I make no bones about the fact that I’m glad 2015 is over. It was not a good year for me — certainly far from terrible, but also inauspicious (and the less said, the better). So while everyone is trotting out their best-of lists, let me treat you to my version of a culinary dump file. These were the dishes that did not make the grade, or need re-visiting, or, in a case or two, literally exploded in my face (I’ll leave you guessing which ones).
Up top, a Lebanese-inspired braised chicken (no tagine, obviously), with pine nuts, lemon zest, and lots of appropriate spices. The ’rents turned up their noses at this one. I could not even begin to pinpoint the culprit/s: there was coriander, cinnamon, prunes, and, of course, lemon. If you ask me, though, the biggest sayang factor were the pine nuts, easily the most expensive component of the dish.
While one does not have to have tasted a dish to make it himself, it helps to have a point of reference. Then I could have been more articulate about why I was not particularly impressed with my crabs Maritess. More wine? Olive oil? Garlic? Note to self: next time you find yourself near a Red Crab, go.
Jackfruit burger, anyone? Hey, I had to try. Still, Jollibee need not worry. And I’m still trying to figure out what that yellow thing beneath the patty is — it looks too thick to be cheese. Pineapple, perhaps?
Strata, from a recipe by Rachael Ray. Two words: pandesal and Star.
So what’s the matter with this picture? These supposedly crispy tadyang ng baka (beef ribs) were so tough, even our dogs passed up on them. I’m so proud of our dogs.
As a big fan of beef tapa, I was excited to see locally-made kosahos kabaw (carabao jerky) on display at the provincial food fair. Tough as shoe leather and just as flavorful, it made me wonder if the food peddled at these affairs are actually vetted by someone.
Ah, nostalgia. I had wonderful memories of the pork sinigang from college boarding-house days in Malate. Ate Helen, our Pampangueña cook, made it with iba (bilimbi) picked straight from the tree in the front yard. Mine did not come out as good. Maybe it was the drugs, after all. (Kidding.)
“Why are onion rings so expensive for something so simple?” a friend once asked. So we made blooming onion. It could have looked better and maybe I will make it again; depends on the results of my next lipid panel.
We dropped by this carinderia in Macrohon, looking for ice, and ended up buying all of their fried vegetable lumpia — they were that delicious. Then we went back last Sunday and they just did not taste the same. Meanwhile, we tried making our own. Not bad at all, but I had to call in Jenny and Eva to do the rolling. Life is too short.
But obviously I could be bothered to fry shrimps, okra, and onion rings in a beer-and-chickpea batter. Messy as all heck, and the coating did not keep crispy for too long, and then it was simply awful.
And more shrimp: my folder says “lemongrass shrimp.” I didn’t even bother to jot down notes for this one. That says something right there.
Oh, there was a lot more that went awry last year, you only have to see the archives. You cook, you learn to live with these things. Some days are better than others. Today is one more. So, what do you have in mind? Let’s hit the kitchen!
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