2 lbs chicken thighs
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 glass+ water
2 tbsp brown sugar
handful whole black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/4 onion (optional)
oil, enough for browning chicken

1. Brown chicken and onion.
2. Add soy sauce, vinegar, water, brown sugar, whole black pepper and bay leaves.
3. Simmer on medium high heat. Add a little water as required.
4. Adobo is ready when chicken becomes tender and starts falling off the bone (usu. 45 mins+).
5. Enjoy warm with white rice.

~ Jonas’ special recipe

1 lb Pork belly
1 tsp Kiouk (dry red rice)
1/3 bottle white/Chinese wine, to taste
2-3 cloves garlic
4-5 whole cloves (the spice)
pinch of salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup boiling water
4-5 tbsp oil

1. Slice pork into pieces 1 cm thick.
2. Fry pork pieces in hot oil. Drain and keep aside.\
   3. Crush kiouk and add to hot water. Bring to a boil.
   4. Add wine, pork, garlic, cloves, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
   5. Simmer for about 45 minutes, or until pork is soft and water is reduced.
   6. Check from time to time, adding more hot water as necessary.
   7. Serve warm with white rice.

Enjoy!

~orignal recipe from wlps, Montreal – 2001

twist:
Some people traditionally add tofu to the dish. I have not tried it yet. If you usually do and also add other ingredients, or use an alternative recipe, please share with us in a comment.

2 cups flour, sifted
1 cup margarine, room temperature
strawberry jam, stirred to loosen
2 cups icing sugar
2-3 tbsp hot water
few drops of red food colouring

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C).
2. Rub the margarine into the flour, and knead into a soft dough (might be a little bit crumbly).
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, to less than 1cm thick.
4. Cut out circles 2 inches in diameter out of the dough.
5. Knead any left-over dough together, and roll out again. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until dough is used up.
6. Place circles on lightly greased baking sheets, and pop into the oven for about 8-9 minutes, or until a very slight change in colour is noted.
7. Place baked biscuits on a cooling rack.
8. Once cooled, pair up the biscuits. Spread jam on one, and sandwich with the other.
   Place the jammed biscuits on a rack over waxed paper, inches away from each other.
9. Melt the icing sugar with 2-3 tbsp hot water. Add sugar and/or water as required to obtain a flowing yet viscous consistency. Add 1-2 drops of colouring and stir to make very light pink icing.
10. Coat the biscuits by pouring the icing over. Any icing that drops onto the waxed paper can be re-used. Leave to set before serving.

~ originally i tried using Madeleine Philippe’s recipe. however, the amounts did not seem to work for me. i use a flour to margarine ratio of 2 to 1. you have to try for yourself and find out what works best for you. i noticed that the fat content and sodium content in the margarine made a lot of difference in the biscuit, in terms of greasiness and saltiness. it does help to stick to the same margarine once you found the one that gave the best results.

twist:
Cut out heart shapes instead of circles and delight that special person
Sometimes, use blue instead of red/pink colouring.
One big napolitaine makes a great birthday cake for the extreme vegetarian. My late grandma was a pure vegetarian (no eggs) and we often have a big napolitaine as her b’day cake

notes:
Use margarine with no more than 90mg sodium/serving so the biscuits are not overly salty. Try Saffola. And NEVER use water in preparing the biscuit dough!

3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup espresso or strong coffee
2 tbsp coffee liquor (Kahlua) or marsala wine
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
20 savoiardi/lady fingers/boudoirs
cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1. Beat egg yolks and sugar for 2-3 minutes.
   Add mascarpone cheese and beat 3-5 minutes, until smooth and creamy in colour.
2. Separately, whisk egg whites with a pinch of sugar, until stiff peaks form.
3. Gently fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture.
4. Mix coffee, marsala wine/coffee liquor, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp cocoa powder.
5. Dip each savoiardi into the coffee mixture, and align into a square or rectangular glass dish.
6. Top with a layer of mascarpone mixture.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6, finishing with a mascarpone layer.
8. Dust with cocoa powder.
9. Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.

Salute!

~original recipe from an Italian friend, Giovanna – 1997

ticaro’s twist:
Prepare individual portions in small ramekin dishes or cocktail glasses.
Top with a decorative strawberry.

note:
Mascarpone cheese would typically be found in the cheese deli section of a supermarket. It is a creamy cheese that comes in a small plastic container. I have been using Belgioioso’s since the earlier days.