Sweet & Sassy Filipino Sole

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SWEET & SASSY FILIPINO SOLE

 1/3 C Fruit juice Citrus or a mixture of tropical juices (Grape juice is just wrong)

(Check out the salsa recipe below for extra juice)

2 pounds sole fillets (or other white fish)

1 1/4  Cup cashews or pecans

1 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs (Japanese Panko crumbs are good)

2 tsp salt

2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Vegetable oil as needed for frying

1 large egg, beaten with 1 T water

Make the Citrus salsa first and then place fillets in a heavy zip-lock bag and pour in some of the juice. Seal the bag and chill fish for 15 minutes.

While the fish is marinating, crush the nuts (I used the blender) until finally ground  Place in shallow bowl and mix in bread crumbs and salt and pepper.

Pour 2 tablespoons oil into a 10- to 12- inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat; when hot, lift fillets from juice. Dip each in beaten egg, then in cashew mixture to coat.

Place single layer in hot pan, don’t crowd them.  Cook until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes; turn with a spatula and cook until other side is browned and fish is opaque but still moist-looking in center (cut to test), about 2 minutes longer. Drain briefly on paper towels; keep warm in a 200 degrees oven.

Transfer fillets to plates and top with citrus salsa; serve.

 CITRUS SALSA

Makes about 3 cups

1  Grapefruit (sectioned)

1  Honey tangerine (sectioned)

1  Sweet orange(sectioned)

1  Mango peeled and diced

1/3 cup chopped pineapple

1  Large lemon (peeled, and chopped)

1  lime (yeah you have the drill)

1  avocado

6  kumquats minced

1  fresh hot red chili pepper (de-veined, seeded, and minced)

2  tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon salt

When you section the fruit, be sure to remove the peel and membranes (white stuff).  Save some of the extra juice to marinate the fish.

Cut fruit into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut into smaller cubes, discard seeds.

Pit, peel, and dice avocado. In a bowl, gently mix citrus cubes, avocado, kumquats, chili, mint, and salt.

 

Imelda Marcos – This weeks dish

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IMELDA ROMUALDEZ MARCOS

July 2, 1929 –

Imelda Romaludez was born to a prominent family in the Central Visayas in Leyte Province, Philippine Islands.  Imelda was the oldest of five children in Vicente Orestes Romaludez second family(sounds like another story).  While still young her mother died and near the same time the Philippines was invaded by Japan in WWII.

1952 Imelda moved to Manila with her cousin Daniel who was the leader of the Nacionalista Party.  Within a year she won a national beauty contest and was crowned Miss Manila.  Not one to sit on her laurels she leapt from the runway to the limelight when she met Ferdinand Marcos and they wed within 11 days. 

After just a couple years of marriage her health was failing and a psychologist told her to embrace her husband’s political life or die. Imelda decided a second opinion wasn’t necessary and  returned to Manila and after having their second child. She took to politics with a vengeance. In 1965 Ferdinand Marco was elected president of the Philippines and she became one of the most recognized first ladies in recent history, often compared to Jacqueline Kennedy and Eva Peron but not Melania. 

Imelda was often called the Mother of the Philippines and the Steel Butterfly. In 1970 student protests began turning to violence. They were demonstrating about the disparity of wealth and the single party leadership of the country. Things began to escalate and President Marcos declared martial law.  At the same time Imelda stated that it was her responsibility to appear beautiful for the people as the masses needed her to make a perfect appearance.  Buying top designer labels would label her. In 1975 the poor average $200 a year income, and at the same time Imelda was responsible for building 14 luxury hotels, a multimillion dollar Nutrition Center, Folk Arts Theater, Convention Center, Heart Center, and a Lung Center.  In her spare time she began the Green Revolution a nationwide beautification campaign. New homes for the poor, wayward children and the aged were built. During natural disasters such as fires, typhoons, floods, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes (the Philippines is part of the ring of fire) people turned to Mrs. Marcos for relief and assistance. Not only because they believed she was compassionate, but because she would take action.

In 1978 she won a seat in the assembly, and it was discovered that due to Ferdinand’s poor health she had been running the government all along. 

President Marcos long time rival, Benigno Aquino Jr., former Philippine Senator, was assassinated on Sunday, August 21, 1983 at Manila International Airport. Aquino’s assassination is credited with transforming the opposition to the Marcos regime from a small, isolated movement into a national crusade. It is also thrust Aquino’s widow, Corazon Aquino, into a run for president in the election of 1986. Marcos was officially declared the winner of the election, but widespread allegations of fraud and illegal tampering, sparked the People Power Revolution, which resulted in Marcos fleeing the country and conceded the presidency to Aquino. During all of this upheaval, Imelda power shopped.  She doesn’t only buy designer outfits but also multi million dollar buildings in New York.

After they fled, it was discovered that she had accumulated massive amounts of personal items, jewelry and most famously 3,000 pairs of shoes.  She denies the number and states that it was only 1060 (does that include the tenny runners and flip flops?).The shoes became a symbol of the corruption and luxury that they enjoyed. They resettled in Hawaii, not the usual exile location. Three years later Ferdinand is dead.

Imelda was allowed to return to the Philippines to bury Ferdinand and she stayed.  In 1992 she ran unsuccessfully for president.  After that run she was convicted of corruption and sentenced to 12 years, but the Supreme Court overturns the decision.  In 1994 she rises from the ashes and is elected to a seat in congress from her home district.  Legally she has been fined $2 billion for a human rights settlement, found guilty of funneling $659 million to a personal account which she has been ordered to repay, and more than 100 other suits (law not Ralph Lauren) still pending.

She was been awarded $90 a month pension as the widow of a war veteran, and began shopping at Walmart. It appears that Imelda dreamed of becoming Queen, and came close. 

“The problem with First Ladies is that you have to set the standard. My role is to be both star and slave.”  Imelda Marcos

Australian Pavlova

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Perfect finish for any meal.

AUSTRALIAN PAVLOVA
Or is it New Zealand

  4 Egg whites

½   tsp  Salt

1½  cup Confectioners sugar

½  tsp  Vanilla

1   tsp White Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

1¼  Cup whipping cream, whipped

4  Cups Strawberries, sliced

4  Kiwi fruit, peeled and thinly sliced

You can also add Passion fruit, Raspberries or blueberries, up to you what fruits are your separate

2 Cups almonds

Place egg whites and salt in a large, CLEAN and DRY glass or metal bowl and beat until soft peaks form. *** see FYI below.

Gradually add the sugar, a tablespoonful at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly fold in the vinegar, vanilla and cornstarch.

Turn out onto a prepared (greased and floured or covered with parchment paper) and mold the mixture into a large round shape (approx. 9 inches in diameter) and make an indentation in the center.

Bake at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until firm to touch. Shut off oven, and leave door open, cool in the oven. When cool, place on serving plate, fill with whipped cream and decorate with strawberries, sliced kiwi fruit or whatever you chose.

If you wish do several layers and fill and stack.

Top with nuts.

If you are a real con artist, you can just buy some meringues at the store and fill them with fresh fruit, whipped cream and lovely little seasonings.

***FYI:  For a crisp white meringue layer is filled with whipped cream and fresh fruit. To keep your meringue from being flat and grainy, try beating egg whites until stiff but not dry. Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients. Also, when beating in sugar, beat in about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition. Then beat until meringue is thick, white and glossy. Be absolutely sure not a particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites.

NEW ZEALAND BROWN RICE SALAD

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New Zealand Brown Rice Salad

SERVES 6

1 cup brown rice
2 kiwi fruits

1 granny smith apple
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red pepper, strips
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 Tablespoon if dried
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Cook rice in water according to package directions. Drain and cool.

Peel kiwifruit and cut into 1/4″ thick slices. Cut slices in half to form semi circles.

Core and dice apple into 1/2″ cubes.

Toss together rice, kiwifruit, apple, celery, red pepper strips, walnuts, green onions and parsley in salad bowl.

Mix together vinegar and oil. Drizzle over salad. Toss to mix well.

Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours, to allow flavors to blend, before serving.

New Zealand Gold Kumara & Bacon Soup

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New Zealand Gold Kumara & Bacon Soup

Kumara are a native sweet potato to New Zealand – if you’re unable to find that any other sweet potato can be substituted.

SERVES 6

 2 /12 lbs gold kumara (Sweet potato, yam or pumpkin)
1 large leek
2 Cups of crumbled (cooked) bacon
1 finely chopped carrot
4 Cups chicken stock 
1 teaspoon yellow curry powder (the mildest one)
2 Tablespoons butter salt to taste

Peel, cut in chunks kumara/ potato add carrot and boil in the stock, until soft. Save the cooking liquid.

Cook leek in the butter. Do not brown, just cook until soft or it will lose its sweetness. Put to one side, then cook bacon until crispy. Once bacon is cooled chop or crumble into small pieces.

After the kumara/potato is cooled, mash in the liquid, or use a food processor to puree.

Add bacon and leek to the potato mash and cook gently for 15 minutes for flavors to blend.

NEW ZEALAND LEG O’ LAMB

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New Zealand Leg O’Lamb

12 –  8oz. servings

1 (4-5 lb)  boneless leg of lamb 

2 cups vinegar

1/2 garlic clove, small garlic thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons fresh mint– chopped fine or 3 teaspoons dried mint flakes

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups white wine

Place leg of lamb in baking dish – pierce with knife all over making cuts about 1/2 inch wide. Place sliced garlic in cuts that you have made. Pour the White wine over the lamb cover with lid. Let sit over night 12-hrs in the refrigerator.

Heat oven to 275 and roast lamb for 15-20 minutes then raise the temperature to 400 for 10-15 ) according to size.

While roasting, take the 2 1/2 cups of vinegar boil down to about 1 3/4 to increase acidity. While still hot add the sugar & mint then remove from heat to cool. When ready to serve you can make individual dipping servings for the sauce to serve with the lamb.

AMY BOCK

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AMY BOCK
5/18/1859 – 9/29/1943

Amy was born in Hobart, Tasmania as the first child of Mary Ann Parkinson and Alfred Bock. At the time of Amy’s birth, she hadn’t broken any laws or hearts, but it was still early in the day. Even though she was born in Tasmania, I restrained the urge for cheesy Devil jokes.  Her father was an itinerant artist and photographer; her mother was a mentally delicate flower who ended her existence in an insane asylum. Then again being pregnant by an “itinerant” artist in 1859, may have added to the delicate flower situation.

It is clear that Amy inherited qualities from both parents then she built on that base to give her existence a truly unique spin. Even though the Bock’s moved frequently, Amy was well educated, and able to work as a teacher in Gippsland, Australia prior to starting her career.

Around 1885 to 1886 she made her first appearance in the legal system. Ms Bock was summoned to court for acquiring goods on false credit, this was more than over charging her Visa limit. After her mother’s death, Daddy moved to Auckland, New Zealand and secured a second wife. He asked Amy to join them, and she followed. Entering into her new life Amy quickly found a position as a governess and within a few weeks Amy was in a New Zealand court. She was charged with defrauding her employer, now to be fair who among us haven’t done that to some degree? Since Perry Mason wasn’t a member of the New Zealand bar yet, she cried, moaned, wailed and howled admitting what she had done wrong. The judge felt sympathy and Amy was released, with a stern look, and a brand new defense of choice saving on attorney bills.

She continued to find employment in care-taking with the accent on taking.  She cooked and occasionally worked as a housekeeper. Ms. Amy would dazzle the employers with her charm and hard work; run a quick scam with a variety of stories and then move on. Amy never made much money in this endeavor, but she was diligent. It must have been more lucrative than working the menial jobs. She just wasn’t one to play within the rules.  From time to time she was caught in a pawn shop with an employer’s belongings; but usually the plan was more complex.  Amy often set up scenario, followed with a well embroidered yarn. That practice guaranteed short employment and a long resume.  She would pull her scheme-lie -and disappear, but she never tried to hide her trail. True to pattern, Amy would be arrested and back in court, over and over. She would weep – wail and ask God for forgiveness and the magistrate would take pity on the daughter of the insane kleptomaniac woman.  She was often sentenced and served months of detention, and upon her release Amy would be back on the hustle.

During one of her time away at “girls school” the superintendent was so impressed he offered her a teaching position. This came to a screeching halt, well before she was awarded tenure because she was busted for forging letters to aid in her escape.  Amy finally found a position as a housekeeper and stayed until the mid 1890, when she was caught converting her employer’s furniture into ready cash. This time she was sentenced to the maximum penalty: three years of hard labor with no shopping privileges.

She was released in 1892 with the stipulation that she live with the Salvation Army; we must assume they didn’t have their own thrift store yet. By Easter of 1893 she caught selling her landlady’s watch, and then back in the hoosegow.  Amy disappeared for a while after that, and it is possible that she was in an asylum for “fallen women”.  Upon her reappearance she assumed the identity of Molly Shannon and began to borrow money to buy a poultry farm, and then back to prison. She next became Agnes Vallance and history proves she was still pawning and hustling.

Around this time she finds her ultimate guise, Percival Leonard Carol Redwood, son of a wealthy widow and nephew to an archbishop. She holidayed at the coast and started to pay court to another landlady’s daughter.  They were engaged within weeks.  Percival/Amy maintained the appearance of wealth by a series of deceptions, lawyers, money orders and loans. The wedding took place on April 12, 1909. Four days later Bock was degroomed and arrested. Finally the court declared her a habitual criminal. The marriage was annulled on June 17, 1909, there were no children.

This followed with a spectacular trial worthy of the National Enquirer. Her names and crimes were exposed. It didn’t go well for Percy/Amy; she was locked away until 1911. When released she snagged a position as an entertainment director for a retirement home. (Wait while I wrap my mind around that). There is no record of any field trips to pawn shop. Three years later in 1914, she married Charles Edward Christofferson.  It only lasted a year due to Amy’s debts. (Chuck was it only the debts that you couldn’t tolerate?) So she picked up her career with several more misadventures, and in 1931 she had her last court date she was placed on probation and ensconced at the Salvation Army home, thanking her lucky stars that the US three strike laws had not been put on the books in New Zealand.

Amy Bock died August 29, 1943. She was a complex character, who made an unconventional life for herself, with the fear of insanity constantly lurking, she was still able to assume identities, forge signatures and creates stories. She is considered an eccentric, a crook, a liar, a thief, but at the very least she was a true original, and we will cook for her this week.

Galaktoboureko

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GALAKTOBOUREKO
Translates as OMG, you made this!
Thanks to Maria K for the recipe

Ingredients

6 cups whole milk
1 cup semolina flour
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter, melted
12 sheets phyllo dough
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
Optional cinnamon

Directions

Pour milk into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the semolina, cornstarch, 1 cup sugar and salt. Be sure there are no clumps.

When milk comes to a boil, gradually add the semolina mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Remove from heat, and set aside. Keep warm.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer at high speed. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, and whip until thick and pale, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla.

Fold the whipped eggs into the hot semolina mixture. Partially cover the pan, and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish, and layer 7 sheets of phyllo into the pan, brushing each one with butter as you lay it in. Pour the custard into the pan over the phyllo, and cover with the remaining 5 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you lay it down.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top crust is crisp and the custard filling has set. In a small saucepan, stir together the remaining cup of sugar and water. Bring to a boil. When the Galaktoboureko comes out of the oven, spoon the hot sugar syrup over the top, particularly the edges. Cool completely and garnish with cinnamon if you wish for before cutting and serving.

Store in the refrigerator if by any miracle there is any left.

 

GREEK SALAD

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All the goodies don’t forget the Oregano like I did.

GREEK SALAD

Ingredients

4 Medium juicy tomatoes, preferably organic tomatoes
1 Cucumber, peel stripes lengthwise, makes the salad jazzy
1 green bell pepper, cored
1 medium red onion
Greek pitted Kalamata olives
Salt
4 Tablespoon good quality extra virgin olive oil
1-2 T red wine vinegar
8 oz or more creamy Greek feta cheese
1/2 T quality dried oregano or 1 T if you have fresh, finely chopped

Instructions

Cut the tomatoes into wedges or large chunks.

Cut the partially peeled cucumber in half length-wise, then slice into thick halves

Thinly slice the bell pepper into rings.

Cut the red onion in half and thinly slice into half moons.

Place everything in a large salad dish. Add a big handful of the pitted kalamata olives.

Season very lightly with salt.

Combine olive oil and red wine vinegar and shake it.

Give everything a very gentle toss to mix; do NOT over mix, this salad is not meant to be handled too much.

Now add a generous amount of feta on top then sprinkle on oregano and serve.

 

Avgolemono (αυγολέμονο) Soup (Egg-Lemon)

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AVGOLEMONO SOUP (Egg-Lemon)
αυγολέμονο

2 cups cream or half and half

6 egg yolks, beaten

2 quarts chicken stock

1/2 cup long grain rice

1/4 cup butter

2 bunch Italian parsley -chopped

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (Many recipes call for more  I used the juice of three large lemons-very lemony 😉

Zest of one lemon

salt and pepper

Thin slices of lemon for garnish

Beat egg yolks, and stir in the cream. Set aside.

Bring the stock to boil in a 4 quart soup pot and add the rice. Cook, covered, until the rice is puffy and tender, about 25 min.

Remove the soup from heat, and temper the egg mixture, which is stirring in a few ladles of the stock mixture slowly into the egg and cream to bring up to temperature without cooking.  Once tempered, slowly add the tempered egg mixture to the remaining stock. Continue to cook over medium low heat while it thickens. Remove from the heat and add the butter, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and finely grated lemon peel.

Float the lemon slices on top before service.

This soup is great either hot or cold and you get creative and add other ingredients once you have this lovely start.