What food brings back beautiful memories for chef Miko Calo of Metronome?

When it comes to a memorable meal, what tops our lists are usually linked to beautiful moments in life. We asked Tatler Dining’s Chef of The Year, Miko Calo of Metronome to share a nostalgic recipe.  

This Filipina powerhouse melds her background with an international perspective, pouring her creativity out onto every dish. Chef Miko Calo trained in classic French techniques at Ferrandi in Paris. Then this gourmand went on to cook under the mentorship of the legendary chef Joël Robuchon. She honed her skills in La Table de Joël Robuchon in Paris, at L’Atelier in London and then Singapore. She has since taken her talents home where she now holds court at Metronome.  

In the Philippines she has impressed diners with her command of classic French cookery and the way she is able to meld Asian and European influences into a cohesive dish.

During the lockdown in the years past, Metronome created the brand Lazy Oeuf, an off-shoot that produced sophisticated bistro-fare with a menu that mainly featured sandwiches. Here, Calo proved to diners that she can not only thrive in the realm of fine dining but that she and the team had conquered delivery-only meals too.

Chef Calo believes that a menu and a meal are successful when she is able to infuse a part of herself into it­– and of course by how clean the plates are after service. Be it her life experiences, favourite flavours, or unique skillset, making cooking personal can truly bring a dish to life. At Metronome, she certainly runs a tight ship. With her dedication to excellence and penchant for speaking her mind, you can be certain that she always prioritises quality, aiming to produce nothing short of something deliciously memorable.

See also: What Does it Take to Make a 4-Hands Dinner Successful? We Talk to Chef Miko Calo

Try your hand at cooking this recipe–one that evokes memories of home for this top chef:

Tatler Asia

Here, she shares:

This recipe is called buntáan or buntáa. A Butuanon dish made of crabs stuffed with buko meat and cooked in coconut milk. This dish is usually served during special occasions and during fiestas. It's very luxurious and pretty laborious to make. Growing up, I remember getting excited during fiestas or even certain relatives' birthdays because I knew I would get to eat buntáan. I would always put lots of sauce in piping hot white rice. The sweet crab fat, silky sweet coconut milk with warmth from the ginger, and alliums plus the distinct aroma of lemongrass all in one bite, tastes like home to me.

Ingredients :

  • Crab (female) - 1 kilogram
  • Buko (young coconut) - 2 pieces
  • Red onion - 250 grams
  • Ginger - 200 grams
  • Scallions - 100gms
  • Coconut (grated) - 2 pieces
  • Chili - 2-3 pieces
  • Garlic - 1 bulb
  • Lemongrass - 2 pieces
  • Banana leaves - 1-2 pieces
  • Salt 
  • Pepper

Mise En Place:

  • Crabs - place in freezer for 1-2 hours before cooking
  • Red onions, sliced
  • Ginger - 100 grams julienned and 100 grams sliced and pounded
  • Garlic - peeled and pounded
  • Buko - grated into strips
  • Scallions, sliced
  • Grated coconut
  • First pressing used for coconut cream 
  • Second pressing used for coconut milk
  • Lemongrass - pounded
  • Garlic, peeled and pounded
  • Chilli - sliced or leave whole, depending on how spicy you want it

See also: The 12 Best Ramen Spots in the Philippines

Tatler Asia
Tatler Asia

Procedure

  1. Take the crab out of the freezer and quickly take the top shell out, scrape out fat and set aside. Remove the gills and clean the shells.
  2. Mix the crab fat with buko strips, red onions, scallions, ginger and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Stuff buko mixture back into the top shell and the cavities in the bottom shell. Then put the crab back together and tie strips of banana leaves or kitchen string over the shells.
  4. Place leftover stuffing in banana leaves. Then fold and tie the banana leaves with strips if necessary.
  5. Next, place the stuffed crabs and wrapped stuffing in a deep casserole, and add garlic, pounded ginger and chili. Then pour in the second press of coconut milk and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Now, bring that to a boil, then simmer with lid on. 
  6. Once the crabs turn red, add the first pressing coconut cream, mix gently and bring to a boil again. Once the liquid boils, remove from heat.
  7. Slightly crack the crab claws before serving. Place the crabs and wrapped stuffing on a wide deep platter and pour the coconut sauce over it.

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