Cannelloni made easy

Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food. — Craig Claiborne

Cooking is not only about tasting good food; it is the journey that will make your culinary destination complete. My inspiration comes from my travels, and this exposure has greatly influenced the way I prepare and formulate a dish. The discovery comes from watching, listening, smelling, feeling and tasting. As this develops so does your imagination, spurring your passion to create culinary magic. One example was my wet market tour of Calabria, Italy, a province by the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. The trip was designed to replicate Southern Italian cuisine by showcasing the various fresh ingredients from distinct places. As chef John Nocita always says, “Ingredients are the foundation and knowing them well will give you the uncanny knack to bring them together and make it work.” Understanding local produce will help you put together a good dish, giving you the freedom to make something out of nothing. I walked across the market, felt the texture of shrimps, looked in the eyes of each fish, smelled each scallop. The vendors politely explained what went well with seafood, revealing secrets passed on from earlier generations, opening new ideas to whip up a storm. The chef further explained that the true meaning of a chef’s life starts and ends in the market. “If you don’t get to buy the freshest ingredients you will not bring out the best dish, limiting your freedom to create delectable cuisine. If done correctly food can bring people together, an experience worth the memories.”

After the wet market, we passed by a local supermarket and bought some more ingredients including vegetables and pasta. We went to the kitchen and it was here that we tirelessly prepared 20 dishes, learning new techniques, exchanging ideas, and experimentation. As the movie No Reservations correctly stated, “The best recipes are always the ones you make.” When I came back to the Philippines I incorporated many things that I’d learned, and one dish is seafood cannelloni. The term cannelloni comes from the word canna meaning “reed” or the big tubular pasta similar to the shape of canals. It is stuffed, served with a sauce and topped with cheese. Cannelloni can be homemade or bought in packages, though I prefer using lasagna sheets for easy handling and more stuffing. When preparing readymade lasagna, there is no need to precook. Place lasagna sheets on a tray, add enough water to cover, and leave for one hour. It will be soft without falling apart. The variety of stuffing depends on the region with the northern part of Italy using beef or chicken while the south uses seafood. Shrimp is often used because of its availability, with the term “green shrimp” used to describe raw or fresh shrimps. Shrimp is an excellent source of folate, niacin, iron and sodium. It should not be overcooked because it will get tough and elastic in texture. In the northern region, cream, butter, cheese and milk are incorporated because there are a lot of cows in the mountainous area, while the southerners prefers olive oil because of the vast number of trees. Zucchini, spinach and eggplant are used though your favorite vegetable will do. Adding egg binds the stuffing together and gives it bite.

When making a white sauce or béchamela it is important to melt the butter, cubes, and flour and stir well before adding all the liquid to ensure a smooth sauce. Adding cheese last on top gives extra flavor, with two or more cheeses used for a variety of flavor.

Seafood Cannelloni

a)  250 grams lasagna pasta (one box, 8 wide pieces). Arrange on a tray. Pour tap water, enough to cover pasta for 1 hour.

b) Filling: 1/4 cup each of Magnolia Gold Butter, chopped white onion, chopped celery, 1 peeled and washed small shrimp or any seafood of your choice (sliced squid or clams or mussels or cubed fish fillet.), 2 cups mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, found in frozen vegetable section of supermarkets), 1 tsp. each of fine salt and McCormick Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1 cup each of finely chopped bread and all purpose cream, 2 whole eggs (slightly beaten).

c) Topping: 1/4 cup each of Magnolia Gold Butter and all-purpose flour, 2 shrimp cubes (optional), 3 cups fresh milk, 220 grams grated Magnolia Quickmelt Cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

d) Procedure: In a 12-inch sauté pan, add butter, onions, celery (and other ingredients from letter B above) and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add shrimps and cook until pink. Turn off fire and add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Divide into 8 portions. Put filling on each lasagna pasta and roll. Arrange on 3-quart oven-proof serving dish. Pour on white sauce. Top with grated cheeses and bake at 350? F or 175? C for 30 minutes.

e) Procedure for the topping: In a medium saucepan place butter, flour and cubes, stir with wire whisk until no more trace of flour remains. Pour in milk all at once. Reduce heat to medium low and stir to a simmer. Turn off heat.

Discovery of the week:

For those searching for a new type of pizza try Amazing Cones. Yes, pizza in a cone. This unique style of pizza has a crust shaped like an ice cream cone, with eight different toppings to choose from. Delicious, easy to eat, and one of a kind, this must-try restaurant is located at Number 11 Doña Hemady St., New Manila, Quezon City. For inquiries, call 416-5299 or 724-0462.

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For recipes and schedule of classes visit website www.sylviareynosogala.com.