Deconstructed Salads

A few quick tips and 8 great recipes to try. BY INA AMOR MEJIA

A DECONSTRUCTED SALAD, is simply one whose ingredients have been taken apart then served in a composed way, instead of tossing them all together. The Salad Nicoise (ni-suaz), that perfect and timeless French salad of olives, french beans, tuna and hard-boiled eggs, is technically not a deconstructed salad (nor is the Caprese), because there was never a plan to serve the salad tossed together in the first place. I know right? Deep stuff.

But other classic salads and some new inventions can surely benefit from deconstructing. I think it is one of the easiest ways to make your old favorite new again. Here are a few tips and some great recipes...

Guava Margarita with Tamarind Salt

An exotic, refreshing cocktail, and the twist that takes it home. 
BY INA AMOR MEJIA

WE  RECENTLY SPENT some three weeks in my second hometown of Cebu, where time with my parents and family is always worth it. We love to eat out and loved the burgers at Fat Cow, and the Mexican restaurant and bar right next to it, called Pueblo Mexicano. I also happily ran into Carla, one of my best childhood friends, whose husband Joel owns the restaurant, Pino.

Carla recommended the Guava Margarita with Tamarind Salt. Margarita isn't my drink, but this one was delicious, refreshing, and with a twist that makes it special. And I couldn't wait to try and make it at home.

Sineguelas, We Meet Again

This one is giving me all the old feels, and some Vitamin C. BY INA AMOR MEJIA

IT  TAKES VERY LITTLE to make me happy sometimes. Gabby came back from a trip with a bag of Spanish Plums, or Sineguelas, as we call them over here---a sweet and sour fruit that I remember eating as a kid. So late that night I sat in bed eating five of them, and random memories came and went. Sineguelas are not the kind of fruit you eat everyday, you don't normally get them at the grocery or market in a big city, and you never know when you'll get them again (unless of course you've got some growing in your backyard). A little backstory...

The Ways of an Old Cookbook

I SPENT MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD in my grandmother's house, where one of my favorite things to do was to browse through her collection of cookbooks. The Good Cook series, published between 1978-1980 by Time-Life Books, is a treasury of techniques and recipes, covering everything from hors d'oeuvres, pasta, fish, meat and dessert. My grandmother owned about ten of these books. They've been damaged by a horrible flood, some beyond repair, yet I cling to them because of her, and out of nostalgia for what it really means to be a cook.

Market Day

SALCEDO COMMUNITY MARKET is probably one of the oldest weekend open markets in Manila. Located in the bustling business district of Makati, where the weekends are blessedly free of the dronelike suits and the traffic that descend on the work week, the market becomes the center of all the action on Saturdays. We were there today, after many years, and the weather was perfect.

Son of Limoncello

The flavors of limoncello, but like a cocktail, and in a bigger glass. BY INA AMOR MEJIA

HOMEMADE LIMONCELLO, that beloved Italian liqueur served mainly as an after-dinner digestive, is laborious, almost artisanal. You carefully peel the lemon rind to pithless perfection, and let it steep in vodka for anywhere from 4 to 10 days. But yesterday was supposedly the hottest day in Manila this summer yet. And with no sign of reprieve from this crazy heat, I just went ahead and took some short cuts. I wanted the flavors of limoncello, but like a cocktail, and in a bigger glass.

SON OF LIMONCELLO
*Total time including steeping: 2 hours. SERVES ABOUT 5.

For the cocktail

5 lemons plus 1 more for garnish

4 cups distilled water

1 cup vodka

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Large mason jar or pitcher

Strainer

TO MAKE

Wash the lemons thoroughly with soap and water or your favorite veggie wash. Rinse well and dry. Peel the lemon rind using a vegetable peeler or a small, sharp knife. Cut as thinly as possible so only the yellow rind and none of the bitter pith remain. I found it easier to slice wide chunks of the rind and to carefully cut out any remaining pith. Set aside. Remove all remaining pith from each lemon until only the fruit is left. Put the distilled water, the rind, and the fruit in a small pot and heat to almost boiling. Pour everything into the mason jar or pitcher and let cool. After at least an hour, taste the lemon juice to see if it's tart enough. Remove all the lemons and the rind and strain the mixture. Pour in the vodka. Add more to taste. Make sugar syrup by heating the half cup of sugar and half cup of water in a sauce pan on medium heat. Make sure all the sugar is covered by the water and just keep an eye on it (don't stir), until all the sugar is dissolved and the syrup comes to a gentle boil, is syrupy, but still clear in color. Sweeten your lemon vodka mixture with the syrup to taste. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with a thin slice of lemon or a sprig of rosemary.

Simple, sweet, with lots of bright lemony flavor, this refreshing drink is my antidote to the summer heat. Chin chin.

*Photos by Ina Amor Mejia. Also, how to make (almost) perfect ice at home!

A few old things

I'VE BEEN LOOKING at the old things in my Mom's kitchen and I'm suddenly seeing them with new eyes. These old plates, cups, and glasses that we grew up with, packed and unpacked when we moved cities and houses, and put lovingly on new shelves and cupboards that would be their home. Like many people, Mom lost a few things in last October's earthquake, but not these. Thank you to the God of old things, because someone has plans for them. 

Couscous Salad with Feta

Our favorite new side dish bursting with Greek flavors. BY INA AMOR MEJIA

HERE'S A DISH THAT NEEDS NO RECIPE. And if you've made Greek Salad before, you're already half way there. This is basically like a mini version of the salad, because you'll have all the ingredients in smaller chunks, plus the couscous, which is the twist that I love about this dish.

The hardest thing will be preparing the couscous, but only if you've never done it before. But even then it will be pretty straightforward. Just buy good quality couscous, which is actually a type of pasta and not a grain, and will look like this...

Once you've started making couscous, you'll see how delicious and versatile it is. It's great with bigger dishes like Lamb Tagine, or with simpler ones like this salad. Just be careful to read the package instructions well before preparing the couscous, which is essentially just putting it in some boiling water. And keep these tips in mind.

COUSCOUS SALAD WITH FETA 

Ingredients 

Couscous, prepared following package instructions
Cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
Ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
finely chopped garlic
finely chopped red onions
chopped Parsley (reserve some herbs for garnish)
chopped mint
Olive oil
Lemon juice and wedges to serve
black pitted Kalamata olives, sliced (optional)
good crumbled Feta cheese 

To make the salad:
Prepare your couscous and set aside to cool a bit. Then add the garlic, onions, parsley and mint.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. The couscous will be cold. About 30 minutes before serving, add the tomatoes and the cucumber and mix in gently with a fork to fluff the couscous. Right before serving, make a little dressing with a bit of the olive oil and some lemon juice, and mix into the couscous. Don't add too much that the couscous becomes oily. The dressing is meant to just finish the couscous and add another layer of flavor. Season with salt and black pepper, and finally add the feta and the olives if any. You can also garnish the salad with some more crumbled feta and the herbs.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Why no measurements?
Because it's hard to determine how much of the other ingredients you'll want to add to the couscous. Just eyeball it and think about a balanced proportion of the vegetables to the couscous. Or maybe not. Some people might like more couscous, others will like less of it and more of the veggies. Others will like more feta cheese, less tomatoes. Just don't add too much garlic or onions. The couscous will sit in the fridge with both before serving and might end up being overwhelmingly garlicky if you add too much.

How should it taste?
You should be able to taste the parsley, mint and lemon. They give this salad its spirit and identity. And season well. Salt and pepper will spell the difference between an otherwise interesting but bland salad, and one that's a winner.

Why can't I just mix everything all at once?
I guess you could and make it simpler, but I don't do this because I'm worried about the raw garlic and the oil and the risk of botulism. Then again I could be wrong. I realize there might be too little of the oil in this recipe really, and perhaps mixing in the lemon juice reduces the risk even further, but I like staying on the safe side. Speaking of which, as with all salads with raw ingredients, make sure all the vegetables are washed properly, and the herbs too. Here's a good tip on how to do that.

Make the salad on the day it's to be served. I find the couscous gets a bit mushy the next day and doesn't keep very well.

But don't worry, this is an easy dish I think anyone can get right the first time. You can add the Kalamata olives and other good things like pine nuts for crunch too. It's a great side dish to a roast chicken with similar flavors, a favorite curry, and juicy chicken kebabs or simple lamb meatballs served with a lush yogurt sauce.

Just remember three words: healthy, satisfying, and cheese.

Thanks for reading!  

Saga of a Chocolate Cake

In plain words, all the tips and tricks you need to nail this cake. BY INA AMOR MEJIA

WHEN YOU'VE GOT A SWEET TOOTH and adore chocolate like I do, you will have very strong opinions about what makes the perfect chocolate cake. Rich and moist, with lush frosting and good chocolate flavor but not too sweet. A cake that's good with coffee for dessert at home, or as a midnight snack with a cold glass of milk to enjoy in your jammies. Or with a glass of champagne for fancier times? I think I've found that cake!