Post by Michael TrewPost by cshenkPost by Michael TrewNo, I haven't, but I do eventually plan to. It's been so hectic
here. To boot, she was sick this weekend, as was everyone in my
ex's household, and I didn't get to see her (not COVID).
Sorry to hear that.
BTW, tucked away a link you posted when I was swamped and finally
deleted some 2,000 messages.
A link? I'm not sure which you mean. The Beef Mechado recipe? I'm
not sure how much I liked it, but it wasn't bad. I'm sure there are
better out there.
Here it is:
https://panlasangpinoy.com/filipino-pinoy-food-tomato-sauce-beef-mechado-recipe/
Looking at the recipe, it's a good one! However, I've never had it
with beef except on the Fort McHenry and Essex. Beef then was potroast
cut beef and the picture looks more like that as it shreds up a bit.
Out in Manila and Subic, it was pork based.
The potatoes would be the common ones to the area. They are very like
Yukon Golds (waxy, hold their shape). Do not use Idaho types here.
There are only 3 things a bit off from what I have had and one of them
is standard 'American market substitute'.
1. Lemon there would have been Calamansi for sure. That's a fruit that
actually does transport well but hasn't caught on for some reason.
It's a citrus and similar to lemons and limes. the juice of 1/2 a
Small lime would mix with just a small slice of lemon rind and be about
right.
2. The garlic is Americanized. With this long cooking, the 3 cloves
might as well not be used. Make it 5-6 and you'd be about right for
how the dish is made.
3. The 'something missing' factor of Filpeno cooking (grin). Made
this way would be fine but I've never seen an actual Filipeno dish like
this that didn't add about 1 TB of a mild vinegar to soften the meat.
It's added at the start and the optimal one would have been Datu Puti
brand 'Cane vinegar' (from sugar cane).
Now those are the definates. Most Filipene recipes however aren't
(sorry Ophelia) 'Ophelia bland'. They'd have added chile powder to
'kick it a notch'. On the ship when we had it, they used some RoTel
tomato cans as part of the tomato base. Worked fine and it's not
supposed to be a 'blast your socks off' dish.
I'd give it 3 stars as listed, add 1/2 for added vinegar and 1/2 for
use of RoTel (or a powdered chile) to make it 4 star. I call that
plenty good for home eating! Economical too. If you want it more
'saucy', double the tomato sauce to a full can then add the RoTel (with
juice). Can up the potato with no damage to 2 large Yukons.
6 servings, it shows the smaller meat uses overseas per portion.
Double the potato and you have 8 servings. Will freeze well.
Cost should be about 8$ meat (less if pork butt by 1/2) and 2.50 or so
for the rest. 1.5$ per serving if beef with added potato. 93cents per
serving if using pork and added potato.
Smile, Pork butt is on sale here for 97cents a lb. That would make
this dish 63cents a serving. Pocket the change you'd have otherwise
spent and use it to get a new car filter or something... Even better,
get your little girl some cute scrunchies!