Chicken Afritada with Pineapple

In Filipino cooking there is a variety of tomato based stews heavily influenced by Spanish Cuisine. Chicken Afritada is one of them, simply chicken stewed in tomato sauce with garlic, onion, and bell pepper, salt, pepper and whatever spices/ herbs the cook prefers. Pretty similar to the tomato Spaniard and Cuban tomato based dishes I grew up with, however I'm also familiar with the Filipino variations of those stews since one of my aunts through marriage is Filipino and so is one of my best girlfriends Shantall :) however their stews have their own twist and a little change here and there makes a difference in taste and makes them unique.

I've been meaning to try a version of Chicken Afritada prepared with pineapples, giving it a sweet and sour type contrast, kinda reminds me of the Chinese-American sweet n sour chicken or pork as well :)

So without further chit chat this is my version of the Pineapple Chicken Afritada from observing other's prepare it and what I think works best for it :)

Ingredients:
-1 whole chicken cut into 12 pieces (washed/ cleaned well, drained)
-1 onion chopped
-4 cloves garlic minced
-1 can 8 oz. tomato sauce
-1 can 20 oz. of pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
-1/2- 1 cup pineapple juice (from a can of pineapple chunks)
-4 medium carrots peeled cut thinly diagonally
-1/2 a large red bell pepper cut into large squares
-1/2 a large green bell pepper cut into large squares

Directions:
(1) Season chicken with salt and pepper, marinade for 15- 20 minutes. Now heat a real large pan or deep-pot on very high heat, add oil and let it heat up, and brown chicken all over, if your using a smaller deep pan or pot you will need to do this in batches. Add garlic and onion and stir for about 5-7 minutes until onion is translucent
(2) Add tomato sauce, pineapple juice and bring to a rolling boil, cover and let it simmer 25 minutes on medium low heat.
(3) Uncover and add carrot bring to a rolling boil on high, cover then simmer again on medium low for 5 minutes, uncover add bell peppers let it simmer 2-3 minutes
(4) Add pineapple chunks stir well and let simmer an additional 1-2 minutes
(5) Enjoy serve with lots of hot steamy white rice :)
P.S.

For my Cuban readers or Spaniard readers we can think of this as "Fricase de Pollo con Piña" or "Estofado de Pollo Con Piña" give it a try :)

Filipino Picadillo (Fililpino Ground Beef Hash?)

I'm going to submit this recipe to Joan Nova from FOODalogues "Culinary Tour Around the World" (for more details click on link "Culinary Tour Around the World" on how to participate and check Jones Nova's wonderful blog) this event is to take a "virtual" trip around the world from a culinary perspective and along the way also helping raise awareness of world hunger as we "travel" around the world "via "BloggerAid" or the "World Food Programme" and other organizations." (Joan Nova)

In this trip we visit Philippines with this simple Filipino ground beef hash.

"Picadillo" in Spanish from what I have observed is any type of sauteed ground meat. Different countries and cultures have their own variation.

I learned this version of "Picadillo" from a very humble, kind, smart, hard working and intelligent woman who is also a really good cook names "Herminia" whom is my Filipino friend's mother (Shantall) I really enjoy and love when I get the opportunity to visit them, I am treated like family and welcomed and I love to share what I know about cooking and food and vice versa :)

Anyways let's focus more on this "Filipino Picadillo" from my observations I'd have to say this is a dish that is heavily Spanish influenced (by that I mean influenced by Spain) since Philippines at some point in history was colonized by the Spaniards and it's unique cuisine features some dishes that show the Spanish influence. I think this Picadillo is one of those dishes.

Reason being is that I immediately noticed the use of "sofrito" (the combination of garlic, onion, and bell pepper in addition to tomato in this recipe, this combination is also commonly used in Cuban cooking very heavily which also has strong ties to Spanish cuisine and shares many flavors and dishes with) it was very similar to the Cuban ground beef hash as well.

... yet it manages to be unique and hold it's own ground, I really recommend to any Cuban reading this who loves a good Picadillo to try this recipe out for a variation on "the usual"

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 lbs ground beef or pork
-salt to taste (I used around 1-2 tsp. depends)
-ground black pepper to taste (about 1/2 a tsp. I used more or less to your liking)
-1 good pinch of mono sodium glut amine about 1/4 tsp. (msg, optional I do use it)
-1/2 a red bell pepper finely minced
-1/2 an onion minced
-1/2 a head of garlic about 6 cloves finely minced
-1 can 8 oz. of tomato sauce
-2-4 medium all purpose potatoes cut into small cubes (I mean small like tiny bite sizes)
-2 carrots more or less cut into tiny cubes

Optional Ingredients (I didn't use them because I didn't have them on hand and neither did Shantalls mother Herminia when she made this)
-1 handful of frozen peas for color
-1 can of Qual Eggs drained

Directions:
(1)Add ground pork or beef to a hot deep pan with no oil or anything, and add about 1 1/2- 2 cups water just enough water to slightly cover meat, bring to a rolling boil with salt, pepper, and msg. Let boil on high heat until the water evaporates. This is done so the meat will render more of it's fat and also because in some countries this is used to reduce risk of unsanitary conditions with meat.

(2)Add onions and bell peppers minced and sautee until translucent on medium high, add garlic sautee a little longer, now add tomato sauce, and about another cup of water, bring together to a rolling boil and add potatoes and carrots. Adjust salt to taste.

(3)Cover and simmer until potato and carrot is tender about 7 minutes? Just check occassionally, towards end add peas for color and fold in qual eggs . When done serve with hot white rice (goes very well with Jasmine rice) and whatever sides you wish :)

P.S.

This recipe is very quick and simple to make I was able to make it in under 30-40 minutes. If you forgot to thaw the meat, like I did just throw it in the really hot pan with water and cover on high, move around occasionally and help it break down by beating it with a spoon haha. While waiting you can chop everything and do all your prep work that's what I did when I made it.

You may also be interested in seeing a "Cuban" version Picadillo I posted in my blog so click below if you want to check it out:

Picadillo Salteado Con Papas (Cuban Beef Hash)

Upo & Spinach wiith Ground Pork

I don't know the Tagalog name for this dish, it has a very Chinese taste and feel, again like most of my posts on Filipino food, this was taught to me by my friend Shantall's mother (Herminia) whom I really appreciate and is always makes me feel like family :)

Anyways I really liked this dish, it can be served as a vegetable side, because even though it has pork the pork is not used as the "main" thing in this dish, this dish only uses a little bit of ground pork for texture and taste.

In case you don't know what "Upo" is , it is a type of squash, tastes a little like Zuchini but is more meaty, and has a very light taste, in Filipino stores it is labeled "Upo" I've seen it labeled as "Opo" at Chinese stores. If you cannot find this type of squash I am sure Zuchini (Italian Squash) would be an acceptable substitute, though it wouldn't be "identical" you will still get a really good tasting result :) I found this information on the internet about the squash:

http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--36034/opo-squash.asp

The first time I encountered this was at the Chinese store I went to (99 Ranch Market which is a chain of Asian stores here), it looked cool, I had no idea how to prepare it, so I walked up to a random lady buying it and ask her how can I cook it, I know it had soy sauce and sugar a long with garlic but don't remember what else I don't recall what she told me but I remember making it when I got home (this was several years ago) anyways back to the present preparing it how "Hermina" taught me this is by far one of my favorite vegetable sides. The ingredients used here are relatively easy to obtain here in the USA and in most places I assume.

Ingredients:
-1/2 lb. ground pork
-salt (not a lot about 1/2 tsp. because you will use other salty stuff in this)
-small pinch monosodium glutamine (msg, this is optional)
-ground black pepper to taste (a couple sprinkles is what I used)
-1 onion cut into medium sized flat squares (like chopped but bigger than usual)
-1/2 a head of garlic finely minced (about 5-6 cloves)
-1 opo squash peeled and cubed
-1 cup chicken broth or stock (canned, homemade, whatever you can even mix small tsp. bouillon with 1 water to make it, or just skip it and substitute it for water but you'll need more salt if you do)
-1 tablespoon soy sauce (or less to taste)
-1 bunch of spinach, washed, cleaned, and coarsely chopped

Directions:

(1)Heat a wok, skillet or frying pan on high heat with no oil, add ground pork and about 1 cup water (enough water to cover ground pork slightly) season with salt, pepper, and msg, stir bring to a boil and cover, uncovering and stiring occasionally.

(2)When water evaporates and onions and garlic, sautee together until fragrant (the pork meat should have released some fat so you don't need to add oil, if your ground pork didn't have enough fat then add a little bit of oil but not a lot very little like a drizzle)

(3)Now add cubed opo squash, mix together, add chicken broth stir (this helps deglaze if you have any drippings/ browning in your pan from cooking the meat), add soy sauce, bring to boil cover and leave on high heat for about 5-7 minutes do not over cook squash unless you like it over cooked.

(4)Not fold in spinach, at first it will seem like a lot but it will wilt, keep folding in incorporating it well until it wilts, then turn of heat and it's ready to eat.

NOTE:
-This dish is not a "dry" dish, it has some liquid not a bunch but it's normal for it to have some juices, it doesn't need to be thickened with corn starch or anything like that. Herminia (the one that I learned this dish from) actually makes it more soupier she adds 2 cups of stock as opposed to 1, but she told me she did it because she just wanted to finish the can of chicken broth she used, so I went with 1 cup.

Herminia's Chicken Adobo

This is another one of those recipes I learned from my friend Shantall's mother. It is chicken cooked in a savory but slightly sweet and tangy sauce made if vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar and it has lots of delicious garlic and potatoes.

I have seen lots of Filipino chicken adobo recipes and I have had Chicken adobo from other Filipino people and places, but I really like Shantall's mom's version of Chicken Adobo.

Serve this with hot jasmine white rice and whatever other side dishes you'd like :)

Main Ingredients:
-1 whole chicken (cleaned, cut into sections, skin on)
-salt to season chicken to taste
-soy sauce a bit to season chicken just to give color a couple light splashes
-pepper to season chicken to taste
-1 onion julienned
-1 head of garlic, cloves peeled left whole
-4 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
-Olive oil

Ingredients for the sauce
-1 1/2 cups water
-1/2 cup white vinegar more or less to taste (they use cane, or coconut vinegar, white distilled works here to)
-1/2 cup soy sauce more or less to taste
-1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar more or less to taste (I use 1/2- 3/4 sp does Hermi but some people like using less like 2 tablespoons it's to taste)
-6 small bay leaves (or 3 big ones)
-1 teaspoonful of black peppercorns
-salt to taste (if needed)

Directions:
(1)Wash the chicken and clean well, (you could wash it with vinegar and salt and then rinse well again) now put in a bowl cut into medium sized sections, LIGHTLY season with salt, pepper, and soy sauce (big emphasis on lightly remember the sauce has salt to, just enough soy sauce to give color and light on the salt) now set aside.

(2)Mix sauce ingredients EXCEPT black peppercorns and bay leaves. Taste it, if you'd like add more soy sauce or sugar or vinegar this is all to your taste, the proportion of vinegar, soy sauce and sugar is all to taste set aside.


(3)Heat olive oil in a deep-pot on medium high, sautee onions and garlic until browned and onions are a bit translucent, add chicken and stir and let it release some juices and change color a bit.

(4)Add the sauce ingredients and bring to a strong boil on high, add bay leaves and whole peppercorns, cover and simmer on medium low for about 30 minutes.

(5)Add potatoes, taste if it needs more salt, soy sauce, vinegar or sugar and you can add more to taste, but it should be fine I added a little bit more salt to mine didn't wanna over power with soy sauce. Boil for another 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

(6)Now your done, enjoy!

NOTE:
The chicken skins are for flavor you don't have to eat them when your eating the dish you remove and set them aside as you eat.

I know it seems like a lot of soy sauce and vinegar but it's diluted with water, and she likes to add a lot of potatoes to it so they thicken and soak up the sauce.

Shans' Moms' "Fried Pork Chops"

These pork chops I learned how to make from my Filipino friends mother, she cooks awesome really tasty foods. I love her pork chops they are so simple yet awesome tasting, for me when I eat them it reminds me of "Chicharrones" they are so crispy and crunchy, your gonna want them on the dry side trust me they are so good like that with the crispiness and crunch.

I highly suggest you cook this, it makes a great meat dish for ANY type of meal regardless of cuisine in my honest opinion

Ingredients:
-Pork Chops
-Salt and Pepper to taste
-a little bit of freshly squeezed lime juice or calamansi juice
-flour to dust/ coat
-oil to deep fry (canola is pretty good for this)
Directions:
(1)Season pork chops with salt and pepper to taste by sprinkling on both sides, now squeeze some fresh lime or calamansi juice over them and mix well
(2)In a plate put lots of white flour, coat on all sides with flour
(3)Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or wok to deep fry on very high heat for about 5 minutes until hot enough to deep fry. Now add 1 pork chop and fry 4 minutes on each side (you want it to be very crispy and cooked so it feels like "Chicharron" in your mouth :)
(4)Drain well and set on a plate you have set aside, eat while nice and crispy.
Please Note:
You can do chicken livers or chicken the same exact way it is soooo good, I know it sounds really simple but I love it!

Also I didn't give measurements because this is a no brainer you use as many pork chops as your planning to cook, enough salt and pepper to give it flavor as well as just some fresh squeezed lime juice I used 1 medium large lime for 4 pork chops and well flour thats to dust.