Pork Afritada AKA Yummy Filipino Stew

Ingredients:

·         500 g Pork, or meat of your choice cut into smaller cubes

·         3-4 Potatoes

·         2-3 Carrots

·         200g Tomato Paste

·         Cup of vegetable stock  

·         1 tomato

·         1 red bell pepper

·         3 minced garlic cloves

·         3 bay leaves

·         1 white onion

·         Can of peas

·         Tbsp paprika

1.       Salt the pork cubes. Toss in a wok with some oil and paprika.

2.       Toss in the garlic and the inions.

3.       Make sure the meat is browned on all sides and then add the stock, tomato and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4.       Add the potatoes and cover the wok for 5 minutes.

5.       Add the carrots, peas and tomato paste and cover again for 10 minutes.

6.       Add the bell peppers and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.

7.       Salt and pepper to taste. The stew should be done when the potatoes are at your desired tenderness.

8.       Serve over steamed rice.

Coconut Lentil Soup

So I accidentally bought 2 kilos of lentils at La Vega one day thinking that I would probably go through it quickly. But after my second batch of lentils and rice for the week I soon got bored. I remembered this restaurant that Nancy, Elizabeth, and I used to frequent in Denver that served this great lentil soup. I decided to try my hand at making that soup. After scouring the internet for possible recipes I came up with nothing. This recipe is the first and probably only one I have ever concocted that has absolutely no bases on someone else’s recipe. This is my most requested recipes. I don't have a picture because I always forget to take one. By the time I remember to take one everyone has already devoured it.


Ingredients:

• 4 cups soaked lentils

• 4 cups broth (vegetable, chicken, whatever you have on hand)

• Can of coconut milk

• 1 red onion

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• Tbsp paprika

• 2 tbsp garlic

• 2 tbsp cumin

• 2 tbsp ground ginger

• Pinch of salt

• Pinch black pepper

1. Sauté the onions and garlic.

2. Mix in the lentils, the broth and all of the spices.

3. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes until the lentils are really tender.

4. Next pour into a blender and blend in batches. If you don’t have a blender you should be able to use a potato masher.

5. Put your pureed lentils back into the pot and add the can of coconut milk. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. You can experiment with the flavor a bit by putting in more of the spices.

I honestly don’t keep track of how much of each spice I put into the soup. I just keep experimenting until I get the taste that I like.

Notes:

• I've tried putting a cup of pumpkin. If you do this I recommend adding two more teaspoons of cumin and a little nutmeg.
• This recipe is very forgiving and you can really get away with a combination of different spices.
• Make sure you buy coconut milk and not the coconut mix stuff that's intended for pina coladas.
• If you want it to be a little spicier I would suggest some curry paste.

Pesto Pasta

Pesto ingredients:

• Cup of chopped up fresh basil

• Half cup of fresh parsley

• ¾ cup nuts (walnuts, peanuts, pine nuts)*

• 2 cloves of garlic

• Half cup chicken/vegetable broth**

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• Pinch of salt

Other ingredients:

• Pasta

• Half a red onion

• 2 tomatoes

• 1 avocado

• Parmesan cheese

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender until you have a paste.

2. After you drain your pasta use the same pot and put a little oil or butter in it.

3. Quickly sauté your chopped red onions and tomatoes.

4. Turn off the heat.

5. Mix together the pesto, red onions, tomatoes, avocado, parmesan cheese.

This recipe is very versatile. You can add chicken, shrimp, or meat when you sauté the onions. I would suggest adding a little pepper and maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want to add the meat. You could also sauté some asparagus, spinach, or any other vegetable you might favor. I usually add more than one avocado because it costs about $2 for a kilo here in Chile (or 3 kilos for $2 depending on which guy you boy from). I’m pretty much living in avocado heaven. If you boil a whole bag of pasta you'll probably end up using about 3/4 of the pesto paste.

* Most pesto recipes call for pine nuts. I have yet to come across them in Chile so I just use whatever nuts I have in my pantry (usually walnuts and peanuts)

**You can also just mix half a bouillon cube with half a cup of hot water.