A delicious Coco-bread and a murder story

Delightful childhood memories of freshly baked Pan de Coco

Mysteries and murder stories never fail to captivate audience whether on big screen or in boob tube. The more intricate and the more impossible the stories with twists and gory endings the more it will make audience. Is it an innate behaviour among us to feel that way? Or writers are really running out of better ideas?

Do not be disappointed to know that you won't find anything like this on this post. Not even a single blood has been shed but a real murder story really happened. The story started few weeks ago, hopping around for a cooking inspiration in the delicious blogsphere world. Susan of the Well Seasoned Cook bewitched me with her recipe of a Coconut sweet (you can check the recipe in here). Seeing the photo of a "real" coconut (you know what I mean not just dried dessicated coconut) and her delicious cake, awaken my deep yearning for this tropical fruit. How I long to drink its oozing juice from a newly opened fresh coconut and scrape it's soft and creamy fruit inside. The taste was so long ago that I have almost forgotten about it.

Unfortunately, satisfying this cravings for fresh coconut will not be that simple considering where I live. For finding fresh coconut in the supermarket isn't that easy. But heaven must have heard my lament that day, for my chase over this precious nut didn't last that long. I didn't have much choice, as there was only one left in the exotic fruit section. Rest now to do, is how on earth will I open this up? I knew I needed something strong and sharp the same bolo (machete) my grandfather uses to open a coconut back in the province. I knew I wouldn't find this at home so I went and desperately looked for in my in laws' kicthen. But to no avail, for the sharpest thing they have was an electric cutter for meat.

So delectably innocent.......

Hopelessly I went outside with my coconut in the garden. I stared at this thing and decided to defy all what grandpop taught me on the proper way of opening up a coconut. Without batting an eye I took the biggest and the most piercing stone I could find and started breaking this thing up.

It took me 5 minutes to brutally assasinate this poor thing.



I'm sending this recipe to Lasang Pinoy 24 on this month's theme:Loco over Coco.

Coconut Bread (Pandecoco)

For the brioche
4 cups all- purpose flour 4 eggs, beaten 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 package active dry yeast 1 cup lukewarm milk (scalded them cooled) ¾ cup sugar ¾ pound butter or margarine ¾ tablespoon salt

Coconut Filling
150 g shredded coconut 5 tbsp of coco jam

Egg Wash
1 egg yolk

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients except the yeast. Add slowly the melterd butter, warm milk and eggs. Then dissolve the yeast in one tbsp of warm milk and add in the dough. Work on the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Keep covered in a warm place about 40 degrees Celsius until it sizes doubles. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Place the coco jam in a pan and cook over medium heat. Mix in the shredded coconut thoroughly. Soften the consistency by adding few tablespoon of water if coco jam is too sticky. Remove from the heat and allow cooling. Set aside. When the dough is ready; knead again for the second time. You can add some flour to facilitate the task. Make some balls of about 2 inches in diameter and flatten slightly. In the center of dough, place one tablespoon of the coconut filling. Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges. Let the dough rise again for about 30 minutes under the same condition. Brush with egg yolks the top to give a golden crispy touch and bake for 20-30 minutes at 190 degrees celsius.

After I brutally assasinated

Resting peacefully over a fluffy dough

Yummy......

Caldereta: Devil's Beef Stew Blazing in my Cracked Pot

Outrageously Spicy beef caldereta: beef stew in tomato sauce

When I was a kid, I grew up in a family of fried fish-rice-sautéed vegetables routine on the table. Not that I'm sulking about this habitual at home but it's unthinkable that dad would cook something fancy or elaborate. Lack of time, lack of money, or maybe both? But its true, priceless are those moments we are feasting menudo, kare-kare or lechon at home. That is why we would always look like (my sisters and I) famished kittens devouring those dishes when invited on birthday parties, fiestas and other occassions in the neighborhood. Shamelessly, going back home even with doggy bags. Being married now and living far from my family make me long for those funny childhood "feasting" memories.

As Lasang Pinoy (a food blogging event promoting filipino food) celebrates its 23rd edition with Crockpot cooking. I couldn't think of anything better that falls under the category of "slowly cooked" than making a Spicy Beef Caldereta. It is a beef recipe slowly marinated and slowly simmered with vegetables. There exist plenty of versions of cooking this recipe but so far I judge the one my auntie often cooks for us on special occassions as the best. Unfortunately I don't have her recipe (I think her version is the one that uses 7-Up as the secret ingredient). The only thing I could guarantee you is that this beef caldereta is hideously spicy and it's been cooked slowly in my cracked pot. I'm not a fan of crock pot because I don't have one, but all my slow cooking recipes are cooked on my bygone inherited terrine, an earthenware cooking dish that I cook idly in the oven.

Beef Caldereta

Ingredients:

1 kg of stewing beef cut into cubes
250 g of potatoes peeled and quartered
2 red bell pepper grilled, peeled and chopped
250 g of carrots peeled and cut into cubes
100 g of pitted green olives
half a cup of tomato sauce
1 tsp of tomato paste
2tsps of chili powder or cayenne powder
2 tbsps of hot sauce
2 tbsps of chili oil
2 tbsps of olive oil
10 g of butter

Marinating ingredients:
Half a cup of red wine, salt, pepper, 1 tbsp of crushed garlic, 1 big onion minced, half a cup of coarsely chopped chicken liver, some thyme and rosemary

Marinate for at least one hour the beef. In a pan, fry lightly the beef with olive oil and butter. Use the same frying pan for the carrots and potatoes. Then in a crock pot or any deep and thick casserole put all the ingredients including the marinating sauce. And simmer covered over low fire for two hours.

Pretty in red

If pots could talk, this time-worn thing have a lot to tell

You can find my other filipino recipes at:

Adobo Beef Shawarma
Porc Sarciado
Chicken Menudo