"Three basic requirements of every human being to physically survive are food, clothing, and shelter..." my mom told my sisters and I when we were kids. Now that I'm at the ripe age of twenty five... alright, forty - - - eight - - - and a half, that lesson is still with me. "If you want to keep working," she continued, "you would be better off in the restaurant business because everybody will always need to eat." Aside from not accounting for FoodTV network, economic downturns and the influx of competitive chefs out there, she wasn't half wrong... Well, I'm not writing this post to talk about my mom (for you see, mom is an honorable woman...), nor is this blog about me. It is about the awakening and the realization that my mom was giving us a lesson in basic human survival. I also don't think that it's coincidental that she described the basic needs in that order - food, clothing, shelter. In order for any living creature to survive, they need to eat. In order for us to be healthy, we need to consume 2100 Kilocalories per day (on an average). Unfortunately there are people around the world who get less than that per week and even more unfortunate ones who get less than that per month. Our bodies need calories because it converts it to energy. Without energy, our body slows down our physical and mental capacities, and if our bodies lack enough energy, we become immune tolerant to diseases even to the point of death. Sadly, the number of people in this situation is in the 963 million count, and the number continues to go up. Since 1990, the numbers are growing at an alarming rate of four million per year. Malnutrition occurs when the body constantly does not get the daily requirements of micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It is the largest contributor of diseases, and when children suffer from malnutrition, they are susceptible to reduced physical and mental development. Malnutrition is a delibitating condition because it depletes the person of the will to live and is associated to 5.8 million deaths (according to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004 July). The world has an abundance of food and yet one in seven people is suffering from hunger, and one in three children is undernourished. So, what can we do? Well, the best way to find out is to check out the World Food Program website at http://www.wfp.org/hunger to learn more, and then get involved. As for me, I am developing a three phase project starting with raising awareness. This will be my first step and contribution in making an impact for the cause to end world hunger. There is enough food to feed the entire global population of 6.7 billion people. There's no reason why anyone should go hungry.

The word Mechado is a Spanish term that refers to the pork back-fat, or mecha (wick), that was threaded through the thick pieces of cheaper and leaner cuts of beef (traditionally beef brisket) to make them more tender and moist during the cooking process. The meat is then marinated in soy sauce and vinegar or calamnsi (Filipino lime) juice, crushed garlic, black pepper and bay leaf. We're using the meat of the short ribs from a cost value standpoint, and even though the larding process seem unnecessary with this cut of meat the bacon provides another dimension of flavor to the beef. Many cooks also have skipped the browning process which is critical to the success of this dish. Browning the meat helps develop that rich meaty flavor and gives the meat the appearance of a classic dish. The meat is then braised, which is a long slow cooking process over low heat, to tenderize the meat and thicken the sauce. Traditionally, this dish would be served with white steamed rice. Here we are substituting the rice with fried polenta so as not to take away from the flavor of the mechado. For the polenta: 12 ounces chicken stock 4 ounces cornmeal salt and pepper, to taste 1 ounce olive oil For the mechado: 3 pounds beef short ribs 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 5 tablespoons soy sauce 2 strips bacon 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ounces dry sherry 8 ounces tomato sauce 2 cups water 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 bay leaves, whole 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 large onions, quartered 2 large carrots, obliqued 4 large red potatoes, diced large 2 teaspoons pimiento, chopped salt and pepper, to taste fresh parsley, optional In a large bowl, mix lemon juice and soy sauce together to make a marinade. Marinade the beef and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. While the beef is marinading, prepare the polenta by brining the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once the milk comes to a simmer, rain in the polenta while whisking to incorporate evenly with the milk. Continue whisking while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking the polenta until the liquid has evaporated - constantly stirring so as not to burn the polenta at the bottom of the pot. Line an 8" x 8" square pan with parchment paper and pour the polenta mixture in the square pan. Spread evenly and let cool on the counter. Once cooled, place the pan in the refrigerator to continue firming the polenta. Prepare and cut the vegetables and set aside. Cut the bacon in long strips (enough for each short rib). Remove the beef short ribs from the refrigerator, cut a slit in each lengthwise and insert a strip of bacon (don't throw out the marinade). Once all of the short ribs have been prepared, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown the meat a few at a time (do not overcrowd the bottom of the pot - this will cause the meat to sweat instead of brown). As each batch of meat comes out of the pot, cut them into smaller portions (approximately 1 inch square). After all of the meat is browned and cut, deglaze the pot with dry sherry and place all of the meat back into the pot. Add the marinade, tomato sauce, water, garlic and bay leaves. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes or until meat is just about tender. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour to form the thickening agent and add this thickener to the sauce. At this time, also add in the onions, carrots, potatoes and pimiento. Cover and continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a small saute pan, heat olive oil. Remove the polenta cake from the pan and cut into triangles or desired shapes. Pan fry the polenta cakes until crisp and golden color. Serve mechado in a bowl with the polenta cakes and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1209 Calories; 97g Fat (73.2% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 185mg Cholesterol; 1748mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1-1/2 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 2-1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 14 Fat. Copyright: April 2008

Okay, time to post some recipes. The first recipe I'm posting here in my kitchen is one that is derived from a filipino dish called Kare Kare, which is an oxtail stew with peanut sauce. With the increasing number of people allergic to nuts, I thought it would be best to separate the nuts from the dish and people can add it as they please. I've incorporated this dish with the techniques for preparing Osso buco (an Italian dish, loosely translated, 'hollow bone'). Osso buco is typically served with gremolada which is a garnish made with minced parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. I have decided to use a basil and roasted peanut pesto for the garnish of this dish to add back at least a hint of the peanut flavor. Try it out and let me know how you like it... For the oxtail stew: 3/4 cup flour 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 4 pounds oxtails 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped 1/2 cup onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup carrot, diced 3/4 cup white wine 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup tomato sauce 8 ounces string beans, cut into 3" lengths 2 cups eggplant, cut into large cubes 4 ounces baby bok choy 1. Heat oven to 300-°. In a small bowl - mix flour, salt, and pepper. Pat oxtails dry on absorbent paper towels, dredge in flour mixture and shake well to remove excess. 2. Heat oil and butter in a large pot until fragrant. Brown oxtail on all sides, a few pieces at a time. 3. When all the meat is bronwed, arrange them back in the large pot for even cooking. Add the herbs, onion, garlic, carrots and a couple of pinches of Kosher salt. Cover and cook over a very high heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking. 4. Add wine, broth, and tomato sauce and place in the oven, covered for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove from the oven and add the remaining vegetables, cover and place back in the oven for another 1/2 hour or until oxtail is tender but not falling off of the bone. Add salt and pepper to taste. For the pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves 1 clove garlic 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts 1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 1 pinch kosher salt 1 pinch fresh ground pepper 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil 1. Coursely chop all ingredients and mix together with the olive oil, or place all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse about three to four times. 2. After plating the stew, top with pesto to finish the dish. Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 267 Calories; 20g Fat (68.3% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 656mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 4 Fat. Serve with Parmesan Risotto. Copyright: April 2008

I've often been asked about the differences between an herb, a spice and seasoning. The answer is in two parts.

1. The first part of the answer addresses the difference between an herb and a spice. An herb is the leaf or petal of a plant or flower that is either dried or used fresh. There are a variety of herbs, such as St. Johns Wort, which are used for medicinal purposes, and herbacious plants used for decorating a room. However, for our purposes here, we will concentrate on the culinary herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, etc. Spices, on the other hand, are various parts of the plant, other than the leaf or petal, that are typically dried. Some examples of spices include cinnamon (the dried bark of small evergreen trees), peppercorns (the fruit of the flowering vine of a pepper plant in the botanical family Piperaceae), and saffron (the dried stigma of the crocous flower; also known to be the most expensive spice in the world due to the way it is harvested).
2. The second part of the answer addresses the ingredient's relationship to the flavor. Herbs and spices add flavor to the dish, where as seasonings bring out or enhances the flavor of the dish. A good example of seasoning is salt. Yes salt adds salty taste to the dish but its main characteristic is that it brings out the flavor of the food that it is added to.

Is this really important? Probably not. What is important is knowing what each herb, spice, and seasoning does to the flavor of the food. There are herbs that usually go well with certain types of meats, and there are spices that are inherent of each cuisine. For example, thyme goes well with poultry, and just about any other meat product it is added to, whereas if you were cooking an Asian dish, chances are that you probably will not use rosemary. Tumeric is typically found in Indian dishes as part of a curry mix, whereas violets are typically found in French provencial cooking. Of course, these are only rules and rules are made to be broken. Overall, the best indicator of which herb, spice, or seasoning goes well for each dish is your taste.