Chicharon nga!

Last Saturday we went to the schlacthof (slaughterhouse). It is the only place in Zürich where I can find meat as I know it. Not the aseptic, museum-type ones that are so nicely packed at the Migros and Coop. I saw the pork skin and immediately asked for it. The butcher, I think, was just happy to get rid of it that he gave it to me for free. I think he gave me enough to make a few leather jackets. =)

I remembered I saw a recipe for chicharon in Reynaldo Alejandro's cookbook. It seemed easy enough. I decided to give it a try without any expectations.

So, I cut the pork skin (the ones I had was already clean---shaved and everything) into 4 cm by 2 cm rectangles. I boiled the skin in water with salt for about 30 minutes. I didn't measure how much salt I added but probably it was about 2 tablespoons. After boiling, I laid the skin on a baking pan and baked for 3 hours at 150C . After baking, the skin looked brown, dry and leather-like. I heated oil in a pan and deep fried the rectangles one by one.

"Wow! Ang galing-galing!" I exclaimed while jumping up and down. My husband was looking at me in amazement wondering I guess if we had won the lotto. "I made chicharon!" I shouted as the pork skin started to expand and pop in my frying pan.
I think I have reached a peak in my quest for Filipino cuisine culinary expertise. Not even in my wildest dreams have I thought I could make chicharon.

After frying, I placed the chicharon on a strainer to allow the oil to drain. Of course, after draining, I immediately tried it. It tasted like "real" chicharon!
Shallow? There is a reason why chicharon is found in every street corner in the Philippines. Filipinos love chicharon. Some dishes are not complete if not laced with this cholesterol-filled wonder. La paz batchoy without chicharon? Incomplete. Palabok without chicharon? Definitely incomplete. Me eating chicharon? Happiness.

Don't forget to dip it in vinegar for best results! =)

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Apple and Sage Stuffing

As soon as I saw the pumpkins at Coop, I knew I have to work on this post. Since Thanksgiving last year, my good friend Mike has been asking me for the recipe of the stuffing that I prepared for our Thanksgiving dinner (the picture below was taken by Mike from this dinner). Today, I willed myself to look for my recipe which my husband seriously hid under some papers.
The first time I tried stuffing was maybe about 7 years ago at a Thanksgiving party thrown by American students in my hometown in the Philippines. It was such a revelation for me. My Japanese friend, Kazumi and I "camped" near the buffet at the party and together we ate all the stuffing. I never forgot the taste of that stuffing. So, years later in Zurich, I tried to recreate that beautiful stuffing recipe. I realized that "the new taste" I was so fascinated about was the combination of apples and sage. So, armed with the memory of that stuffing from 7 years ago, I put together this stuffing recipe.

2 tbsps garlic, chopped
3 onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 apples, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsps dried sage
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/2 tsp thyme
2 whole wheat bread loaf, diced
1/2 cups chicken stock
milk

1. Saute garlic and onion in butter;
2. Add apples, celery, raisins and bread;
3. Add chicken stock;
4. Slowly add milk until all the bread is soaked;
5. Add the herbs;
5. Season and taste;
6. Remove from heat;
7. Place inside turkey or bake in a pan at 180 C for 30 minutes.

Note: Adjust the amount of sage to taste.

So, my dearest Mike and Christina, I am sorry for the delay and advanced happy Thanksgiving!

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