MEAT
Meat to a Filipino typically means one of three things: pork, beef, or goat. Regional meat choices may also include locally raised animals such as sheep and caribou (water buffalo) or the occasional wildlife, such as deer or wild boar. Luckily, methods of meat preparation are not limited. Since the most affordable meats usually tend to be lower in quality, stewing and simmering are common techniques used to tenderize tough chewy cuts. Ham hocks, pork butt, beef chuck, and oxtail are examples of meats that are slowly stewed for a lazy hour or two until they are fork-tender and falling off the bone. However, the nicer pieces of tenderloin, rib eye or sirloin, need only a light infusion of marinade before grilling, stir-frying, or sautéing—quick-cooking techniques that preserve tenderness and flavor.
For the most part, pork dominates Filipino meat consumption except in the Muslim areas of Mindanao where the locals maintain a pork-free diet. Many Filipinos, especially those living in the rural areas of the Philippines untouched by large grocery stores, enjoy backyard bounties that are not limited to vegetable gardens and chickens but also include pigs. One smell that is certain to take me back to the island of Cebu in an instant is the smoky aroma of lechon, a roasted suckling pig, the quintessential Filipino fiesta dish that my father still makes on his homemade outdoor spit for special occasions. Admittedly, roasting a whole pig is not a light task, and likely not something you will be whipping up for a weekday dinner. Lechon Kawali is the manageable (although still not quick), stove-cooked version of this spit-roasted delicacy that yields the two most important elements of roasted pig: tender meat and sitsaron, crispy skin. Humba is, in my opinion, the cat’s meow of pork recipes in this collection: mahogany-colored chunks of pork simmered with fermented black beans, brown sugar, and vinegar served over Maja Blanca Mais (coconut corn pudding, page 139) made it the best-selling dish at my restaurant.
Beef made its way to the Philippines with the Spanish who, at great expense and effort, imported cattle from their Mexican territories. Caldereta is a classic Filipino stew traditionally made with delicious goat meat but here presented with chunks of flavorful beef and enriched with Chicken Liver Mousse (page 32) for a sauce that gives new meaning to the word velvety. Of course, included in this chapter is Bistek, a Filipino staple of marinated steak with onions, pairing two simple ingredients that complement each other so well. My version features crispy fried onion rings and a red wine–soy sauce, two nontraditional elements in Filipino bistek that nonetheless retain an undeniably Filipino flavor print. Spicy food is not a Filipino standard except on Palawan and Mindanao, the southern islands closest to Malaysia and Indonesia, and the Bicol region of Luzon where the locals often use native chiles (sili) to flavor their food. I have included one nontraditional, chile-spiced dish in Coriander-Crusted Beef in Black Bean Sauce, a grilled steak tossed with what I think may become your newest favorite barbecue sauce: an amazing melt of fermented black beans, hoisin sauce, and sambal ulek that quietly explodes with flavor and heat. This sauce holds a wealth of delicious possibilities when served with chicken, pork tenderloin, or scallops.
I was extremely hard-pressed to find authentic Filipino lamb recipes since it just isn’t a part of mainstream Filipino cuisine. The nontraditional Lamb Casoy (or Cashew-Crusted Lamb Racks) is my way of enjoying the distinctive flavor of lamb with a Filipino twist.
OVEN ROASTED PORK LECHON KAWALI
From the most modest gathering to the elaborately prepared holiday fiesta, lechon, or whole spit-roasted suckling pig, symbolizes the pinnacle of Filipino hospitality and generosity when it comes to sharing life’s rewards with family and friends. The time and care taken in preparing and roasting a lechon to perfection is rewarded with dark brown, crispy skin (most Filipinos would agree that the skin is the best part) covering juicy flavorful meat that is nearly falling off the bone onto your plate. Spit roasting your own pig is a weighty endeavor requiring heavy equipment, more than a few helping hands, and a majority of the day devoted to the task. Luckily, there is a more manageable alternative with Lechon Kawali, an oven roasted version of lechon. Kawali, meaning “pan” in Tagalog, is where the pork is first simmered until tender before being quickly fried to crisp the skin. I prefer the one-step ease of oven-roasting that yields the same results with much less mess and fuss. Traditionally, a liver sauce is served with both spit-roasted lechon and the kawali version, although I like to put a few other dipping sauces on the table for variety.
Serves 4
2 lbs (900 g) pork belly or pork shoulder, skin on
2 tablespoons kosher or sea salt
2 small bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, diced
¼ cup (50 ml) soy sauce
Lechon Dipping Sauce I: Liver Sauce
¼ cup (50 g) Chicken Liver Mousse (see page 32) or liver pâté
¼ cup (50 ml) water
1 green onion (scallion), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon calamansi juice
½ teaspoon soy sauce
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
Lechon Dipping Sauce II: Garlic and Soy
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon sambal ulek or chopped Thai chile
Marinate the pork: Thoroughly dry the skin of the pork with paper towels and score the skin every ½ inch (13 cm) with a sharp knife.
Generously rub the salt into the skin; this will draw out as much moisture as possible. Combine the bay leaves, garlic, onion, and soy sauce in a shallow baking dish. Gently place the pork in the dish meat side down so that the skin remains dry. Marinate uncovered in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roast the pork: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and fit with a roasting rack. Remove the pork from the marinade and place on the rack. Discard the marinade. Again, pat the skin dry with paper towels; don’t worry if you rub off some of the salt. It is very important that the skin is dry while cooking so that it crisps and puffs. Roast the pork for 1½ to 2 hours until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 155°F (70°C). Let the pork rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
To make dipping sauce I or II: Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Pour the sauce into a bowl and serve with the lechon.
The immense power of food to comfort and caress the human soul, even by the mere smell, is epitomized by this dish. Traditionally made with ham hocks, humba (shown opposite) is braised in a sweet-tangy liquid of fermented black. Although ham hocks undeniably produce a more robust humba, they are not the most practical cut, having very little meat under thick layers of skin and fat. Pork butt, also called pork shoulder, is a leaner, healthier substitute that gives you 100 percent of the flavor without the added guilt.
Serves 6
2½ lbs (1¼ kg) pork shoulder, cut into 1-in (2½-cm) cubes
¼ cup (25 g) dried fermented black beans
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
¾ cup (150 g) dark brown sugar
½ cup (125 ml) palm or coconut vinegar
¼ cup (50 ml) soy sauce
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 to 4 cups (750 ml to 1 liter) Chicken or Beef Stock (see pages 15 and 14)
Place all the ingredients in a large pot. There should be enough stock to cover the pork by 1 inch (2½ cm). Bring the mixture to a boil. Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface.
Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a low simmer for 2 to 2½ hours until the pork is tender. Remove the cover and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for another 30 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a thick sauce. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve with Maja Blanca Mais (page 139).
BEEF STEW CALDERETA
With beef stews coming in all shapes and sizes, the Filipino version, called caldereta, has its own unique standards that set it apart from the rest. The traditional meat of choice isn’t actually beef, but goat, which for more than half the world’s population, is everyday food. Like beef, lamb, or venison, goat meat has a distinct flavor and is tender and sumptuous when properly cooked. Because of goat’s limited availability in the United States, I more often make this recipe with either beef or lamb with stellar results. Caldereta also features the Filipino method of adding just a touch of liver to thicken the braising sauce. The liver is usually in the form of chopped beef or goat liver, or a prepared liverwurst. I use the Chicken Liver Mousse (page 32) as a silky, concentrated thickener that adds luscious flavor and incomparable richness without masking the stew’s natural brightness.
Serves 4
1 lb (450 g) beef chuck, cut into 1-in (2½-cm) cubes (substitute young goat meat, less than 1 year old, from the shoulder, shank, or leg)
2 tablespoons calamansi juice
¼ cup (50 ml) rice wine
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup (50 g) Chicken Liver Mousse (see page 32)
4 cups (1 liter) Beef Stock (see page 14)
1 bay leaf
½ cup (75 g) green olives
½ cup (65 g) grated Edam cheese
Combine the beef, calamansi juice, rice wine, soy sauce, and garlic in a large bowl and toss to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot (3 to 4 quarts/liters) over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until onion begins to brown. Add the beef with the marinade, tomato paste, chicken liver mousse, beef stock, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Using a ladle, skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 1½ to 2 hours until the beef is very tender when pierced with a fork. Stir in the green olives and remove from the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Sprinkle the stew with the grated cheese and serve hot.
CORIANDER-CRUSTED BEEF IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE
I first realized the culinary importance of fermented black beans in college when I tried cooking humba (page 108) for the first time, substituting a can of Mexican black beans for the real thing. Naturally, I was sorely disappointed by the results, which bore no resemblance to the humba of my heart. Without that distinct saltiness and rich flavor, my humba was shallow and incomplete. These small fermented soybeans are an essential flavor component in Asian cooking that cannot be replaced. I prefer using the semidried beans packaged in vacuum-sealed plastic instead of the canned variety, which definitely retains some of the metallic aftertaste of the tin. This black bean sauce is a treasure to have in your refrigerator. It serves as an amazing barbecue sauce basted over chicken or beef, and as a quick stir-fry sauce for meats, vegetables, or noodles.
Serves 4
Black Bean Sauce: makes 2½ cups (625 ml)
1 cup (125 g) fermented black soy beans
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup (250 ml) hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
1 cup (250 ml) light corn syrup
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Coriander-Crusted Beef
2 tablespoons crushed coriander seeds
1 lb (450 g) beef rib eye or sirloin
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 bunch (approximately ¼ lb/125 g) watercress, rinsed and woody stems removed
Make the sauce: Combine the fermented black beans and garlic in a food processor and pulse 10 to 15 times until finely chopped. Scrape into a saucepan and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until thick. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Prepare the coriander-crusted beef: Place the crushed coriander seeds in a large, plastic freezer bag. Place the beef in the plastic bag and press the crushed coriander seeds evenly onto the meat. Remove the beef from the bag.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When you see the oil smoking, carefully place the beef in the pan. Sear both sides of the beef for 3 to 4 minutes until the beef is well browned and the steak is cooked to rare (145°F/63°C). Remove the steak from the pan and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steak thinly across the grain. Heat the same pan on medium-high heat. Return the steak to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the black bean sauce and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the watercress to the pan. Toss to combine the greens with the beef and sauce. Serve immediately.
PORK MEDALLIONS WITH EGGPLANT SOFRITO TAPA NGA BABOY
There are two schools of thought when it comes to Filipino tapa: dry and wet. Both techniques call for thinly sliced meat that has been heavily marinated with a base of soy, sugar, and salt. To further preserve the meat, the slices are laid out for several hours in the sun to dry into jerkylike strips that can be stored or eaten after a quick panfry. The wet tapa method, as demonstrated here, skips the drying step so that the meat is tender when cooked. Tapa is a breakfast essential in the Philippines paired with sinangag, Garlic Fried Rice (page 79) and itlog, sunny-side up eggs, a triumvirate colloquially shortened to tapsilog. Although it requires a little preparation, tapa makes a deliciously different alternative to bacon or sausage for breakfast. I especially like pairing it with chopped green olives or this eggplant sofrito for a substantial dish worthy of attention at lunch or dinner.
Serves 4
Marinade
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons sweet soy
¼ teaspoon sambal ulek or dried red pepper flakes
1½ lbs (675 g) pork loin
Eggplant Sofrito
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tomato, chopped
¼ lb (125 g) eggplant, cut into ½-in (1⅓-cm) cubes
¼ cup (50 ml) Chicken Stock (see page 15)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Marinate the pork: Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sweet soy, and sambal ulek in a large bowl. Whisk to dissolve. Slice the pork into very thin medallions and place in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over the pork, making sure that each slice is covered with marinade. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Cook the tapa: Heat a skillet over a high flame. Lightly oil the pan with cooking spray or olive oil. When the pan begins smoking add the tapa slices. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook the tapa for 3 to 4 minutes per side until medallions are fully cooked and the sugar from the brine caramelizes. Dry the tapa on paper towels. Lay the tapa on a serving platter.
Prepare the eggplant sofrito: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large (3 to 4 quarts/liters) sauté pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, and tomato together for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato collapses. Add the eggplant and chicken stock. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes until eggplant is tender. Season with soy sauce and pepper. Serve alongside the cooked tapa.
RIB EYE STEAK AND ONION RINGS BISTEK
There is something about the simplicity of a perfectly grilled steak—lightly dusted with freshly ground peppercorns and cooked to perfect juiciness—that borders on art. Although a good cut of steak needs nothing more than salt and pepper to accentuate its natural flavors, Filipino bistek takes the meat one step further with a light marinade, originally intended as both a flavor agent and a tenderizer. Bistek traditionally uses a tougher cut of meat such as flank, skirt, or strip steak, which requires at least an hour of marinating time. Spending just a little more money on a nicer cut like rib eye or sirloin will ensure that your bistek is tender and juicy. This recipe strays from tradition with the addition of red wine, a very un-Filipino ingredient to add to a marinade. But it works nicely as a complex acid that eventually develops the steak sauce. Bistek is usually stir-fried but I find the incomparable flavor of a charcoal grill an asset to the dish. A stovetop grill pan is certainly a rainy day or winter alternative.
Serves 4
Marinade
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 small lime, zest and juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup (50 ml) red wine
¼ cup (50 ml) Beef Stock (see page 14)
2 lbs (900 g) rib eye, cut into ⅓-in (1⅓-cm)-thick steaks
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Marinate the steak: Combine the garlic, soy sauce, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, red wine, and beef stock together in a large baking dish. Add the steaks to the mixture and marinate for 10 minutes on each side.
Grill the steak: Heat the grill over medium-high heat. Lightly brush oil on the grates to ensure your steaks do not stick. Remove the steaks from the marinade, reserving the liquid, and grill the steaks for 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare to medium doneness (145 to 155°F/63 to 70°C). Remove the steaks from the grill onto a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice steak into thin strips and arrange on a serving platter. Keep warm.
Make the pan sauce: Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 2 minutes until translucent. Pour the reserved marinade into the sauté pan and cook over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the grilled steaks. Serve immediately with the crispy fried onion rings.
ONION RINGS
3 cups (750 ml) oil, for frying
1 cup (225 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (50 g) cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups (500 ml) cold water
2 large onions, sliced into ¼-in (6½-mm) rings
Preheat the oil in a deep pot (3 to 4 quarts/liters) to 350°F/175°C.
To make the batter, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and cold water in a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to lightly stir until just combined. Do not over-beat the batter. Dip the onion rings into the batter and allow the excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Place the onion rings in the hot oil, making sure that the pot is not overcrowded. Fry the onion rings until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with steak.
CASHEW-CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS LAMB CASOY
In 1609, Antonio de Morga, a Spanish administrator in the Philippines, noted in his famous book Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, not only the islands’ lack of sheep but the failure of imported sheep to thrive. Still today, lamb is not common fare on most Filipino tables. But with it being readily available and affordable here in the States, I couldn’t resist pairing lamb’s tender meat and distinctive flavor with Filipino ingredients. Casoy, or cashews, made a long journey from their native Brazil to the Philippines via Portuguese traders, who first introduced the delicious nut to the Asian continent through India. Along with peanuts and pili nuts, cashews are frequently used in Filipino dishes. Although typically reserved for desserts and sweets, nuts succeed in crossing over into savory territory, as they do here, crushed with mustard, olives, garlic, and ginger. Pair this dish with Guinataan (page 139), Pritong Saging (page 36), or Palm Hearts and Apple Salad (page 71) for a complementary range of flavors and textures.
Serves 4
1 cup (150 g) roasted cashews
¼ cup (50 g) green olives
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons mustard
1 teaspoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 Australian or New Zealand lamb rack with 8 cutlets (2½ to 3 lbs/1¼ to 1½ kg), frenched
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Make the cashew crust: Place the cashews, olives, garlic, mustard, and ginger in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse the mixture 10 to 15 times until the cashews are finely chopped but not a paste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Prepare the lamb: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut away the excess fat “cap” that covers the meaty chops, leaving just a thin layer of fat to keep the meat moist during roasting. Season the lamb with salt and pepper on all sides. Press the cashew crust onto the fat side of the lamb.
Cook the lamb: Place the lamb crust side up in a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack. Roast the lamb for 30 to 35 minutes until the meat thermometer reading in the center of the “eye” of the meat reads 145°F (63°C) for medium rare. Remove the lamb from the oven and loosely cover it with aluminum foil, allowing the meat to rest for 5 to 7 minutes before slicing between the bones to separate the chops.
Frenched Rack of Lamb
A frenched lamb rack means that the fat and sinew have been trimmed from around the rib bones so that they are attractively clean and exposed. Save yourself the trouble and ask your butcher to take care of this step for you. If attempting to clean your lamb at home, the procedure is relatively simple. You’ll need a boning knife or a thin-blade utility knife to easily maneuver around the bones. Start by holding the lamb upright, the ribs pointing up. Place your knife at the top of a rib and cut down along the side of each rib bone until you reach the fat cap that covers the meaty chop. Once you’ve cut away the fat and sinew between the bones, use your knife to scrape the bones clean.
BARBECUE PORK RIBS INASAL NGA GUSOK SA BABOY
While preparing for this book, I recently read one of my old journals from 1986, during my first visit to the Philippines. In describing the short walk from the airplane to the terminal as we disembarked, I scribbled my first impressions of the islands as “hot & humid . . . smells like barbecue.” And sure enough, the nose knows. Inasal or inihaw is Filipino barbecue, the common method of grilling or broiling food over an open flame that is so central to Filipino cookery that the smell permeates the island air. Very popular with street-food vendors and carindarias (roadside food stalls), Filipino barbecue isn’t just limited to grilled meats or chicken but includes whimsical dishes such as banana-cue, ripe plantains coated in sugar, kamote-cue, grilled sweet potato, and adidas, grilled chicken feet.
Serves 4
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green onion (scallion), chopped
¼ cup (50 ml) balsamic vinegar
¼ cup (50 ml) honey
¼ cup (50 ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
2½ lbs (1¼ kg) pork ribs
Combine the garlic, green onion (scallion), vinegar, honey, soy sauce, mustard, dried red pepper flakes, and five-spice powder together in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the flavors together. Place the ribs in a large pan and pour the marinade over the ribs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Marinate the ribs for 24 hours, turning the ribs after 12 hours so that both sides of the slab are marinated.
Preheat your grill over medium-high heat. Oil the grates. Remove the ribs from the marinade and place the slab on the hottest part of the grill. Discard the marinade. Sear the ribs over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side so that the sugar from the marinade begins to caramelize and brown. Move the ribs to a lower heat section of the grill. Cook the ribs over low-medium heat for 1 to 1½ hours until the meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone.
OXTAIL IN PEANUT SAUCE KARE-KARE
Oxtail is a cut of beef often misrepresented as inferior in cut and quality, which is not at all the case. I love serving oxtail because my guests are always pleasantly surprised by the tenderness and flavor that so differs from other more expensive beef cuts. Kare-Kare is an oxtail stew flavored with a complex peanut sauce that is both spicy and savory. What I love about Filipino cuisine is its ability to take simple everyday dishes and make them multidimensional with balanced layers of flavors. Serve this stew with fried onion rings (page 112) for a textural interplay of tender and crispy.
Serves 4
Peanut Sauce: makes ½ cup (125 ml)
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon chopped green onion (scallion)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sambal ulek
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
¼ cup (50 ml) coconut milk
Oxtail Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lbs (900 g) oxtail, cut into 2-in (5-cm) pieces
¼ cup (50 ml) rice wine
5 to 6 cups (1¼ to 1½ liters) water
¼ lb (125 g) green beans
¼ lb eggplant (125 g), cut into 1-in (2½-cm) cubes
Make the sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside. You can make this peanut sauce ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Make the stew: Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke carefully add the oxtail. Sear each side 3 to 4 minutes until all sides are well browned. Add the rice wine to deglaze the pan. Add the water so that the oxtail is completely covered. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the oxtail for 3 to 3½ hours until the oxtail meat is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Add the peanut sauce, green beans, and eggplant. Simmer for another 10 to 12 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Serve with crispy fried onion rings (page 112).
STUFFED BEEF ROLL IN TOMATO SAUCE MORCON
This fiesta dish of rolled steak stuffed with a hodgepodge of sweet and savory ingredients was not a common sight on our buffet table when I was growing up, which was disappointing once I had the pleasure of tasting morcon. Slices of tender beef beautifully wrapped around a steaming center filling of eggs, sausages, and olives with a little of the tangy tomato sauce spooned over the top made for an exciting departure from the commonly seen adobo, pancit, and inasal that graced our table. It may seem like an involved dish, but it’s actually quite simple to put together once you have the ingredients assembled. Beef is the standard for this dish, but I’ve also made it with a roast cut of pork with delicious results.
Serves 4
1½ lbs (675 g) flank steak
Stuffing
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz (175 g) buffalo mozzarella, sliced
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 green onions (scallions), chopped
8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, sliced
½ cup (75 g) chopped green olives
3 oz (85 g) chorizo de Bilbao
3 large hard-boiled eggs, halved
Sauce
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
¼ cup (50 ml) rice wine
1 can (24 oz/680 g) diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 bay leaf
1 cup (250 ml) Beef or Chicken Stock (see pages 14 and 15)
Prepare the steak: Butterfly your flank steak by slicing through the center of the steak horizontally, so that you have two large thin halves that open like a book. Be sure to leave one long edge of the steak uncut to hold the halves together. Place a large piece of plastic wrap on top of the butterflied steak and use a meat mallet to pound the meat to even thickness. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. You should have one large thin piece of steak, roughly 10 inches (25 cm) across and 9 inches (23 cm) wide.
Fill the steak: Evenly sprinkle the topside of the steak with the paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic. Lay the slices of mozzarella horizontally across the center of the steak. Sprinkle the chopped bacon, spring onions (scallions), mushrooms, and green olives evenly over the cheese. Down the center of the steak lay the links of chorizo and eggs in a row. Pull the bottom edge of the steak tightly over the filling and roll up the meat. Secure the morcon closed with kitchen twine or pandan leaves.
Cook the roll: Heat the grapeseed oil in a large (4 to 5 quarts/liters) sauté pan or Dutch oven over high heat. Once the oil is smoking, add the beef to the pan. Brown the meat well on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the browned meat to a plate. Add the rice wine to the pan and scrape off any browned bits into the pan. Add the tomatoes, dried red pepper flakes, soy sauce, fish sauce, bay leaf, and beef stock to the pan. Return the meat to the pan and cover. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, turning over the beef roll halfway through cooking, until the beef is tender.
Serve the morcon by removing the roll from the sauce onto a cutting board. Cut off and discard the kitchen twine. Slice the beef roll into ½-inch (13-mm)-thick slices and place on a serving platter. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and discard. Spoon the sauce over the sliced morcon and serve immediately.
SOFT-SHELL CRAB IN SPICY COCONUT SAUCE ALIMASAG NGA MAY GATA
MILKFISH WITH PILI NUT STUFFING INASAL NGA BANGUS
WHOLE ROASTED RED SNAPPER
MAHI MAHI IN GINGER-MISO BROTH PESA NGA MAY MISU
SWEET-AND-SOUR SKATE WING ESCABECHE NGA ISDA
CABBAGE-WRAPPED TILAPIA IN COCONUT MILK SINANGLAY
GRILLED GROUPER WITH EGGPLANT-PRUNE COMPOTE INASAL NGA LAPU LAPU
RAINBOW TROUT STUFFED WITH KABOCHA SQUASH AND WATER SPINACH
BATTERED FRIED SHRIMP HIPON REBOSADO
CRAB AND EGGPLANT TORTE TORTANG ALAMANG
GREEN LIP MUSSELS WITH MISO GUISADONG TAHONG NGA MAY MISU