Do you try and remember the first things you learned to cook? My memory is a bit hazy, but here’s my list so far:

• Rice, because some Filipino kids are forced to cook as soon as they can lift a pot.
• Eggs, sunny-side up.
• Hot dogs, cut with a butter knife to resemble octopi.

And of course, this crab and corn soup. From a packet, mind you, in its full natural and artificial flavoring glory. In case you were wondering, the neon-red crab product highlighted on the packaging falls under the synthetic category. It could’ve been anything from fish-flavored bathmat bits to dessicated denture adhesive and I wouldn’t have cared. Stirring with a blackened wooden spoon in one hand and an egg in the other,  I felt like a rockstar grade-schooler while preparing instant soup.

I had almost forgotten about this soup so I was glad to find this recipe in my favorite Chinese cookbook. It eschews the cornstarch to keep it light, and more importantly, it’s all natural, as long as you stay away from krab.

recipe adapted from Eileen Yin-fei Lo’s The Chinese Kitchen

Chinese Crab and Corn Soup

makes 6 to 8 servings

4 cups (about 1 1/4 pounds) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 pound crabmeat
5 large egg whites or 3 whole eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

Equipment:

• A blender
• A heavy pot

Notes:

• Change the amount of corn that is pureed with the chicken stock to get the desired consistency. I used about a quarter of the corn kernels for a thinner soup.

Instructions:

1. Place about half of the corn kernels and 1 cup of the stock in a blender. Pulse to a coarse puree.
2. In a heavy pot, heat the remaining 5 cups of chicken stock with the grated ginger, ground pepper, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Add the whole corn kernels and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Increase the heat to high and immediately add the pureed corn. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes while stirring.
5. Add the crabmeat and return to a boil.
6. Pour a thin stream of beaten egg in a spiral pattern over the soup and stir well. Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To Serve:

Sprinkle with the sliced scallions and serve immediately.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chinese Crab and Corn Soup

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Simplicity is not always synonymous with traditional when it comes to recipes, but with gambas al ajillo, a handful of choice ingredients is enough to recreate one of Spain’s most famous tapas. Fresh shrimp is cooked briefly with garlic, dried red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and extra virgin olive oil in a preparation equally at home in minimalist and traditional recipe collections.

Paprika, parsley, and lemon juice are not even mentioned, but hopefully this serves as a good starting point for your own variations. Just don’t forget the crusty bread — gambas al ajillo is as much about the shrimp as the garlic-infused oil.

recipe adapted from Penelope Casas’ The Foods and Wines of Spain

Gambas al Ajillo
Garlic Shrimp Tapas

makes 1 tapas-sized serving

1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced thinly
pinch dried red pepper flakes
1/2 bay leaf
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces small fresh shrimp, shelled

pinch coarse sea salt

Notes:

• Devein or not devein? According to Penelope Casas, shrimp is never deveined in Spain, but it’s all about personal preference.

Instructions:

1. In a room temperature earthenware pot (cazuelas) or small skillet, place the garlic, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and extra virgin olive oil. Heat over medium-high until the garlic is sizzling and pale golden.
2. Add the shrimp and cook while stirring, about 2 minutes.
3. Season with coarse sea salt.

To Serve:

Serve sizzling in the cazuelas or in a shallow warmed bowl with crusty bread.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Gambas al Ajillo – Simplest Garlic Shrimp Tapas

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Creamy coconut milk is tinged a shade of yellow in this easy Filipino recipe for squash and shrimp simmered in coconut milk. This is my “macaroni and cheese,” with rice and tender kabocha squash assuming the roles of pasta and cheddar.

As with most comfort foods, ginataang kalabasa has countless variations. Other ginataan recipes call for fermented shrimp paste (bagoong) and fish sauce (patis), but for squash and shrimp, my preference lies with milder seasonings.

recipe adapted from Gerry G. Gelle’s Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Kalyn’s Kitchen

Ginataang Kalabasa at Hipon
Kabocha Squash and Shrimp Simmered in Coconut Milk

makes 3 to 4 servings

The butt end of kabocha squash.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
1 small onion, diced

1 cup chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
1 small kabocha squash or any winter squash varietal, about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
1/2 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 1/2 cups coconut milk (12 to 14 ounce can)

Instructions:

1. Peel and seed the squash. Slice into 1 to 1 1/2-inch chunks.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth or water, salt, pepper, and squash pieces. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender but still firm.
4. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes while stirring. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Ginataang kalabasa at hipon (squash and shrimp simmered in coconut milk)

To Serve:

Serve immediately with rice.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Ginataang Kalabasa – Kabocha Squash in Coconut Milk

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