Cooking Modern Cuisine in the Philippines

[Nicholo P]

It's been a while since I posted in the forums, but I wanted to share this with the community. I spent part of my holidays in the Philippines and decided to cook a tasting dinner for my mother and her friends. The idea was to use modern techniques as well as gums from GPI.

I have to say, this was one of the most challenging dinners I have ever made. Partly because of the menu, but mostly because of the location! Do not underestimate what humidity can do. Salts clump up, flours have a bit more moisture, and fridges are extremely humid and don't get as cold as fridges here in North America. Add in the tropical heat and it makes things even more different. However, dinner was a success and I greatly enjoyed the learning experience.

We cooked my aunt's house that only had 3 burners and a very limited number of pots. This was definitely a bottleneck during the cooking. Here are a few photos of the dinner. Wasn't able to take photos of all the dishes though. Hope you guys enjoy!

The 3 burners

Mango and apricot ravioli with basil. I used our sodium alginate for this one.

Poached pear and gorgonzola nugget

Tomato espuma, guanciale, mussel, cherry tomato, basil. Xanthan gum and lecithin was used as the stabilizer. I didn't want to use only lecithin as it would impart a beany taste.

Squash soup, creme fraiche, candied pecans. I used iota carrageenan to improve the rich texture. Soup was poured table side.

Scallop and squid, uni puree, apple puree. Lambda carrageenan was used to thicken the purees.

Enjoy!

[Jaymes]

Looks like a wonderful meal, and a great deal of time, inventiveness and care went into it. I'm sure your family felt pretty special. I lived in the PI for several years and remember it quite fondly. For one thing, it gave me a love of calamansi that has continued to this day. I'm never without at least one tree/bush, and usually more. Now, I've got three.

Thanks for sharing!

Edited January 4, 2012 by Jaymes (log)

[rotuts]

many thanks for sharing this. its looks delicious.

on the 'range' is that the standard for the area? the little raised tables for the gas burners? Ive never seen that before and it looks intersting.

[Nicholo P]

The standard in Philippines is that each house has 2 kitchens - a clean kitchen and a dirty kitchen. The dirty kitchen isn't exactly dirty, but rather it's where the maids do the cooking for the people in the house. The clean kitchen is for the owner who usually will do minimal cooking. In other words, it's mostly for show.

The dirty kitchen wasn't much better and was used by the maids, so we decided not to get in their way.

Thanks for the compliments! I too have a love for calamansi, especially when made into a hot lemonade. I miss it already.

[rotuts]

in both kitchens are the gas top cook areas arranges like 'little camp fires'

again thanks

please post more stuff from your area.

everybody here would love it.

Markets? Restaurants?

thanks

[Shalmanese]

How much stuff did you bring and how much was locally sourced?

[Nicholo P]

I brought in the foie gras, centrifuged tomato consomme, sous vide short ribs. I purchased double smoked bacon and guanciale in Canada. Those are the main ones at least. Other ingredients were my mushroom powders, freeze dried roasted garlic, xanthan gum, lambda carrageenan, flexigel, Pure Algin, calcium chloride and many more that I just can't remember. As for special equipment, I only brought in my smoke gun and some microplanes.

[Nicholo P]

in both kitchens are the gas top cook areas arranges like 'little camp fires'

again thanks

please post more stuff from your area.

everybody here would love it.

Markets? Restaurants?

thanks

I have tons of photos from a certain market, but that was from another visit and is in my other computer. I will most definitely post them here when I get to it.

[Jaymes]

Thanks for the compliments! I too have a love for calamansi, especially when made into a hot lemonade. I miss it already.

There is no need to "miss it." You can grow at least one bush/tree. I've grown them literally all over the world, including Alaska, where I had three. They make great potted plants. Sit them outdoors until the first freeze of winter threatens. Then bring them inside and set them by a sunny window until spring arrives. They're good bonsai plants as well.