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My Secret Cup Cakes

Fiesta Galore

Fri - 27 Apr Written by â–  MY SECRET CUPCAKES By Vic P. Militante

For an archipelagic country like ours which has over 7,000 islands, there are just a handful of national dishes found in the Philippines' common menu. These include adobo, lumpia, sinigang, bistek and lechon among others. In most cases, however, these are the same dishes which are being served to our guests on fiestas particularly during the months of April and May.

Paella, surely one of the most beloved of all Spanish dishes, is one of these fiesta fares. I get to eat this lovely dish since I was a kid. Eventually, I have come to realize that paellas are as varied as the cooks who make them. Of course, there are constants included in any interpretation of the paella: good broth, short grain rice, Spanish smoked paprika, and a paella pan - although a 13-inch skillet will work, too. Saffron, though traditional is not a crucial part of any paella.

Seafood paella (paella de marisco) is one of the three widely- known types of paella. The two others are paella valenciana and mixed paella (or paella mixta). Seafood paella, unlike the other versions replaces meat and snails with seafood like monkfish, squid, mussels. Tilapia and Sherry wine are perfect substitutes for Monkfish and white wine, respectively, and your paella remains as great.

Seafood paella is a great recipe for any gathering. It does not require long cooking and would be a great main course for any fiesta or for one of those special dinner parties with family and friends on these hot summer nights.

Vamos a comer.

Seafood Paella

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup regular-milled rice
  • 1 cup glutinous "pilit" rice
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 head garlic, minced
  • 1 medium white onions, chopped
  • 1 piece red bell pepper, roughly chopped
  • 1 piece green bell pepper, roughly chopped
  • 200g pork, diced
  • 2 pieces chicken breast, diced
  • ¼ kilo mussels
  • 2 pieces alimasag
  • 250g shrimps
  • ¼ kilo squid
  • 200g crabmeat
  • ¼ cup green peas
  • 3 cups broth (mixture of shrimps, chicken, alimasag)
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 2t saffron thread
  • 4T olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, MSG as needed
  • 2 pieces hard boiled eggs
  • Parsley

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a casserole, cook pork, chicken, alimasag, mussels and shrimps in a scant of water. Separate chicken, pork, shrimps, mussles and alimasag from its broth. Reserve broth.
  2. Using olive oil, brown chicken and pork. Add red bell peppers, garlic, onions, squid, crabmeat and green peas. Splash with white wine and cook further.
  3. Add the regular-milled and glutinous rice and mix thoroughly. Pour tomato sauce and blend.
  4. For easier cooking, transfer the mixture into a rice cooker. Pour enough broth mixture to cook the rice. Add saffron threads. Season with salt, pepper, and MSG.
  5. Once rice is cooked, transfer into a paellera or wok. Cover half of the mixture with aluminium foil and cook further to form a crust at the bottom. Mix chicken, shrimps, squid, crabmeat, mussels and alimasag into the mixture. Make sure to leave some for garnish.
  6. Just before serving, garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs and some parsley. Enjoy!*

SIDEBAR

Cooking 101

Fil of Lapaz asks: "I recently watched a culinary show on TV and heard a chef say "Cok it flambé." What is a flambé?"

Vic answers: "Flambé means serving food flaming. This is usually done in posh hotels and restaurants. An experienced chef will ignite your dish right before your eyes while ready for serving. Liquor like brandy or rum is added to the dish and ignited immediately to produce a flambé.

If you have questions, please send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . See ya!*

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Chicken-Bacon Burger

Fri - 23 Mar Written by â–  TNT Admin

By Vic Militante
MY SECRET CUPCAKES

Summer is officially here. Plans for summer outings and picnics with friends, family and officemates are being discussed, budgeted and finalized. Lest we forget, we also want to look good in our summer get-ups. This, follows weeks of diet, and, possibly, regular gym workout.

An indulgent burger can be the perfect treat for these get-togethers but it is a challenge to balance that sentiment with the urge to keep ourselves healthy.

However, you need not fret over the idea of a real burger in favor of a flavorless low-fat patty in a bun. You just need to think moderation to create the kind of sandwich that would please even the most avid burger guy.

You may start by going with the mini-burger or slider concept. They're small, fun and set the stage for the kind of portion control that will allow you to include all the indulgent ingredients that make burgers great.

Our chicken–bacon burger is a great option of this. We start with a ground chicken patty, which is much lower in total fat and saturated fat than beef.

Most markets offer a choice of ground chicken breast (which is the leanest) or just ground chicken, which has a bit more fat and, as a result, a bit more flavor. Whichever way you go, we recommend working some seasonings into the meat before forming the patty.

For our toppings, we choose luxurious ingredients with the kind of big flavors and textures that allow you to use small amounts with great effect. Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese is melted over each patty, and then sprinkled with a modest amount of real bacon or some generous sprinkling of bacon bits.

Taste as you add the seasoning to get the desired amount of heat.

And of course, we add some fresh lettuce and sliced tomato, because no self-respecting super burger would be complete without them.

Enjoy the week ahead!

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g chicken fillet
  • 2 pieces white onion, chopped finely
  • 1 head garlic, chopped
  • 2t parsley, flat leaf, chopped finely
  • 6 pieces bacon (or bacon bits)
  • IT Japanese breadcrumbs
  • 1t soy sauce
  • ¼ t salt
  • 1 piece egg, lightly beaten
  • 3–4 pieces buns, toasted
  • Corn oil as needed
  • 3–4 pieces quick-melt cheese, slices
  • Mayonnaise as needed
  • 1/2t ground black pepper
  • 1/4t MSG

DIRECTIONS

  1. Slice chicken fillet into small pieces. Mix carefully with onions, garlic and parsley.
  2. Season with salt, black pepper, MSG and Soy Sauce.
  3. Carefully mix beaten egg and breadcrumbs with the mixture.
  4. Form into patties. Fully wrap each patty with bacon. You will need around two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpick.
  5. In a non-stick skillet, pan-fry burger with a little corn oil under low to medium heat until cooked.
  6. Remove from heat and gently pull out the toothpicks. Top with quick-melt cheese.
  7. Spread mayonnaise in toasted buns. Arrange some lettuce and top with chicken-bacon patty.
  8. Enjoy your Chicken-Bacon Burger with a refreshing glass of lemonade.*

SIDE BAR
COOKING 101

Mailyn of Molo asks: "Aside from Mayonnaise, what other dressings can I use for the Chicken Burger?"

Vic says: Mayonnaise is the universal dressing for burgers. If you have sufficient time, you might want to try a white sauce.

  1. Let boil one cup of water. Dissolve chicken cube in water. This is your instant chicken broth. Set aside.
  2. In a sauce pan, sauté garlic and onions in 6T butter. Add 6T of All Purpose Flour. Toast to remove flour taste.
  3. Pour gradually chicken broth and mix using a wire whip. Pour gradually 1 cup of either evaporated or fresh milk.
  4. Season with salt, white pepper, ground nutmeg and MSG.
  5. Continue cooking until sauce is thick enough to spread on to your tasted bread.

If you have questions, send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . See ya!*

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