should be enough water so that there is at least 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) of water covering the bones.
Simmer the stock: Bring the stock to a boil. Using a ladle, skim and discard the foam that rises to the top. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the stock 4 to 5 hours. Remove the meaty bones and oxtail and set aside on a plate. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large container. Discard the vegetables and aromatic herbs. Cool the stock and bones to room temperature. Skim off the fat from the surface of the stock or refrigerate the stock and scrape off the hardened fat. Use your fingers to pull the meat off the bones. Discard the bones and gristle. Reserve the meat for another use. Store the broth in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze in ice cube trays or small containers for up to 3 months.
Chicken Stock and Flaked Chicken
Whether you’re whipping up a warm soup, braising a roast, or cooking rice pilaf, a light and versatile chicken stock is an invaluable ingredient that adds flavor and depth to your food. Here is a simple recipe for a light chicken stock that calls for simmering a whole chicken so that you are left not only with the broth but with tender cooked chicken that can be used in countless recipes for your favorite salads, casseroles, or soups. The broth can be frozen in ice cube trays or small containers for convenient use. Portion the chicken into ½ to 1 pound (225 to 450 g) bags that can be defrosted quickly.
Yields 8 to 10 cups (1¾ to 2¼ liters) stock and 1 lb (450 g) cooked chicken
4 to 5 lbs (2 to 2½ kg) whole chicken
2 medium onions, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped into 2-in (5-cm) pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-in (5-cm) pieces
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
One ½-in (1-cm) cube fresh ginger, peeled
6 black peppercorns
10 to 12 cups (2¼ to 3 liters) cold water
Prepare the chicken: Remove the giblets packet from the cavity of the chicken. Reserve the neck bone for the stock. Rinse the inside and outside of the chicken thoroughly under cold water.
Make the stock: Place the chicken and neck bone in a large stockpot (6 quarts/liters) with the remaining ingredients. There should be enough water in the pot so that there is at least 1 inch (3 cm) of water covering the chicken. Over a high flame, bring the water to a boil. Using a ladle, skim and discard any foam that rises to the top of the stock. Reduce the stock to a simmer over medium heat for 2 to 2½ hours.
Strain the stock and flake the chicken: Cool the stock to room temperature. Remove the chicken from the pot. Pour the stock through a fine sieve into a large container. Discard the vegetables, bay leaf, ginger, and peppercorns. Use a ladle to skim the fat off the broth or refrigerate the broth and scrape off the solidified fat. The chicken will be very tender and easy to pull from the bones using your hands. Flake the chicken into small chunks, discarding any skin, bones, or cartilage. Store the broth in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. The chicken may be refrigerated for 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Vegetable Stock
Vegetable stock, with its light, neutral taste, is a versatile ingredient that can be used in practically any dish to add both moisture and flavor. Not only does vegetable stock take little time to make, but it is easily assembled with ingredients you probably already have in your refrigerator. It’s also an economic way to utilize wilted vegetables that are past their prime.
Makes 4 cups (1 liter)
½ lb (225 g) onions, quartered
½ lb (225 g) carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
¼ lb (125 g) celery stalks, cut in into thirds
2 whole green onions (scallions), cut in half
4 cloves garlic, peeled
One ½-in (6-mm)-slice peeled fresh ginger
6 to 7 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
5 cups (1¼ liters) water
Place all ingredients in a 2 to 3-quart/liter pot. Bring stock to a boil and skim off foam that rises to the surface. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 1½ hours. Strain stock through a fine sieve and discard vegetables. Cool stock to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Coconut Cream Latik
The Philippines is one of the world’s largest producers of coconuts, which explains why Filipino cuisine would only narrowly exist without the fundamental flavors and textures lent by the myriad of edibles from the coconut palm. Notwithstanding the tender palm hearts and the valuable sap used for sugar cakes, syrup, alcoholic beverages, and vinegar, the coconut fruit itself is the source of precious coconut water, meat, oil, and milk. I remember making coconut milk the old-fashioned way: sitting on a short rectangular bench to which my grandfather attached a serrated metal blade used to finely grate the flesh of mature coconuts. We’d steep the grated meat in the water collected from the center of the nut and squeeze the pulp to extract thick coconut cream. A second steeping of the pulp with tap water extracted thin coconut milk. A traditional recipe for latik starts off by slowly cooking the first press of thick coconut cream until the coconut solids caramelize and the coconut oil separates and rises to the top. However, I know that there aren’t too many people grating coconuts in their spare time to make coconut cream. In this recipe canned or frozen coconut milk is the convenient base that’s easily simmered to evaporate water, leaving you with a smooth creamy latik. Look for the Chaokoh brand of canned coconut milk, my preferred choice, which has a considerable amount of thick coconut cream.
Makes ½ cup (125 ml)
1 (13-oz/400-ml) can coconut milk
Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and simmer over low-medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the reduced coconut cream to room temperature and refrigerate. Once chilled, it will have the consistency of cream cheese. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
The longer you cook the coconut milk, the darker and thicker it will become. As the coconut milk reduces, the coconut solids will begin to caramelize and the coconut oil will rise to the surface. Whisk the mixture occasionally during cooking to reincorporate the oil and smooth out the mixture. If you find that you’ve overreduced the coconut milk and that it is too thick (perhaps you need it to be spreadable or pourable), simply add water to thin it to your desired consistency.
Sautéed Shrimp Paste
Guisadong Bagoong Hipon
Bagoong, pronounced “bah-GOO-ong,” is neither easy on the nose nor on the eyes. But this fermented seafood paste, though pungent, perhaps even offensive to some, is a signature ingredient in Southeast Asia that adds dimension and complexity to the food. Bagoong is available jarred in the condiments section of the Asian market and can be purchased in different fish and shrimp varieties, the most common being bagoong hipon (also called shrimp fry), bagoong teron (bonnet mouth fish), bagoong padas (siganid fish), and bagoong monamon (anchovies and scad). Bagoong is added to soups, stir-fries, and stews not only as a salt alternative but also for its unique flavor. If served alongside a dish as a condiment, it can be served straight from the jar, although
