Entertaining at Home: Baguio and Andok’s

Had to cook for 25 hungry people during our visit to Baguio and seeing the weather wasn’t cooperating with us, we all agreed to dine in our quaint cottage near the Club. I prepared a couple of side dishes that were perfect accompaniments to the prepared roasted products procured from a nearby grill chain.

Yup, that’s actually Andok’s Lechon Manok.

As far as I know and can taste, there isn’t nothing wrong with Andok’s Rotisserie Chicken and is a far cry in terms of flavor and health concerns compared to regular fast food chain chicken. Baguio had the perfect atmosphere for roast foodstuff and I couldn’t let 25 hungry folks wait for their dinner, now would I? The chicken above was served with oven-roasted Parmesan and Paprika Potato Wedges and drizzled with the liver sauce that accompanies the chicken.

Above: Pork BBQ skewers with Buttered Asparagus and Carrots

Entertaining at home is easy. Procure some delicious foodstuffs some could be your main course or even your side dishes, serve in a nice platter, then plate with your own food creation and garnish. Garnishes can range from a sprig of rosemary, ribbons of parsley, or even lemon wedges. Above is Andok’s BBQ skewers which was paired with my Buttered Asparagus (which was in season with the Baguio weather), Carrots and onions that were sauteed in bacon fat and butter that ended up rich and crisp lending a sweetness to the entire dish.

Lastly, entertaining isn’t complete with drinks and a plus is liquor. Have a list of generic cocktails you could prepare in a flash. We prepared Rum with Cola, Mojitos, and Orange-Vodka cocktails. You could also do virgin versions (no alcohol) to your favorite cocktail creations for people who want to stay sane during the party.

Grab a couple of friends and have a party at home and enjoy!

Photos courtesy of Ms. Anna Dimerin

P.S. Andok’s didn’t sponsor this post, but was awfully lucky to be along the Baguio road we were driving.

Recipes: Slow-Cooked Meatballs in Herbed Tomato Sauce

I completely forgot to take photos of this wonderful meatball dish that I made yesterday evening out of ground beef that was lying in our freezer. I was skeptical that it would taste great (remember the tough hockey meat pucks with sweet tomato sauce?), but it had a nice crust, a delicious tomato-Parmesan sauce, and a nice juicy and fork-tender interior. The two secrets are (a) remember not to overmix the beef and (b) undercook the meatballs since it has to undergo a slow simmer for 20 minutes. This I think was the best meatball I have ever tasted…as of yet.

Here’s the recipe:

Slow Cooked Meatballs In Herbed Tomato Sauce

What you need:

For the meatballs, you would need (a) 1 kilo of ground beef, (b) 1 Egg, (c) 1 Large onion, diced (d) Parmesan cheese, grated, and the following seasonings to your taste: Herb de provence, Thyme, Salt, and Pepper, Sage and a dash of Balsamic vinegar.

For the tomato sauce, you would need (a) A can of whole tomatoes, (b) 1/2 cup of olive oil, (c) 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, (d) Bunch of Basil and season with salt and pepper.

How to Prepare:

1. Mix the beef with the egg, onion and seasonings. DO NOT OVERMIX. Overmixing causes the beef to become too tough. Form into balls and coat each ball with Parmesan cheese to get that brown outer crust.

2. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil in medium heat and saute the meatballs until you form a crust. Undercook the meatballs for a couple of minutes (around medium rare). During the saute-ing process, add some rosemary springs into the pan.

3. Remove meatballs from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the tomatoes and the juice that comes with it. Make sure to scrape any brown bits from the pan, as it contains tons of flavor and provides depth to your dish. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.

4. Add the cooked meatballs in the pan with the omato sauce. Reduce the heat to ensure that only a few bubbles are seen from the top. Simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Before serving, remove the meatballs from the pan. For the sauce, add some chopped basil and drizzle with olive oil, similar to creating an emulsion. Drizzle sauce over meatballs and finish with more Parmesan cheese.