“Juana’s Table” is a captivating culinary treasure that can be found at Fully Booked both online and on-site, as well as on Amazon and Kindle. Prepare to indulge in the sumptuous flavors of Juana Manahan Yupangco’s innovative creations featuring local, yet often overlooked, vegetables. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with dishes like grilled singkamas steak paired with a delectable vegan crème de Paris sauce. These mouthwatering delights are brought to life in stunning contributed photos.
Juana Manahan Yupangco, a dedicated champion of nutrition, has truly revolutionized the way we view and enjoy vegetables. In her new hardbound coffee-table book, “Juana’s Table,” published by ABS-CBN Books, she builds upon the success of her previous paperback cookbook, “Mesa ni Misis.” This groundbreaking cookbook earned the prestigious Gourmand Award for Best in the World in the vegetarian category, surpassing the works of professional chefs.
As a writer and magazine editor, Yupangco’s passion for cooking and experimentation shines through in “Juana’s Table.” She seamlessly combines her culinary expertise with her role as a hands-on mom who sought out new recipes for her family’s shift to a vegan diet for health reasons. With “Mesa ni Misis,” Yupangco aimed to entice Filipino carnivores to embrace indigenous vegetables by preparing them in quick and innovative ways, such as fusion mung bean Bolognese and camote gnocchi.
While her paperback cookbook catered to the mass market, “Juana’s Table” is tailored for discerning cooks who crave healthy and flavorful dishes and have the means to acquire quality ingredients. In this captivating book, with a preface by culinary historian Felice Sta. Maria, Yupangco not only showcases the importance of a plant-based diet from a historical and social context but also imparts knowledge on undervalued local vegetables – their utilization, storage, and optimal cooking methods to maximize their nutritional benefits.
Armed with a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Security, Yupangco sheds light on endemic vegetables and legumes that are underutilized due to low demand and limited supply. Each vegetable featured in the book is accompanied by a detailed write-up, highlighting the best ways to consume them to derive maximum nutritional value. Yupangco breaks down the common misconception that raw consumption always yields the highest nutrient content. For instance, boiling sitaw (green beans) enhances its protein bioavailability compared to sautéing or eating it raw. Mustasa (mustard leaves), often disliked by Filipinos, becomes a nutritional powerhouse when transformed into kimchi, offering a wealth of antioxidants and probiotics.
The challenge for Yupangco was to distill her academic knowledge into accessible information for readers without compromising the scientific integrity. It was essential for her to strike a balance and effectively convey her concerns about the underappreciation of these valuable vegetables.
Within the pages of “Juana’s Table,” readers will rediscover scarce protein-rich legumes like kadyos (pigeon peas), paayap (black-eyed peas), and tapilan (rice beans). These local delicacies are elevated to international culinary heights with enticing recipes such as camote rendang, African bean stew, and native vegetable tart. Although these treasures are not easily found in the city, Mang Manny’s organic vegetable stall at Legazpi Sunday Market offers a glimpse into their flavorful world.
Yupangco’s book aligns with influential works that advocate for the cost-effectiveness, eco-consciousness, and sustainability of a plant-centered diet, just like Francis Moore Lappé’s “Diet for a Small Planet.” Moreover, “Juana’s Table” provides kitchen tips, nutritional guides, and heartwarming anecdotes, reminiscent of Kathy Hoshijo’s “Kathy Cooks Naturally,” which offers inexpensive and wholesome recipes.
Since the release of “Mesa ni Misis,” Yupangco has expanded her cooking repertoire beyond strictly plant-based dishes. “Juana’s Table” offers recipes that can be adapted to satisfy the preferences of those who consume dairy, meat, and seafood. While “Mesa” emphasized whole ingredients for cost efficiency, the new recipes incorporate plant-based meat alternatives, Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies), marshmallows (which include egg whites), and even provide options to use either shrimp paste or its plant-based substitute, bagoong.
Family recipes in “Juana’s Table” are designed for sharing, while recipes for friends feature portions suitable for multicourse meals. Her family delights in dishes like plant-based callos made with white fungi and mushrooms, vegetable kimbap with sigarilyas and squash, kadyos and rice rolled into seaweed sheets, and sushi bake with chickpeas, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce as a substitute for the traditional tuna flavor.
More elaborate recipes, such as camote rendang and plant-based steak, are meticulously plated and showcase Yupangco’s artistic flair. One notable example is the grilled singkamas steak served with a vegan crème de Paris sauce. Singkamas, typically enjoyed as a snack or salad ingredient, is transformed into a steak-like dish with the dairy-free tofu-based sauce. Anchovies can be swapped with capers for added flavor complexity. In collaboration with floral artist Maria Parsons of Lanai, the book also features a section dedicated to creating vibrant vegetable centerpieces, a cost-effective alternative to traditional floral arrangements. Vegetables like eggplants, ampalaya (bitter gourd), tomatoes, sitaw, and small squash not only survive as decorative displays but can also be cooked and savored afterwards.
The photographs for “Juana’s Table” were taken at Yupangco’s childhood home, where she honed her culinary skills, utilizing treasured family heirlooms like her sister’s plate, her lola’s tablecloth, and her parents’ silverware. Each recipe is accompanied by essays that provide insight into their inception, offering readers a source of inspiration alongside their gastronomic journey.
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