Mushrooms and Cream Cheese Omelette

This dish doesn't look particularly good or appetizing but looks can be deceiving!  The combination of fresh oyster mushrooms and cream cheese with the egg is fantastic!

The first thing is to saute a handful of fresh mushroom oysters in a little butter.  Meanwhile, scramble 2 eggs (season with salt and pepper as you like), when the bottom of the eggs are set, arrange the sauteed mushrooms on the eggs and smear about 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream cheese on top of the mushrooms then fold the omelette into thirds or half.  (mine got a little crumpled and hole-y but that has nothing to do with its taste!)

Steamed Eggs with Curacha

Looks impressive, right?  But it is an easy recipe.  Just plop the curachas (or crabs or even lobsters) on or in a basic steamed egg recipe and steam away!

Yummmmmmm!

Mushroom, Pepper and Cheese Omelette on English Muffin

English Muffin Breakfasts, Again!  Yes!

This time, it's a thick single-egg omelette with a lot of mix-ins - a large pinch each of thyme and salt, 3 tablespoons cream cheese, 1 red chili pepper (sliced) and a handful of sliced mushrooms.

I like using a very small non-stick pan.  The pan is really an egg pan, it even came with a spatula in the form of a fried egg! The diameter of the pan is about 4.5 inches!

screenshot from Google images

And it is the perfect size for a dish to put on top of an English muffin.

"Benedict Muffinbach"

Friend T has christened this -

Benedict Muffinbach.  I suppose the inspiration came from it being similar to Eggs Benedict, but that it is radically not... combined with a wonderful play on the name of a favorite British actor playing the character of Sherlock Holmes.

But, yes, it is a variation on the same theme... something on top of an English muffin!

This time, I got inspiration from one of the breakfast items of my favorite coffee and tea cafe... Salmon Scramble... although their version is on a rosemary focaccia.

Toast an English muffin and spread lots of cream cheese over the top.  Layer on 2 to 3 pieces of smoked salmon (or as many as you like!) then top with scrambled eggs.  Drizzle dill sauce over and sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.

Enjoy!  Hubby sure did!

Eggs Benedict... Not!

I had it all planned. I was going to make Eggs Benedict for breakfast. According to Wikipedia, Eggs Benedict "is an American brunch or breakfast dish that consists of two halves of an English muffin each of which is topped with Canadian bacon – or sometimes ham or bacon – a poached egg; and hollandaise sauce".  My first try to make poached egg was dismal... worse, I forgot to buy ham, I only had chicken ham.  Long story short, I gave up the original plan.  But I already had the muffins, the chicken ham and egg... I did the next best thing.  I made a look-alike...

I toasted the muffins and spread some cream cheese on them.  The chicken slices were next then a slice of sandwich cheese.  A fried egg with a runny yolk and another one over easy went over the cheese.  And a sprinkling of cayenne pepper on the eggs.

The dish looked naked and not quite a look-alike but I did not particularly want to make Hollandaise sauce!  In the end I mixed some mayonnaise with a little mustard, some lemon juice, a pinch of dried dill and some salt to make a sauce.  And for good measure, I added coleslaw too!  Here's what my look-alike looks like...

Delicious!

Frambled Eggs

I usually have a fried egg for breakfast everyday.  This is usually how I like it - crisp on the edge with a just cooked yolk (I don't like raw eggs!)...

But the other day I read an article about a "new" style of cooking eggs.  When I read the whole article though, I realized that we had already been making that kind of egg when we were kids... the article called them frambled eggs - a mix of fried and scrambled.  When I was young, we called it broken fried eggs!

It always starts with a couple of eggs poured into the pan.  If or when one of the yolks broke...

We would just mix it up! 

And we kept on mixing... and mixing...

We end up with eggs that are (what the article calls) frambled!

It's ok, I like it, but I prefer my go-to fried egg.  Hubby tried it too and he liked it!

Fiddlefern Omelette

I really like it when the tindera (saleslady) at the market knows her product/s well.

We went to the weekend market to buy specific items, quickly finishing our errands and heading out into the parking lot when a tindera called my attention to her wares... Fiddlehead ferns, or pako in the vernacular.  I politely declined, saying that we were not in the mood for salad (which is the usual way that I know).  The tindera then informed me (with a slight indignation, I might add) that the pako can be prepared and cooked many other ways... sauteed with shrimps or dried fish, or simply with butter and garlic; as part of a ginataan (coconut cream) dish, especially crabs (!); or an elegant omelette...  that did it - I bought a bundle!  I wanted to make pako omelette!

First step, as always, is to trim the ferns from the stems.  The second step is to blanch the ferns briefly and then put them in an ice bath.  The last step in preparation is to dry to the ferns thoroughly.  Only then are the ferns ready.

Saute about 3 large cloves of garlic, grated, in about 1/4 cup of salted butter.  Set aside when done.

Meanwhile, beat 6 extra large eggs with 3 tablespoons of whipping cream and a large pinch of salt (or to taste).  Pour into a skillet (at least 10 inches, preferably 12 inches) and cook over medium heat.  Lift the edges of the omelette to let uncooked eggs slide underneath.

When the top of the omelette is almost set, place the sauteed fern tips in the middle and top with slices of white cheese (the local kesong puti is best).

Fold one side of the omelettle over...

Then fold the other side...

Transfer (carefully) to a serving platter and serve!

We found this dish to be super delicious, with the ferns still crunchy!  Now I can't wait to buy more ferns next weekend and prepare a ginataan dish... I hope I can find decently priced crabs as well!

Steamed Eggs with Fresh Kidney Scallops

Sometime ago, B's Lola found fresh scallops (still in their shells!) from the nearby wet market.  It was the first time I saw kidney-shaped scallops, still in their shells!  Lola claims that this kind of scallops were more tender (and more delicious) that the usual (frozen) "Chinese" scallops that we would buy at the specialty seafood store,

Hubby requested a non-fried dish, so we agreed on steamed eggs.

We removed the scallops from their shells, as well as the roe, and cleaned them.  Then we used the scallops and the roe in a steamed egg dish.  We added straw mushrooms and some ebiko...

To make the soft kind of steamed eggs, a strainer is a necessity to achieve the smooth and silky texture.  This tip was given to me by B's Lola.  And, it is true!  I noticed that when I was lazy and did not strain the mixture, the top would have "craters" and there would be bubble holes inside the "custard". 

Anyway, our standard "recipe" is to mix 4 jumbo eggs with 1-1/2 cups of filtered water (sometimes broth, if we had some), and a dash of light soya sauce.  The mixture is strained and poured into a shallow Pyrex dish.  The roe and sliced straw mushrooms (we used canned straw mushrooms) were scattered into the egg mixture.  Steam the dish over simmering water (not on high heat or boiling water) for about 15 to 20 minutes, then place the scallops (decoratively) on top of the almost solid steamed eggs.  Steam another 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the size of the scallops) and just before serving, top the scallops with a dollop of ebiko.  Finish with a dash of sesame oil!  Garnish with slices of green leeks, if desired.

Thai-style Pork-stuffed Omelet ( ไข่เจียวยัดไส้ด้วย หมู)

When I need comfort, I turn to food...

My first choice is almost always soup, but for today, I am settling for my number 2 comfort food - eggs.

And I remembered that a long time ago, hubby and I ate this supremely tasty pork-stuffed omelet in a (literally) hole-in-a-wall eatery.  Don't ask me where though because we were just walking around and we saw a lot of people going into this door.  We were curious so we went in and up some narrow, rickety stairs was this rambunctious crowd lined up (haphazardly) for food - "turo-turo" (literally "point-point") style.  Which was actually a good thing because we didn't speak a word of Thai and it did not seem like they spoke any English!

Obviously all these people could not be wrong (as to the quality of the food) so we lined up as well and pointed to what we felt we wanted to eat... rice, soup, curry (obviously) and this square parcel of scrambled egg (which I chose because I thought it would not be spicy).  Turns out the best of the lot was the omelette!  It was slightly spicy, but it got really spicy because it was garnished with sriracha sauce!

Here is the latest of many attempts to re-create that dish.

This latest try is the one that looks most authentic... I (finally) checked youtube for demo videos on how to wrap the filling into a square.

For the filling, I found the interet abound with recipes (as usual), but I based my filling (roughly) on the recipe which I found in this book

For the filling:

Marinate for 15 to 30 minutes: 

1 cup ground pork (about 150 to 180 grams)

5 pieces large, shelled shrimp, minced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce

1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns

Meanwhile, prepare:

3 thin slices ginger, smashed

1 medium onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 large tomato, diced

1 medium potato, diced

small handful wansoy, minced finely

2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

1 to 2 teaspoons chili sauce (or sriracha), optional (for me)

3 eggs, beaten with

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce, or to taste

Heat a wok and saute the ginger, onion and garlic.  Add the tomatoes and stir-fry several seconds.  Add the marinated meat and wansoy; cook a couple of minutes then add the diced potatoes.  Season to taste.  Add water or stock, if necessary (the final mixture should be rather dry).  Cook until done; set aside.

Heat about a tablespoon of canola oil in a non-stick, flat frying pan, 11 to 12 inches in diameter.  When hot, pour in the beaten eggs and spread around to form a thin layer.  When the eggs are cooked, place the cooked ground meat filling in the middle and fold into a square parcel.  Flip into a serving plate.  Garnish with wansoy and serve with sriracha or sweet and sour sauce.

Chai Po Omelette (菜脯蛋)

Chai po (菜脯) is crunchy, salty preserved radish.  When I was little, I would eat chai po with congee, especially when I was sick.  But in an omelette, it is such a treat, much more so when fresh shrimps are added!

It's not really difficult to make...  here's the main cast of characters...

from the top left - minced garlic (2 cloves), 30 grams chai po (minced into fine bits, and rinsed and squeezed dry), 1 stalk of leeks (sliced diagonally, white and green parts separated), and 80 grams shrimp (rinsed then shelled then sliced into "cubes")...

and of course, 2 eggs with a splash of milk (lightly beaten)...

Saute the garlic and the white part of the leeks.  Add the chai po and about half of the green leeks; stir fry several seconds.  Add the shrimp and mix for couple of minutes, until the shrimp turns pinkish.  Pour in the eggs and stir to mix.  Turn the flame to low-medium.

Shift the edges of the omelette to the middle and let the uncooked portions slide out to the edges.  Do this at regular intervals until the omelette looks evenly cooked.  I cover the pan to encourage cooking, but do not increase the heat or the bottom will get burnt.

Use an 8-inch, non-stick pan for best results.

(Bastardized) Eggs Florentine

Traditionally, eggs florentine is a dish comprised of a poached egg on wilted spinach, on toast, and served with mornay or hollandaise sauce.  It's a variation of eggs benedict.  And quite delicious!

But.

But, it's a bit too complicated to make, especially when we're in a bit of a rush at breakfast time. 

Solution?

Keep the main ingredients and bastardize it.

How?

1. Serve the toast on the side
2. Skip the sauce and use grated cheese
3. Skip poaching and "fry" the egg with the spinach.
4. Eat in about 15 minutes.

(I actually saw this dish in one of my cookbooks, but now that I'm trying to find it, I can't remember which cookbook!  So I'm winging it!)

Here is the recipe:

1 large onion, sliced
300 to 400 grams spinach
2 eggs, medium or large
salt and pepper, to taste
parmesan cheese, grated

In an 8-inch non-stick pan, saute the onion until soft and fragrant.  Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and toss.  Cover the pan, cook until spinach is wilted (check occasionally and stir; add a tablespoon or two of water IF necessary).  Move the spinach around to make 2 "holes".  Pour an egg in each "hole"; sprinkle salt and pepper (to taste, with a light hand!!!)  Cover and cook until the eggs are of desired doneness.  Sprinkle parmesan (and/or bacon bits...) on top.

Breakfast is served!

(I specify medium or large size eggs because I used the super large and as the dish shows, the eggs are a bit too big!)

Century Eggs over Tofu

This is a dish that hubby likes very very much.  The best part is that it's foolproof... the secret is simply the quality of ingredients... all 3 of them!

This dish begins with a good quality silken tofu, which is steamed then cooled.  Then 2 to 3 pieces of good quality century eggs are sliced and placed on top of the tofu.  Lastly, a good quality thick soya sauce is poured over the whole dish.  Viola!
 
Century eggs are basically preserved eggs.  Supposedly, centuries ago in China, someone discovered some eggs buried in a lime pool and decided to eat them.  He liked it so much that he set about making more... and the century egg was born.  Suffice to say, they have existed in China and Chinese cuisine for several centuries already.

When I was a child, my mother told me that it was an egg that was buried in soil, straw and horse manure for at least A HUNDRED YEARS, hence the name "century" egg.  I now know that it DOES NOT take a hundred years to make, but my mother still insists - this time however, that it took at least a hundred DAYS that the eggs were buried and preserved...

Anyway, the eggs are slimy and quite gross especially for one who did not grow up with it on the dining table; after all it looks greyish, greenish and/or blackish AND it has a different taste and aroma (that I've heard to be described as stinky).  But it really is quite a delicacy with its creamy center (not unlike a soft boiled egg) [although I've eaten a lot with a firm center] and jelly-like "egg white".  When I was asked how it tasted like, my answer was that it tasted like a regular egg but concentrated.  It was actually the texture that I had to get used to but then again I don't like soft boiled eggs either!

But going back to this dish, the 3 ingredients are the basic components.  It can be dressed up a lot of ways... pork floss (or vegetarian floss), spring onions, cooked ground meat, leeks, whatever floats your boat basically!  In one variant, the tofu was topped with 3 kinds of eggs - hard boiled eggs, salted eggs and century eggs!

Yum!!!

Sweet, Sour and Salty Fried Eggs

This is a dish from my childhood.  I remember being bewildered at having breakfast food (fried eggs) at lunchtime, with a strange twist (the sauce).  But I remember liking it a lot!  Although I remember that the eggs were folded over, like an omelet.

Anyway, I decided to make it (as far as I could remember it because I couldn't find a recipe) for hubby's breakfast...

It was actually pretty easy...

Mix together 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of mild vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon honey (or sweetener of choice), 1 tablespoon of water and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.  Set aside.

Fry 2 eggs, sunny side up (fold over, if desired) and transfer to a serving plate when done.  Add the sauce mix to the pan and just heat through (do not cook) then pour over the eggs.  Serve immediately.

Wouldn't you know it?  After making this dish, I found an old cookbook belonging to my mom.  It's as old as I am since it was published in the year that I was born!  The pages were yellowed and quite brittle.  And it was mostly in black and white, with only a handful of colored pictures!!!  The book was in poor condition and would be falling apart if it were not for my mom having it hard-bound!  But I found the recipe for the dish in its yellowed pages!

The best part?  My recipe was actually pretty close to the original!!!

As for hubby's reaction?  I thought he would be surprised, and at least find the dish original but he said he already had a similar dish in Singapore a long time ago!

Oh well, he still liked it!

Baked (Shirred) Eggs

Here's another way to cook eggs - by baking!

My baked eggs started with placing tomato slices in the baking dish then cracking 2 eggs on top.  A tablespoon of low fat milk is poured over. The original recipe called for prosciutto but I skipped that.

Grated cheese is then sprinkled on top, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  I added a couple of sprigs of herbs on top.  The original recipe did not specify cheese but I added it in lieu of the prosciutto.

It baked for about 20 minutes then immediately served!  Hubby liked it, commenting that it was interesting, a rather refreshing change from the usual scrambled or fried eggs.

I found the recipe for Baked Eggs with Prosciutto and Tomatoes in this book.

I also found this video for the recipe.

Firm Steamed Eggs with Enoki and Conpoy

Eggs are extremely versatile.  The can be breakfast, lunch or dinner.  And they can be prepared in a lot of ways.  In fact, if someone asked me what item I am never without in the kitchen, I'd say: eggs!

One of our favorite ways to cook eggs is a Chinese dish - Steamed Eggs.  This means that steamed eggs are a common dish in our house, with various fillers, of course.  It could be as simple as is, or a bit more substantial with fresh shrimp and ground pork, or outright lavish and luxurious with crabs!  This particular time, I've used fresh enoki mushrooms and conpoy (dried scallops).

This particular steamed egg dish has a firm texture, which is the kind that I grew up with.  Hubby, on the hand, knows steamed eggs with a soft, delicate texture, which he obviously prefers.  To compromise, we have both kinds alternatively.

To make a firm steamed egg dish, less water or stock is used in proportion to the eggs.  I usually use 6 eggs and 1 cup of stock or water.  Lightly beat the eggs and mix in the water/stock.  The egg mixture may be seasoned, especially if the add-ins are "bland". 

As for the fillings, I add in whatever is on hand, even left-over dinners.  Usually I pre-cook chopped shrimps and ground pork and scatter the bits in a Pyrex dish, then pour in the egg mixture.  This time I used enoki mushrooms that were left over and added rehydrated conpoy (dried scallops) for a special treat.

The dish is steamed for about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the heat used.

Yum...yum...yum!

"Sabaw Itim"

When my brothers and I were little kids, we called this dish "Sabaw Itim", literally Black Soup. To our very young minds, we called it as we saw it - soup because it was so liquid-y and black because it was so dark in color.

It's actually chicken braised in soy sauce with mushrooms and boiled eggs.

It was a real favorite and we had it at least once a month!  In those days, the dish was so much more soupier (after all we all wanted the soup/sauce on our rice!) and the chicken pieces were various cuts from 1 whole chicken.  These days, chicken is available by specific parts, and boneless, no less!  My favorite part?  boneless, skinless chicken thigh!

The recipe:

about 600 to 700 grams of boneless chicken thighs (about 8 to 10 pieces)

Marinade:

2 to 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 bulb garlic, smashed
a small thumb of ginger, sliced into matchsticks
2 to 3 pieces large bay leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns
1/4 cup light soy sauce
dash of shao xing wine
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

150 grams small fresh shitake, about 15 to 18 small pieces
(or 60 grams dried shitake, about 15 to 18 small pieces)
4 to 6 pieces boiled eggs

1/2 to 1 cup water (or mushroom soaking liquid, chicken stock)

Mix marinade ingredients together; set aside for a while.

Clean the chicken pieces and slice each piece into 2 or 3 pieces, depending on the size desired (remember that meat shrinks upon cooking so adjust accordingly).

Pour marinade over chicken and let stand for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, if using dried mushrooms, soak in warm water until softened; drain but keep the soaking liquid. Cut the stems off the mushrooms (fresh or dried ones). Rinse lightly to remove dirt and grime, if there is any.

When we were younger, this dish was cooked on the stove-top in a clay pot; it was soupier too. The way I make this dish now is with the magic cooker and with a lot less liquid.

The traditional way:

Smash some more garlic and saute them over low fire until lightly browned and deliciously fragrant! Then dump the chicken pieces and all marinade into the pot. Throw the rehydrated mushrooms in too (IF using fresh mushrooms, add them after 15 minutes of simmering.) Add enough liquid to barely cover the chicken pieces; mix to combine everything. Cook on medium or medium low and simmer until done, about 30 minutes or so, depending on the size of chicken pieces (smaller pieces cook faster). Top up with more liquid if the sauce is reduced too much OR if a soupier dish is desired. About 5 minutes before putting off the stove fire, add the boiled eggs. Adjust seasonings to desired taste. Off fire, add a few more drops of sesame oil. Top with chopped leeks. Serve while hot!

The magic cooker way:

Just dump the chicken pieces and marinade into the inner pot. Throw in mushrooms and boiled eggs, too. Add 1/2 cup of liquid; mix gently to combine everything (and not mutilate the eggs). Adjust seasonings. Cook on medium or medium low and simmer for 10 minutes (start counting when liquid starts bubbling). Place inner pot inside the outer chamber of the magic cooker. Leave for 30 to 45 minutes.  Just before serving, add a few more drops of sesame oil. Top with chopped leeks. Serve while hot!

DISH VARIATION - Use firm tofu instead of mushrooms, or use a variety of fresh mushrooms - shitake, button, Korean king oyster, straw, etc.

PERSONAL NOTES -

The soaking liquid of the dried mushrooms is very flavorful, but some find it too strong, in which case use only 1/4 of the soaking liquid and 1/4 cup or more of water or stock. Or omit the soaking liquid altogether.

If using dried mushrooms and their soaking liquid, the sauce of the dish will have a stronger, more pronounced flavor. If using fresh mushrooms, the dish has a more subtle, delicate flavor. It's delicious either way. Using different kinds of fresh mushrooms gives more dimension to the dish.

The original recipe (from my mom's files) has 1/2 tablespoon sugar as an ingredient in the marinade but I've always skipped it.  Also, dark (and salty) soy sauce was traditionally used but I'm happy with my light soya sauce (and hubby is ok with it as well) which is less salty and does not impart a dark brown (almost black) color.

Ham and Cheese Roll Ups

Sometimes we get little (or no) notice of guests arriving.  And I've had to be creative in finding fast and easy food to serve.  Here's one.

I wish I could take credit for thinking of these but the truth is, I saw these at a function that we attended some time ago.  And I'd been meaning to make them since then.  Of course I don't know the actual recipe that the function organizers (or caterers) used but here is my version...

Take a piece of sandwich bread and cut the crusts off.  Then flatten the bread (this is a very important step, see next paragraph for the reason).  Smear mayo or butter on the flattened, crustless bread.  Then place a piece of cooked ham and a cheese slice (square slices are best) on the bread.  Roll the whole thing up and secure with fancy picks.  Slice into 3 or 4 mini-rolls.

At this point I have to stress that it is crucial to flatten the bread.  I discovered (the hard, experimental way) that if this step is missed, the whole thing crumbles and breaks - the resulting rolls are just plain ugly.

Well, our guests were impressed (whoo hoo!) and the best part was that it was easy, really easy, to make!

Pork Adobo, My Way...

There's a million and one ways to cook adobo - it is, after all, the national dish of the Philippines (well, not officially...).  Seriously, I don't know anyone who does not like it, even if everyone has varying preferences - salty, tangy, oily, saucy, mixed, double cooked...  In fact, it was my late father's favorite dish, the other one being Braised Pata (pork hocks).  As a child I could eat loads and loads of adobo with a ton of rice... and ice cold coke!!!  (which was the way my dad enjoyed his adobo!)

But the adobo that I like and cook at home these days is one where a bit of my ancestry shows through - with banana blossoms (which some say are really lily buds but that's another story...)

And, I like my adobo with bay leaves and boiled eggs... in addition to being all pork, specifically belly part (although on occasion I also use kasim or pork shoulder), where I try to find ones that have very little pork fat (otherwise we trim off as much as we can).  As much as I like pork adobo, I'm really not a fan of the chicken variant, don't know why.

My recipe is pretty standard, although I use my magic cooker -

5 to 6 strips of pork liempo (about 750 to 1000 grams), cut into cubes (we trim a lot of fat off...)
1 whole bulb garlic, cloves smashed
2 to 3 large pieces bay leaves, crumbled
1 cup soy sauce (I use light soy sauce)
1/2 cup native vinegar
a handful whole black peppercorns, lightly smashed
1 cup water
a handful of banana blossoms, rehydrated, tough ends cut off
hard boiled eggs (optional)

Clean the pork and place into the inner pot of the magic cooker.  Add garlic, bay, soy sauce and vinegar.  Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Place the pot on the stove, add water and cook (simmer) over low-medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir only after the mixture has bubbled (initial boil).  Place the inner pot in the magic cooker and let it sit for at least 30 to 40 minutes.

Return the inner pot to the stove.  Add the banana blossoms and boiled eggs.  Lightly stir the mixture.  Let simmer about 10 minutes.  Return to the magic cooker and let sit until meat is tender - another 30 minutes or so.

Adjust the seasonings.  I know some people like a really salty, or a salty-sweet adobo, but personally I like mine adobo tangy and only a bit salty so I've been known to add a little more vinegar (the banana blossoms add to the tanginess, too).

Yummmmyyy!!!  And perfect with ice cold coke (diet or zero).  Where's the rice????

Rellenong Talong (Stuffed Eggplant)

Eggplant is a versatile vegetable and it is one of hubby's favorite vegetables.  My most favorite way of eating the eggplant is relleno - literally "stuffed" with a ground meat mixture and dipped in beaten egg then fried.  I also like my rellenong talong to be simple, and with crispy edges.

The recipe:

1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
150 grams ground pork
50 grams shelled shrimp, chopped finely
salt and pepper, to taste

2 pieces Asian eggplant (about 100 to 150 g each)

2 eggs, beaten lightly in separate dishes

Mix together the ground meat and chopped shrimp.  Season lightly with about a teaspoon of soy sauce and fresh ground pepper.  Saute the onions and garlic until fragrant.  Add the ground meat/shrimp mix.  Cook until dry.  Adjust seasonings as desired.  Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, steam the eggplant until cooked through.  Peel off the skin and mash lightly until flattened.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Heat saute pan with canola oil (enough for shallow frying).

Place 1 flattened eggplant in a dish with beaten egg.  Spoon half the ground meat/shrimp mixture on top of the eggplant and press down gently with the back of a spoon.  Drizzle some beaten egg over the top.  Using a spatula (or 2), lift the eggplant with ground meat into the hot pan.  Spoon half the beaten egg remaining in the dish over the eggplant.  When bottom side turns brown (and crispy), flip over and spoon remaining egg over the eggplant.  Cook until the other side is browned and crispy too.  Repeat with the other eggplant.

Serve with ketchup.

(A quick note here - sometimes I don't flip the eggplant over especially when I want to see the ground meat mixture, as seen in the picture above).

Ham, Egg and Pimiento Sandwich Spread

I've always made chicken sandwich spread, but after tasting a wonderful ham sandwich with not ham slices and vegetables, but rather with ham bits and spiced mayo, I decided I wanted to make my own version.  And mine would have ham, boiled eggs, pimiento and mayonnaise, as well as pickle relish and ground peppercorns.

It was yummy on bread -

The recipe:

200 grams smoked lean ham, diced
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
roughly 1/4 cup diced pimientos
about 1 cup of mayonnaise
about 1/2 teaspoon of pickle relish (or more, if desired)
about 1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorns

Just toss everything together and chill.

Notes: 

A cup of mayonnaise will result in a "chunky" spread.  1 1/2 cups mayonnaise is perfect if you like a "wetter" spread.

Personally I like a tangy spread so I always add more pickle relish, sometimes even up to half a tablespoon.

You can skip seasoning with salt because the smoked ham is usually salty already)