Humba de Bohol by Chef Reggie Torres

 

 Humba de Bohol

(Braised Pork Belly)

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time : 35 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 lb pork butt, cut in large cubes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp peanut oil (substitute other oil if you prefer)
1tbsp sweet soy sauce
2tbsp sukang paombong (palm vinegar)
1 cup banana blossom

Directions:

1. Heat cooking oil in a non stick pan.
2. Add pork, brown all sides.
3. Add all the ingredients
4. Simmer in medium heat until meat is tender. 


CHEF REGGIE TORRES
 

Chef Reggie Torres has a long and distinguished career in the culinary arts industry. He has lived in Paris, France for three years and has mastered the French menu interpretation along with preparation of classical French cuisine and advance French pastries. He has traveled Europe learning and honing food design, Hors d’oeurves, theme buffet, tallow sculpture, meat and fish decorations. He has worked with Chinese instructor Kem Home, blending Eastern and Western influences and with Italian Chef Giovanni Leoni, mixing the northern and southern Italian cuisine.

Pochero Pinoy by Chef Soc Inonog

Having a multicultural society, brought about by the different countries which ruled the Philippines, is one of the things the country is known for. But, albeit numerous nations that colonized the country, it was Spain which greatly influenced most of the cultural aspects of the Philippines, having ruled the country for 333 years.

The undeniable influence of the Spaniards on the Filipino culture and society is apparent even until today. Starting with the Filipino Spanish last names (all Filipino families were required to adopt a Spanish surname during Spanish colonial rule), Roman Catholicism, thousands of loan Spanish words, the numerous community feasts that also inevitably includes some cuisines greatly influenced by Spain. 

Drinking, dining, and merry-making in any social gatherings are also among the many traditions the Filipinos have acquired from the Spaniards. Spanish culinary specialties like menudo, mechado, caldereta, and relleno were among the most favored dishes served in any special Pinoy celebrations then, until today. 

The influence of Spain in the Filipino cuisine has adapted countless versions over the years, with the preparation and ingredients of the dish varying by region. One example of such dish is the pochero or stew pot which has two popular versions in the country---one, which is tomato sauce based, and the other which is similar to that of the bulalo, or the oxtail soup and stew. 

Puchero or Pochero, was originally a peasant food from Andalusia, Spain which was traditionally cooked and expected to last for several days. 

In the Philippines, pochero is usually cooked with either beef, pork, or chicken in tomato sauce with chorizo, saba banana, cabbage, green beans and pechay. Garbanzos or baked beans can also be added. 

The Pochero is  considered a nutritious meal with balanced ingredients comprising of meat, beans, and leafy vegetables. It is best served with steaming rice.

POCHERO PINOY 

(Pork or Beef Stew)

               

Preparation Time:   1 hour and 13 minutes

Cooking Time    :    1 hr and 35 minutes

Yield: 8

Ingredients:

2 tbsp        Vegetable oil

2 lbs          Pork Stew or Beef

2 lbs          Chicken Thigh, cut bite size

3 cloves     Garlic, chopped

1 tsp          Ginger, chopped fine

1 pc           Onion, chopped

2 pcs          Tomatoes, chopped

2 pcs          Bay leaves

1 tbsp         Thyme

2 cups         Water

1 tsp           Pepper, black , ground

1 tbsp         Fish sauce (Patis)

1 tbsp         Chicken Base (Knorr)

2 pcs           Chorizo de Bilbao, sliced across 1/8” thick

½ cup         Sake (Japanese dry wine) or Mirin  (Japanese sweet wine)

¼ bunch      String Beans,  long (Sitaw), cut 1 ½” long

1 lb             Potatoes,  sweet (Camote), peeled, diced, 1”

3 pcs           Plantain (Saba banana), 2 skin peeled, sliced 1” thick; 1 mashed

1 pc            Bok Choy (Pechay) cut up  1 1/2 “ length

Method: 
1.       In a wok, pour oil. Turn fire to high. Brown all the meats and put aside. Note: Lightly brown chicken last

2.       In the same wok, add garlic, ginger and onion. Saute until onion is translucent. 
3.       Add tomatoes. Saute for 3 minutes. Add Bay leaves and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. 
4.       Add pork or beef.  Saute and cook for 20 minutes. Add chicken. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add chorizo. Mix and cook for 15 minutes. 
5.       Add water and chicken base. Mix. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes. 
6.       Add patis. Mix. Simmer for 5 minutes.
7.       Add string beans and sweet potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes. 
8.       Add plantain, cook for another 10 minutes, add mashed plantain (saba) 
9.       Add bok choy. Cook for 5 minutes. 
10.   Serve hot with steam rice on the side.

Chef Soc Inonog

Dean and Director Emeritus, Culinary Arts College and Development
International Students Departments, Johnson & Wales University Providence, R.I.
The First Certified Culinary Educator by the American Culinary Federation (ACF)

Baked Pork Belly Tocino in Milk by Chef Ron Bilaro

Pork is one of the largely consumed meat in America. Its tenderness and versatility had also made it as a favorite food staple.

Pork contains more protein than other meat, with 20.9 percent of it made up of protein.

Experts also say that pork contains less saturated fat, so there are lesser risks of clogging arteries. It also contains linoleic acid, which helps block out bad cholesterol.

Pork is also widely consumed by the Filipinos for the same practical reasons that the Americans do.

Aside from the lechon and the pork adobo, the sweet pork tocino another Pinoy pork recipe is very famous in the country.

Traditionally served for breakfast in the Philippines, “tocino” is derived from the Spanish word that means ‘bacon’ or ‘cured’ meat. To achieve its distinct caramelized texture, various methods and ingredients have been used in making the ideal tocino.

This week, Chef Ron Bilaro, a successful private chef and event organizer in Chicago, will teach you how to make a different kind of tocino—the Baked Pork Belly Tocino in Milk.

Baked Pork Belly Tocino in Milk

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 to 3 ½ hours for baking
INACTIVE time: 8 hours for soaking/marinate
INGREDRIENTS:
• 3 pounds pork belly, cleaned and cut into desired portion sizes
• 1 quart whole milk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups brown sugar
• ½ cup annatto powder or achuete
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place pork belly into a flameproof casserole. Combine milk, lemon juice, annatto powder, garlic, sugar and pour it over the pork. Cover with foil and keep in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Adjust oven rack to center of the oven and pre heat to 350 F.
3. Add bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for about 3 hours or until pork is tender.
4. Check the casserole every 30 minutes to make sure the milk with the sugar does not burn.
5. Add more milk if necessary.
6. Remove pork from the liquid. Skim the fat form the milk mixture.
7. Using a chinois or cheese cloth, strain milk sauce. Discard solid.
8. Place milk marinade in a sauce pan, cook and reduce to about half, this may take 10 minutes. Taste the sauce. The sauce should be sweet and should be an red- orange color. Feel free to add more brown sugar and annatto powder to attain this consistency.
9. Meanwhile, combine cornstarch with about half cup of the milk sauce in a small bowl. Whisk well until cornstarch is completely dissolved.
10. Slowly whisk in to the simmering milk sauce on the stove. Continue to whisk until sauce becomes thick. This may take about 2 minutes. Turn off stove. Set sauce aside.
11. Meanwhile, adjust oven to broil (450 F) adjusting the oven rack to about 8 inches from the top.
12. Place pork belly pieces on a baking tray.
13. Brush top of pork belly with milk sauce and broil for about 2 minutes until brown on top.
14. Drizzle milk sauce on top before serving.

Chef Ron Bilaro

Chef Ron Bilaro is a graduate of the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu program at The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. He is a chef known to many prominent families and corporations in the Windy City and the West Coast. Chef Ron even gained more publicity as Sous Chef to Art Smith, personal chef of Miss Oprah Winfrey. Chef Ron was recently launched at the One Go event and is now a certified Kapamilya. He is set to have a new show in TFC that involves a lot of traveling as well as finding great Pinoy eats all over  the world. For Chef Ron, having a cooking show is a dream come true. He said he is “excited” in “bringing my simple dishes to the show so people can make it at home.” A professional feature writer for Chicago Tribune as well as a regular contributor to
Baltimore Sun of Maryland and Sun Sentinel of Florida, Chef Ron is also currently working on his second book that is due to be released soon.

Spicy Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1 1/2 pounds pork spare ribs, cut to 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium-sized leek, thinly sliced
White sesame seeds for garnish, optional
Thinly sliced scallions or leeks for garnish, optional

Sauce:

3 tablespoons spicy black bean sauce (or 2 tablespoons black bean sauce with 1/2 tablespoon chili oil)
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Method:

Mix together ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

In a wok or frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add spare ribs and stir-fry until brown on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and leeks and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Pour in sauce mixture. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes. Sauce should be reduced enough to coat the spare ribs. Transfer to serving plate, garnish with optional sesame seeds and scallions, and serve with rice.