Chilean Sea bass is available at the frozen section of the supermarket and directly from Mida Food Distributors,Inc. For orders and to learn more about their products, you can check out the catalog on their website.

Here’s the recipe. Enjoy!

Pan-Grilled Chilean Sea Bass with Port Wine Reduction

Ingredients

1 ½ cups Dry red wine
1 ½ cups port wine (the more expensive, the better)
1 whole onion
1 bay leaf
1 carrot
2 pieces Chilean Sea bass fillet (skin On)
stick of butter
Salt & Pepper

1. Combine wine, onion, carrots, and bay leaf in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Let reduce by half, around 45 minutes.
3. Strain sauce and set to room temperature.
4. Heat butter in a pan, high heat. Pan-fry sea bass, skin side down.
5. Turn heat off and flip sea bass for 5 minutes.
6. Take off heat and season.
7. Pour port reduction over and serve.

Cream Dory Tandoori with Raisin Couscous

Ingredients:

2 Cream dory fillets, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon Garam masala, cumin powder, turmeric, curry, nutmeg, coriander seeds, cardamom, cinnamon
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup couscous (dry)
1 ½ cups Chicken Stock
handful of raisin
Lemon

1. Mix yogurt and all dry spices together.
2. Skewer the fish cubes and season with salt & pepper.
3. Pour over yogurt mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Bring chicken stock to a boil.
5. In a large bowl, pour heated stock over couscous mixture.
6. Cover and let it set for 10 minutes.
7. Mix with a fork to ensure couscous is nice and fluffy. Add raisins.
8. Place skewers over a grill on high heat.
9. Serve over couscous.

Enough babbling. Let’s get to the food!

Crab Cakes with Aioli Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

2 eggs
Fresh Parsley
Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 piece lemon & zest
salt & pepper
1 lb Blue Swimming Crab Lump Meat
½ cup normal breadcrumbs
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
half stick butter

for the Aioli:

1 piece garlic clove
Sea salt
Black Pepper
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
around 600 ml extra virgin olive oil
Lemon Juice & zest
Fresh Dill, chopped

Procedure:

1. Beat eggs in a bowl and add parsley, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice and seasoning. Mix well.
2. Gently fold in crabmeat and normal breadcrumbs until mixture is no longer moist.
3. Gently make 6-8 balls out of the mixture then flatten into thick patties.
4. Lightly coat the patties in panko breadcrumbs and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Fry in butter until golden brown. Squeeze lemon when done.

For the Aioli:
1. Smash garlic and salt in a large bowl (or pestle and mortar).
2. Combine with egg yolk and mustard. Mix together.
3. Start adding the olive oil little by little, whisking continuously.
4. Add the lemon juice/zest, and dill.
5. Season to taste.

Just in time for it’s 75th birthday, Krispy Kreme recently opened it’s doors to patrons in Alabang Town Center. Located at The Street, the center’s new wing, the new Krispy Kreme store is the latest addition to the dynamic mix of retail and dining establishments in Corte delas Palmas and is nestled amidst other high-end food and clothing establishments.

The new store marks some milestones for the brand, it being the first Baked Creations Theater in Metro Manila.It is also the first store to debut Krispy Kreme’s 75th birthday look.

As a “Baked Creations Theater,” the new Krispy Kreme store in Alabang Town Center is the first in Metro Manila that serves the brand’s signature Baked Creations fresh from the oven, everyday. In addition, it will also dish up Krispy Kreme’s full line of premium treats including its world-famous Original Glazed Doughnuts and Signature Coffee.

Krispy Kreme Alabang Town Center opens its doors everyday at 7 in the morning and stays open until 11 in the evening, giving patrons living South of the Metro ample time to indulge their sweet cravings.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Ingredients

Chicken

1 fresh chicken
6 slices fresh ginger

Chicken Stock

1kg chicken bones from 1 whole chicken
3 pieces ginger

Chicken Rice

2 ½ cups long grain rice
120g chicken fat
50g butter
50g ginger paste
50 g garlic paste
1-2 tsp salt to taste
3 ½ cups chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
2 pandan leaves

Chilli Sauce

200g fresh red chillies, seeds removed
80g garlic
100 ginger
3 tsp chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
200g Pineapple
½ cup Calamansi juice to taste
1 ½ tsp sugar
Salt to taste

Ginger Sauce for Dipping

75g ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
1tsp oyster sauce

Chicken Soya Sauce

3 ½tsp soya sauce
2 tsp chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
1 ½ tsp sesame oil

Chicken Soup

Chicken stock (from the boiled chicken)
Seasoning with chicken stock (powder)
50g shredded cabbage
20g spring onion, chopped

Method:

1) Fill a pot large enough to fit the whole chicken with water and bring to boil with ginger. When the water boils, turn heat off and place the chicken into hot water and cover for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and place the chicken into ice water. Set aside chicken stock. Remove the chicken from the cold water, drain and de-bone the chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces on serving plate.

2) For chicken rice, wash the rice and drain well. In a pot, fry chicken fat until oil is released. Add the butter then fry well with the ginger and garlic paste. Place the rice into a pot and add in chicken stock & pandan leaves then season with salt. Transfer rice into an electric rice cooker or pot. Cook the rice about 25 minutes or until done.

3) For chilli sauce, place the chilies, garlic and ginger, pineapple into blender and blend until it becomes a paste. Add chicken stock, calamansi juice, sugar and salt to taste. Note: The chili sauce in a covered container will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

4) For ginger sauce, place the ginger in the blender and blend until it becomes a paste. Add sesame oil, oyster sauce and salt to taste.

5) For Chicken Soya Sauce, mix together the soya sauce, chicken stock and sesame oil.

6) For Chicken Soup, you will need to boil the remaining chicken stock with the chicken bones for an hour; season with chicken powder. Add the shredded cabbage in the stock for a short while and lastly, add the spring onion before serving.

This recipe serves 4-6 persons. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!
For more recipes and information on courses, log on to www.themayakitchen.com .

Adobong Kangkong Stuffed Tofu

Max’s Adobong Kangkong Stuffed Tofu is an inventive twist to the quintessential adobo. Fresh kangkong leaves, shiitake and button mushrooms drizzled in sweet adobo sauce stuffed in deep-fried tofu blocks. The Cauliflower Puffs are crunchy puffs of crisp cauliflower bits dipped in a special batter, deep-fried and tossed in a special sauce.

Max’s Sizzling Seafood in Honey Bagoong Sauce & Cauliflower Puffs 

Max’s Sizzling Seafood in Honey Bagoong Sauce is a mix of breaded cream dory, shrimps and squid rings that are deep-fried until light and golden; sprinkled with julienned red bell peppers and chopped spring onions; and splashed with a special sauce that brings together sweet honey and bagoong. Served sizzling hot.

Max’s Restaurant also has an ongoing promo on their popular fried chicken. Starting last February 20, customers can avail the Regular Fried Chicken for only PhP299, saving PhP76 from the original price. This offer is only for takeout and ends on March 31st.

For more information, log on to www.maxschicken.com or visit www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant.

I got news that Midnight Mercato is now open Wednesday nights, and never having been, we decided to check it out. There’s a big selection of grilled items from pork barbecue, isaw and other innards; as well as grilled fish and chicken. There were also stalls that sold burgers and fries, deep dish pizzas and something with lots of crispy bacon. Other stall had Ilocos empanada, chicharon, kebabs and fried chicken. Siomai, maki and takoyaki are also available. I also remember seeing paella, steaks and pasta being sold at other booths.

For those looking for dessert, there were, I believe 3 stalls that sold cakes and other baked products. There’s also a stall that sold gelato and mochi. There was actually a lot of food there but I can’t remember everything I’ve seen.

That night, I settled for pork barbecue, chicharon bulaklak, chicken kebab, and some fried chicken wings from Annalyn’s Chicken Delish booth. I suggest you give her fried chicken wings a try because they’re quite good. The skin is crispy, yet the meat inside is still quite tender. It’s then coated in sauce; you can choose from a sweet sauce and a semi-sweet, mildy spicy barbecue sauce. I think if you want more heat, you can ask more for chili sauce. I had a some Meiji dark chocolate gelato for dessert.

Midnight Mercato is open from 10:00pm to 3:00am every Friday, Saturday and Wednesday; Mercato Centrale is open every Saturday and Sunday from 7:00am to 2:00pm.

Midnight Mercato is located at the corner of 34th street and 8th avenue beside MC Home Depot in Bonifacio Global City.For more information, please visit their website www.midnightmercato.com or their Facebook account www.facebook.com/mercatocentrale. For vendor booth rental or venue rental inquiries, please email admin@mercatocentrale.ph or text 09178401152.

Spicy Tuna Roll Php 320.00

They served us Tiger Prawn Tempura Popcorn -truffled prawn popcorn tossed in red bell pepper sauce-which I didn’t get try because of my love-hate relationship with prawns recently.But I’ve been told it was good.

Tiger Prawn Tempura Popcorn Php 370.00

 We also had a Sushi Sampler Platter as well as Beef Salpicao and Unagi Sushi.

But my favorite on their menu is the Soft-shelled Crab Roll that they served with Aligue Mayo. It’s quite simple but really good. It’s crispy soft-shelled crab and a very creamy aligue-mayo dipping sauce that’s so good, it’ll give you a heart attack on the spot. I’m kidding about the heart attack ofcourse, but yes, it is quite a sinful treat.

Unagi Nigiri Sushi Php 210.00

We washed it all down with tall glasses of iced tea and a signature cocktail they named Lady Gaga, which is just as cool, quirky and refreshing as it’s name sake.

Soft-shelled Crab Roll Php 390.00

Servings of the dishes we had are good for one except for the platter is which is good to share. Dishes start at PHP 100.00 for sidings, starters at Php 150.00; and main courses go up to Php1000.00.

Japanese Beef Salpicao Php 320.00

Robot offers more in their menu aside from those we’ve tried that afternoon, like Truffled Portebello Mushroom Confit, Mesquite Smoked Duck Breast Roll, and Honey Soy marinated Chillean Sea Bass to name a few.  I’m hoping to go back there soon to try them out.

Robot Bar & Lounge
7912 Makati Avenue corner Sto. Tomas Street (beside Manila Peninsula), Makati City.
Tel. 8128800

One of my favorite restaurants, Bistro Ravioli, opened two branches in the last twelve months. One is in Robinson’s Midtown Wing of Robinson’s Place in Ermita, and more recently, at Glorietta Mall in Makati City.

Both branches offer the same delicious dishes that their Mall of Asia branch does, such as their fresh pasta dishes and pizzas baked in a brick oven. And let’s not forget dessert!

If you’ve been wanting to try their offerings for some time now, but still haven’t, it’s certainly more easier to do so with two new branches in the metro. Here’s hoping that they’ll open another branch somewhere in the north.

Makati branch
2nd floor, Glorietta 3
Makati City

Malate branch
2nd floor, Midtown Wing, Robinson’s Place Ermita

The Green Lantern Kreme Doughnut is Krispy Kreme’s version of the comic book classic made of rich chocolate dough, smothered with Hershey’s milk chocolate icing, doused with confectioner’s sugar and topped with a dollop of green jelly. Sounds good right?

If you haven’t tried it yet, grab one or even a dozen, and get in on The Green Lantern craze. This limited edition doughnut is available only from June 3 to July 10.