CAKE CHEMISTRY IS A TURNOFF FOR RACHEL RAY

 

CAKE CHEMISTRY

(NO WONDER RACHEL RAY HATES BAKING…IT’S THAT DARN CHEMISTRY THING!)

Behind any good cake is good chemistry. Here are some of the secrets that go into the baking of a cake…

Function of Ingredients

• The role of BAKING POWDER is to enlarge the bubbles in the fat, causing the cake to rise to its potential.

• FATS (Butter/Shortening) tenderize the cake, softening and moderating the structure, and enhance flavor.

• SUGAR tenderizes and moistens a cake.

• Low-protein FLOUR is preferred for cakes. Use cake flour (I USE THIS MOSTLY FOR CHIFFON-TYPE CAKES), pastry flour or Southern bleached all-purpose flour.

• EGGS are drying and leavening agents. They help emulsify (blend) the batter. If a cake is dry, leave out one egg white. Some recipes call for yolks alone.

Preparing pans

When a recipe asks you to prepare your pans, you probably will grease them with shortening, margarine or butter, and then lightly flour them. This allows the batter to rise by climbing up the sides of the pan and will prevent sticking.

Be careful about using cooking sprays (BUY A MISTER AND FILL IT UP WITH REGULAR VEGETABLE OIL). Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t.

To grease a pan, spread fat evenly with a paper towel, square of waxed paper or your fingers, getting into all corners. Put about 2 tablespoons of flour into the pan and tap lightly, frequently turning the pan, to cover all the grease. Transfer excess flour to the next pan and repeat the process.

To release excess flour from a pan, tap it lightly upside down over the sink.

Sometimes you will be asked to line the pan with parchment paper or wax paper. You might butter the pan, then line with paper, then butter and flour the paper. All methods are designed to allow easy release of the finished cake.

Preparing the pan should be the first step in baking a cake, so that you immediately can pour the batter into the pan and pop it into the oven. Batter that sits around loses volume.

If you’re making a white or yellow cake and don’t want the edges to brown, cut strips of clean, thin terry cloth the circumference (with a bit of overlap) and width of the baking pan. Soak in water and then wring out. Wrap strips around pans and secure with a safety pin. This will insulate the pan and prevent browning.

Pans for angel-food and chiffon cakes are not greased. Paper liners often are used to ease the removal of the cake.

Dark pans absorb more heat than light ones and cook cakes faster. They also can leave a dark crust. Glass pans bake faster than dark metal pans. For best results, choose heavy, dull, metal, straight-side pans.

Mixing

For a light cake, use a mixing method that employs creaming, which enhances volume and aeration (incorporating air into the better). Be sure all ingredients are well-blended. You should not see any lumps or flecks of flour. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper.

When butter is used, it should be at room temperature, neither too hard nor too close to being melted. If you need to soften hard butter, do it in a microwave oven, on low, a few seconds at a time. But take care – only a few moments separate properly softened butter from unusable liquid.

Mixing bowls should be cool or room temperature.

Eggs produce the best volume when used at room temperature. Crack eggs, one at a time, into a separate bowl, then add each to batter. Mix well after each addition. Don’t allow sugar to sit on egg yolks. Sugar can begin to “cook” yolks unless they are mixed immediately.

Baking

Always preheat your oven (USUALLY TAKES 10 TO 15 MINUTES). Most cakes bake at a temperature of from 325 to 375 degrees, averaging 350.

Place cake pans in the center of the rack, with the rack in the center of the oven, to ensure even heating. If you doubt your oven’s accuracy, use a thermometer to set the proper temperature.

Resist the urge to peek at a cake until it is almost done baking. Opening the oven door allows cool air to sweep in and disturb the temperature. The cake could fall.

Cake is done when:

• Toothpick or thin knife inserted into center comes out clean – few wet crumbs, no uncooked batter.

• Cake begins to pull away from sides of pan without being burned.

• A light pressing yields springiness.

• Cake appears firm, not jiggly.

• The aroma is irresistible.

Cakes should be removed from the oven and cooled on a rack to allow air to circulate evenly around the pan. Tube cakes (such as angel food) often are cooled upside down. This is why angel-food-cake pans have those little feet on the tops.

Finishing/Decorating

If you’re making a layer cake, you can turn it into something spectacular by slicing each of the two layers in half, producing a tall and elegant torte. To ensure even slicing, insert toothpicks at even intervals around the cake and use these as a guide. Use a long, thin knife to cut through.

You also can slice a cake using sturdy thread or unflavored dental floss. Wrap a length around the cake layer (you again can use toothpicks as a guide), cross over the ends of the string and keep pulling in opposite directions until the cake is sliced.

Commercial cake slicers – in which a metal wire is stretched across a handle – are also effective and easy to use. They can be adjusted to various heights. BUT REALLY, DO YOU REALLY NEED THIS!

Brush all crumbs away from the cake.

Before icing or decorating, wrap the layers well with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. This makes them easy to handle and frost. Allow to thaw before serving.

When spreading filling between layers, make sure the filling is thick enough to prevent oozing out from between layers. Do not spread it to the edges. The weight of the layers will cause the filling to spread.

Cake layers can be moistened and flavored with a syrup of sugar and liqueur applied with a pastry brush.

For a simple decoration, place a doily over the top of the cake and dust with powdered sugar, then remove doily to reveal a pretty pattern.

Fresh flowers, snipped just an inch or two below the top of the stem, also can provide an easy decoration. Poke a skewer or similar tool into the center of the top to form a well. Then wrap the stem of the flower in a bit of plastic wrap and insert the flower into the well.

Keep icings, fillings and cake flavors compatible. Don’t try to mix too many in the same cake. But if you’re making a multilayer torte, using a variety of fillings (though still complementary) adds interest. One could be buttercream, another could be a nut-based filling.

Stand back and admire your creation. When your guests arrive, let them eat cake. It is pure joy.

 

CREDITS: Shirley Corriher, author of Cookwise: The Hows & Whys of Successful Cooking

 

KITCHEN COMMON SENSE…REALLY

Common sense, obvious and simple kitchen helps…always helps to know the obvious!

　

1. Peel ginger with a teaspoon. Just scrape with the concave part of the spoon facing the ginger.

2. To get more juice from a lemon, heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds, roll it on your work surface, then squeeze.

3. Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate shavings. For firmer, larger shavings, warm the chocolate briefly in the microwave.

4. Shake buttermilk before using it.

5. For smooth mashed potatoes, push them through a food ricer while hot, then blend in a mixture of hot milk and butter. A food mill or electric beater will also work. Do not use a food processor unless you enjoy eating glue.

6. Eggs are easier to peel if you put them under cold running water right after taking them off the stove. Once they are cool, roll and crackle them on the counter. Strip the peel under cold running water. Start at the wide end where the air pocket is. The fresher the egg, the harder it is to peel neatly.

7. To avoid clumping, freeze berries, meatballs and the like on a baking sheet. Then transfer them to zip-lock bags.

8. Freeze tomato or tamarind paste by the tablespoon in ice cube trays. You can also do this with stock if you require small amounts. When the cubes are firm, put them into zip-lock bags.

9. Measuring properly is crucial for successful baking. Use dry measures (stand-alone cups in specific sizes) for flour and sugar. Use standard measuring cups for liquids. Do not use dry measures as scoops. Scoop flour, for example, into the cup with a large spoon, then use a knife to level off the top.

10. To chop leafy herbs such as basil or mint, stack the leaves, roll them into a cigar, then shred. Then mince if desired.

11. There’s no need to laboriously strip the leaves from cilantro or parsley. Just mince the leaves with their tender stems. Before chopping, make sure the herbs are washed and dried.

12. Here’s a low-tech way to test the doneness of roast turkey or chicken. Poke a metal skewer into the flesh and carefully touch the tip to your hand or cheek. If it’s very hot, the meat is done. (Just don’t burn yourself.) This method always makes me laugh. It was passed on to me by my mother-in-law, who learned to cook without a lot of kitchen gadgets.

13. Stash leftover vegetables in the freezer. Mixing and matching, add frozen veggies to stock, simmer until very tender, then purée for healthful soups.

14. Use refrigerated or frozen leftover potatoes, boiled, baked or mashed, to make creamy soups without cream. Add the spuds to simmering vegetables in stock, then purée.

15. Don’t discard the leaves on a celery stalk. They add great flavour.

16. Before adding toppings to a pizza crust, condition the dough with a light brushing of olive oil. This barrier helps prevent sogginess.

17. Spray a spoon or measuring cup with oil before measuring honey, molasses or corn, cane and maple syrups. They will slip out easily. Running hot water over the spoon or cup also works, but not as well.

18. Indent the centre of a burger patty 1/4 to 1/2 inch. During grilling, ground beef tends to swell in the middle. The indent helps keep a burger level and promotes even cooking.

19. Cream whips better when cold.

20. Rinse your hands frequently in very cold water when rolling chocolate truffles or working hands-on with chocolate.

21. Wet hands work for meatballs, too. So does oiling your palms.

22. To trim asparagus, hold the spear in one hand with your thumb near the centre, toward the base. With the fingers of the other hand, gently bend the base. The spear will snap at the spot where tender meets tough. You needn’t peel asparagus stems, though some people prefer to peel thick ones. (By the way, thicker spears of asparagus are not inferior.)

28. Preheat your skillet before drizzling in the oil. This makes meat or other foods less likely to stick.

23. A deep, narrow asparagus pot with a removable steamer basket is good for boiling cans of sweetened, condensed milk for dulce de leche. It also works nicely for corn.

24. Toss blueberries (especially frozen ones) lightly with flour before baking them in a loaf or cake. This helps prevents them from staining the surrounding dough. (Use some of the flour from the recipe instead of adding extra.)

25. Line a baking pan with a parchment-paper sling that hangs over the sides to help you lift out sticky loaves, brownies or bars after they have cooled.

26. To make chocolate chip cookies that look magazine picture-perfect, don’t fold all your chips into the batter. Arrange some on top of the cookies before popping them in the oven.

27. Mince garlic with salt. It will jump around less and be easier to chop into a paste if desired.

28. Instead of cutting cold butter into bits for pastry dough, grate it in the large holes of a box grater.

29. To keep shortening super-cold and firm for pastry dough, freeze it.

30. Help prevent meringue from weeping by spreading it on while the filling is hot. Spread it all the way to the edges to seal in the filling.

31. Egg whites whip better when at room temperature. For maximum fluff, start with a dry bowl without a speck of fat in it. Some people even wipe the bowl with vinegar.

32. Cold eggs are easier to separate.

33. Need to cut or shave meat thin? Firm it up in the freezer.

34. Cook meat slightly underdone, then let it sit, tented with foil. The temperature will rise and it will continue to cook briefly.

35. Before frosting a cake, line your platter with two sheets of waxed paper that overlap in the middle, or with four strips arranged in a square. Put the cake on top. After frosting, pull out the paper and, voilà, clean platter.

36. Meat will be moister if you let it sit before cutting. This allows the juices to redistribute and re-absorb.

37. Oiling the holes of a grater makes semi-soft cheese less likely to stick and squash. So does putting the cheese in the freezer for 15 minutes before shredding.

38.To prevent a soggy pie crust, brush dough with egg white, bake five minutes to set, then cool, fill and bake.

39. To revive a crusty bun, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave about 30 seconds. Eat it warm. This works for hard baguettes, too.

40. Has your yeast dough risen enough? Poke it with your finger. If the dent doesn’t immediately spring back, it’s good to go.

41. Cooking with wine is not an excuse to dump your swill. Don’t cook with wine you wouldn’t want to drink. I like to match the nationality of the wine to the dish. Example: try a barbera or sangiovese in Italian ragu.

42. Baking soda tenderizes chickpeas. For hummus, bring canned chickpeas to a boil in their liquid with a teaspoon of baking soda, then drain and rinse before proceeding with your recipe. You can also add a bit of baking soda to your falafel mixture.

43. For a burst of flavour, chop and use cilantro roots instead of discarding them. They take the heat better than the leaves, so they’re good in stews.

44. To kick-start a baked potato, prick holes in it, pop it in the microwave for three minutes on high power, then finish it in a 425F oven 25 to 30 minutes.

45. Are your stir-fries missing that Chinese restaurant texture? The Chinese use a technique called velveting to make their chicken, shrimp and pork shiny, slippery and tender. The meat sits about half an hour in a mixture of cornstarch, egg whites, seasonings and cooking wine or sherry. Then it is blanched in oil or, more healthfully, boiling water before being drained and used in stir-fries.

46. To thicken gravies and sauces without lumps, put cold water and flour in a jar or plastic tub with a tight lid, shake until smooth, then whisk in.

47. After mixing pancake batter, let it sit for five minutes before cooking. This allows the flour to suck up moisture and makes the pancakes fluffier.

48. To keep pancakes warm while cooking in batches, put them on a rack on a baking sheet and place them in a preheated 200F oven.

49. Clay clings stubbornly between the layers of a leek. Trim the leek, slit it lengthwise and wash between the layers with cold running water. Or chop the leeks and swish them vigorously in a sink full of cold water; the dirt will fall to the bottom.

50. Rub a wooden cutting board with mineral oil rather than vegetable oil. The latter tends to go rancid.

51. Nuts tend to sink in cakes and loaves. To help prevent this, toast them or toss them in a bit of flour from the recipe before adding them to the batter.

52. Dip the back of a wooden spoon into your custard. It’s ready when you can draw a thick line that holds its shape. If it’s not cooked enough, the line will not hold. If it’s overcooked, it will show small chunks.

53. Here’s the tidy way to cut a bell pepper: slice off the rounded ends, cut vertically along the middle piece from top to bottom, then roll out like a tube while running a knife along the interior to scrape away seeds and veins. You’ll be left with a rectangular piece you can cut into neat strips or cubes. Save the rounded ends for chopping.

54. Hot oil in a skillet is ready when it starts to shimmer and the surface no longer looks smooth. Oil that smokes is too hot. At the “smoke point,” oil breaks down and begins to release nasty compounds.

55. Washing fruit in advance hastens decomposition. Wash it just before eating or cooking.

56. For extra corny flavour, toss some husks in with the ears of corn in boiling water.

57. Blanching (a quick dip in boiling water, followed by a cold water bath) is the traditional way to loosen and peel the skins of tomatoes, peaches and the like. Buy a serrated vegetable peeler instead; it’s faster and easier. You can even peel a bell pepper with this gadget.

58. Allow 10 minutes of cooking time for every inch of a fish fillet or fish steak, measured at its thickest point. Salmon and tuna are exceptions; they should be cooked less to prevent dryness.

59. To seed a cucumber, halve it lengthwise and scrape a teaspoon through the centre.

60. You can disinfect wet, cellulose kitchen sponges in the microwave. Zap them on high power for two to four minutes.

CREDITS: unknown source

　

　

PINA COLADA PUMPKIN BREAD (ORIGINAL)

I tried to google to find a recipe combining the flavors of my favorite drink, Pina Colada and sort of a so-so pumpkin bread…couldn’t find any. So I just created my own special bread and really happy with the results.

PINA COLADA PUMPKIN BREAD

Bread:

4 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin 1 cup canned crushed pineapple, undrained

3/4 cup vegetable oil 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon coconut extract (Durkee brand)

1 teaspoon rum extract (McCormick) 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar about 3 teaspoons pineapple juice

1/2 teaspoon rum extract 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour or line 2 (9×5 inch) loaf pans.

Aerate together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Add rest of the ingredients and mix well. Divide into 2 prepared pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

Combine glaze ingredients. If glaze is too thick add more pineapple juice. If glaze is too runny add a little more powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over the top.

BEEF BURGERS, TERIYAKI SAUCE AND BBQ SEASONING

Chef Reggie Aspiras likes her burger patties weigh between 150 – 200 grams each

BEEF BURGER PATTIES

1 kilo ground beef (I use chuck meat)

¼ kilo ground beef fat (prevents patties from drying out)

2 tsp barbecue seasoning (see note below)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp grated red onions

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well, using your clean hands.

Continue mixing until the mixture becomes sticky, coming together to form a ball. Weigh and form. Chill and when hard enough to handle, wrap individually with cling wrap and freeze. Thaw as needed. Grill.

JAPANESE TERIYAKI BURGERS

Burger buns

Burger patties

Teriyaki sauce

Japanese mayonnaise

Japanese mustard

Arugula

Watercress

Shiitake mushrooms, sauteed

Warm burger buns. Spread mayonnaise and mustard. Grill patties. Top with teriyaki sauce with onions, arugula and watercress. Finish off with shiitake mushrooms.

TERIYAKI SAUCE

3 tbsp butter

1 tbsp hon dashi

½ cup sugar

¼ cup soy sauce

½ cup water

2 tsp ginger, grated

2 tsp cornstarch

4 onions, sliced thin

Combine all ingredients except onions. Simmer until slightly thickened. Add onions. Cook until onions become slightly soft.

Thanks Chef Reggie for sharing this recipe. Really these patties won’t stay too long in my freezer.

Note: got no barbecue seasoning? I found this…quick indeed…

QUICK BARBECUE SEASONING

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

Mix all the dry spices together in a bowl. Just measure 2 teaspoons from the mix for the recipe and store the rest.

CHEWY FOOD FOR THE GODS

Loads of dates and walnut pieces to enjoy! A bestseller during Christmas holiday…for busines or giftgiving. Usually wrapped first in gold foil squares then in yellow cellophane squares

CHEWY FOOD FOR THE GODS

1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup pitted dates, chopped 1 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar 2/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp. honey or light molasses ½ tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9″ x 13″ rectangular pan OR 2 – 8″ square pans with aluminum foil. Set aside.

2. Sift the all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder together. Divide this mixture into two. Use one-half to dredge the chopped dates.

3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, sugar and eggs. Mix until well-blended. Add in the honey or molasses and vanilla extract.

4. Fold in the dry ingredients to the batter mixture. Lastly, fold in the dates and walnuts. Pour the mixture to the prepared pan. Spread evenly. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or check doneness with a cake tester. Insert tester close to the side. It should come out clean and dry. The center would still be a little wet when tested. Cool completely. Slice into bars.

Note: I would usually add 1 teaspoon or two of brandy or rum to the batter.

CREDITS:

Junjun de Guzman and Adoree Uy of Manila Bulletin

　

BANANA THE CAKE

Not your usual banana bread recipe from the terr-I-fic chef, Heny Sison.

BANANA THE CAKE

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 Tbsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 bananas, overripe, mashed, about 1-1/2 cups

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 eggs slightly beaten

1/2 cup Magnolia Gold Butter, melted

1 tsp. Ferna vanilla flavoring

1 Tbsp. sour cream

1 tsp. dark rum

Optional: 2/3 cups nuts, preferably walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 °F.

Line a 9×9×3-inch square pan with Glad Bake paper. Set aside.

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt three times. Set aside.

In an electric mixer, beat together the mashed bananas, sugar and lemon zest. Slowly add the beaten eggs. Slowly add the melted butter. Add the sour cream, vanilla and rum. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated. Add the walnuts, if desired.

Bake for approximately one hour or until done.

Cool on wire rack. Invert the cake when completely cool. Dust the top with powdered sugar. And serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Also wonderful, per Ms Sison,is a cream cheese frosting for that rich finish.

CREDITS:

Chef Heny Sison, A Taste of Life

　

BASIC POUND CAKE

Most pound cake recipes are cakes baked in bundt pans. Recipes like trifles, tiramisu, pound cake bites for the chocolate fondue/fountain and summer-fave grilled pound cake slices might indicate slices of store-bought pound cake loaf…so this recipe comes very handy…and yes, very simple, very…

POUND CAKE

1/2 pound or 1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 tsps.vanilla flavoring

5 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups sifted cake flour

Set rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 325°F.

Grease and line with parchment paper one 9×5×3-inch loaf pan.

Place butter and sugar in the bowl of the mixer and beat on medium speed for 10 minutes or until very light. Add vanilla extract.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

At low speed, add flour gradually. Mix until smooth and there’s no more trace of flour.

Remove from the mixer and fold using a rubber scrapper to make sure the batter is properly mixed.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for a few minutes then unmold on a rack and turn upside down to finish the cooling.

CREDITS:

Chef Heny Sison

　

BLACK SAMBO MAMBO

I have another recipe of Black Sambo, a gelatin fun-creation, using Knox unflavored gelatin. This recipe uses the bar gulaman…and I happen to have some bars left after making buco pandan.

BLACK SAMBO MAMBO

Black Sambo

1st layer:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup water

1 bar gulaman

1 large can condensed milk

1 large can cream

Instructions:

1. Tear gulaman into little strips. soak in 1 1/2 water for a few minutes.

2. Boil gulaman until dissolved.

3. In a bowl, mix condensed milk and cream. Pour dissolved gulaman in to the mixture. Mix well.

4. In a dish, pour mixture through a strainer to remove lumps.

5. Let it set in the gridge for 30 minutes

Once set, continue with second layer.

2nd layer:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup water

1 bar gulaman

1 large can evaporate milk

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup sugar

Instructions:

1. Tear gulaman into little strips. soak in 1 1/2 water for a few minutes.

2. Boil gulaman until dissolved.

3. Dissolve sugar and cocoa in the evaporated milk.

4. Pour in dissolved gulaman mixture into the cocoa mixture

5. Pour mixture through a strainer over the first layer.

6. Let it set for a few hours.

CREDITS:

The Salad Caper

And for the simplest gulaman recipe…

1 pack (2 bars) gulaman

1 cup sugar

3 cups water, boiling

1 tall can evap milk

1 small can crushed pineapple,

1 regular can fruit cocktail, drained

1/4 cup raisins

Dissolve gulaman and sugar in boiling water. Remove from fire and cool slightly. Stir in milk. Pour into tupperware mold. Refrigerate till slightly set. Lightly drop crushed pineapple, fruit cocktail, and raisins to slightly set gulaman. Place back in refrigerator to cool completely.

　

CALDERETA WITH BRANDY

This is Mommy Milagring’s Beef Caldereta ala Batangas (Beef stew).

Mommy says the key to making a good caldereta is lots of chopped onions, and borrowing her words “If you can’t afford to buy 3 supersize white onions, don’t do my Caldereta.” Mommy, of course, knows best!

CALDERETA WITH BRANDY

2 lbs beef chuck or sirloin, cut into cubes (Mommy recommends letting beef boil in water, then discarding broth)

1/4 cup soy sauce and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper for marinating beef

2 to 3 tablespoons margarine, plus extra olive oil for sauteing if necessary

3 large size white onions, chopped

3 medium size tomatoes, chopped

1 piece each red and green bell pepper, seeded and diced

hot pepper or hot chili sauce (optional)

1 small can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Perrin’s sauce

4 (1-inch slices) chorizo de bilbao (you can substitute Italian sausage)

2 bay leaves

1 small can liver spread

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed

1 can garbanzos or chickpeas (or green peas), boiled in broth, then discard broth

1/4 cup brandy

salt, ground black pepper, sugar to taste

1 small jar each green and black olives

Marinate boiled beef cubes in soy sauce and ground black pepper mixture for at least an hour. Using wok, or large skillet, brown beef, reserving marinade, in heated margarine; set aside. In same wok or skillet, saute onions, tomatoes and bell peppers (and hot peppers if like it hot). Add tomato sauce, perrin’s sauce, chorizo de bilbao pieces, bay leaves and browned beef cubes and reserved marinade. Add boiling beef broth or water enough to cover beef and let simmer (covered) for about an hour or 2 until beef is tender. Once beef is tender, stir in the liver spread and mix well to combine. Add cubed potatoes and carrots and simmer for 10 minutes, until potatoes are cooked. Stir in cooked garbanzos and brandy. Taste sauce and correct seasonings (if preferred, add more hot chilli sauce). Add olives just before removing from heat. Serve warm.

My recommendation: Usually the taste of caldereta improves overnight, so i cook my caldereta a day in advance. And for some final touch, i would sprinkle grated cheese on top of caldereta and garnish with more olives.

 

MISSING AN INGREDIENT…help!

BAKING INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

Most times we can’t have, don’t have everything when we bake or cook. So it always pays to know what we can substitute instead. This page will be updated each time I find a “good enough” substitute…and we can only PRAY…that each time we substitute an ingredient that it will work…if not…blame it on the RECESSION.

BAKING MIX: 2 cups

Substitute with: 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour + 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 3/4 teaspoon salt + 1/3 cup shortening.　

BAKING POWDER: 1 teaspoon

Substitute with: 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar + 1/4 teaspoon baking soda　

CORNSTARCH (as thickener): 1 tablespoon

Substitute with: 2 tablespoons all purpose flour　

LIGHT CORN SYRUP: 1 cup

Substitute with: 1 cup sugar + 1/4 cup water　

CREAM OF TARTAR: 1/2 teaspoon

Substitute with: 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar　

EGG: 1 whole

Substitute with: 2 egg whites or 2 egg yolks　

CAKE FLOUR: 1 cup

Substitute with: 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour　

SELFRISING FLOUR: 1 cup

Substitute with: 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1/4 teaspoon baking soda　

HONEY: 1 cup

Substitute with: 1 1/4 cups sugar + 1/4 cup water　

MOLASSES: 1 cup

Substitute with: 1 cup honey　

SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE: 1 ounce

Substitute with: 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate + 1 tablespoon sugar or 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips　

BROWN SUGAR: 1 cup, packed

Substitute with: 1 cup sugar + 2 tablespoon molasses　

GRANULATED SUGAR: 1 cup

Substitute with: 2 cups sifted powdered sugar　

SWEET BAKING CHOCOLATE: 4 ounces

Substitute with: 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa + 1/3 cup sugar + 3 tablespoons shortening　

UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE: 1 ounce

Substitute with: 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa + 1 tablespoon oil or shortening　

CREDITS:  Better Homes and Gardens 2007