Leilei Cooks: Salmon Lumpia

I decided I wanted to make salmon lumpia for the Spring Meet Up over the weekend, but not knowing I would be SO busy during the week that I wouldn't have time to shop, prep and cook until THE DAY OF.  SMH!  Well worth it though, because there were none left!  I brought a little over 50 pieces!  This recipe was shared to me by my KasamaSistaAte Donna a few years back when I was helping her prepare for a wedding she was catering.  Simple ingredients and lots of flavor.  

Ingredients:

Salmon fillet 

Baby spinach

Whipped cream cheese

Lumpia wrapper

Yoshida Original Gourmet Sauce

Eggs (for egg wash)

-Clean and slice salmon to small pieces

-Marinade in Yoshida

-Separate lumpia wrappers

-Start your roll on one piece of wrapper first with a bit of cream cheese, add the baby spinach, then add a piece of salmon rolling tightly and tucking the ends

-Use egg wash to seal the end

-Cook at 350 degrees in deep fryer for 3-5 minutes (I had 3 in the basket).  You can also pan fry which will vary - cook until golden brown and salmon is cooked.

I omitted the size/quantity because there are no set figures.  Just make what you feel is a good amount for what you need.  I would also not keep these in the freezer too long, maybe max 3 months or less since these are fresh ingredients.  The best would be to cook and serve as soon as possible.

Make sure you buy a fillet.  I bought a salmon steak and it had the skin attached to it.  I had to use my filleting skills (I have never done it before ha!) and got this cleaned up.  It took longer than I wanted to spend.

Clean and inspect the fillet for bones/scales before slicing into small slices.

Place into a bowl and cover with Yoshida to let marinade while you move on to the next task.  It doesn't take long for the fish to retain the flavor, do not let sit for a long period of time, otherwise it will be salty.

The best lumpia wrapper!  One of my childhood kitchen tasks was separating the papery layers for my Mom as she wrapped.  These tear easily so use care when doing this.  Also, to keep them from drying out, cover with a damp paper towel as you add one after another. My Mom didn't make lumpia often because it is labor intensive, but we weren't deprived because we have so many good cooks in our family and she would order from them.  LOL!

Schmear of cream cheese to start off.

Then the baby spinach on top of that.

Then the salmon next and you roll!

Roll it tight and be generous with the egg wash to seal it up.  When you create your pile, be sure to have them lined up and place wax paper between to keep from sticking between the layers.  Or you can go old school and use the actual plastic the lumpia wrapper came in!

Fry em up!  I had 3 at a time going for 3-5 minutes on 350 degrees and fried using vegetable oil.

Mmmm, the perfect little 2 bites!

Do you have any favorite lumpia combinations?

3 Ingredient Beer Queso

Another Pinterest success!  Thank you A Spicy Perspective for this awesome 3 Ingredient Beer Cheese Dip recipe. I have been craving a soft pretzel and cheese dip for some time.  My Soul Sistah/Roomie knows what's up because I'll whine for it.  Specifically the ginormous one at World of Beer.  Well, here is a quick and easy dip you can make at home.  I'm drowning my beloved Seahawk's loss to STL Rams in beer and cheese.

*Note: I decreased this recipe and halved it for a "single" serving. Ha!

Ingredients;

12 oz bottled beer
8 oz cream cheese
1 lb pepper jack cheese

Directions:
1.  Pour the beer in a medium sauce pot and place over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.  Cut the cream cheese into cubes and place in the pot.  Then shred the pepper jack and add it to the pot.

2.  Whisk continually until both cheese have melted and the beer cheese dip is smooth.  It will look a little thin, but will thicken the moment it starts to cool.

2 pretzels and more beer, perfect!

I only ate about 4 tablespoons of this.  It was HELLA rich.  Nagado met unay! (For my Ilokanos out there!)

Leilei Cooks: Filipino Comfort Food

I find myself cooking like my Mom when it comes to certain Filipino foods. Remembering a recipe, but ditching the to-the-point measurements. Which can be hard for the Virgo in me looking for exactness.  I just add a dash here and a splash there based on what I like.  Growing up my Mom and my paternal Grandmother made this dish.  This has become my go-to, easy to make item, like an Ilokano comfort food dish.  I now make it using turkey instead of pork and while I love the classic Rufina Patis, I opt for paleo friend Red Boat.  The squash is called upo in most Asian food stores, but I grew up knowing this as the Ilokano word tabungaw.

Here is what you will need:
1 pack of ground meat (I used turkey, but you can use pork, beef or chicken)
1 small upo squash
4 tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
1 small yellow onion
Fish sauce
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil

Wash produce and set aside.  Mince garlic and dice onion.  Dice the tomatoes.  Split the upo in half lengthwise, then into 1/3s and dice into bite sized pieces.  

In a large pot or pan, heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil and once that becomes hot, saute the garlic and onion for a few minutes.  Add ground meat and salt & pepper and cook until brown.  You may or may not need to drain some of the fat after cooking, use your own discretion.  Add the upo with the meat and put a lid on, cooking for about 10 minutes or until the squash has softened, stirring frequently.  Once the squash is cooked, lower the heat and add the tomatoes and fish sauce to your liking.  I put in 4-5 dashes.  You can add more salt & pepper for taste if necessary.  Cook for 5 more minutes until the tomatoes have softened.  

Final product!  I eat this over a serving of hot, fresh rice.  The digu (sauce) mixed with the rice is so good! This recipe yields about 6 servings.