| MaKiNG a FiLiPinO FooDs FroM LeFtOvers | | | | skins turn black (this takes about 5-7 minutes). |
| Filipinos are proud of being resourcefulness | | | | Place peppers in a paper bag and wait a few |
| –making a great masterpieces from | | | | minutes for the skin to dry. Afterwards, slip off |
| whatever’s lying around. That’s why | | | | the skin from the peppers and slice into long thin |
| most homes have at least one thing that’s | | | | strips. Saute the peppers along with your chicken. |
| recycled, whether it’s an old | | | | Add a little salt and pepper to taste; you can also |
| bottle-turned-flower vase or an old sheet reused | | | | add in some Italian seasoning if available. Drain and |
| as a doormat. But there’s no doubt | | | | put in a bowl, then mix in the cheese and sour |
| we’re the best when it comes to recycling | | | | cream. Wrap the mixture in tortilla wrappers. If |
| food. Last night’s dinner often becomes a | | | | you want a light wrap, use light wrappers and fry |
| gourmet breakfast for tomorrow, and noche | | | | the peppers in olive oil. |
| buena leftovers are resurrected in different forms | | | | Chicken Wraps: |
| the whole week after Christmas. | | | | You normally don’t keep your orange or |
| Others may think of it as a sign of our poverty, | | | | lemon peels unless you’re making marmalade. |
| but why not look on the bright side? Our knack | | | | But they can come in handy when you need |
| for recycling allows us to explore our creativity | | | | some extra flavor in your food. True, lemons and |
| and come up with new ways to improve Filipino | | | | oranges aren’t normally found in Filipino food, |
| cuisine. If you’re out of ideas for your next | | | | but you never know when a recipe will call for |
| meal, dig into the leftovers in your fridge and see | | | | them. When you need lemon or orange zest for |
| what you can do. You’re not likely to come | | | | Filipino desserts recipes, you don’t have to |
| up with haute cuisine, but anything’s better | | | | buy an entire fruit-you can just reach into your |
| than throwing out moldy food from your pantry. | | | | freezer and use your old peels. If you can’t |
| The key to leftover cooking is variety: find a way | | | | use them in Filipino recipes, you can always use |
| to make a new dish totally different from the old | | | | than as garnish to your favorite dishes. |
| one using the same basic ingredients. Still | | | | Stock up on spices: |
| stumped? Here are a few tips and Filipino cooking | | | | Spices are the key to creating new flavors out of |
| recipes to help you get started. | | | | old ingredients. You want to cover up the taste |
| Planning Meals in Advance: | | | | of the old dish or at least complement it with a |
| In some countries, families are so hard up that | | | | different flavor. Always have a fresh supply of |
| using leftovers isn’t an option; it’s a | | | | peppers, onions, garlic, and other basic spices so |
| necessity. We may be a little luckier, but we can | | | | you can whip up a new dish without having to run |
| learn a thing or two from them. Plan your | | | | to the store. Besides, if you have to buy a whole |
| week’s meals so that one day’s dish can | | | | batch of ingredients just to use leftovers, you |
| be reused the next day. Think of | | | | might as well have made a new dish from |
| “recyclable” Filipino food recipes-dishes | | | | scratch. |
| that make enough leftovers to make a new dish | | | | Reuse your bread: |
| from. Examples are roast beef, fried chicken, | | | | Every family has thrown out their share of moldy |
| stews, and barbecues. Chances are there will be | | | | bread from the kitchen, but most of the time, |
| some meat left over from the meal, which you | | | | the bread could have been recycled. If your bread |
| can use in a different dish later in the week. | | | | isn’t more than a day old, there are a million |
| When you shop for recyclable foods, remember | | | | ways to reinvent it into a new dish. In fact, |
| that one dish is actually meant for two meals. Get | | | | according to some chefs, dry bread makes the |
| more than one meal’s worth of ingredients | | | | best French toasts. In Filipino cuisine, bread pudding |
| just to make sure you get leftovers. You’ll be | | | | is a popular use for leftover bread. Or if you |
| saving money because instead of shopping for | | | | can’t come up with anything new, you can |
| two meals, you’re shopping for one slightly | | | | always keep them for the next time you need |
| bigger meal. You’ll also save cooking time | | | | bread crumbs. |
| since the leftover ingredients will already have | | | | Here’s an easy bread pudding recipe you can |
| been cooked. | | | | use the next time you have leftover bread. |
| Chopping up Ingredients: | | | | Ingredients: |
| When cooking with leftovers, you want to make | | | | 4-5 c stale bread, cubed |
| it so that no one can tell they’re eating | | | | 3 eggs |
| yesterday’s food. One simple trick is to chop | | | | ½ c raisins |
| up your ingredients. Cut up pork chops into strips | | | | ¾ tsp nutmeg |
| for stir-frying, grind roast beef to make burger | | | | ¾ c sugar |
| patties, dice your vegetables for a leftover soup. | | | | 2 c whole milk |
| They’ll easily recognize yesterday’s pork | | | | 1 tsp vanilla extract |
| chops in a different sauce, but it’s hard to tell | | | | Procedure: |
| they’re the same piece when they’re all | | | | Place the cubed bread in a loaf pan. Don’t pat |
| chopped up. | | | | or squeeze. Beat the eggs, sugar, nutmeg, and |
| To see this trick in action, try this chicken wrap | | | | vanilla until you get a frothy mixture, then add the |
| recipe using leftover fried or roast chicken. | | | | milk and raisins. Add the mixture to the bread and |
| Chicken Wraps: | | | | mix lightly together. Let it stand for about 30 |
| Ingredients:leftover chicken meat, shredded | | | | minutes so the milk can soak in. meanwhile, |
| 2 large red bell peppers, quarteredtortilla | | | | preheat your oven to 300oF. Bake until the |
| wrapperssour creamcheeseshredded lettuce | | | | custard sets (about 45 minutes). You can serve it |
| Procedure:: | | | | hot or chilled, or with ice cream or whipped cream |
| Roast the peppers on a baking sheet until the | | | | on top. |