Kuting's Kitchen - Chicken and Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

Bibi slaved in the kitchen last weekend to make sure I have something to eat for the whole week.  I love bibi's cooking but come Thursday, I was craving for something different.  The solution: for me to cook! The only problem is that my physical activities are limited (i.e., I can't really stand up long, no quick, sudden movements) so planning is the key to make this happen.  Good thing there were uncooked chicken in the ref to work with. Now, for the recipe, I've been meaning to try one that uses balsamic vinegar. We have that in our pantry but we only use it for dipping bread (with olive oil and parmesan). So thanks to the internet, I found the perfect recipe:

Chicken and Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients: 

olive oil

6 pieces chopped chicken (medium sized cuts - let's use the leg as the basis)

1 piece chopped onions

1/3 cup chicken stock (I made this myself!)

3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

4 pieces chopped tomatoes (lesson learned - the more the merrier!)

Salt

Pepper

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

(for the exact ingredients per recipe, please go to http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1639,157179-225192,00.html )

Steps: 

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, add chicken pieces and brown well on both sides. (Do not crowd pan; this can be done in two shifts.) When chicken is well browned, remove from skillet.

Saute onion in fat remaining in skillet until tender, stir in stock and vinegar.

Return chicken to the pan, baste once or twice with sauce, cover, simmer slowly until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan, cover and set aside.

Boil cooking liquid for about 3 minutes until it has reduced slightly.

Add tomatoes, cook a few more minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the rosemary.

Return chicken to pan, reheat in the sauce for 2 minutes, transfer to a platter, and serve.

Mission accomplished! Cravings satisfied and no one was harmed in the cooking process!

Davao Food Trip

It was around August 2009 and I need to go on a business trip to Davao. Since this is Mindanao, who else to bring but my favorite Bisaya interpreter and travel companion - bibi! He he. Besides, it was a good opportunity for us to see my sis in law and her husband who were based in Butuan then. It was only a few hours drive from Butuan to Davao.


Davao is definitely one of the I-shall-return-to places not only because of the food but the place itself! There are lot of sites to visit - we went to the Philippine Eagle Center, Eden Nature Park, Crocodile Park, People's Park, Jack's Ridge, Aldevinco Shopping Center, to name a few. But since this is a food blog, below are the food tales :)

• We stayed in Microtel Davao for the first few days and here are some of the places and the food we tried near the hotel.

Caffe Firenzo, similar to Starbucks.  Nice to spend the afternoon while accessing your e-mail for free.:)

There is this fast food dimsum place like Henlin called Dimsum Diner.  The food is your typical Chinese cuisine and it is quite affordable.  Good enough to satisfy a hungry stomach.

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• The hills are alive in another part of Davao where the air is cooler and you can see a nice view of Davao City and its waters.   The place is called Jack's Ridge and it is a resort and restaurant. Since it was already night time when we got to the ridge, we just had our dinner there.

Bihod - roe or egg of the yellow fin tuna

Buntot ng Tuna

Sizzling Seafood 

• Having a taste for anything exotic, there is no way will I give up the chance to drink a one-of-a-kind coffee that can only be found in BluGre Cafe - the durian flavored coffee!

Durian Flavored Coffee

The Cup

Can't resist!

• Another place to find exotic food is the Crocodile Park.  

What else but sizzling crocodile meat!

A very pink Dragon Fruit Shake

Very coordinated, don't you think?

• We also went to a less exotic place where we can always find good food to eat - a Chinese restaurant named Ahfat Seafood Plaza.  Savor the pics!

• And lastly, the Davao food trip will not be complete without this.  We dropped by the Magsaysay Food Market along Quezon Boulevard and had a go with the fruits Davao is famous for - the durian and suha!  Sarap!!

Tagaytay Food Trip

This is is one of my memorable food trips.  It was the first out of town trip bibi and I did when we got married (aside from our honeymoon in Bohol). This was in celebration of our 2nd year wedding anniversary (Dec 2007). We rented a car with a driver and went around Tagaytay. The highlight of the our trip was our lunch at Bourn Giorno!, one of the many restaurants located at the Cliffhouse (left side of the road if you are coming from Manila). We really enjoyed the lunch because of the following - the nice view of the Taal Volcano, a romantic wooden seat with hanging curtains called the opium bed, delicious food at a very reasonable price.

Caramel apple smoothie! I liked it! And the serving was big!

Bibi enjoyed his dalandan shake as well.

Now, this is a quite a hefty serving of the Bourn Giorno's Special Insalata (salad).

Spaghetti Vongole e Gamberetti - we forgot to take a picture first before we dug in!

And finally, the steak! So big, so juicy, sarap to the bones!