A Philippine-based French American Chef who likes Bacon
Thank you to all who have made inquiries for orders of Mr. D’s Artisnal Philippine Wagyu Corned Beef. My next batch is unfortunately sold out but for the last minute shoppers I will have a batch ready the week before Christmas. Please email at jeremy@mrdelicious.ph for inquiries. Have a wonderful Holiday Season and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do (that pretty much leaves it wide open).
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As an American living away from home, Thanksgiving dinner is a perennial matter of great concern. I spent my first Thanksgiving abroad in Nice, France. We decided to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for a mixed group of American, French and other nationalities. We scoured the entire region along the southeast of France looking for ingredients like fresh cranberries and molasses.
Most non-Americans do not fully understand how important a holiday it is for us. For many of us (myself included) we would put it above Christmas. This being said I have had many a sub-standard Thanksgiving dinner living around the world. The worst though was in Las Vegas. Without any prior plans we ended up at the Rio Hotel’s buffet for a dining experience that literally made my soul ache.
This is why I made sure to blaze this trail this year. I set out to create the closest facsimile of the real thing that I could possibly create here. Also I had the good fortune of timing being on my side with my newly constructed brick smoker/oven to roast the turkey.
Mr. Delicious Thanksgiving Menu 2012
Apple Wood Smoked Turkey
Traditional Stuffing with Bacon and Dark Stock
Oyster Mushroom Stuffing
Green Bean Casserole with Creamy Mushroom Sauce and Fried Onions
Sweet Potato Casserole with Oat Crumble
1950′s Style Cranberry Salad
Mashed Potatoes
Cajun Dirty Rice
Lots of Gravy
Pumpkin Pie with Créme Anglaise
Starting with the turkey, I had about a 6kg (12lb.) bird that I brined for 12 hours. The brine consisted of 1 cup of salt and 1 tablespoon of curing salt for 1 gallon of water. I then added sugar, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, dried chili flakes and parsley stems. I dropped the turkey into a large bucket I use just for brining and pickling and poured the brine over it. Then I weighted it down with a stack of plates. Since there was not enough room in the fridge I kept it iced down for 12 hours. Then remove and rinse.
Once it was cured, I placed it in front of a fan for about two hours to dry and warm up before smoking. I used a combination of charcoal and apple wood, maintaining a temperature of about 235f (110c). It smoked for about 3 hours until an internal probe reads about 160f (70c). I would later finish it in a hot oven before serving.
My coloring could have been better but it tasted really damn good and the skin still became crisp
Stuffing is a very misunderstood side dish but one of my absolute favorites every Thanksgiving. I was raised on oyster stuffing, but unfortunately I could not find oysters in time (at least I had bacon). There are a couple tricks to making good stuffing. First cook your mirepoix thoroughly before folding it into the bread. Use a good brown poultry stock and season it well. Finally add lots of the stock. Keep ladling more until it can take no more. Then just bake until it’s hot in the center and slather with gravy.
It’s best when the top is crusty but the interior is moist and soft
Also unavailable were fresh cranberries. However I was able to substitute dried with some success. I decided to mold the cranberry salad like you might see in cookbooks from the 50′s and 60′s. This was actually quite simple. I gelled some cranberry juice with sugar and garnished it with slices of orange, persimmon and chopped walnuts. I molded it in a cake pan and just warmed it in water to release it from the mold.
My sweet potato casserole sucked in a big way. I need to find a way to better adapt the local sweet potatoes into this dish. The local camote is much starchier than what I’m used to in the States. The result was a really dry texture that I think could be remedied by puréeing it.
My wife (who is also responsible for my conspicuously better photos), prepared two different types of pumpkin pie, both made from the local pumpkin. One was a classic variety and the other was finished with caramel and chopped walnuts.
Though I have cut back on the number of private events in to focus on Mr. D’s, I do still enjoy an occasional event like this. I like to keep it very casual and unassuming. Thank you to all who attended. It sure as hell beat the Rio…
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It has been a busy time chez Mr. D of late. Mr. D’s Artisanal is a finalist in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Next Food Entrepreneur contest. Our group just finished our second weekend at Midnight Mercato in BGC. I would like to congratulate all of my fellow concessionaires competing in the contest for bringing their creative food concepts to bear. That being said, I hope I win…
I stopped in Salcedo Market yesterday and spoke to Marco Lobregat of Ministry of Mushrooms. He handed me a paper bag with a new variety of mushroom that he is growing called Milky Mushrooms (Calocybe Indica). With his assurances they would not make me see things he told me to take them and experiment with them. Challenge accepted.
These mushrooms are very plump and firm, sharing some characteristics of a portabella or button mushroom. They really need to be roasted pretty well, or next time I might try to grill them. They retain a pretty firm texture even after cooking and are really meaty.
One produce vendor had some really fresh camote tops (sweet potato leaves) and mustard greens and also some free range eggs. When you have really fresh greens for cooking the next day, I think it’s best to wilt or blanch them when their still freshest. These were simply wilted in a pan, covered with no oil or seasoning. Then I cooled it and put it in the fridge for the next day.
This afternoon, rolling out of bed after a long weekend of Midnight Mercato, this was the perfect ensemble to restore some of my energy.
Pan Roasted Milky Mushrooms, Wilted Greens, Poached Egg and Aged Balsamic
10-12 milky mushrooms, sliced in half
1 bunch mustard greens
1 bunch comote tops
2-3 good eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shit ton of butter
oil for sautéing
1 tbsp cheap vinegar
1 drizzle aged balsamic vinegar
Set one large sauté pan on medium high heat and set up a second pan for poaching eggs. In a shallow high-walled pan put water halfway up and add the cheap vinegar. Turn heat to medium.
When the sauté pan is hot add oil and mushrooms with the flat side down. Allow them to caramelize mostly undisturbed until they develop a nice brown color and become aromatic. Move and rotate them as needed to even out the cooking. Once caramelized, add a shit ton of butter and most of the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Flip all of the mushrooms and baste them with the hot butter until they are cooked through. Remove the mushrooms and drain them on a plate lined with paper towel.
Add your greens to the same pan to pick up flavor from the mushrooms. Either wilt them or reheat them if they’re already wilted. Add the remainder of the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Next poach your eggs, making sure the poaching liquid is at a low simmer. Carefully drop each cracked egg into the water and gently poach until the white is just opaque.
Gently lift the poached eggs out with a slotted spoon and drain off any water before plating. Season with salt and pepper.
Next just plate them all together. The greens make a nice bed for the poached egg and also, placing the poached eggs on the hot greens helps keep the egg warm. Drizzle some good aged balsamic around the plate to garnish. The runny yolk makes a delicious sauce for the plate.
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Mr. D’s Artisanal is at Podium on the second floor atrium right now along with a number of other food vendors for Pinoy Eats World, World Eats. I’ll be slingin’ sammiches here made from my Philippine Wagyu Corned Beef. I will be making a classic reuben and a killer slider with horseradish mayo, pickled red onion and a corned beef jus for dipping.
Also here today:
If you don’t follow me on Twitter now would be the time because today I will be announcing a secret code word worth a free slider. I’ll be here tonight, tomorrow and Sunday all day long. I will also be in Soderno Weekend Market tomorrow and Sunday (that’s right, two places at once). Come out and check it out. Get your food trip on!
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It’s official! I just called and confirmed that Ukokkei is open again on Pasay Rd. in Makati despite rumors from the mayor’s office that they had no plans to reopen.
Please go and report back. I’ll be going in for a long awaited bowl of tan tan men very soon.
Edit, after visiting:
So I heard from Twitter that Ukokkei was open, picked up the phone and called. Indeed! They are. I was wrong in my earlier conclusion that they had closed for good.
I didn’t waste a minute from there. Traffic was grid-locked, as usual around dinner time in Makati, so I just hoofed it. When I arrived I was greeted by this sign, kind of explaining the closure.
The same chef was at the helm and an older Japanese gentleman was there that I presumed was the owner. I was one of the first to arrive but before long the restaurant filled up.
As much as I missed the tan tan men, the most classic ramen was what I really craved. In just a few minutes I was staring down at a steaming bowl of Shoyu Chashu with a cold Pale Pilsen on the side. There was an old man sitting next to me at the bar loudly slurping his noodles, eating it with rice. For just a fleeting moment, everything seemed right in the world.
After I finished my ramen, the waitress brought over a bottle in a paper gift bag. “Bottle of wine, sir” she said awkwardly to me. I was confused so I asked. She explained that they are giving a bottle of wine for each bowl of ramen today and tomorrow. Clearly they have responded to the negative press they have suffered from in recent months.
Welcome back Ukokkei.
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Bale Dutung
Villa Gloria Subdivision,
Angeles City, Pampanga
Mobile: 09175359198
(02) 6684038, (02) 5024527
reserve@baledutung.com
Often the question has been posed to me by Filipinos, why is it that Filipino food isn’t popular internationally? I do have opinions on the matter, but I won’t feign a response just yet. I’d like to hear the theories of those who visit mrdelicious.ph. Clearly you’re here because you like food and particularly food in the Philippines, so you probably have an opinion on the matter. You’re certainly not here because of my photography skills.
Claude and Mary Ann Tayag are working to change that. They are fighting the good fight and getting recognized for it. Famously they were visited by Anthony Bourdain to shoot No Reservations in the Philippines. I first learned about the Tayags when I was moving to the Philippines and started researching the local food scene. I’ve yet to encounter anyone else who embodies this philosophy like he does. Natural and local foods, slow cooking, he is a true champion for the cause of Filipino cuisine.
Claude is an artist, his work heavily influenced by his travels and Filipino folk art. I find the notion of a chef/artist interesting as food is often, I believe wrongly, called a form of art. Though that’s a discussion for another day…
The garden behind Bale Dutung is beautiful with the serene feel of a Japanese zen garden
Claude’s art work is beautifully integrated throughout the dining space and garden amongst rustic wood and abundant flora. Combining this with Mary Ann’s acute sense of detail, the pair have created an atmosphere that prepares the guest for what is to come, and there’s a lot to come.
Communal tables are set amidst rustic wood and traditional fabrics
Ten courses, with a few added demi-courses, and they’ll even threaten you with seconds. The food is really delicious but thing I will say about Filipino food: it is not light.
With each course Mary Ann diligently explains not just the dish, but the significance of the dish. Mary Ann is able to learn the names of all of her guests and is an incredible hostess. She is coyly enthusiastic with the underlying mannerism of a school teacher that you probably shouldn’t cross. I really enjoyed her contributions and the information she provided really enriched the experience.
Claude’s nuanced style was characteristic throughout each course. His food is understated in a way that that never distorts the purity of its heritage. Each plate is simply presented and very satisfying.
Claude shares my passion of fermentation. Some of these sugar cane vinegars are more than a decade old.
Beginning with a Pako Salad, very light and fresh. Pako is a wonderful and abundant native green that I just discovered this year.
Chicken Inasal with Talangka Rice. Ironically in school we were taught to throw this part in the trash. The French are not fond of the chicken butt.
Adobong Pugo, this was one of my favorite dishes served. The quail was more subtly seasoned than most adobos and the liver and pan de sal were delicious together. I would be more than happy with just this.
Crispy shredded lechon with Claude’s homemade kimchi, absolutely brilliant! He’s ushering in a new generation of halo halo Filipino cuisine, incorporating Filipino, Mexican and Korean and it’s really damn good. Photo credit: Gen Enriquez-Gerodias (thanks!)
This pig made the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good. Claude’s knife glided through the crispy skin, which he served to enthusiastic diners.
Bulanglang Kapampangan, similar to sinigang but with very different flavor from the ripe guava. The soup is traditionally thick and it was garnished with prawns, bangus belly and pork spare ribs as well as sinigang vegetables.
Sisig, mmmmm… sisig. Claude and his family are champions of this traditional kapampangan dish. They pan fry it and offer an assortment of condiments and garnishes, pineapple juice, chilies, onions, sea salt and of course, pig brain.
The Bone Collector, beef marrow one with adobo XO sauce. Gratuitously carnivorous and my first experience sucking bone marrow through a straw. Why didn’t I think of that?
Seafood Kare Kare, very photogenic and delicious. Again this would have been a great meal on its own and we were all painfully full at this point.
We finished with a carabao milk Maja Blanca and a local barako coffee also with carabao milk and muscovado sugar. We had mostly sworn off food forever by this point.
By the end of the meal our host, my brother-in-law, Jardine began to succumb to abdominal bloating and dangerously high cholesterol levels, fading in and out of consciousness.
I expected great food at Bale Dutung and I was certainly not disappointed. Where they really won me over was in the experience they create. It’s not enough to have good food without ambiance and it’s not enough to have passion without execution. The Tayags have set the bar very high for the rest and good for them.
Claude spoke few words during our meal but his knowledge and his intensity and spirit showed through his art and his food. I look forward to returning and would love to bring visitors from outside of the Philippines to show them how great Filipino food can be.
Thanks Chef!
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I finally made it to the Collective on Malugay last week. If you haven’t been already it’s worth checking out if for no other reason than the cool urban art on the walls inside.
Essentially the Collective is a large warehouse space subdivided into smaller units which serve as an incubator for small, independent businesses. Up front there are a number of restaurants. Toward the back on the right side of the is Ritual. This is where I found my take away souvenir, Katipunan Craft Indio Pale Ale.
I have been wanting this for some time, an alternative to the perfectly mediocre San Miguel dominance of the Filipino beer scene. I don’t particularly dislike San Miguel, and do consume my weight in it on a fair regular basis. But there hasn’t been an active micro-brewer to represent the Philippines.
It’s a well-crafted beer. Balanced, a little hoppy and full-flavored. It made me want for a steaming pot of mussels and fries… might need to make this happen.
So here it is. I saw on Twitter that they are fermenting an Oatmeal Stout and that news makes me happy. Support them! Here’s their Facebook page and Twitter profile.
I don’t think they produce a huge amount of this beer, but now I’ve discovered it. I can only hope there’s enough left for the rest of you.
The Collective
7274 Malugay
Makati
Relief goods donated at San Antonio Parish in Forbes, Makati
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As a foreigner observing this for the first time from within, it was fascinating and encouraging to see what the people of the Philippines could do when confronted by a difficult situation. With Ondoy still fresh on their minds, people sprung into action and started helping wherever they could. Donations and volunteers flowed in. In many countries people are prone to inaction, waiting for a government response, but here there was little time for such bullshit.
Inside the War Room
A small portion of donated foods
Passing relief bags down the line at San Antonio
With each passing day, the donations increased and the deployments became larger and more organized. All that I joined were night time, so I don’t have many pictures to show. They were focused on the areas around Quezon City. I didn’t actually see much flooding but there were some areas of EDSA that were impassable. The narrow low-lying streets in some of the neighborhoods were still caked with several inches of mud with trash strewn about and a smell of raw sewage.
Unloading at the distribution spot in Fairview
Fr. Luciano Felloni offered his home to store and distribute relief goods. Sorry about the mess..
I would love to hear feedback and personal experiences from last week. It would be a bit optimistic to assume that this won’t happen again. With so many people involved surely there are just as many observations to offer. What can be done differently in the event of another large-scale flood or other disaster?
One issue that was on the minds of many of the volunteers was the fate of all of the plastic bags used to pack relief goods. Is there a better solution that we could prepare for now?
The floods are certain to have a lasting impact on people throughout the affected areas and Filipino farmers will be some of the hardest hit. What relief operations are still ongoing?
Your thoughts and input please!
Residents of Panghulo in Obando, Bulacan wade thru waist-deep flood brought about by heavy rains Tuesday night. From ABS CBN
Most people come to this website because they are passionate about food, much like me. We can debate about the best ramen or the best pizza in town or share secrets for making a perfect paella. But then sometimes nature comes along, slaps us around and puts us back in our place. It reminds us that before we can eat for indulgence we must first eat to survive.
During the most difficult times the Philippines always shows its indomitable strength and spirit by pulling together and helping those in need. The torrential rains caused by Typhoon Gener have inundated much of Metro Manila especially in areas such as Quezon City and Marikina. There are reports of families stranded on roof tops in Roxas District and thousands of people have been displaced across the region.
From ABS CBN
Countless concerned people on Facebook and Twitter are asking how to help. There are numerous locations around Metro Manila accepting donations. Parish San Antonio in Forbes is currently accepting, sorting and distributing donations. Ready to eat foods are preferred because many affected people do not have access to stoves. However any donations of canned goods, drinking water, rice, bedding and clothing would be appreciated.
The Philippine Red Cross is already mobilized to respond to the disaster. Those that cannot make it out can donate directly to them here. To those reading this from outside of the Philippines that would like to help, this would be a great way to do so.
Also for information on Gawad Kalinga’s Operation Walang Iwanan follow this link.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to help mitigate this disaster but more is needed. Check with your local church but keep yourself safe first.
From ABS CBN
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Update: Ukokkei Ramen Ron has reopened!
What’s this? Ukokkei closed by the Makati government?
The notice couldn’t be worded any more cryptically but it smells fishy to me. We had our issues, but this makes me sad. Anybody have some information on this?
I want answers!
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