Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

This is my version of minestrone soup

Ingredients:

strips of bacon or pancetta
1 cube onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup chopped celery
3 gallons of beef stock
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of green beans
1/2 cup of kidney beans
1/2 cup of potato or potato
1/2 cup carrots in small cubes
250 grms of elbow macaroni
3 tbsp parsley (optional)
3 tbsp basil (fresh)
pinch of pepper

Procedure:

1. Cook bacon/pancetta in olive oil then saute the garlic and onions.

2. Add diced tomatoes, green beans then kidney beans and garbanzo beans.

3. To this add celery then the carrots.

4. Add small amount of water and par boil until the vegetables are tender.

5. Add beef stock and bring to a boil.

6. Add cooked elbow macaroni.

7. Bring to a boil then simmer.

8. Add parsley, basil, salt and pepper.

*Image from Wikipedia. Thanks

Bulalo for Lunch

Today was a great day having my favorite food on the table. Watching my diet and cholesterol intake, I just tell myself "bukas na talaga start" (tomorrow, I will really start), referring to my plan of watching my calorie intake, and yeah, the bad cholesterol. Who can resist such sumptuous meal? The "Bulalo" (Beef Marrow Soup) is one of Pinoy favorites. Here, I am going to share the recipe, my sister's version. I hope you'll love it too!

BULALO (Beef Marrow Soup)

INGREDIENTS
3 pcs. bulalo (beef marrow shank or knee cap)
salt to taste or fish sauce depends on your taste
2 tbsp. whole peppercorn
3 potatoes, quartered
3 onions, quartered
1 kilo Baguio beans
3 pcs. sweetcorn on the cob, cut each into 4
1 bundle of pechay
1 head cabbage or baguio petchay
4 pcs. banana (optional)
1 beef bouillon cubes (0ptional, if you want it more beefy taste)

DIRECTIONS
1. Boil the beef marrow shank, onion, salt, pepper and beef cubes in water for several hours, average heat, enough to keep the water boiling, until the meat is tender and the broth fragrant.You can also use a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time.
2. After an hour or so, add more water to replace the lost liquid due to steam. Then, add the corn cobs and let it cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and the bananas
4. When the vegetables are crisp tender, add the cabbage/pechay and baguio beens.
5. Serve with fish sauce squeezed with lemon juice or calamansi.

Enjoy!