cookout

Of all the friends I’ve met, it’s my high school friends whom I go out most often. While there are only three of us left in Manila (most have gone abroad while others join only once in a while), we try to see each other as often as possible. Sometimes only occasions can put us back together like the recent wedding we had.

Today, a government holiday, we forced Madel to let us test her kitchen in their new abode. Madel was the one who got married recently and one of her wishes was for their guests to give them tried-and-tested family recipes. When I asked Analyn last week that we should go out some time, she suggested having a cookout. It’s a good way for the new wifey to learn cooking techniques. Since a holiday was coming I forced Jaims to go fishing so I would be guilt-free to go out.

I volunteered to make dessert. Madel wanted to try her carbonara recipe which she got from her wedding. She said she received two recipes for carbonara so she wanted to try it out. Analyn wanted to have baby back ribs or steak. How we ended with porkchop, that I dunno. Anyways, our menu was Carbonara, Salt-and-Pepper Porkchop and Crema de Fruta.

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Madel’s Carbonara

Ingredients:
ham
bacon
mushroom
garlic
onions
green bell peper
Nestle Cream
Milk
Spaghetti Noodles
Salt
Pepper
Canola Oil
Cheese

Do the basics – chop onions, garlic, and bell pepper; boil the noodles. Cut the ham into small squares. Fry bacon strips and make them crunchy. The crunchier they are, the easier to crush them later. Set aside bacon. Sautee the garlic, onion, bell pepper and mushroom. Add ham. Pour in the Nestle Cream and add milk. Let it simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside the sauce.

Drain the noodles and add the sauce. Mix in low fire until all noodles are covered with sauce. Top with bacon and cheese.

Mommy’s Crema De Fruta

Nestle Cream, refrigerated
Condense Milk
Egg, Beaten
Fruit cocktail
Gelatin Mix, transparent
Sponge Bread (Butter Slice or ordinary mammon bread)

Procedure
In a saucepan, heat the beaten egg and condensed milk together. Do not overcook. Separate.

Get a rectangular bowl and lay the sponge bread until the entire base is covered. It would be good to slice the bread in ½” to ¾” thickness. Spread the condensed milk mixture. Add refrigerated Nestle cream and spread it over. ¼” thickness will be fine. Add fruits. Let it cool.

Prepare the gelatin mix as instructed from the box. You may use the juice taken from the fruit cocktail as water. Let it cool first before pouring over the refrigerated cake. Serve cold.

Analyn’s PorkChop with Mushroom Sauce
Porkchop slice
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Nestle Cream
Mushroom
Beef broth
Oil

Coat each slice with salt and pepper. Rub chopped garlic to add flavor. Refrigerate for one hour or until your friends are done in the kitchen.

Fry the porkchop individually. Set aside. Sautee the mushroom using the oil from the porkchop. Pour in beef broth and wait until it has boiled. Add Nestle Cream and let it simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Top porkchop slices with the mushroom sauce. Serve hot.

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It was her husband, her mom, her brother and Sofi who served as critic.  Verdict?  empty plates and smiling faces that calls for a part 2.