Throughout her impressive career, Chef Myrna Segismundo has always believed that Filipino cuisine is truly worth celebrating, that it can truly hold its own in the international food scene without having to be "fused" with other types of cuisine to be deemed world-class.
For years, Chef Myrna has been crafting delicious recipes in the Philippines and New York City. Not only has she taught aspiring chefs, she has also authored two cookbooks, served as an editor-in-chief of a food magazine, and hosted her own cooking show.
We were privileged to be able to meet the acclaimed chef and see her at work in the kitchen.
Using beloved flavors and ingredients of local, traditional dishes, Chef Myrna shared some delicious family favorite recipes that will bring back cherished memories of home and family no matter where you are in the world this Holiday season.
Chef Myrna Shares Delicious Heirloom Recipes
"You better record your family's recipes. Ask your parents," Chef Myrna says, when asked what advice she would give aspiring home cooks. "It would be difficult to recreate dishes from memory."
Here are some of the delicious heirloom recipes she shared with us, beginning with a delectable Morcon recipe passed down by Chef Myrna's mother, Emilia.
Morcon a la Emilia
Serves 4 - 6
- 2 kilos Beef Sirloin, cut into two portions (8 x 5 x ½-inch slices, pound lightly if needed)
- Juice 10 pcs calamansi or 2 lemons or limes
- 1 cup Soy Sauce
- 1 head Garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns, cracked
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 8 -10 Sweet Pickles, quartered
- 4- 6 Spanish Sausages (Chorizo) cut into 4 horizontal strips
- 200 grams Pork Fat, cut into 1/4 x 2-inch strips
- 1/3 kilos Edam Cheese or Queso de Bola cut into 1/4 x 2-inch strips
- 150 grams Ham Strips
- 1 can Pimiento, sliced into strips
- 5 pcs Eggs, boiled, peeled and wedged
- Butcher’s Thread
- 2 pcs White Onions, minced, sautéed in a little oil
- 4 pcs Tomatoes, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped, sautéed in a little oil
- Enough Water to cover meat
- 1 cup Tomato Sauce
- 3 pcs Potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1/3 cup Green Olives
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
1. Marinate beef slices in lemon, lime or calamansi juice, soy sauce, garlic and pepper for 2 hours
2. Remove beef from marinade and spread slices flat on tray. Reserve marinade. Spread top side of each slice with butter. Line each center of the slices horizontally with strips of pickles, sausages, pork fat, cheese, ham, pimientos and boiled eggs. Roll each slice into a cylinder and tie with butcher’s thread to bind beef and stuffing . Rub and coat rolls with the sautéed onions and tomatoes.
3. Place beef rolls in a pot or casserole. Pour marinade. Add water and tomato sauce. Cook rolls covered over medium heat for about 30 minutes until sauce thickens or until beef is half-done. Add quartered potatoes and olives and continue simmering till beef is tender. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cool beef rolls thoroughly. Remove string. Carefully slice the rolled beef into half-inch thick cuts making sure the stuffing is intact. Arrange slices neatly on a platter. Heat sauce with potatoes and olives . Pour sauce over slices and garnish with the potatoes and olives . Serve warm.
Adobo Pâté
Serves 6 to 8
Pepper Jelly and Toast Points
Serves 6 - 8
For the Adobo:
- 1 head Garlic, peeled and pounded
- 2/3 cup Cane Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Black Peppercorns, cracked
- 1 Bayleaf (optional)
- 1 kilo Pork Shoulder, boneless, cut into stewing pieces
- Enough water to cover meat
- 2 cups Fresh Cream
- 1 bar (227 g) 100 g Unsalted Butter, divided
1. Combine garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper and bay leaf in a wok or sauce pot. Add pork, and water and marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Simmer over medium heat until pork is cooked. Continue simmering the pork in the pot till it is tender. Some oil will be expressed from the pork.
3. Fry the pork in the remaining oil until golden brown.
4. Gently toss cooked meats. Some of the meat will stick to the pot so scrape the sides to include those to mixture. Set aside.
5. Add the fresh cream and half of the butter and continue simmering for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove the bayleaves from the adobo and allow to cool down.
For the Pâté
In a blender, pour adobo mixture and process until smooth. Transfer to desired container and top with the remaining melted butter to seal the pate. Chill before serving with toast points or crackers and pepper jelly.
Pepper Jelly
- 25 grams Red Bell Pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup Water
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 3 tbsp Juice from fresh lemon or calamansi
- 2 pcs Bird’s Eye Chili, seeded and minced
Combine all ingredients in a pot. Simmer, stir and reduce by half. Add it to your delicious heirloom recipes list.
Salad of Young Ubod and Pomelos
Honeyed-Patis Dressing
Kinilaw of Shrimps
Serves 4 - 6
- 1 kilo Ubod (hearts of palm), julienned, soaked in water with calamansi juice (drain before use)
- 2 pcs Jicama, peeled, julienned
- 2 pcs Carrot, peeled, juliened
- 2 pcs Red Bell Pepper, seeded, julienned
- 2 pcs Green Bell Pepper, seeded, juliened
- 1 whole Pink Pomelo Segments, peeled and seeded
Honeyed-Patis Dressing
- 1/4 cup Dayap or Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Patis (fish sauce)
- 1/3 cup Honey
- 1/2 tbsp Dayap Zest, grated
- Pinch White Ground Pepper
Shrimp Kinilaw
- 1 kl Fresh White Shrimps, peeled, headless and deveined
- 1 cup Cane Vinegar
- 2 pcs White Onion, minced
- 2 pcs Ginger (approx 1 inch), peeled and minced Bird’s Eye Chili), chopped
- Juice from 10 pcs. Calamansi
- 2 tsp Fish Sauce
1. In a bowl, marinate shrimps in vinegar for 2 minutes, squeeze shrimps lightly and discard vinegar. Strain the shrimps, set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, toss marinated shrimps in onion, ginger, and chilli. Drizzle with calamansi juice. Season with fish sauce, if needed. These delicious heirloom recipes cannot be ignored!
Turones de Manila, Vanilla Gelato Spazzacamino
- 8 pcs Saba
- 10 pcs Lumpia Wrapper (Rectangular Springroll Wrappers), quartered
- 1 ½ cups Langka (Fresh or Bottled Jackfruit, sliced into 1/4 –inch strips
- 2 tsp All- Purpose Flour or Cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
- Oil for deep-frying
- 1 ½ cups White Sugar
- a dash of whisky
- 1/2 gallon Vanilla Ice Cream
- Coffee Powder for dusting Gelato
1. Peel and slice each banana, lengthwise into 6 strips.
2. On each piece of the cut spring roll wrapper, arrange 1 banana strip with 1 or 2 strips of jackfruit on one side. Roll into small cylinders and seal the end of the wrapper with a little flour or cornstarch dissolved in water.
3. In a preheated pot with oil, deep-fry rolls over medium heat, tossing continuously while sprinkling with the sugar, a little at a time. This will coat each roll with caramelized sugar.
4. Place cooked turon on a tray rack to drain excess oil and to cool. To prevent pieces from sticking together, allow some space between the pieces.
5. Serve with Vanilla Gelato spiked with Whisky and Coffee Powder.
Voila!
*all recipes published with permission from Chef Myrna Segismundo and The Maya Kitchen
If you want to learn more from Chef Myrna Segismundo join the The Maya Kitchen Culinary Elite Series, which will not only hone your skills and techniques, but will renew your love for Filipino food.
To know more, visit www.themayakitchen.com, e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com, or head to The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City. You may also call us 8921185 or 892-5011 local 108 or +63929 679 6102.
Like and follow Maya Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram @TheMayaKitchen1 and follow them on Twitter @TheMayaKitchen.
READ: Christmas gift ideas to make moms happy during the holidays!