mother or just the way things were done in the old days…

There are different ways of cooking noodles.  Some like it one way or another…there are no strict rules.  This one I made is a mix of 2 noodles, Canton and bihon.  This pancit has no soy sauce which is pretty uncommon.  I had a pancit bihon like this years ago when some offficemates were invited to spend the day with the Escudero family in Tiaong, Quezon and I tagged along.  The Escudero matriarch said she liked her pancit this way, just flavored with fish sauce.  It did go perfectly with the adobo and I marveled at the beautiful colors of the vegetables against the white bihon noodles. This is my version of that pancit.

Pancit Canton-Bihon Guisado

3-4 tbsps. vegetable oil 

2 garlic cloves mashed

1 medium white onion, minced

4 chicken thighs, boiled and sliced in thin strips

1/4 c. ham, sliced in thin strips

3 tbsps. fish sauce

1 c. homemade, low-salt chicken broth

1 c. shredded savoy cabbage

1 large carrot, cut in thin matchsticks

1/2 c. green beans, cut in thin strips on the diagonal

1- 8 oz. package Pancit Canton noodles

2 oz. (1/4 package) special bihon noodles (rinse in hot water, then strain)

2 celery sticks, sliced thin on the diagonal

3-4 green onion leaves, sliced thin on the diagonal

salt and pepper to taste

Heat your oil in a big kawali or wok over high heat.  Add the garlic and stir till almost brown.  Add the onions and cook until translucent, the garlic should be a deep brown by then.  Add the chicken and ham, cooking it for about 3 minutes.  Add fish sauce and stir.  Cook until brown bits form at the bottom and everything sizzles.

Now add the carrots, the green beans and the cabbage.  Stir fry a minute or two.  Add the broth.  When it comes to a boil, add the noodles and stir fry until cooked to your preference.  If it gets too dry, add hot water as you stir.  (It’s drier where I am, so more than a cup of broth was required)

Add the celery and green onions and turn off heat.  Stir and adjust seasonings.  I like my celery quite crisp and didn’t  let it wilt.  You can continue cooking until the celery is cooked the way you want.

I topped the pancit with shrimps I cooked gambas-style.  It’s really gratuitous shrimp that all goes to Spouse…very nice touch he said.

I’ve also had pancit with fried garlic on top, that was good.  One time, someone topped it with sliced scrambled eggs, pretty much like fried rice….the cook was of Chinese descent and cooked her pancit very much like fried rice.  And there was a pancit that had crushed chicharon for a topping…that was good too.  The topping is not required though.

This is my Eldest Sister’s own recipe for a white pasta sauce that’s proven to be a hit with ANYBODY who was fortunate enough to taste it. It’s very rich.  It’s earthy.  It goes well with soda, if you’re a kid, as well as it goes with a glass of very cold white wine if you’re an adult.

My nephew’s friends from elementary thru college will remember this dish.  They had an uncanny ability to show up at my sister’s place whenever she was cooking this. And boy, could they eat it up!

When we were experimenting on a small-time food business, my officemates in ABS-CBN went crazy for this dish as well.  And when I moved to the US, I prepared this for Stepson and his girlfriend.  She doesn’t eat mushrooms…but this dish…she just went gaga over it.

We don’t have a name for it.  We call it White Spaghetti because we always make it with spaghetti noodles.

Unfortunately, I cannot divulge the recipe. It’s not mine to give.  Several people have asked me for it, but I just had to decline.

But, here’s a list of all the ingredients:  bacon, garlic, dried shiitake mushrooms, cream, italian seasoning, parsley and plenty of parmesan cheese.

When you mention tetrazzini, you get visions of pounds and pounds of turkey sitting in your refriegrator days after Thanksgiving.  You normally would not associate tetrazzini and canned salmon…but it’s a great way of serving fish to your family.

We all know how good Omega-3 fatty acids are for our health.  It’s not just good for the heart.  Did you know it’s beneficial for diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and even your mental condition?  Not that my mental condition needs improving…but hey, if it’s our mental health, we all need a boost!

I really wanted to introduce more fish into our diet and canned salmon is such a convenient way…if only I could serve it more creatively.  Thankfully, there’s a website hosted by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute that has a variety of recipes for Alaskan seafoods, including canned salmon.  I tried the Smoked Salmon Jardiniere when I was back home and even the kids loved it.  So here I am again, trying another of their recipes.

Alaska Salmon Tetrazzini

8 ounces spaghetti or thin spaghetti, uncooked
1 can (14.75 oz.) or 2 cans (7.5 oz. each) traditional pack Alaska salmon OR 2 cans or pouches (6 to 7.1 oz. each) skinless, boneless salmon
1 Tablespoon margarine or butter
1 package (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms or 2 cans (4 oz. each) sliced mushrooms, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
2 Tablespoons dry sherry (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons flour
2/3 cup canned evaporated skim milk OR milk
1/2 c. each frozen corn and peas

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions or chives
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, drain salmon, reserving liquid. Break salmon into chunks; set aside.

Melt margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sherry, if desired, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add milk and reserved salmon liquid; simmer 2 minutes then add frozen peas and corn.  Cook another 3 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in salmon and green onions; heat through. Drain spaghetti; arrange on four serving plates. Top with salmon mixture and cheese.

This is another quick  recipe that will be on your dinner table within an hour of starting it. Serve it with a light, green salad and you’re ready.

For this recipe, I used Sweet Italian Sausage flavored with fennel.  I find the hot sausages a little too spicy for me. I prefer sprinkling red pepper flakes in the sauce so I have better control of the heat.  Spouse and I are not big fans of hot spices.

Italian Sausage with Peppers:

1 lb. sweet Italian sausages

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 big white or red onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1/3 c. Bertolli Spaghetti Sauce

salt & pepper to taste

1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions

1/3 c. pasta water

salt & pepper

dash of red pepper flakes

Cook sausages over medium heat in a casserole until browned on all sides.  Transfer them to an ovenproof plate and set aside in a warm oven.

Drain the oil from the pan, leaving about half a tablespoon.  Add peppers, onions and garlic and cook until onions are crisp-tender.  Add the spaghetti sauce and stir for a minute or two.  Transfer the vegetables to the plate with the sausages.  Leave a little of the sauce in the pan.

Heat the same pan on medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and add garlic.  Cook until almost brown, not quite.  Add the spaghetti noodles and the pasta water.  Season to taste.  Turn off heat and add a dash (or more) of extra virgin oil.

At this point, you can assemble the sausages, peppers and noodles on a plate or you can mix it all back in the pan.  

Mussels with my spaghetti is something new to me….oh, but I loved it!  It was another great way of serving pasta which I stil have to get over.  The lemon juice was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the mussels and tomatoes…the garlic gave it just the right kick and the parsley added freshness.  Of course, the extra virgin olive oil at the end will make a big difference. Add it after you turn off the heat for maximum flavor.

The mussels were frozen with some of its juices.  Unfortunately, we don’t farm mussels in Colorado.  I bought the pack with the idea of making it into a Filipino adobo like my dad used to make.

Today, Spouse and I were at the Pike’s Peak Library and I was thumbing through a magazine when I chanced on this recipe.  It was simple and satisfying, plus something I’d never tried before. Best of all, I had all the ingredients waiting at home.

Mussels with Spaghetti:

1 pack frozen mussels

3 cloves garlic

2 medium tomatoes, diced

juice of 1 lemon

1/8c. chopped parsley

1/8 c. pasta water

1/4 c. white wine

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. cooked spaghetti noodles

Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-low heat in a saucepan.  Add garlic and saute a minute or two, do not brown.  Add mussels and tomatoes and increase heat to medium high, bring to a boil then quickly add lemon juice, white wine and pasta water.  Give it a good stir and check for seasoning.  Add spaghetti and parsley, stir.  Turn off heat and pour over about a 1/8 c. of extra virgin olive oil.

Some of those turned off by big shellfish can also dice or mince the mussels.  Either way, this is a delicious, quick and satisfying dish.