- Main ingredients: Shrimp, olive oil, garlic, and chili peppers.
- Flavor profile: Rich, garlicky, and savory, with a hint of heat from the chili.
- Preparation: Shrimp are quickly sautéed in an aromatic infusion of olive oil, garlic, and chili until just cooked through.
- Serving suggestion: Served hot, often right in the pan, with crusty bread for dipping to soak up the flavorful oil.
- Origin: A classic tapas dish from Spain, particularly popular in central and southern regions.
- 2. Lengua Estofado is a type of ox tongue stew. The tongue was made very tender and cooked with tomato, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. This recipe is a hybrid of Spanish and Filipino estofado. The latter makes use of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar, while its Spanish counterpart utilizes diced tomato. White wine and olives are added, along with bay leaves to make the dish stand out.
3. Arroz Ala Valenciana: As people from various parts of the world came to the Philippines in the past, they also brought with them distinct recipes. And once Filipinos learned how to make these, we also reinvented these dishes to create our own renditions suiting local taste better. One example of that is Arroz Valenciana, which from the name, itself, may already tell you that it has Spanish origins.
Arroz Ala Valenciana was one of many recipes borne out of Spanish colonialism. Spaniards carried over both ingredients and cooking techniques, and among them was sautéing garlic and onions. And one of the dishes that involves this is Paella, which is another rice dish with a mix of vegetables.
We soon made a Filipino rendition of paella, which is Arroz Valenciana. This is a recipe made with rice, sautéed veggies, and meat or seafood, or all of the above! For my recipe though, we will utilize chicken thigh and chorizo de bilbao for meat. The latter helps add some sweetness and flavor to the dish.
4. Oxtail Kare Kare - This is Filipino peanut-based stew, traditionally made with oxtails. It can also be made with beef, pork, goat, seafood, and other mix-ins (e.g., tripe) to add some variation. Vegetables such as green beans, bokchoy, and eggplant are typical pairings with the stew. This dish is one of the Favorite filipino dish of Ditas, my youngest daugther. She has learned to cook this dish to perfection from her Mom, during our younger years in Sacramento, Ca.
Personal Note: The above four dishes in the Tropa Restaurant Menu reminds me of my childhood years at Fiesta Time. They are dishes prepared mostly during special occasions in the Philippines in both Family or Group Events.
Dish #2: This is the dish Macrine ( RIP) have prepared for me during the many birthday celebrations I had during our more than 62 years of marriage.
Macrine(RIP) would pressure cooked the beef tongue, before adding all the ingredients. The beef tongue softness just melts in your mouth. Yummy, I am currently salivating just remembering this dish.
Meanwhile,
Finally, My Food for Thought for Today:
