Corned Beef Sinigang! Your Feast for St. Patrick's Day

 St. Patrick's day is just around the corner. Yet another reason to drink beer, wear green and eat corned beef. Although when I did my research, people from Ireland don't really eat corned beef and cabbage. Wiki notes that it just became popular in the US after Irish immigrants ate corned beef instead of pork. Probably it's cheaper back then but because of that, corned beef is always associated with St. Patrick's day

Corned beef is a salt cured beef product which is marinated in different spices. It is one of my favorite dishes when I was growing up. My understanding of corned beef was always the canned meat that you fry with onions, tomatoes and potatoes served with garlic rice and topped with egg. I eat that for breakfast at least once a week back home. When I came here in the US, that's really when I tried the real thing which is totally different. No comment on which one I prefer.

The first time I've eaten Corned Beef Sinigang was back in the Philippines in this restaurant called Sentro 1771 (Check their menu and see what other amazing food they are coming up with). You can say it inspired me to make this dish. I didn't really know what to expect but when I tasted it, it works. Sinigang is a tamarind based soup and usually uses pork or shrimp. The sour component works well with the salty taste of the corned beef. The chili added that extra kick that will make you want to stuff more rice in your mouth.

Here's what you need:

• 2-3 lbs. of Corned beef. (Got mine from Trader Joes)
• 1 Cabbage (cut in quarters then halved)
• 1 lb. of Green beans/Haricots verts
• 3 Roma Tomatoes (quartered)
• 1 medium Onion (quartered)
• 3 Chili Peppers such as Jalapeno or Serrano
• 1 package of Sinigang mix (I used Sinigang with Taro/Gabi but you can use any) Found at your Asian Supermarket
• 1 tbsp. of Fish sauce

 1. First, cut the beef into 2 inch cubes.

2. In a large pot, boil the meat in 4 cups of water or until all meat is submerged. Add onions and tomatoes. You don't really have to be particular when chopping the onions and tomatoes since it will be really soft and we will strain the soup later anyways. We just want the flavor of it for the broth.

3. Simmer for about 2 hours. Once the meat is tender, add the Sinigang soup mix and simmer for another 15 minutes.

4. Transfer the meat into the serving dish (We are not done yet we just want to separate the meat and the veggies so that it's easy to mix in the pot). Put the cabbage first and cook for 5 minutes. Take it out and arrange together with the meat. Then cook your green beans for 2 minutes. Take it out and transfer to your serving dish. Add a little bit of water to the pot if needed. Add fish sauce to your liking. Strain the sauce and pour over your serving dish. Serve with rice.

Tips: To properly enjoy this, it's best served with steamed rice and a fish sauce. Spoon over some of the soup over the rice and drizzle some fish sauce over the meat and the rice.

If you are planning to store some of it, it's better to separate the soup from the meat and veggies so that the veggies won't be over cooked when reheating. Microwave the meat and soup then just add the veggies.

Fremont Diner - A Sonoma Pit Stop

Me and my wife only have 3 hours to spare in Sonoma so I have to think of a way to make the most out of it. Two spots came into my mind: Fremont Diner and Cornerstone. I've read about Fremont Diner on magazines and online publications and the reviews were great. And so, we drove 49 miles to Sonoma to check this place out.

Looking from the outside it doesn't seem that much. It looks like an ordinary diner and the signage appears old. When you step inside though, it's far from ordinary. It feels like your in an antique fair. It definitely has character. You'll notice rusted decor, classic posters, vintage cabinets and they even use county fair drinking jars for water. The tables are wooden picnic tables similar to those in your local parks but it's painted in a blue-greenish color. It feels like your eating outdoors which is basically true since the dining area is outside and is covered with a tent. The tent is somewhat transparent which is nice given that it's right beside a vineyard. The place is also fit for families. There's ample amount of space for the little ones to wonder. So we can say that the ambiance is great now I'm excited to taste if the food is legit.

Looking at the menu, you'll notice that it's dominantly Southern comfort food with a California-Mexican influence. There were Biscuits and Gravy, Shrimp and Grits, Hangtown Fry and Huevos Rancheros to name a few. Our server suggested Chicken and Waffles and the Black Pepper Brisket Hash. And so we listened, and both were amazing! I was surprised with the amount of chicken. There are 4 pieces of meat which I think makes the dish share-able. The waffle was okay but the chicken was the star.  It was crispy on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside. The seasoning was spot on as well. My favorite though was the smoked black pepper brisket hash. The meat was amazing. It's smoky, peppery and very flavorful. It comes with a sunny side up fried egg, some sage and caramelized onions and potatoes. The combination is just perfect. They also serve Four Barrel coffee which is refillable. That really added up and scored more points on my book.

I just love this restaurant. Their menu even showcased the local farms that supplies their food. They also have a backyard farm where we actually saw their chickens eating baguettes. That probably explains why the eggs and the chicken were delicious. Can't get any fresher than that. I must say, I highly recommend this place. If you are ever in the Napa - Sonoma area, this is a must-eat restaurant. Start your day here before heading out to the wineries, or maybe go after being intoxicated. I think it has a lot to offer and I'd drive 49 miles again to eat at this restaurant.

Fremont Diner
2698 Fremont Drive, Sonoma, CA
707-938-7370
http://thefremontdiner.com/

Rosamunde opens in Oakland

Nuernberger bratwurst - Savory pork sausage with sweet peppers and grilled onions

It was a sausage fest last Wednesday night in Oakland. Rosamunde has finally arrived on the other side of the bay and people got excited about it. This is their 4th location ( 2 in SF, 1 in Brooklyn) and I'm glad I don't have to cross the bay to get some fine sausages. The restaurant is right beside my favorite sausage shop, Taylor's. It's where I get my Longanisa and Pork belly fix. I even heard a rumor that you can buy any sausage at Taylor's and their next door neighbor will cook it for you.

45 minute sausage line

Their opening party was a success. I didn't expect that it's going to be that packed. Average wait time to get your sausages is about 45 minutes. I guess people got really excited and can't wait till the next day to beat the crowd including myself. Their sausages were amazing and you can choose 2 toppings to go with it for $6. That night they were featuring 2  beers from Linden Street Brewery for just $1. Aside from that they also have about 16 beers on tap.

Rosamunde is a great addition to the neighborhood. I have to say, Old Oakland is going to be big this year.  Miss Ollie's recently opened as well which gives the place some Caribbean flair, there's Cosecha which serves amazing authentic Mexican food, Borgo Italia opened a few months back and local shops like Umami mart. I love what's happening in Oakland and I'm glad I work just a couple blocks up.  

Wild boar sausage with apples, cranberries and spice

Rosamunde Sausage and Grill
911 Washington Street
inside Swan's Marketplace
Oakland, CA 94607
510-338-3108
http://www.facebook.com/RosamundeSausageGrillSF

Benchmark Pizzeria

Great staff of Benchmark Pizzeria

Here are the photos I took at this cute little pizzeria in Kensington for an article for Berkleyside. Here's the link: http://www.berkeleyside.com/2012/12/11/cozy-space-wood-fired-pizza-comes-to-kensington/

I'll let the photos do the talking.

beer and wine on tap

900 F

Bacon. Brussels sprouts

Lovely couple Peter and Melissa of Benchmark Pizzeria

I never knew Kensington existed before I came to this restaurant. It's right between Berkeley and Richmond. If for any reason I need to go to this city, Benchmark would be a good one.

One Pot Dinner: Kale, Tofu and Sausage

It's Winter time or probably just Fall. Whatever season it is, when December comes you'll see a lot of greens at the market. Whether it's collard greens or kale, it becomes part of our diet during this holiday season. I adapted this recipe here:  http://savorysweetlife.com/2012/05/kale-mabo-tofu/. It looked good so I decided to try it and give my own interpretation of it. I added some porkyness to the dish by browning some Italian sausage. I think it worked well. You can probably substitute it with the sausage of your choice. Maybe Longganisa?

I think this is a pretty basic and simple recipe. It's all about just cooking the tofu and sausage and mixing them all together with kale. The only tip I would give is that when you brown the sausage, there is a time where you don't want to touch it so that it devlops that crispy caramel flavor. I would say leave it for 3 minutes on medium heat without touching it that way there would be those crispy parts.

Ingredients:

·       2 tbsp. vegetable/olive oil

·       1 tbsp. minced ginger

·       1 tbsp. minced garlic

·       1 tsp. red chili flakes (optional)

·       half of a medium red onion, diced

·       1 pound Italian Pork sausage

·       1 package firm tofu, cut in 3/4-inch cubes

·       2 tbsp. oyster flavor sauce

·       1 tbsp. soy sauce

·       1 cup chicken broth

·       4 cups baby kale leaves (chopped)

·       2 tbsp. chopped scallions/green onions

Instructions:

1.     Add 1 tbsp. vegetable oil to a large skillet heat on medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. (Make sure to remove the casing of the sausage and break it down while cooking it. I also leave it about 2-3 minutes without touching it so that there will be some crispy parts – The best part J). Set aside

2.      Cook Tofu. What I did was to bake it until crispy. 400 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping it halfway through. You can also fry it if you want. Set aside.

  

3.      Using the same pan where you cooked the sausage, heat it on medium heat and add remaining oil. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for about a minute, just enough to soften the garlic and for it to be aromatic. Add chili flakes and onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes until onions are soft.

4.       Add Pork, mix. Add Tofu, mix well. 

5.       Add soy sauce and oyster sauce. Mix and cook for about 2 minutes.

6.       Stir in the chicken broth. 

7.      When the broth begins to bubble in a light simmer, add the kale. You may want to add kale in batches so your pan is not crowded.

8.      Once, wilted. Turn off heat. Serve with steamed rice, brown rice or quinoa. I did mine with Red quinoa! Garnish with scallions J

Golden Summer cocktail

I know I know, Summer is over. But who cares? We can still feel and taste Summer even if it's fall right? This drink lets you taste the freshness of the basil and lemon while honey gives its golden SF color! I think you can enjoy this drink all year round. As long as you have the ingredients plus the right mood you are set. 

Nice to meet you Jack

I based this recipe from a whiskey sour which is lemon juice, simple syrup plus your favorite whiskey. Since I have a Basil plant I decided to add it for freshness then I used honey instead of simple syrup since I was lazy to make one. I think the honey gives a great golden color. The only thing I recommend you to do is to stir the honey and lemon juice first so that the honey will thin out a bit then add the whiskey, ice and basil leaves. You also want to shake it about 20 seconds on your cocktail shaker just until your hands get cold. Since honey is sticky you want to really shake that thing like you mean it.




Liquid Gold



Slicing the lemon: I got this tip on a cooking demo at Jack London Square. If you don't have a lemon squeezer and you want to get less seeds, when you squeeze the lemon, don't cut the lemon in the middle. Most seeds are in the middle so if you cut it on the sides, you'll get less. Sometimes you'll still get some seeds but it will be easier to get rid off if you do it this way.

Another tip I got just by observing the bartenders is to slap your herbs before garnishing it. So before putting a basil leaf as a garnish, slap it just to release the aroma and drop it on your cocktail.

There you go! This is my first cocktail post! I know my blog is all about food and bites but sometimes you just need a good cocktail to enjoy your food and tickle those tastebuds. Try it out and tell me what you think. I almost got tempted to add a couple slices of jalapeno before shaking it to give it a good kick. Maybe you should try it?


   

SF Street Food Festival 2012

La Cocina's 4th Annual Street Food festival is definitely an SF food event not to miss. It is one of the biggest food events in the city where popular restaurants and even the pop-up ones are gathered in one street in the Mission to serve food street style. The festival is getting bigger and bigger every year. This year, it stretches from 20th street to 26th at Folsom. The crowd is not getting any lesser as well. There were about 70 food vendors with about 2 dishes and 1 drink each. Nothing also costs more than $10. The only thing that will cost you is your time and based from previous years, expect to wait in line.

Line for State Bird Provisions' Burrata and Fried Garlic bread.

Now that's long.

Everybody has their own mission or strategy when going to these events. For me, I have to ask myself, which food stall is worth waiting in line. So before going, I have to make a list of restaurants to try. Have some friends go with you too so that they can fall in line and you can taste what  they are eating as well. The more prepared you are the better and I'm pretty sure most of the people there have some sort of POA (plan of attack).

These guys sure have a plan. Caleb Zigas (right) is the mastermind behind the festival.

I got to read the blogs and wrote down what not to miss. I even went to the media walk through so I can get a glimpse of what's new and what's hot. So here are the results. My top 5 bites from the festival:

5. Lali's Chicken Blintzes with Salsa

Not alot of Georgian food in the bay area and I wasn't really expecting anything from this lumpia looking treat but it was packed with flavor. Definitely addictive fried Georgian snack.

4. Don Bugito's Wax Moth Larvae Tacos

The most exciting part was the fer's bite/ first bite. You don't know what to expect. Is it gross? Are there any bitter juices afterwards? After the first bite, it wasn't bad. It's actually just a texture thing. Like your eating chicharrones but healthier? Whatever it is, it was my first and it was interesting.

3. Radio Africa Kitchen's Grilled Leg of Lamb

Oooohh such juicy grilled lamb with flavorful spice packed sauce all over it. Wish I had some rice to go with it! :)

Eskender Aseged of Radio Africa

2. Il Cane Rosso's Deviled Ham Scotch Egg

I Love egg. I Love it especially if it's wrapped with ham. I Love it even more if it's breaded and deep fried. It was one of the best bites from the festival for sure.

1. State Bird Provisions' Fried garlic bread with Burrata

Ahh State Bird Provisions. It was recently named Best New restaurant in America by Bon Appetit. That probably explained the 30 minute waiting in line. Like I said before, I need to choose which restaurant is actually worth the wait and for me this was it. The garlicky fried bread is just flaky and just fried to perfection. They topped it with Burrata that just melts away dripping on your bread. They topped it with some flavored salt. It was quite an experience. No forks needed, in fact, they ran out of it. You just have to pull off the bread get some of that cheese goodness and enjoy life!

Here are some of the food and the scene from last Saturday:

Quesadilla from La Torta Gorda

The Falafel dog from The Peached Tortilla

Hawker Fare's Issan Sausage rice bowl

Surf and Turf from The Peached Tortilla

Rice Paper Scissors' fried daikon cake

15 Romolo's chicken wings "Boriquas"

To Hyang's Spicy Pork Ribs

The Prawn Baguette from Eurotrash

Chiefo's Moi Moi: black eyed peas, crayfish and corned beef

Jarred's pickled green tomato fried in lard topped with 4505 chicharrones

From Bahn Mi Love you Long Time

La Luna Cake Pops

The SF Street food festival is a great way to showcase the different talented chefs and the food entrepreneurs of the Bay area. Not only are we helping out small businesses but we also get to learn and enjoy what other cultures have to offer. It's my first time eating larvae but I'm pretty sure it's normal for some people. Last weekend was really an experience. Even if I didn't get to eat every single food from the event, it's okay, I know I ate some amazing food, helped out and supported women entreprenuers, met some amazing people and most of all I had some fun.

More pics at my FB page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.456453297727933.106343.209952209044711&type=1