The past few days had many Metro Manila and nearby Luzon provinces residents cooped up in their homes due to heavy rains that led to work and class cancellations. While a gloomy, nippy weather can easily put a damper on a day meant to be fun and productive, a warm bowl of delicious soup offers a great salvation.
Since the rainy season is expected in the country for a couple more months, a brand of well-loved baking mixes and kitchen essentials shares recipes for hearty, pick-me-up bowls that are easy to make.
Maya presents Maya Kitchen’s recipes for Chicken Tinola Cream Soup; Potato, Bacon, and Beer Cheddar Soup; and Orange Beef Stew.
The Chicken Tinola Cream Soup offers the same flavor of this beloved Filipino dish but made creamier and richer. Meanwhile, the Potato, Bacon, and Beer Cheddar Soup is a rich and flavorful dish that can be served to kids as well—as beer’s alcohol content lessens as it cooks. The Orange Beef Stew is a complete meal on its own what with its vegetables, fruit, and meat ingredients.
Chicken Tinola Cream Soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsps olive oil
1 pc medium-sized onion, sliced
3-4 pcs cloves of garlic, minced
1 pc thumb-sized ginger, chopped
1-2 tbsp fish sauce
250 g chicken breast fillet, chopped
4 cups chicken stock or water
½ pc small green papaya or sayote, sliced
3 tbsps butter
4 tbsps Maya All-Purpose Flour
chili or sili leaves, as needed
salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
1. Heat olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant.
2. Add in the fish sauce and chicken breast fillet. Give a few stir until lightly cooked.
3. Add in the stock and papaya. Season to taste and bring to a boil until chicken is cooked and papayas are soft. Turn-off heat. Set aside a little amount of chicken and papaya pieces for toppings.
4. Cool then process the chicken tinola mixture into the food blender or processor until smooth. Set aside.
5. From the same pan, melt butter then add flour and mix until well blended. Pour the smooth liquid back into the pan and continue cooking in a simmering stage.
6. Keep stirring until soup is thick. Add cream into the soup, just before removing from heat.
7. Serve soup with chicken, papaya, chili leaves on top, and drizzle some olive oil before serving.
Potato, Bacon, and Beer Cheddar Soup
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
200g picnic bacon, cubed
2 tbsps olive oil
¼ cup butter
1 pc large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
200g potatoes, diced or cubed
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup carrots, diced or cubed
1 bottle 320 ml pale pilsen beer
3-4 cups beef or chicken stock
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
½ -3/4 cup cheddar cheese spread
½ cup all-purpose cream
parsley, finely chopped
Procedure:
1. In a medium sauce pan, cook bacon in olive oil until lightly brown then set aside half of the portion of the bacon as toppings.
2. From the same pan, add butter, onions, garlic, potatoes, celery, and carrots. Sauté until potatoes are lightly soft.
3. Pour in the beer and half of the stock then continue cooking over medium heat, bring to a boil then to a simmering stage until the liquid has been reduced and the taste of the alcohol in beer becomes slightly less intense in taste.
4. Then add the rest of the stock. Put the two cheeses and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
6. Just before turning off the heat, stir in the cream. Serve with bacon and parsley on top and a slice of bread on the side.
Orange Beef Stew
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
500g beef sirloin, cut into cubes
¼ cup Maya All-Purpose Flour
¼ cup olive oil
1 pc large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
½ cup celery, chopped
2 pcs potatoes, quartered
2 pcs carrots, coarsely chopped
1 pc bay leaf, crushed
3 tbsps tomato paste
5-6 cups beef stock or water
1/3 cup red wine
1 tbsp chili powder or paprika powder (optional)
zest of two oranges
sprig to thyme
salt and pepper
Procedure:
1. In a bowl, season beef with salt and pepper then dredge in flour. Remove any excess flour then pan fry seasoned beef in hot oil until lightly brown.
2. Add in the onions and garlic until fragrant and onions become translucent. Add celery, potatoes, carrots, bay leaf, and tomato paste. Cook and stir frequently until the mixture is covered and well blended with tomato paste.
3. Add the stock and thyme. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 3-5 more minutes and put into a simmering stage for another 2-3 hours. Make sure you put the lid on and stir occasionally.
4. After 1 ½ hours, pour in the red wine and the orange zest. For extra color and extra kick in taste, put chili or paprika powder. Keep cooking in a simmering stage for another hour and a half until the beef is tender.
