After the eating madness that characterises the Filipino holiday season, you have to be mad not to seek more healthy fare to cleanse the system. If you are wondering about the tone of that sentence, Mrs. MM and I are in the midst of adult soap opera-dom and have, in four days flat, watched every episode of Downton Abbey, finishing with the two-hour Christmas special last night. But that’s a different story altogether, soon. :) With Gejo’s brilliant looking young spinach in hand, I decided to make a quick wilted salad with some bacon, red onions, mustard and red wine vinegar…
…and served it alongside a farro salad with roasted red peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, olives, etc. It was a substantial lunch, but healthier than the average meal during the holidays. I will probably go back on a diet for about a month or so to lose some unwanted pounds… when I get back from Cebu and Sinulog celebrations. If you are seeking recipes for either of the dishes up top, please check out this and this previous post for details.
19 Responses
What a coincidence. I just finished watching season2 episode1 of Downton Abbey. Did you watch both seasons? I enjoy this series. Actually I enjoy most masterpice classics series. The picture on this post makes me want to eat salad all day long. I have to make it soon.
Good morning, MM. what a good idea. I have some pancetta and lots of spinach. will do this in the morning here as it is already late. Now am hungry.
bakerwannabe, yes, watched both seasons, missing just half of one episode. Any series that shows folks measuring table settings with a ruler in the intro section is likely to be of interest to me… :)
Don’t know if you saw Upstairs Downstairs. It is good too. I am an Anglophile.
bakerwannabe, Remains of the Day, Gosford Park, turn of the century set films in New York… :)
Wow, I must try that salad…this has the same feel as Jamie Oliver’s wilted greens…he rendered the fat of a bacon and from that fat he cooked garlic and added balsamic vinegar…and poured that mixture to the greens (arugula, etc)…it’s quite good as well…
MM, next time, try it with a handful of chopped wilted kale or Swiss chard. Keeps well in the fridge, and delish, too!!
i love julian fellowes as well (seen gosford park at least 17 times, i love it so)! but yes, if you can find it (old na kasi), bakerwannabe’s recommendation is delightful as well. “upstairs, downstairs” doesn’t have as much victorian table setting action going on — but is just as addicting. :)
“Lantang-lanta naman ang spinach ninyo” customers says to the seller who quickly replies “Aba, ay di na ninyo kailangan initin pa para sa wilted spinach salad ni Marketman.”
At a time when there was no home refrigeration to talk of, we got ahead of fiesta left-overs my accelerating their consumption which made everyone queasy from the unaccustomed rich food. Kulot ng ampalaya on guinisang mungo was mothers effective day-after antidote for that.
a most minor detail: ishiguro’s remains of the day is set in britain about the death / dimishment of a certain lifestyle (and the necessary accoutrements: butlers et al) –a nuanced symbolism of the defeat of imperial Britain, a kind of yearning for the wealth and glory days of a once shining empire… (there are other notable story streams: unquestioning servitude to a master who was a nazi sympathizer, yards yadda…)
Good recipe…
Footloose, ha ha ha that is very funny.
Agree. After a weekend of rich food I go into an “I don’t want to eat mode”. Back when I was still living in Manila, (this was over 20 yrs ago), we ate at a resturant on Makati Avenue. I ordered the callos and it came with pan de sal. I loved it but could not find any recipe that replicates it. Can’t remember if the restaurant’s name is Mario’s or Casa Marcos. May no longer be inexistence since it’s been years. MM do you have any callos recipe? Thank you.
Yay! you’re hooked too with Downton abbey :) I watched all seasons and have the DVD of series 1 and 2 plus the Christmas special too :) a belated Christmas gift from hubby, gear yourself for some more, as season 3 is coming February :) don’t you just love Maggie Smith? :)
Love the recipe MM as always :) thanks for all the inspiration you give us to try and cook :)
love downton abbey..completely smitten by maggie smith. will look for gosford park. thanks for the info MM. Wow, the blog is evolving..pang kitchen na, pang tv series pa..
Maggie Smith’s one liners are classic.
I adore Downton Abbey, and I prepared my tissue before watching the Christmas Special. Haha! I am such an iyakin. ;p I love Maggie Smith, and I laughed so much when she said “Do you promise?” when Sir Carlisle said something to the effect of them not seeing him ever again. I am also so in love with the visuals/cinematography, color/tone, setting and period clothing.
Thanks to the others who commented about other shows. Looking forward to checking them out. :D
Anybody looking for farro in Cebu……Glauco Muzzi carries it in his bodega on AS Fortuna. Il Ducato Trading across Norkis in the Pelaez building. This is soooo my speed, MM. Back on THE diet after these last few weeks of holiday indulgence. On another note, everyone loved the jams, jelly and marmalade packs :-)
Susie, I can’t even find farro in Manila! Will have to check out that bodega in Cebu! Thanks for the tip. And I, too, am back on THE diet. I figure 6 weeks of torture every year and 46 weeks of normal eating is a fair deal. :)
Hi MM! Can you tell me where I can but good baby spinach? I used to be able to buy packs in S&R but the past few months, they’ve disappeared and been replaced by another brand which advertises itself as salad spinach but has that bitter taste of regular spinach. I miss having my favorite baby spinanch salad! Thank you!
fely, I think it is partially seasonal and when the rains start, it tends to disappear… I used to get mine from Gejo of Malipayon Farms (formerly Kitchen Herbs Farm) and yes, I also used to buy it at S&R. I don’t like the other spinach you refer to, it isn’t the same kind of spinach… While the baby spinach is out of stock… you may opt to use some baby arugula, a bit more peppery, but still that nice dark green salad hit you might be craving…