Heart2Heart is always so happy to receive emails from many viewers and readers.  Sharing with you an email from Gia from Australia.  

Thank you to Tita Bettina Osmeña and to all those who share their recipes with Heart2Heart where many can learn new cooking ideas and simple recipes which they can easily make themselves.  

Hi there,

I am a Filipino living in Sydney for almost 5 years now.  And I just want to say you have no idea what your site has done for my social life here!

I have always been asked by my friends here to cook Filipino food and I’ve found your site to be a source of really good recipes that showcase our food but with a twist that the Westerners can appreciate.

The Iberian Chicken recipe was such a big hit that, as I type this, we’re off to a winter lodge today to celebrate Christmas in July and by special request I am making Iberian Chicken – for 27 people!!!!

Thank you, thank you so much for your site.  Please keep the recipes coming because it it such a wealth of information specially for someone like me who never cooked even a boiled egg until I went overseas.

More power and keep the recipes coming!

Regards,

Gia

Previous Entry:  Iberian Chicken from Bettina’s Kitchen July 1, 2008

When Tita Bettina invited us over for lunch at their home,  she prepared this really delicious Iberian Chicken which we all liked.  So I asked her for the recipe so I could share it at Heart2Heart.  

This is also for Eds and Keena who tried my cook’s version of Tita Bettina’s Iberian chicken and liked it too.  

Thanks Tita for sharing your recipe.  It is tried and tested and many enjoyed it. I like it and others enjoy it since it does not have a very strong taste….a milder version of Iberian Chicken.   

Iberian Chicken 

2 Whole Chicken deboned

1 whole head of garlic (chopped finely)

1 cup of dry white wine

1 ½  cups of Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp Seasalt

1 Tbsp cracked pepper corn

5 sprigs of fresh rosemary

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

10 pieces of laurel leaves

Celery

Leeks

1.   Debone chicken

2.   Season with salt ,pepper , chopped garlic and laurel leaves

3.   Marinade overnight with wine, olive oil, rosemary and thyme

4.    Lay on a bed of leeks and celery

5.   Bake at  350 degrees Farenheit for one hour

Serves 12

Best serves with Pasta Aio/Oio

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Ginge invited Rina and I for lunch at her beautiful home.  

We enjoyed a home cooked filipino meal which we truly enjoyed.  Nothing is more special and more meaningful than a friend cooking for you.  

I asked Ginge if I could share two recipes with Heart2Heart which I thought were very good.  Yummy Tuyo flakes and Bicol Express. I hope you enjoy them too! 

YUMMY TUYO FLAKES 

Ingredients:

(1 serving)

1 pack of tuyo (tunsoy or lapad)

chopped tomatoes and onions

garlic for sauteing

capers (whole or sliced)

olives (sliced)

olive oil

1. Scale, debone and flake tuyo.  Set aside.

2. Saute tomatoes, onions and garlic in olive oil.

3. Add olives and capers.

4. Add tuyo and cook till flakes soften a bit.

  Add olive oil if necessary.

Serving options:

1. as is – plus garlic fried rice

  * best for dipping: sukang pinakurat

2. as a pasta sauce

Bicol Express 

(1 serving – 3-4 pax)

Ingredients:

1k. menudo cut (monterey)

2 packs sili haba (Dizon farms), cut diagonally into 3-4 parts

onions, tomatoes, garlic for sauteing

1 coconut to make fresh gata

(or 1 pack or can coconut cream – ayam brand)

bagoong 

1. Boil pork till tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Saute pork in garlic, onions and tomatoes.

3. Add coco cream as pork turns light brown.

4. Add sili haba. Simmer.

5. Add bagoong.

6. Cover and simmer.  

* for this, make sure that the coco cream doesn’t dry. so maybe simmer for a wee bit till the green peppers become softer. i like mine spicy so i keep the seeds of the pepper on but if you like it mild, you may scrape the seeds off. for the gata, freshly squeezed is best. the canned ones are usually thicker so just dilute so consistency is not too thick nor heavy. 

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