Tropical Island Cooking. Jennifer Aranas
1 bay leaf
5 cups (1¼ liters) water
Place all ingredients in a 2 to 3-quart/liter pot. Bring stock to a boil and skim off foam that rises to the surface. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 1½ hours. Strain stock through a fine sieve and discard vegetables. Cool stock to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Coconut Cream Latik
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest producers of coconuts, which explains why Filipino cuisine would only narrowly exist without the fundamental flavors and textures lent by the myriad of edibles from the coconut palm. Notwithstanding the tender palm hearts and the valuable sap used for sugar cakes, syrup, alcoholic beverages, and vinegar, the coconut fruit itself is the source of precious coconut water, meat, oil, and milk. I remember making coconut milk the old-fashioned way: sitting on a short rectangular bench to which my grandfather attached a serrated metal blade used to finely grate the flesh of mature coconuts. We’d steep the grated meat in the water collected from the center of the nut and squeeze the pulp to extract thick coconut cream. A second steeping of the pulp with tap water extracted thin coconut milk. A traditional recipe for latik starts off by slowly cooking the first press of thick coconut cream until the coconut solids caramelize and the coconut oil separates and rises to the top. However, I know that there aren’t too many people grating coconuts in their spare time to make coconut cream. In this recipe canned or frozen coconut milk is the convenient base that’s easily simmered to evaporate water, leaving you with a smooth creamy latik. Look for the Chaokoh brand of canned coconut milk, my preferred choice, which has a considerable amount of thick coconut cream.
Makes ½ cup (125 ml)
1 (13-oz/400-ml) can coconut milk
Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and simmer over low-medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the reduced coconut cream to room temperature and refrigerate. Once chilled, it will have the consistency of cream cheese. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
The longer you cook the coconut milk, the darker and thicker it will become. As the coconut milk reduces, the coconut solids will begin to caramelize and the coconut oil will rise to the surface. Whisk the mixture occasionally during cooking to reincorporate the oil and smooth out the mixture. If you find that you’ve overreduced the coconut milk and that it is too thick (perhaps you need it to be spreadable or pourable), simply add water to thin it to your desired consistency.
Sautéed Shrimp Paste
Guisadong Bagoong Hipon
Bagoong, pronounced “bah-GOO-ong,” is neither easy on the nose nor on the eyes. But this fermented seafood paste, though pungent, perhaps even offensive to some, is a signature ingredient in Southeast Asia that adds dimension and complexity to the food. Bagoong is available jarred in the condiments section of the Asian market and can be purchased in different fish and shrimp varieties, the most common being bagoong hipon (also called shrimp fry), bagoong teron (bonnet mouth fish), bagoong padas (siganid fish), and bagoong monamon (anchovies and scad). Bagoong is added to soups, stir-fries, and stews not only as a salt alternative but also for its unique flavor. If served alongside a dish as a condiment, it can be served straight from the jar, although it’s typically sautéed with a sofrito of garlic, scallion, and tomato before being brought to the table.
Makes 3 tablespoons
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions (scallions), white parts only
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons diced tomato
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the green onions (scallions), garlic, and tomato. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the shrimp paste and cook for another minute until heated through. Season with pepper. Serve in a small bowl.
Serving suggestions: Odd as it may seem, bagoong is a classic condiment paired with sour green mangoes, although I equally enjoy it with sweet ripe mangoes. Filipinos are hugely keen on the salty-sour or salty-sweet flavor dynamic that makes this dish a popular snack. Dab a little bagoong on boiled or fried plantain bananas. Add a small dollop to your pickled dishes such as Achara (page 62). Straying from Filipino cuisine, bagoong monamon (anchovies and scad) is very versatile and works wonderfully in dressings for Caesar salad, Niçoise salad, and potato salad. Mix bagoong monamon with softened butter or cream cheese, spices, and herbs for a quick cracker spread. A dash of bagoong monamon with sherry, mustard, lemon, and parsley makes a great pan sauce for steak.
Curry-Tomato Sofrito
This unique, curry-flavored sofrito works double duty as both a flavor base and a sauce. The tomatoes are slowly baked in the oven with garlic, curry, and plenty of olive oil. The result is a rich tomato sauce instead of the classic sofrito paste.
What I love about this sofrito is its easy versatility paired with noodles, ladled on grilled chicken, or even topped on fish such as Milkfish with Pili Nut Stuffing (page 124). For a quick noodle dish, heat the sofrito with fresh basil or mint and toss with pasta. For a quick seafood dinner, heat the sofrito with a little seafood stock and add clams or mussels to the pan. Cover and steam until the shells open and serve with lemon and crusty bread.
Makes 3 cups (750 ml)
2 pints (575 g) cherry tomatoes, stems removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion (scallion), finely chopped
¼ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon yellow curry paste or curry powder
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Place all the ingredients in a medium baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour until the tomatoes have completely collapsed and released all of their juices. Cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Edam Butter
Makes ⅔ cup (75 g)
2 oz (50 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup (25 g) finely grated Edam cheese (substitute gouda)
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
Combine the butter, Edam, Parmesan, honey, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Spoon the butter into a ramekin or small bowl. Serve at room temperature with Suman Nga Baboy, or Steamed Rice Cakes (page 28). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Toasted Garlic and Garlic Oil
In Filipino cuisine, there’s no such thing as a little garlic. Present in our sofrito, marinades, and dipping sauces, raw, roasted, or sautéed, garlic is one of the essential answers to flavorful food.
Transformed by a little oil and heat, toasted garlic is commonly sprinkled on dishes as a finishing condiment to add an extra boost of flavor. Filipinos often serve toasted garlic as a topping for rice porridge (page 50), or fried rice (page 79), but I find it a versatile ingredient sprinkled on top of casseroles, soups, salads, even mixed into my spice rubs for chicken or pork.
Makes approximately ¼ cup (15 g) toasted garlic and 1 cup (250