Hi from Manila!

I'm Aileen, an avid cook, cookbook author and magazine publisher. I've been in the kitchen for most of my adult life and cooking has always been an activity my family enjoys my husband and two grown-up daughters are great cooks, too). All of us are graduates of hotel and restaurant management and my husband works in the biggest multi-national hamburger chain, McDonald's. I'm so glad to find this forum and I hope to be able to share with you nuggets of information and at the same time learn fron you, too.

Hey, Aileen,

Welcome to the forum. I hope you'll be real active.

I'm a freelance writer, myself, with food and cookery one of my areas of interest. So we might have a match there.

Meanwhile, I'd love to see one of your recipes for adobo. Most that are available in the U.S. are the Mexican type, which is chili based rather than vinagar based.

Here's Your Adobo Recipe

Hi!

I have a good recipe for adobo which has vinegar as one of the key ingredients. This recipe is a bit on the sweet side (Filipinos love the sweet-salty flavors), so you can omit the sugar if you like. The key here is marinating the pork. You can also substitute chicken, but shorten cooking time.

1 kg pork cubes (picnic or belly)
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp garlic, minced
water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 pcs bayleaf
8 whole peppercorns

Combine vinegar, soy sauce and garlic in a bowl. Add pork cubes and marinate for at least 1 hour (more than 1 hour if you have time).

Place pork (including the marinade) in a saucepot or saucepan. Add water to cover. Add 1 Tbsp sugar, about 8 pcs black peppercorns and 2 pcs bay leaf. Let boil uncovered for about 3 minutes so vinegary odor will evaporate, then cover pot and lower heat to simmering. Simmer for at least 1 hour (or until pork is fork-tender). Add more water if necessary.

Heat cooking oil in a skillet. Separate pork from the sauce and fry pork pieces until dark brown and a crust forms on the pork's skin (At this point, the fat will begin to spatter due to pork skin. Cover the skillet while frying. To turn pork pieces, remove skillet from fire, and using the skillet's cover as a shield, turn the pork pieces). --- Frying the pork pieces adds more flavor to the Adobo, but you can omit this step if you like

Adobo's taste improves if you eat it the next day or even a few days after. You don't even have to store it in the refrigerator as it even keeps well at room temperature. This is a favorite dish Filipinos bring all the time to picnics as it doesn't spoil. But I guarantee this recipe is so delicious, you won't have any left-overs. Enjoy!

Thanks, Aileen. Sounds like a winner.

Now, can your husband tell us the "secret sauce" recipe?

J/K, welcome!

Aileen, check your private messages. Just click on messages at the top of the page.

I wish he also knew the recipe. He's not connected with the commissary and works as Director for Project Development. He just builds the stores. Ask for another recipe and maybe I can share it with you.

Actually, I always thought the secret sauce was mayo, ketchup, and relish all mixed together, but maybe I'm wrong.

Jafo, you keep saying "secret" sauce. Isn't it "special" sauce? As in:

Two all beef patties, cheese, special sauce, lettuce, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.

Incredible the things one remembers.

Jafo: Just added this authentic Big Mac Sauce Recipe

aijaraza: Welcome to the forums! Are you in Manilla? I've been to the PI a few times (years ago) but never made it away from Olongapo City on Subic Bay. I lovely country with the mountains rising above the ocean and nice tropical temperatures.

Do you have a nice authentic Pancit (sp) recipe? I love Lumpia too, but they're a bit of work unless you're making a lot of them for a party.

Matt