Wednesday’s Helping: Alternative Ingredients for Chamorro-Style Flank Steak

Steaks done better

We recommend using sirloin, minute, or chuck steak instead of flank.  Remember that leaner cuts should not be cooked until well-done if you desire more appetizing and tender servings.  Meanwhile, substitute the soy sauce with a solid rubbing of plain sea salt or coarse salt.  Wanna kick it up a notch in terms of pungent spices?  Use fish sauce instead of soy sauce for a more fragrant but tasty steak.     

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Chamorro-Style Flank Steak

Island steak on-the-fly

The Mixed Stew crew enjoyed this menu item growing up in Guam.  Grilled flank steak, sliced butterfly-style, was always a yummy site to see and eat.  The Chamorro cooks also piled oodles and oodles of onion rings piled on top for good measure.  The reliable combination soy sauce and lemon juice forms a potent sauce that complements this mean cut’s natural juices and flavors.   

   

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Chamorro-Style Flank Steak

Island-style grilled steak

The tougher steak cut becomes more palatable with simple seasoning and searing.  Here’s the recipe: 

What you will need:

1 large serving plate

1 cast-iron skillet

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 ½ lbs flank steak

3 garlic toes, pilled

1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings

3 tablespoons soy sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and black pepper to taste

Cooking and Directions: 

Cut into the flank steak in a sideways motion in “butterfly-style” as shown.  Season and rub steak with black pepper and salt.  Heat skillet on medium-high heat.  Grease pan with canola oil.  Throw in garlic toes and repeatedly slide across bottom of pan.  Next, place steak in hot pan.  Let steak sear on both sides for 5 to 7 minutes.  Repeat for all steak pieces.  Place steaks on serving plate.  Keep pan on heat.  Add onion rings and let them sautee until softer.  Toss well.  Pour in lemon juice and soy sauce.  Toss onions again.  Pile onions and pour sauce over steaks.  Serve immediately.          

Wednesday’s Helping: Alternative Ingredients for Ham-N-Cheese Puto

Lil’ morsels that satisfy

We think that simple ingredients make the whole dish in this week’s recipe.  Remember that bacon, Canadian bacon, and luncheon meat can substitute for the ham in a pinch.  If you don’t have cilantro, plain Italian parsley or leafy basil will provide similar flavor interests.  Lastly, use chopped American cheese singles, Velveeta, or even shredded mozzarella instead of the shredded cheddar cheese for some variety.   

 

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Ham –N- Cheese Puto

Such a ham revisit

Ham has the flavor, and then some, needed to serve as the meaty ingredient in stuffing this ol’ Filipino staple.  Remember that puto literally means “rice cake.”  These rice cakes possess a semisweet taste that’s off-set by the smokey ham and melted cheese.  Meanwhile, the Mixed Stew crew added cilantro for a twist.  The herb provides a minty flavor component, which cuts through the sharpness of the cheese and ham.            

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Ham –N- Cheese Puto w/ Cilantro, Too

Yummy cheese buns

The Mixed Stew satisfies anyone’s cravings for East meets West in this week’s selection.  These puto buns are stuffed with bite-sized pieces of ham, shredded cheese and spicy cilantro.  Here’s the recipe:

What you need:

1 medium-sized bowl

1 metal steamer

5 cups water

2 packages from inside the box of White King brand puto mix (contains two packets inside)

1 cup sugar

10 tspns cooking oil

8 -12 puto molds, (substitute 8 -12 heatproof teacups)

2/3 cup ham, diced small

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup cilantro, minced

Cooking and Directions:

Fill 3 cups water into double boiler and place on stove at high heat.   Meanwhile, combine ingredients to mix and make puto batter in medium-sized bowl.  Fill molds half-way with batter then sprinkle in pieces of ham, cilantro, and a small portion of cheddar cheese.  Fill molds with more batter to cover ham and other tidbits.  Place molds in steamer to cook for 25 minutes.  Serve immediately or let cool and pack away for later.

Wednesday's Helping:Sweet Quesadillas

The Mixed Stew is going on hiatus from April 6th thru April 10th.  We hope everyone enjoys a week of sweet repeats. The Mixed Stew will be back on April 13th with even more yummy posts. Happy Easter!

Post originally from May 7, 2012

A dessert with Mexican flair

The savory version of this food item tends to be a favorite for lunch and dinner.  Here’s a luscious dessert rendition:

What you will need:

1 metal spoon

1 metal spatula

1 chef’s knife

1 medium-sized bowl

1 cutting board

1 fry-pan or skillet

1 serving plate

2 large flour tortillas

½ cup cream cheese

1 ripe banana, thinly sliced

½ cup dried cranberries

3 tblspn honey or maple butter

Butter

1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground

Optional: 

Whipped topping

Cooking and Directions:

Layout one flour tortilla on cutting board.  Smear and spread cream cheese on one-half and one side of tortilla.  Then add a layer of dried cranberries, sliced banana, sprinkled cinnamon, and honey (or maple butter).  Fold over clean tortilla flap to form quesadilla.  Press down firmly.  Heat up skillet at medium-high heat.  Add a pat of butter to skillet and grease bottom of pan.  Next, carefully position quesadilla into skillet.  Let quesadilla cook on each side for 1 to 3 minutes until nicely browned.  Repeat process for second tortilla.  Cut cooked quesadillas into wedges with chef’s knife and serve with whipped topping.  

Tuesday's Cupful: Healthier Coconut Cream Pie

The Mixed Stew is going on hiatus from April 6th thru April 10th.  We hope everyone enjoys a week of sweet repeats. The Mixed Stew will be back on April 13th with even more yummy posts. Happy Easter!

Post originally from August 4, 2014 

A chocolate edge, too

The Mixed Stew has been concocting this sweet sensation for some time.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 flat cookie sheet

1 (8 or 9 inch) pie pan

1 medium-sized bowl

1 food processor

Non-stick Cooking Spray

½ cup powdered sugar

1 (12 oz.) pack soft tofu

1 (12 oz.) pack firm tofu

3 tablespoons vanilla extract

¾ cups coconut, shredded

2 ½ cups dark chocolate Cheerios, crushed into crumbs for crust

½ cup butter, softened

Pinch of salt

Cooking and Directions:

Combine crushed cereal with butter in bowl.  Work butter and crumbs into round ball of dough for pie crust. Place in fridge for 15 minutes.  Preheat oven at 325 degrees.  Grease pie pan with cooking spray.  Then take out chilled dough and press into pie pan to form crust. Place pan on cookie sheet and place in oven.  Let crust bake for 20 minutes.  Remove crust oven from oven.  Let crust cool to room temperature.

Place tofu in food processor.  Add powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.  Process tofu for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth and creamy.  Pour tofu mixture into cooled pie pan and spread to form creamy layer of filling.  Sprinkle top of pie with shredded coconut and rest of cereal crumbs.  Place pie in fried for at least 3 hours to set for serving.  Serve cold.      

Monday's Bread Bowl: Pistachio Cake

The Mixed Stew is going on hiatus from April 6th thru April 10th.  We hope everyone enjoys a week of sweet repeats. The Mixed Stew will be back on April 13th with even more yummy posts. Happy Easter!

Post originally from March 12, 2012 

A nutty, dizzying delight

Every slice of this cake makes a light and soft dessert. Try our pistachio cake if you’re tired of the usual vanilla or chocolate. Pistachio provides the delicate and unique flavor note. Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 wooden spoon
1 large spoon
½ cup rum (or lemon lime soda)
1 tbspn all-purpose flour
2 (9-inch) round cake pans
Non-stick cooking spray
1 package Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix
Whites from 3 large eggs per box instructions/ingredients
1 (3.4 oz) package pistachio pudding mix
1 cup apple sauce
1 package Duncan Hines vanilla frosting

Cooking and Directions:

Follow instructions on side of cake mix box substituting apple sauce for vegetable oil and decrease water by 1/2 cup because that will be substituted with rum. Add pudding mix and rum then blend well. Be careful not to over mix. Grease pans with non-stick cooking spray then coat bottom and sides with flour. Pour cake batter into pans and bake. Test center for doneness with toothpick. Let cake layers cool then frost.