Breakfast and Pinoy Longanisa
Breakfast and Pinoy Longanisa
Sausage…chorizo....is as near universal food as you can get. France, Italy, and Germany all have their own unique versions of sausages but so does China, Mexico, Spain, and the USA. But since I am a Filipino, and this is a Filipino food blog, I must mention with pride that most distinct Filipino sausage redolent of black pepper, vinegar, and garlic -- the LONGANISA (or Longganiza or longanisa -- whatever! All are correct.) It is such a hearty, comfort food that Filipinos all around the world have it anytime of the day --- breakfast, lunch, dinner or in-between.
Longaniza is Spanish sausage, similar to chorizo. Longganisa is the Filipino counterpart made with native spices and ingredients. In her book Palayok, Filipino food writer Doreen Fernandez writes about the two general types of Filipino-style sausages: jamonado, which is sweet like ham, and de recado, which is spicier or vinegar-flavored. I also learned about this when I took the "House of Longanisa" workshop at Heny Sison's Culinary School.
The spices and flavorings used in making longganisa vary from town to town across the Philippines. In the northern part of Luzon, in the town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur, longganisang Vigan is marinated in garlic and basi or sugarcane vinegar. Longganisang Lucban from Lucban, Quezon in the southern part of Luzon is made with oregano while the sausages in Pampanga, are sweet and intensely garlic-flavored. Traditional longganisa is made with ground pork and diced pork fat (actually back fat is the best because it's the only pork fat that doesn't melt -- I learned this from the workshop I attended at Heny's). In the supermarkets, and public markets, versions that use chicken and beef abound. For me, and I guess most of the Filipinos will agree, that the pork versions are still the best. To live and die for pork….!!! Uh…oh!
Okay, now, let's get serious. In this post, I am sharing with you my dear readers, the LONGANISA RECIPES that I learned from the "Sausage Workshop: House of Longanisa" workshop I attended at Heny Sison's Culinary School. I took this class simply because the Chef/Instructor was Vicky Villanueva (of Stars and Bizu fame). And yes, because it was a hands-on-class. It was an 8-hour workshop and we made Skinless Longanisa, Vigan Longanisa, Hamonado, Baguio Longanisa, Cebu Longaniza, Macau Longanisa, Bulacan Longanisa, Lucban Longanisa, Spaghetti Longanisa Bolognese, and Ampalaya Atchara. (Don't worry, they wouldn't mind if I share their recipes with you guys. It's not like I'm going to jail for doing so. Actually, I am encouraging all of you to try these and I guarantee that you'll flip for these recipes….and the TASTE).
Longaniza is Spanish sausage, similar to chorizo. Longganisa is the Filipino counterpart made with native spices and ingredients. In her book Palayok, Filipino food writer Doreen Fernandez writes about the two general types of Filipino-style sausages: jamonado, which is sweet like ham, and de recado, which is spicier or vinegar-flavored. I also learned about this when I took the "House of Longanisa" workshop at Heny Sison's Culinary School.
The spices and flavorings used in making longganisa vary from town to town across the Philippines. In the northern part of Luzon, in the town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur, longganisang Vigan is marinated in garlic and basi or sugarcane vinegar. Longganisang Lucban from Lucban, Quezon in the southern part of Luzon is made with oregano while the sausages in Pampanga, are sweet and intensely garlic-flavored. Traditional longganisa is made with ground pork and diced pork fat (actually back fat is the best because it's the only pork fat that doesn't melt -- I learned this from the workshop I attended at Heny's). In the supermarkets, and public markets, versions that use chicken and beef abound. For me, and I guess most of the Filipinos will agree, that the pork versions are still the best. To live and die for pork….!!! Uh…oh!
Okay, now, let's get serious. In this post, I am sharing with you my dear readers, the LONGANISA RECIPES that I learned from the "Sausage Workshop: House of Longanisa" workshop I attended at Heny Sison's Culinary School. I took this class simply because the Chef/Instructor was Vicky Villanueva (of Stars and Bizu fame). And yes, because it was a hands-on-class. It was an 8-hour workshop and we made Skinless Longanisa, Vigan Longanisa, Hamonado, Baguio Longanisa, Cebu Longaniza, Macau Longanisa, Bulacan Longanisa, Lucban Longanisa, Spaghetti Longanisa Bolognese, and Ampalaya Atchara. (Don't worry, they wouldn't mind if I share their recipes with you guys. It's not like I'm going to jail for doing so. Actually, I am encouraging all of you to try these and I guarantee that you'll flip for these recipes….and the TASTE).
By the way, this is the same Vigan recipe that Victorino's restaurant in Quezon City uses. Chef Heny Sison is part-owner/partner of the restaurant, and Chef Vicky, my favorite Chef/Instructor at HSCI, is a faculty of the School AND the Supplier of their Vigan longanisa. There goes the connection. So before you go and dine at Victorino's, why not try this recipe first and tell me what you think.
To my fellow home cooks, here's to a tastier breakfast…!!!
To my fellow home cooks, here's to a tastier breakfast…!!!
Newly made Vigan longanisa -- wondering why it's wet? You'll know why as you go thru the recipe. This is our group's output.
Vigan Longanisa
Ingredients :
Spices
Spices
- 15 grams Sugar
- 15 grams Salt
- 100 grams Garlic, minced (if you can, use the "native" garlic)
- 5 grams Black Pepper, freshly ground
- 60ml (1/4 cup) Sukang Iloko
- 45ml Soy Sauce
- 30ml Anatto oil (you can buy or you can make your own - see instructions below)
- 30ml garlic oil
Meat
- 700 grams boneless pork butt (kasim), medium grind
- 300 grams fresh pork back fat (without rind), medium grind
- 4 feet natural hog casing
Procedure :
Mixing and Encasing
Mixing and Encasing
- Season the ground pork with the seasoning spices. Mix lightly.
- Add diced fat to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Encase the mixture into a natural hog casing to make 1,2,3, 12 inch lengths. Clip or tie off.
- With a teasing needle, pin or skewer and perforate the longanisa at 1.5 inch interval.
Drying
- Dry the longanisa undisturbed for 24 hours.
Finishing and Cooking
- Bring 120ml of water and 30ml to 60ml of oil to simmer in a pan.
- Poach longanisa at medium fire until it renders on its fat.
- Fry longanisa until skin is very crisp and brown.
- Served with vinegar spiced with garlic.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 6 days or wrap in a plastic and freeze up to 3 months.
How to make Annatto (Achuete) Oil :
- Combine achuete and oil in a pan then apply heat.
- Maintain the heat to medium. When bubbles start to appear, turn off the heat and let the achuete soak in the oil for 2 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook else it will produce a bitter taste.
- Use a strainer to filter the seeds and transfer the annatto oil to a container.
Making Annatto (Achuete) oil
Lucban Longanisa
Ingredients :
Spices
Spices
- 100grams Garlic (minced)
- 30ml fresh Oregano juice
- 2 grams Paprika
- 8 grams Black pepper
- 60ml cane Vinegar
- 15 grams white Sugar
Meat
- 500 grams ground pork, coarsely ground
- 200 grams ground pork, finely ground
- 300 grams pork back fat, diced coarsely
- 4 feet natural hog casing
Procedure :
Mixing and Encasing
Mixing and Encasing
- In a bowl, combine the spices -- garlic, oregano juice, paprika, black pepper and cane vinegar.
- Season the ground pork with the seasoning spices.
- Add the diced pork back fat to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Encase the sausage/longanisa to make 1,2,3 12 inch lengths. Clip or tie off.
- With a teasing needle, pin or skewer and perforate the longanisa at 1.5 inch interval.
For the Drying, Finishing and Cooking, and Storage -- see the procedures I wrote above.
Cooking our longanizas
Longanisa, Garlic rice (sinangag), and Ampalaya Atchara -- perfect trio anytime of the day.
