"SHRIMPS AND TOFU WITH PINEAPPLE"

Here's another dish using tofu (for you, Delia and Tita Vi!)...and you'll be surprised how delicious this tastes with the sweet-tangy pinapple-flavored sauce!

You can use fresh pineapple, or any canned ones. I prefer using canned pineapple slices because it comes out really nice and pretty when I serve it together with the srhrimps and tofu.

[CHICHAY TIP: Make sure you do not overcook the shrimps, as it will get really tough. I like adding it last, then turning off the heat quickly after stirring it back into the sauce. If you are keeping left overs, separate the shrimps from the rest of the dish, reheat it without the shimps. Once the sauce and tofu are reheated, stir in the shrimps, and cover this with foil or lid and let the residual heat warm the shrimps. Or, put the cold shrimps in hot water, drain, and add into the reheated tofu with sauce.]

-CHICHAY

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"SHRIMPS AND TOFU WITH PINEAPPLE"

What You Need:

• 1 tsp butter


• 2 tsp olive oil


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1/2 small onion, chopped


• 1 lb medium shrimp


• 1 block hard tofu (tokwa), drained, cut into


• 1 inch cubes


• 1 cup pineapple slices or chunks


• juice of 1 lemon


• 2 tsp light soy sauce


• 1 tsp sugar or 1/2 tsp Splenda


• 3 tbsp minced fresh cilantro or parsley


• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Prep:

-Mix together the garlic, soy sauce, pepper and sugar.

-Marinate the shrimps in the mixture for about half an hour.

-Drain the shrimp from the marinade and keep for later.

How To:

-In a large, nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

-Add tofu, and saute until all sides are browned a bit. Transfer the cooked tofu in a bowl, and set aside.

-On the same skillet, saute the shrimps for about a minute, only until the shrimps
are light orange in color. Transfer to another bowl and set aside.

-Add the butter on the skillet and saute the pineapple pieces over low-medium
heat until they are a bit browned.

-Add the reserved marinade and the lemon juice to the skillet, lower the heat,
and let this simmer for about 1 minute.

-Add back the tofu pieces to the pan, stir, cover and simmer for another minute.

-Add back the shrimps to the pan, stir well to coat the shrimps wth the sauce, cook for another minute. Taste and season with salt if needed.

-Stir in the cilantro, and turn off heat.

-Serve over warm rice or chow mein noodles.

"PEPPERED SALMON FILLET"

This simple dish is flavored with a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. I like the flavor of freshly ground pepper, especially the combination of black and white pepper. I use a traditional wooden pepper mill with a mushroom top that you turn to grind the peppercorns. If you do not have a pepper mill, simply crush the peppercorns, maybe using a mortar and pestle, or using a large knife to crush the peppercorns against the cutting board.

For this dish, I used salmon belly fillets (I buy this from the Ranch market), but you can always use whichever salmon fillet you prefer. Thin sliced fillets work best for this dish.

-CHICHAY

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"PEPPERED SALMON FILLET"

What You Need:

• freshly ground pepper
• 4-6 pieces of salmon belly fillets (or any salmon fillet)
• salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp honey

Prep:
-Mix together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic powder and honey.

-Marinate the salmon in the mixture for at least half an hour.

How To:
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C), or heat up a grill pan oven medium-high heat.

-Season salmon with salt and a generous amount of the freshly ground pepper.

-If using the oven, arrange salmon on a broiling sheet. Place in the preheated oven, and bake for 5 minutes. Increase heat to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C), turn fillets, and broil for 5 minutes more.

-If cooking using the grill pan, spray the pan lightly with olive oil, and cook the salmon for about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on the thinkness of your fish.

-Best served over rice, and a side of salad with balsamic dressing.

"HERBED CAULIFLOWER AND MUSHROOMS"

The cauliflower is very nutritious, and may be eaten cooked, raw or pickled. It is rich in Vit C, and has a lot more nutrients, including Vit K, Folate, fiber, Vit B6/B5 and potassium, among others.

In the past, the only way I prepared cauliflower was to either add it to chopsuey, or to steam it with carrots and broccoli as a side dish. Well, that was then. Lately I have been trying different dishes using cauliflower, and this "Herbed Cauliflower and Mushrooms" dish is my favorite so far.

If you like pizza, you will like the flavor of this dish. The Italian seasoning gives it that familiar pizza-like flavor to it.

[CHICHAY TIP: This dish is meatless, but if you want to add meat, I suggest use diced chicken. Saute it together with the onion and garlic until browned before adding the other ingredients.]

-CHICHAY

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"HERBED CAILIFLOWER AND MUSHROOMS"

What You Need:

• 1 pound cauliflower florets


• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter


• 1 small onion, chopped


• 2 stalks of celery, chopped


• 2 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms


• 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water


• 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning


• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs


• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Prep:

-Preheat oven to 350 F.

-Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl and set aside.

-Par-cook the cauliflower by blanching in boiling water for a few minutes, or by
steaming. Drain and set aside.

How To:

-Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.

-Saute onions, garlic, celery and mushrooms 4-5 minutes or until tender.

-Season with salt and pepper.

-Stir in the stock (or water) and italian seasoning.

-Simmer for another 2 minutes.

-Stir in cauliflower.

-Transfer the vegetable mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish.

-Top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese mixture, and bake 15 minutes.