Fresh Start Daily

Day 1

The kids jumped into the pool right away when we got to Lian.

I collaborated with my sister for the tablescape design and we scoured online for ideas. We pulled off a cute rustic table set-up on a budget (thanks to Pinterest). We didn’t drink the wine. It’s more like a decoration.

Day 2

We almost didn’t make it to Lian, Batangas last weekend. The trip was supposed to be two and a half hours only but it took us much, much longer than that. I already had to call our accommodation agent because it was difficult to take the route she gave. She sent someone to guide us so we followed his car and we took a detour. Thank God we were able to reach our destination!

Papa was reprimanding us on our way there. He asked us why we want to go somewhere far to swim when we could have gone swimming in Manila–where we didn’t have to go through all the hassle. We didn’t tell him that we rented a villa and prepared something for him even when he was already lecturing us because it would put our efforts to waste. So we kept mum and endured his sermon. I really couldn’t think of a better excuse. 😅 My sister and I have been planning for papa’s surprise birthday getaway for months. Everything was ready so going back to Manila was not an option. 💪

When we got to the villa, our guide greeted papa a happy birthday, so he had a clue that it was all for him. I forgot to inform our agent not to mention anything to papa because it was meant to be a surprise, but… Oh well… Papa said he did not expect it and that he really appreciated it. It was an intimate celebration with the family. Unfortunately, my brother and his family couldn’t come because of the travel restrictions. We could have just prepared a simple celebration for him—like usual—but it’s his 60th birthday, so we wanted it to be extra special. Mission accomplished! 🥳

Chicken Tagine Mchermel

Ingredients for the chicken marinade:

• 1.5 kg chicken
• Saffron water (Saffron is uber expensive so I used safflower instead. Expensive ingredients should not stop us from creating delicious dishes. There are many alternatives that we can use.)
• 1 tsp of saffron/safflower water
• pulp of 1 large lemon (or 2 small ones)
• a handful of fresh cilantro & parsley
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp of pepper
• 2 tbsp of olive oil

Ingredients for the tagine:

• 2 onions (grated)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• a pinch of salt
• a pinch of ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• a handful of green olives
• the skin of 1 lemon (cut into quarters)

Directions:

• Soak the saffron threads in warm water for 10 minutes.
• Quarter the preserved lemon. (Separate the pulp from the skin. Finely chop the pulp and reserve the skin for later.)
• Finely chop the parsley & cilantro.
• Grate the garlic cloves
• Combine the following in a large bowl: chopped parsley, cilantro, chopped lemon pulp, garlic, ground paprika, ginger, cumin, pepper, saffron/safflower water, olive oil. Mix well.
• Place the chicken in the marinade and massage into the flesh.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Setting the tagine:

• Finely chop the leftover onion pieces.
• Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of the casserole and add the onions.
• Sprinkle a little bit of salt and turmeric over the onions.
• Add the chicken over the onion bed, and cover with any leftover spice mixture.

Cooking the tagine:

• Cover and cook for around 15-20 minutes until the onions and chicken release their juices and the liquids start simmering.
• Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the tagine, and cook until the chicken is tender. This can take 1 hour or more, depending on the chicken parts and quality of your tagine.
• Add the lemon juice and green olives to the sauce.
• Top the chicken with the preserved lemon skins.
• Do not cover the tagine, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so, until the liquids have evaporated and the sauce has thickened.

Recipe source: Alia Al Kasimi

Honey Mustard Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c (65 grams) Dijon mustard
• 3-4 tbsp (65-85 grams) honey, to taste
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 c (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional
• 1/4-1/2 tesp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

• Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

Recipe source: Adam and Joanne Gallagher