Pica pica is one of the Tagalog names I like most. Not simply because of the food by itself, but the ambiance that will be. Pica pica is like the aperot in France, and normally these moments are always fun and relaxed. You eat and drink with your family or friends while waiting for your lunch or dinner to be ready.

I love pâtés, pork rillette and pâtés de campagne. All of these are easy to make and are available to buy at Brasserie CiÇou.

These items are so easy and tasty to eat, especially with a crispy warm bread. I decided not to eat bread though, so if like me, you decided to be primed and remove the bread from your diet you can still enjoy some pâtés or rillettes but use other items that are more nutritious than bread. Eggplant goes very well with the chicken liver pâtés for example.

Ingredients:

– 1 chicken liver pâtés from Brasserie CiÇou available at the delis (also every Saturday at Salcedo Market)
– 3 pcs prawns
– 1 pc avocado
– 1 pc eggplant
– Olive oil,salt,pepper and choice of your dressing

Here is a very quick recipe for dressing that is very simple and tasty. You can use it with your salad or raw vegetable like cucumber and tomato.

CiÇou primed dressing:

– 3 spoons of olive oil
– 1 spoon of apple vinegar
– 1/2 spoon of mustard Dijon
– salt and pepper

Instructions:

(1) Clean under fresh and clear water your eggplant and avocado.

(2) Prepare your ”court bouillon” this is to cook your prawns very easily.

Court Bouillon: Boil 1 liter of water; 1 onion chopped; 1 clove of garlic chopped; 1 carrot chopped finely; 1/2 chopped leek; 1/2 chopped celery stick; 1 bay leaf or Laurel leaf; 1 stick of thyme; 20 cl white wine; 10 cl white vinegar; rock salt and peppercorn.

Chopped all ingredient finely so all the flavors will go quickly in this broth. Let the ingredients boil in the water for 10 minutes before you will cook your prawns.

(3) Cut your eggplant and your avocado (please see pictures). Just watch out when you remove the seed from the avocado. It can be slippery so it helps to use a tissue so you can hold the avocado properly.

(4) Once your court bouillon has been cooking for 10 minutes it is time to cook your prawns. Just put the prawns in the boiling broth for 6 to 8 minutes depending on the size of your prawns. You don’t want your prawns to be over-cooked and dry.

After the 6 to 8 minutes put the prawns in the ice water. You can then remove the shell around the prawn as we will use only the bodies. You can use the shells later in making a seafood broth.

(5) Now that your prawns are cooked let’s find some mini skewer and let’s play around. Add first a small piece of avocado, then a piece of prawn, and then finish with the avocado.

When all your prawns are on the skewer just put than on a plate, add salt and pepper on it and some CiÇou Primed dressing so they can marinate in the dressing during the time you will cook your eggplant

(6) Use a non-stick pan and add olive oil and pan fry your sliced eggplant on it until they get a nice coloration on both sides like on the picture below.

(7) Your eggplant is already sautéed in olive oil with salt and pepper. Make sure they become cool before you spread the Brasserie CiÇou chicken liver pâté on it .

(7) I think we are good to go now. Just put your eggplant and chicken liver pâté on a plate with your avocado and prawn skewer.

A nice cold white wine such as a crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc or a more earthy Bordeaux blanc would go very will with this pica pica.

As I said before, pica pica or aperot is very important time to spend with people you like to celebrate life and have fun.

Santé à vous!