Chicken Teriyaki

TERIYAKI SAUCE: (Use this recipe if store bought Teriyaki marinade is not available)
Combine the following in a sauce pan, 2 cups soy sauce, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp molasses (optional), 1 oz dry sherry or bourbon. Cook over low heat stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger and 3 cloves garlic (grated). Strain to remove the ginger and garlic. Set aside to cool.

1. Set aside some of the Teriyaki marinade for basting and sauce.
2. Trim 4 chicken breast halves with skin on.
3. Place the chicken breasts in a re-sealable bag together with the Teriyaki marinade.
4. Make sure that all the air is removed from the bag before sealing the bag.
5. Place in the ref and keep overnight.
6. Heat some oil on a grilling pan and place the grill the chicken breasts skin side down first.
7. Because of the sugar the chicken will easily get charred. Once grill marks appear turn and grill the other side.
8. Baste the chicken with the marinade that was set aside earlier. Do not use the marinade that you already have used for the chicken.
9. To keep the chicken moist without the getting the chicken burnt, place in an oven pre-heated at 350’F and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.
10. Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes and chop into strips.
11. Simmer the remaining basting marinade in a sauce pan just to heat through.

To serve, place the chopped chicken on top of a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce (you may also add slices of tomatoes and cucumber) and drizzle some of the Teriyaki sauce on top and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds.

Miso Glazed Salmon

1. Prepare 2 Salmon fillets (best with skin on) and make sure there are no pin bones left.
2. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Pre-heat the oven at 450’F.
4. In a bowl mix the following, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup Mirin, ¼ cup Miso paste and ¼ cup light soy sauce. Mix well until sugar is dissolved.
5. In a baking dish ladle some of the glaze and place the salmon fillets on top. Cover the salmon with the Miso mixture and save the rest for basting.
6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and baste with the Miso mixture every 5 minutes.
7. Blanch some baby bokchoy in salted water. Drain and set aside.
8. Place the remaining Miso mixture in a sauce pan and simmer.
9. Add 2 tsp of cornstarch diluted in ¼ cup water to thicken the sauce.

To serve, place the baby bokchoy in a serving dish and drizzle some of the sauce on it. Place the baked salmon fillet on top of the bokchoy and ladle some of the sauce on the salmon.

Grilled Beef Enoki

BEEF and ENOKI:
1. Mix in a bowl 1/8 cup Red Wine Vinegar, ¼ cup light soy sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Marinade 250g of Sukiyaki cut beef in the marinade and leave in the ref overnight.
3. Cut of the ends of about 100g Enoki mushrooms and divide into bunches that will be wrapped with the beef.
4. Drain the marinade from the beef and set aside.
5. Wrap the Enoki with the beef and secure by tying with blanched spring onion stalks.
6. Heat the marinade in a sauce pan and add 1 cup beef stock. Reduce and strain.
7. Heat a grilling pan and coat with oil.
8. Grill the beef wrapped Enoki and baste with the sauce.

To serve, place the Beef Enoki on top of shredded iceberg lettuce and drizzle some of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.

Roasted Pork with Buttered Corn on the Cob

1. Prepare 1Kg or 2lbs of pork for roasting. Any cut would do just fine but I prefer those with ribs.
2. Clean off most of the fat, then peel off as much of the membrane on the inside bones as possible. This is to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat better.
3. Mix in a bowl the following ingredients for the marinade: equal parts vinegar and citrus juices (orange, lemon…etc.), ½ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup light soy sauce, 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp of garlic powder (or a few cloves of fresh-squeezed garlic).
4. Put the pork in a gallon zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over the pork. Squeeze the air out before closing the bag to promote the constant contact of the marinade against the meat. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours, turning a few times.
5. Pull out the pork and let the marinade drip and save the marinade. Place the pork in a roasting rack or a baking dish and bring to room temperature before roasting.
6. Pre-heat the oven at 350’F.
7. In a sauce pan, strain the marinade and simmer until cooked through. You may use this to baste the pork.
8. Roast the pork for 45 minutes to 1 hour basting it with the cooked marinade every 10 minutes.
9. Pull out the pork before they are no longer soft when squeezed between the bones so as not to let them get dry and tough. Let it rest for about 5 minutes covered with foil.
10. Dilute the remaining ¼ cup marinade with ½ cup water and season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Cut the pork into serving pieces and drizzle the sauce over the pork.

Serve with buttered corn on the cob as a side dish.

Yakisoba

SAUCE:
1. Mix in a sauce pan 2½ cups of beef broth, ¼ cup soy sauce (Kikkoman),1 tsp Dashinomoto, ½ cup Yakiniku Sennka (Sukiyaki Base), and 2 tsp brown sugar.
2. Add 3 tsp of cornstarch diluted in half a cup of water.
3. Once thick in consistency set aside.

RAMEN:
1. Heat the egg noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes.
2. Noodles must still be firm when cooked. Drain and set aside.

PORK:
1. Marinate the 250g of pork (sukiyaki cut) in Yakiniku Sennka and 1 tsp Sesame oil for 30 minutes.
2. Pan fry until half cooked and set aside.

YAKISOBA (Fried Noodles):
1. Sauté the following veggies in 2 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp sesame oil in the following order; 1 large white onion sliced into thin strips.
2. Once the onions are a little translucent add 2 cloves of garlic sliced thinly.
3. Do not brown the onions and garlic. Add ½ cup of thin strips of carrots.
4. Add ½ cup each of Red and Green Bell Peppers (for color you may also add yellow peppers). Make sure the pepper strips are the same size as your carrots.
5. Add 2 cups of cabbage strips and a cup of bean sprouts.
6. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
7. Ladle in half of the Sauce and add the noodles.
8. Ladle in more sauce until desired taste has been achieved. REMEMBER just add enough sauce to coat the veggies and noodles.
9. Add the pork and once heated through place in a bowl if you did not listen and added to much sauce or in a platter if the amount of sauce is just right...LOL.
10. Top with bonito flakes and serve hot.

NOTE: You may also add/substitute chicken (marinated in Mirin and oil), shrimps (deveined with tails intact), squid (skin removed and scored), or beef (sukiyaki cut marinated the same way as the pork). For added flavor you may also add spring onions and for heat you may sprinkle some red pepper flakes after number 7.

Dorikastu with Ebara Sauce and Crabstick Salad

CRABSTICK SALAD:
1. Shred about 3 cups iceberg lettuce.
2. Mix with sliced tomatoes and carrot shavings.
3. Shred 1 cup crabsticks (buy the best brand) and mix with the following as dressing.
4. Dressing is a mixture of 3 tbsp Japanese mayo (Kewpie brand), 2 tsp Lemon juice, ½ tsp sugar and freshly ground black pepper.

DORIKATSU:
1. Slice 2 Dory fillets and dip in beaten egg and coat with Panko breadcrumbs.
2. Deep fry until crust is crispy and drain excess oil on paper towels.
3. Heat in a saucepan ½ cup Ebara Yakiniku No Tare (Japanese Grilling BBQ Sauce) and drizzle over fish fillets. Dilute with water if you find the sauce too strong.

If you noticed I did not salt the fish as the sauce will be very flavorful. Serve with steaming Japanese white rice.

Spaghetti with Meatballs la famiglia

You may use just about any spaghetti sauce you can use. (Stewed tomatoes, Garlic and herb tomato sauce, Italian tomato sauce…etc).

MEATBALL:
1. Mix the following ingredients in a bowl.
2. Half a kilo of ground chuck.
3. Grated 1 large white onion.
4. Minced 3 cloves of garlic.
5. Mixture of ½ cup bread crumbs soaked in ½ cup fresh milk.
6. Minced ½ cup of flat leaf parsley.
7. One egg yolk.
8. One cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
9. Salt, pepper and 1 tsp of nutmeg.
10. Italian essence (1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp dried thyme).
11. Fry in 2 tsp olive oil until golden brown. Don’t expect the meatball to be cooked.
12. Continue to cook the meatball by adding the sauce and simmer until cooked.

Top onto any kind of pasta you like (spaghetti, penne, linguini, fettuccini...etc.) and sprinkle with generous amounts of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

French Onion Soup

1. Cut up 8 large white onions into strips, wedges or rings or whatever which way you like.
2. In a stock pot melt half a stick of butter in 3 tsp olive oil.
3. Once melted sauté the onion until caramelized. Do not burn the onions otherwise the soup will have a bitter taste.
4. Add 8 cups of beef stock, salt, pepper and reduce until desired taste is achieved.
5. Cut up several slices of mini baguettes and top with grated Gruyere or pasteurized Mozzarella and bake in an oven until cheese melts.
6. Ladle in a bowl the soup and place on top the baked baguette. Serve really hot.

Chicken Chimichangas

CHICKEN:
1. Prepare 4 chicken breasts by removing excess fat and skin.
2. Marinate the chicken breasts by placing it in a resealable bag in milk for about an hour.
3. In a bowl mix 1 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp cayenne and 1 tsp paprika.
4. Drain the chicken breasts and coat with the mix. Shake off excess mix.
5. Deep fry in oil and once cooked, air dry to make the coating a little crispy.
6. Set aside and keep warm and slice into strips only when assembling the chimichanga.

TOMATO SAUCE:
1. Sauté in 2 tsp olive oil until translucent 1 large white onion (minced), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 small stalk of celery.
2. Add 1 can of stewed tomatoes and season with salt, pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano.
3. Place in a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the sauce.
4. Reduce the sauce so it's less watery.

Assembling the chimichangas:
1. Place in the middle of a flour tortilla a few strips of chopped iceberg lettuce.
2. Strips of white onion.
3. Pieces of chicken strips
4. Dollop of mashed baked beans or mashed refried beans.
5. Also add a thin layer of sour cream if you don't have any you may also use ¼ cup of mayonnaise, 1 tsp of lemon juice and ½ tsp sugar.
6. Roll up the sides of the flour tortilla to close and place the closed side on the bottom of a baking dish.
7. Layer in the sauce and top with strips of freshly chopped basil and mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake at 400'F for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Beef and Pork Ramen and Udon Miso Soup

STOCK:
1. Since the stock will be an integral part of this dish we have to prepare a lot of the stock.
2. In a stock pot add 2 large white onions (rough chop), 2 celery stalks (rough chop), 1 large carrot (cut in half), 2 stalks of leeks, 6 large Fresh Shiitake mushrooms and 2 liters of water.
3. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
4. Before fully cooked remove some of the onions, leeks, Shiitake and carrots which we will use later
5. Add 1 cup dark soy sauce (Kikkoman), 3 tsp Dashinomoto, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 cup Yamasa Sennka (Sukiyaki base) and 1 cup yellow Miso.
6. Keep on a rolling boil to cook the other ingredients but once done keep on simmer.

Arrange in a bowl the following:
1. Ramen and Udon which have been warmed in boiling water then drained
2. Chopped green parts of Chinese lettuce (Ombok).
3. Slices of silken tofu.
4. Pieces of crabstick cut on the bias and Naruto (Japanese Rice Cake - the swirly thing in the pic).
5. Slices of the blanched vegetables (onions, leeks, Shiitake and carrots)
6. Fresh Enoki Mushrooms.
7. Cook beef and pork sukiyaki cuts in the broth for a few seconds before arranging them in the bowl.

Ladle in the stock just before serving and garnish with chopped spring onions and Japanese Spice mix.

Extra Large Garlic Prawns on a bed of Risotto

PRAWNS:
1. Devein 1 kilo prawns by cutting the shell with kitchen sheers and slice open with a knife.
2. Also trim of some of the appendages.
3. In a bowl add 1 cup garlic (minced).
4. Melt 3 sticks of butter in a pan and add to the bowl.
5. Season prawns with salt and freshly ground black pepper (don't use salt if using salted butter).
6. In a baking dish (preferably clear Pyrex) arrange the prawns and insert the butter and garlic mix in the cavity and drizzle the remainder over the prawns.
7. Bake in oven at 450’F until prawns have turned pink. (Remember that they continue to cook even after you have taken them out. Just cover with aluminum foil if risotto is not yet cooked) CAUTION: Over cooking prawns will make it rubbery and dry.

RISOTTO:
1. Bring to a boil 8 cups chicken stock then bring to a simmer.
2. Sauté in a pot 2 tsp olive oil 1 large white onion (minced).
3. Add 2 cups of Arborio rice.
4. Ladle in at least 2 cups of warm chicken stock initially.
5. Keep stirring to keep the rice from burning.
6. Add a ladle of chicken stock while stirring until the rice is cooked.
7. Once the Risotto is almost cooked add a tablespoon of butter to silken the dish

To serve, arrange the prawns on top of the risotto. Another way would be to place some risotto on a plate and make the prawns stand on their sides and sprinkle some minced parsley and serve with some lemon wedges.

Large Prawns Baked in Butter and Garlic

PRAWNS:
1. Devein 1 kilo prawns by cutting the shell with kitchen sheers and slice open with a knife.
2. Also trim of some of the appendages.
3. In a bowl add 1 cup garlic (minced).
4. Melt 3 sticks of butter in a pan and add to the bowl.
5. Season prawns with salt and freshly ground black pepper (don't use salt if using salted butter).
6. In a baking dish (preferably clear Pyrex) arrange the prawns and insert the butter and garlic mix in the cavity and drizzle the remainder over the prawns.
7. Bake in oven at 450’F until prawns have turned pink.

Serve with fresh melted butter mixed with some Cayenne pepper.

Creamy Dory with Carrot Coulis Risotto and Tomato Salsa

CARROT COULIS:
1. Rough chop 1 large carrot and 1 medium onion.
2. Boil in water and season with salt.
3. Once softened remove carrots and place in a blender, add ¾ cup of the water it was boiled in and puree. Set aside.

RISOTTO:
1. Bring to a boil 8 cups chicken stock then bring to a simmer.
2. Sauté in a pot 2 tsp olive oil 1 large white onion (minced).
3. Add 2 cups of Arborio rice.
4. Ladle in at least 2 cups of warm chicken stock initially.
5. Keep stirring to keep the rice from burning.
6. Add a ladle of chicken stock while stirring until the rice is cooked.
7. Add juice from half a lemon.
8. Once the Risotto is almost cooked add the Carrot Coulis and stir until mixed properly.

CREAMY DORY:
1. Cut in serving sizes 2 fillet of Dory and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne and oregano powder.
2. Pan fry in olive oil and drain in paper towels. Set aside and keep warm.

TOMATO SALSA:
1. Prepare 1 cup diced tomatoes but do not include the seeds and the pulp otherwise the salsa will be too watery.
2. Chop the 1 medium white onion the same size as the tomatoes.
3. Add chopped flat leaf parsley.
4. For the dressing, mix ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 3 tsp EVOO and a ½ tsp sugar.
5. Mix the dressing a little at a time until desired taste is achieved.

To serve, stack the fish on top of the risotto and top with the salsa.

Creamy Dory Yellow Curry

FISH:
1. Prepare 2 Creamy Dory fillets (400-450g) or you may also use Red Snapper (Maya-Maya) and season with 2 tsp cumin, salt and pepper.
2. Set aside and cover.

SPICES:
1. Ground in a mortar and pestle the following (dried red chilies, ¼ tbsp Turmeric powder, ½ tbsp ginger, 7 shallots, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp Coriander seeds, ¼ tsp Cumin powder, 1 tsp black or white peppercorns and ½ tsp or tamarind paste).

CURRY:
1. Heat in 2 tbsp olive oil the spices.
2. Add 1 stalk Lemon Grass (bruised) and 1 Pandan leaf (Torn & knotted) until fragrant.
3. Add 2 cans of coconut milk.
4. Add 1 medium white onion (sliced), 2 medium potatoes (peeled and quartered) and 4 medium sized tomatoes (cut in half) then allow the curry to simmer.
5. Add the fish head and 5 Kafir leaves (or you may use Bay leaves if unavailable) and stir the curry from time to time but not the fish.

To serve, plate the entire dish in a deep plate and add cherry tomatoes and garnish with cilantro leaves (or chopped spring onions) before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

Creamy Dory Escabeche

FISH:
1. Julienne the following vegetables: 1 large white onion (slivers), 1 large Red and Green Bell Pepper (Capsicum).
2. Season 2 Dory fillets with salt and pepper.
3. Pan fry and drain excess oil in paper towel and arrange on a plate. Set aside.

SWEET and SOUR SAUCE:
1. In a sauce pan heat 1 cup chicken stock, ½ cup tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar, ¼ cup honey, and season with salt to taste.
2. To thicken the sauce add 1 tsp cornstarch diluted in 4 tsp water.
3. Bring the sauce to a boil and add the julienned vegetables.
4. Cook for 2 minutes and pour sauce over the fried dory fillets.

Serve with steaming white rice.