Can you tell the weather is getting better here?  It shows in my cooking and in this blog….finally moving away from the heavy stews and soups.

This is another recipe from The Sopranos Family Cookbook.  It was simple and easy to make. I love that it’s also light and healthy.  Served with a crusty roll, or a French baguette and you’ve got a complete meal.

You might also want to try the tuna mix as a topping for bruschetta in case you have leftovers.  It’s good, believe me.  I didn’t have enough leftovers but I’m sure the tuna will also make a great Grilled Tuna and Cheese Sandwich.

Ingredients:

1 can Tuna chunks in oil, undrained

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 red onion slices, quartered

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

2 tbsps. lemon juice

pinch of oregano

salt and pepper to taste

8 oz. boiled green beans, cut in bite-size pieces

twist of lemon

Procedure:

Break down the tuna in a salad bowl.  Mix with the next six ingredients.  (I actually set aside the eggs for dressing up the dish.)  Arrange beans on a plate and top with the tuna/tomato mix.  Decorate with a twist of lemon. Serve warm.

Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking

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Here’s an interesting way of serving a Filipino favorite, salted red eggs or itlog na maalat.  Youngest Sister prepared it for lunch one time and it was so amazingly fresh tasting and different that I just had to make it for lunch today. The colors in the photo didn’t come out right for some reason but believe me, it made a very appetizing dish in looks and smell.
Salted duck egg (itlog na maalat) is very common in the Philippines.  Some people will go through great lengths to get the best.  The best is said to have just the right amount of saltiness and will ooze with the yolk’s fat when you break it.  The eggs are set in a very salty brine and left covered in earthen jars for a period of say a week or two.  The longer you let it sit, the saltier it gets. The eggs are then boiled and painted a magenta red before distribution.

What you then do with it is cut it in half and scoop out the insides and mix it with tomatoes to serve as a side dish with fried fish.  It does perk up any fried fish lunch especially if you eat doing away with your usual spoon, fork and knife.  Yes, eat with your bare hands!  It’s not eating like a savage at all.  Eating with your hands is actually a skill not many people can get or want to get.  Such a pity.

But truthfully, it’s not literally eating with your “hands” – it’s more eating with your well-scrubbed fingers.  And yes, Filipinos love to do this and yes, that’s exactly how I ate my lunch today.

Makes for very sensual eating as a matter of fact.  There’s something about feeling the temperature and different textures of your food just prior to popping it into your mouth.  Sensual is the only word I can think of to describe it.  Call it foreplay for eating.

So on to this recipe…why is it so different?  It’s different because it’s a nice cross between a salsa and  the more common salted eggs with tomatoes salad.  The addition of cilantro and finely-sliced onions kicks it up a notch and provides a fresh taste that is just perfect for the tropics.

It also doesn’t hurt when you eat it with your hands…

This is a salad my mom came up with way back when I was in my teens. It’s a very Filipino salad using the commonly used vegetables, bataw or hyacinth bean and sigadillas, also called winged bean in English. This is just another was you can use these readily available vegetables, aside from adding it to the usual sinigang or pinakbet.  So I hope you’ll give it a try.

My mother’s cleaning lady, who also does our cleaning and ironing, is a green thumb who plants every available space in her neighborhood with all kinds of vegetables. She peddles her greens and supplies a few stores around the area as well. But with 7 kids and an unemployed husband, she needs to makes extra money cleaning and doing odd jobs for her customers.  Life is hard for this woman but she just keeps trudging along and I really admire her for her fortitude.
That morning, she came by with large bunches of these two vegetables and was selling it for a song. I regretted not taking a photo, they were so freshly picked and would have made a good one. Anyway, this salad’s success is really dependent on the freshness of the vegetables. They are tender and crisp and sweetish at this point.

Soon as I saw them, I immediately thought of this salad and my mother gamely got started. This is served with a typical Filipino ensalada vinaigrette of vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper.

In the past, my mother used to cut the vegetables diagonally in about half-inch strips and parboiled them before setting them on a plate. This time she just cut it in 1-inch pieces and parboiled. Top it with some thinly sliced onions, tomatoes and a sliced hard boiled egg and pour the vinaigrette over it. We skipped the egg this time for some reason…but it was just as good as I remember it.

Serve warm or chilled.

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.

I don’t know why I never featured Coleslaw here before.  Its one of our staples.   This one in the photo was drier than my usual since it had about half the mayo I usually put.  I’ve consciously been lessening meal portions and trimming some fats from a lot of recipes in the hopes that it will make a difference in our girth….right…wishful thinking. 

I like coleslaw better this way – with less of the mayonnaise I mean.  The cabbage was extra-crisp this time too and yes, I do put pineapple in my coleslaw – like any good and upstanding Filipino.  I guess you could call this a very Filipino Coleslaw…

This coleslaw is usually paired with some oven-finished Banquet Crispy Skinless Frozen Chicken.  It’s not the healthiest of foods so I always skip potatoes and carbs.  This chicken is just so convenient and can be paired with so many different salads.  You can also cut up the breast pieces and make that into a sandwich or a tortilla wrap with lettuce, tomatoes and bottled Caesar dressing.

Here’s an approximate recipe ofnmy Coleslaw:

2 c. thinly-sliced cabbage

2 green onion stalks, sliced thin

1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded

1 small can crushed pineapple, squeezed of its juices

handful of raisins

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsps. apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. celery seeds

salt and pepper to taste

Put first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix the rest of the ingredients in a smaller bowl with a wire whisk.  Adjust seasonings.  Transfer to the larger bowl and mix well.

Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

I don’t think this quailifies as a salad although I put it in that category. It’s really just a mix of fruits I intended would be a salad with lemon juice and honey….when I started out anyway.  Once I tasted how naturally sweet the melons were, I thought it would be a sin to disguise that with anything else.

So here it is, an unadulterated mix of fruits: honeydew melon, cantaloupe, blackberries, cherries.

This Shrimp Salad definitely qualifies as an easy summer lunch.  It requires a minimum of cooking, plus, it’s very light and cooling on a hot summer day.  I love that it looks so appetizing too.

There have been heatwaves in both US coasts the last few weeks.  Thankfully, the summer has been pretty mild in Colorado this year. The fact is, I’ve never experienced a summer here that’s been so cool and wet before.  Hot or not, a cool salad like this is always an enjoyable lunch.

Shrimp Salad

1 c. shelled shrimps

1/2 c. celery, sliced thin on the diagonal

1/4 c. low-fat mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

romain letttuce or other greens

1 medium tomato, thinly sliced

Parboil shrimps in a small saucepan of salted boiling water. It will only take a minute or two for all the shrimp to turn pink. Strain shrimps and dunk in ice water to stop cooking.

In a small bowl, mix the shrimp, celery, mayo, lemon juice, onion powder, salt and pepper. Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.  Serve over lettuce leaves and top with tomato slices.

I was trying to follow a recipe for this pasta salad but ended up making it my own way.  A cold pasta salad is always a perfect summer dish. This one is particularly healthy and light with the tuna and vegetables.

Tuna Salad with Farfalle

1 large can tuna chunks in oil

2 tbsps. olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms

2 small zucchini, diced

1 small red bell pepper, sliced

1 small yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 tsp. dried basil

8 ounces farfalle noodles

juice of 1 large lemon

romaine lettuce leaves torn in pieces

cherry tomatoes for garnish

shredded cheese

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Drain oil from tuna into large skillet.  Place tuna in large bowl and separate into chunks, set aside.  Add olive oil to the skillet and heat.  Add minced garlic, mushrooms, zucchini and bell peppers.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender.  This wil take anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on how cooked you want your veggies.  Add basil and stir a few times.  Let vegetables cool while noodles are cooking.

Cook noodles according to package directions, run cold tap water over it to cool.? Add noodles and cooked vegetables to the tuna, along with pepper, salt lemon juice and about 2 tbsps. extra virgin oil for flavor.  Toss and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Arrange on a platter lined with lettuce leave and garnish with cherry tomatoes. Top with shredded cheese of your choice.

The Potato Salads I’ve had in the US are just plain potatoes with mayo, mustard, onions and dill pickles….pretty boring I thought. Filipinos do potato salad a bit differently.

I only realized this when I brought a huge bowl to an outdoor, going-away barbecue for my husband’s former officemate. Everyone looked at my salad and said, “Oh this is different, I have to try this.”  Sitting close to my salad was another bowl of the plain potato salad.  Right there and then, my eyes were opened to the Filipino flair for drama and color…even in our potato salad.

Filipino Potato Salad

4 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes

2 eggs

1 c. diced carrots

1/2 c. green beans, cut half-inch pieces (you can also use peas)

1 small white onion, finely chopped (shallots are nice here too)

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

1/4 c. chopped dill pickles (sweet pickles if you want, I prefer dill)

2-3 tbsps. brown mustard

1 c. Hellman’s mayonnaise

about 1/2 tsp. table salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place potatoes and eggs in a medium-sized saucepan and cover with cold, salted water, an inch or two above the potatoes.  Bring to a rolling boil and simmer.  After 10 minutes, take out the eggs and cool. Peel and chop the eggs when they’re cool.

Add the carrots and cook about 5 minutes.  Take out the carrots and allow to cool.  Add the green beans into the pot of boiling potaoes and cook until crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes.  The potatoes should be cooked by this time too.  If not, leave to continue cooking until a knife easily goes through them.

Take off the heat and allow to cool. Peel the potatoes when they are cool enough to handle and dice to the desired size. Mix in with other vegetables.

In a big bowl, mix the mayo, mustard, celery, onions, pickles, eggs, salt and pepper.  Then add the cooked vegetables and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

TIP:  The photo I took was freshly mixed and looks like it had more mayo than was needed. Potatoes will absorb the mayo and salt pretty well.? In most instances, you will have to add more salt, so be liberal the first time you season.

Here’s an interesting alternative to your everyday garden salad with bottled ranch dressing.  It’s easy to prepare, but not quite as simple as opening that bottled dressing. Like most things in the kitchen, a little bit of effort will be well worth it…which you’ll only realize in the eating.

With the kalamata olives and feta cheese, it’s Greek-inspired you could say.  Truthfully, it’s just something I threw together which I hoped would go with some grilled lamb sausages from Wild Oats Natural Market.  What a lovely combination the two made.

Easy, Everday Salad

Dressing:

juice of 1 small lemon

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 tbsps. crumbled feta cheese

Whisk the first three indgredients together until thick. Add cheese and marinate a few minutes.

Salad Mix:

romaine lettuce

diced tomatoes

fresh button mushrooms, sliced

thinly sliced red raddish

thinly sliced baby carrots

kalamata olives

more crumbled feta cheese and more to top each salad plate – Can you tell I like feta cheese?