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Chef Greg Villalon

In a predominantly Catholic country such as the Philippines, Good Friday symbolizes the commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Aside from the prohibition of taking a bath after 3pm, one other observed tradition is the abstinence of eating meat. And so, I found this sardines recipe from Mega Creations Premium Sardines (from the creators of Mega Sardines) a fitting post today. 🙂

Mega Creations Premium Sardines (L-R, Natural Oil, Spanish Style)

A few weeks ago, Mega Creations Premium Sardines, together with Global Academy Head of Operations Chef Greg Villalon, demonstrated that tasty meals can be easily prepared even using common household ingredients in less than half an hour.

The sardines come in two variants: in natural oil and in spanish style. One of the dishes / recipes cooked with a twist was the Moroccan Sardine and Sweet Potato Casserole. It was my favorite and deserves a feature here:

Moroccan Sardine and Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients

• 6 Cans – Mega Creations Premium Sardines Spanish Style (chopped)
• 2 Cups – Spinach leaves (chopped)
• 2 Cups – Red Bell pepper (strips)
• 1/2 Cup – Raisins
• 1 Cup – White onion (minced)
• 2 Tbsp – Cinnamon powder
• 2 Tbsp – Cumin powder
• 1 Tbsp – Turmeric powder
• 6 Tbsp – Tomato paste
• 1/2 Cup – Olive oil
• To taste – Salt
• To taste – White pepper

Sweet Potato Mash

Moroccan Sardine and Sweet Potato CasseroleSweet Potato Mash

• 1 Kilo – Orange sweet potato (peeled and cubed)
• 2 Cups – Milk
• 6 Tbsp – Butter (softened)
• To taste – Salt
• To taste – White Pepper

Cheese Crust

• 1 Cup – Cheddar cheese (grated)
• 1 Cup – Japanese bread crumbs
• As needed – Butter

Procedure:

1. Peel, chop, and boil sweet potatoes until soft enough for a knife to go through it. Drain off the sweet potatoes before mashing with a fork.
2. Place mashed sweet potatoes in a pan, then incorporate milk and softened butter until desired consistency is achieved. Season to taste then set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan then add onions, peppers, spinach, and raisins. Briefly saute, then add all the spices and leave in the pan until fragrant.
4. Add the potato paste and stir well. Next, add the Mega Creations Premium Sardines and mash thoroughly until a “spreadable texture” is achieved. Season to taste, then set aside.
5. Assemble the dish on a casserole or a Pyrex dish. The ingredients will be layered similar to a lasagna dish, with the first layer made of sweet potato puree, and then topped with the spinach mixture. Repeat the process until you fill the casserole.
6. Sprinkle the cheese crust on top then add slices of butter to cover the whole dish.
7. Bake in a 375° F oven for about 30-45 mins or until the crust has browned.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Chef Greg Villalon with Chef Rose Bud

Asian Style Sardines Sub-Sandwich using Mega Premium Sardines

Catch more of the Mega Creations Premium Sardines recipes with Chef Villalon in an exciting new cooking show entitled “Everyday Creations,” premiering on April 5 at 6:30 p.m. on The Lifestyle Network. There will be replays on Sundays, 11:30am and Wednesdays at 6:00 pm. Check My Everyday Creations page on Facebook for additional sardines recipes as well.

My Sunday was spent lazily at home. Being very busy for so long as I can remember, it has been months since the last time I spent the whole day lounging around the house and doing nothing. It was a healthy welcome respite.

I got to catch up with some cooking shows and foodie features on cable TV, and surf the net that’s not part of work. 🙂

Healthy Cravings with Iza Calzado & Chef Jeremy Favia on QTV

What interestingly took my attention was the local ‘Healthy Cravings‘ show with Iza Calzado and Chef Jeremy Favia on QTV yesterday morning. They featured a salad concoction using the regular pechay instead of the usual iceberg lettuce. Pechay turns out to have more nutrition value than its counterpart, more affordable, and readily available.

The cooking shows tickled my long-time fancy as a chef. When the show was over, I hungered for more and checked out the internet which led me to the foodie site Kitchenomics.com. The site provided relevant information for chef wannabes like me or moms looking for affordable and nutritious meals for their families.

I suddenly remembered mom who always made sure weekend family meals are made extra-special because everyone’s at home; the family was complete.

Ok, this is a foodie blog, not a personal blog. 🙂 Enough of the drama, back to Kitchenomics. 🙂

Kitchenomics Tips and Resources

The site also offered membership where benefits include access to Del Monte Kitchenomics’ library of practical and delicious meals. And just like being members of NomNom Club, Kitchenomics members would be the first to know of exclusive events and promos – something I think that really ‘clicks‘ nowadays. 🙂

Kitchenomics.com 'Submit A Recipe'

Further exploring the website reveals features which facilitates interaction with other foodies by sharing recipes, tips, and expert culinary resources. My favorite though is the Kitchen Tools and Equipments section because it can serve as my reference for kitchen equipments whose names I always forget. 🙂

Kitchen Tools and Equipments

Enough of the watching and the reading. Putting these gathered foodie knowledge from Kitchenomics.com into action would be a good agenda for the upcoming long holy weekend where I’ll be stuck at home. 🙂