The real paella is a taste of Spain
February 19, 2004 | 12:00am
Spanish culture is probably second nature to many Filipinos. It’s hardly surprising because we were under Spanish rule for over three centuries.
If Spain left any significant legacy to our culture, it is our devotion and fear of God. Majority of the population are Catholics and Sunday Mass further strengthens family ties.
A lot of Filipino words and idioms also find their roots in the Spanish language, not to mention colloquialisms. The term doña once refers to grand dames with wealth and elegance. Today, we generally use the term to denote haughty, middle-aged matrons who have nothing better to do than belittle other people. Sometimes, they even prefer being called senorita or señora by their household help, whether they live in a majestic abode in a plush village or a modest two-bedroom apartment in a middle-class neighborhood.
My favorite Spanish word, however, is cucina, which I refer to as my workshop where I concoct my favorite Spanish food, which is the second greatest legacy we inherited from the Spaniards. For what is a desayuno el grande (great morning) without a piping hot cup of rich, thick Spanish chocolate accompanied by churros, which is the tastier, crispier version of our bicho-bicho? Or how about good times spent among friends with flowing sangria, Iberian ham and tempting tapas, an elegant palette of tidbits of meat, oysters, small stuffed sweet peppers, marinated herrings, deep-fried baby squid and olives? There are literally hundreds of different tapas to make socializing exciting times to look forward to.
In my opinion, if there is one dish that represents the Spanish, it would be the paella. Indeed, I thought it to be Spain’s national dish. (Of course, Spain’s national dish is the cocido, which is a unique, delicious stew that is a three-course meal in itself.) But going back to paella, this spectacular rice dish is a rich harmony of flavors – olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and peppers enriched with broth, meats, seafood and an assortment of vegetables. It is a healthy grain-based meal that will surely gratify the senses and would easily be the centerpiece of any banquet.
Some say the paella gets its name from the pan it is cooked in, which is the paellera, the Valencian word for pan. However, some romantics claim the word paella is actually the contraction of the phrase para ella. It is said that a lovesick cook wanted to impress his lady love and tossed into a pan everything he had in his kitchen. The resulting dish is said to be today’s paella.
With so many inferior versions of this glorious dish being passed around as the original in many restaurants, the paella often loses its colorful reputation. To the rescue enters culinary biggie Ed Quimson, whose love for anything edible and Spanish is as huge as his passion for good food.
A staunch defender of the authentic paella, Quimson cautions diners with this sound tip: When ordering paella, if the dish is done and served in less than 30 minutes it is not the real deal. He stresses that it takes so much longer to cook the paella to give it the rich flavor it is known for.
If I consider my kitchen a workshop, he considers his cucina his casa. Remember the joke about the overweight kid who was left in the kitchen? They probably would be referring to Ed, who has been cooking since he was eight years old. He traces his passion for food to his childhood days spent with his Lola Tutong, as he fondly calls her, because she loved to eat the dark, crunchy bottom portion of steamed rice. His Lola Tutong would hold endless feasts at home and Ed would be a part of this bacchanalian celebrations.
In his older years, Ed had the privilege of living in Madrid and immersed himself in Mediterranean cooking. He enrolled in Madrid’s Escuela de Hosteleria at Casa de Ocampo. The travel and culinary bug in him had him globetrotting from Madrid to London, from Los Angeles to Paris and back home to Manila, where he experienced a myriad of cuisines and 1,001 culinary delights!
A survivor of two heart attacks and a heart bypass operation, Ed is taking it easier these days. Today, he co-manages Kitchen Confidential, which develops innovative food concepts. Since his personal mission in life is to educate our local tastes, he also shares his vast knowledge of Spanish gourmet cuisine and much more as a teacher in my school. He is even generous in sharing with us one version of paella, which we can easily prepare at home.
(Mushroom and mussels paella)
1/2 cup olive oil
150 g. green bell pepper
150 g. red bell pepper
100 g. onions, minced
50 g. garlic, minced
200 g. tomato, peeled and seeded, minced
2 Tbsps. rock salt
1 g. saffron
1.5 kilo mussels, cleaned
2 cups water or stock
50 g. fresh shiitake mushroom, soaked in water, sliced
50 g. fresh button mushroom, sliced
50 g. fresh oyster mushroom, sliced
3 cans button mushroom, sliced
3 cups cooked dinorado rice
1/4 cups asparagus tips
1 pimenton morrones in can, cut into strips
2 hard-boiled eggs
150 g. green peas
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Heat olive oil in a paellera and sauté the red and green bell pepper. Add onions, garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and saffron. Add the mussels and water and let it cook. Add the shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, fresh button mushrooms and canned button mushrooms, then mix in the cooked rice and mix it evenly and let cook for a few minutes. Garnish with pimenton morrones, asparagus, green peas and eggs. Cover the paellera tightly with aluminum foil and put it in an oven for 10 minutes at 200°F. Remove from the oven and pour over the extra olive oil. Serve hot.
Mas cale maña que fuerza. Skill is stronger than strength. For culinary chef Ed Quimson, his genius for creating good food is what keeps him growing strong through the years. I couldn’t agree with him more. Bon appetit!
If Spain left any significant legacy to our culture, it is our devotion and fear of God. Majority of the population are Catholics and Sunday Mass further strengthens family ties.
A lot of Filipino words and idioms also find their roots in the Spanish language, not to mention colloquialisms. The term doña once refers to grand dames with wealth and elegance. Today, we generally use the term to denote haughty, middle-aged matrons who have nothing better to do than belittle other people. Sometimes, they even prefer being called senorita or señora by their household help, whether they live in a majestic abode in a plush village or a modest two-bedroom apartment in a middle-class neighborhood.
My favorite Spanish word, however, is cucina, which I refer to as my workshop where I concoct my favorite Spanish food, which is the second greatest legacy we inherited from the Spaniards. For what is a desayuno el grande (great morning) without a piping hot cup of rich, thick Spanish chocolate accompanied by churros, which is the tastier, crispier version of our bicho-bicho? Or how about good times spent among friends with flowing sangria, Iberian ham and tempting tapas, an elegant palette of tidbits of meat, oysters, small stuffed sweet peppers, marinated herrings, deep-fried baby squid and olives? There are literally hundreds of different tapas to make socializing exciting times to look forward to.
In my opinion, if there is one dish that represents the Spanish, it would be the paella. Indeed, I thought it to be Spain’s national dish. (Of course, Spain’s national dish is the cocido, which is a unique, delicious stew that is a three-course meal in itself.) But going back to paella, this spectacular rice dish is a rich harmony of flavors – olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and peppers enriched with broth, meats, seafood and an assortment of vegetables. It is a healthy grain-based meal that will surely gratify the senses and would easily be the centerpiece of any banquet.
Some say the paella gets its name from the pan it is cooked in, which is the paellera, the Valencian word for pan. However, some romantics claim the word paella is actually the contraction of the phrase para ella. It is said that a lovesick cook wanted to impress his lady love and tossed into a pan everything he had in his kitchen. The resulting dish is said to be today’s paella.
With so many inferior versions of this glorious dish being passed around as the original in many restaurants, the paella often loses its colorful reputation. To the rescue enters culinary biggie Ed Quimson, whose love for anything edible and Spanish is as huge as his passion for good food.
A staunch defender of the authentic paella, Quimson cautions diners with this sound tip: When ordering paella, if the dish is done and served in less than 30 minutes it is not the real deal. He stresses that it takes so much longer to cook the paella to give it the rich flavor it is known for.
If I consider my kitchen a workshop, he considers his cucina his casa. Remember the joke about the overweight kid who was left in the kitchen? They probably would be referring to Ed, who has been cooking since he was eight years old. He traces his passion for food to his childhood days spent with his Lola Tutong, as he fondly calls her, because she loved to eat the dark, crunchy bottom portion of steamed rice. His Lola Tutong would hold endless feasts at home and Ed would be a part of this bacchanalian celebrations.
In his older years, Ed had the privilege of living in Madrid and immersed himself in Mediterranean cooking. He enrolled in Madrid’s Escuela de Hosteleria at Casa de Ocampo. The travel and culinary bug in him had him globetrotting from Madrid to London, from Los Angeles to Paris and back home to Manila, where he experienced a myriad of cuisines and 1,001 culinary delights!
A survivor of two heart attacks and a heart bypass operation, Ed is taking it easier these days. Today, he co-manages Kitchen Confidential, which develops innovative food concepts. Since his personal mission in life is to educate our local tastes, he also shares his vast knowledge of Spanish gourmet cuisine and much more as a teacher in my school. He is even generous in sharing with us one version of paella, which we can easily prepare at home.
1/2 cup olive oil
150 g. green bell pepper
150 g. red bell pepper
100 g. onions, minced
50 g. garlic, minced
200 g. tomato, peeled and seeded, minced
2 Tbsps. rock salt
1 g. saffron
1.5 kilo mussels, cleaned
2 cups water or stock
50 g. fresh shiitake mushroom, soaked in water, sliced
50 g. fresh button mushroom, sliced
50 g. fresh oyster mushroom, sliced
3 cans button mushroom, sliced
3 cups cooked dinorado rice
1/4 cups asparagus tips
1 pimenton morrones in can, cut into strips
2 hard-boiled eggs
150 g. green peas
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Heat olive oil in a paellera and sauté the red and green bell pepper. Add onions, garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and saffron. Add the mussels and water and let it cook. Add the shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, fresh button mushrooms and canned button mushrooms, then mix in the cooked rice and mix it evenly and let cook for a few minutes. Garnish with pimenton morrones, asparagus, green peas and eggs. Cover the paellera tightly with aluminum foil and put it in an oven for 10 minutes at 200°F. Remove from the oven and pour over the extra olive oil. Serve hot.
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