Blackened Tilapia with Secret Hobo Spices

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 pound tilapia fillets
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 4 slices white bread
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

1. In a small bowl or jar with a lid, make the spice blend. Mix together the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, celery seed and kosher salt. Coat the fish fillets with the spice mixture, and allow to sit at room temperature for no longer than 30 minutes.
2. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Add oil, and heat until it is almost smoking. Place the fillets in the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until fish is opaque and can be flaked with a fork. Remove from the pan, and place onto slices of white bread. Pour pan juices over them and squeeze lemon juice all over. Do not underestimate the white bread. It gets quite tasty soaking up all the juices.

Boiled Fish (Sinigang Na Isda)

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2 cups diced ripe tomatoes
• 3 long, fresh hot green peppers
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 cups radishes, left whole
• 1-1/2 pounds watercress or spinach
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 pounds sea bass or bluefish (shelled shrimps, fresh croaker, whitefish or squid may be substituted), cut into fillets
• patis or salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, bring to a boil water, lemon juice, onion and tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add radishes and fish and bring to a boil. Simmer till radishes are tender yet crisp. Add the hot peppers and watercress or spinach. Add patis or salt and pepper to taste.

Boiled Chicken with Ginger (Tinolang Manok)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger root
• 2 tablespoons patis or salt
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 1-1/2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
• 1 2 to 3 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup finely minced onion
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups cubed green papaya or zucchini

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil. Saute garlic, onion and ginger. Brown garlic and cook onion until transparent. Add chicken pieces and stir well until chicken is partly cooked. Season with salt, pepper and patis if desired. Add water. Cover and simmer over moderate heat until chicken is tender. Uncover pot and add papaya or zucchini. Cook until tender. Turn off heat and add spinach leaves. Serve hot.

Beef with Leeks (Karne con Kutsay)

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef tenderloin, cut in 1-1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 egg white
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup kutsay or leeks cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Instructions

1. Cut tenderloin with egg white, then with cornstarch. Let stand for 15 minutes. Deep fry in oil and drain. Leave 3 tablespoons of oil in pan. Add soy sauce, water, red pepper, leeks and meat. Cook for 2 minutes. Add sesame oil before serving.

Beef Stew (Karne Asada)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 3-inch cubes
• 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 large potatoes, sliced in rounds
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Maggi sauce (abailable in Oriental stores) or soy sauce
• 2 large onions, sliced in rings
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• patis or salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons oil

Instructions

1. Marinate the sirloin cubes in lemon juice, soy sauce, cornstarch, Maggi, patis or salt and pepper for 30 minutes. Then, over a low flame, simmer the marinade and the sirloin for 1 hour. In a skillet, fry potatoes and onion rings in oil separately. Arrange beef on a platter with potatoes and onion rings on top.

Pork Chinese-Style (Asadong Baboy)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork loin
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
• Marinade: 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Marinate the whole pork loin for 30 minutes or more in a large pot. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until meat is tender (about 30 minutes). Serve hot with the marinade.

Cashew Nut Milk Candy (Pastillas de Casoy)

Ingredients

• one 8-ounce can condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon extract
• 1 cup chopped cashew nuts or almonds
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

1. Combine condensed milk, nuts and sugar and simmer until thick. Add lemon extract and continue stirring until mixture forms a solid mass. Spread with rolling pin on a sugared board and roll into a rectangular shape 1/2 inch high. Cut into desired pieces and wrap in tissue paper.