THE Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration in the world. It starts as soon as the Halloween decorations for the eve of All Saints’ Day have been taken down and lasts until the Feast of the Three Kings in January. This is because Filipinos have a long-standing love affair with Christmas. It’s their most awaited time of the year, when 13th month pays are given so there’s a little extra money to spend on holiday presents and celebration food such as ham, lechon or roast turkey. But if you want something more light and healthy for your Noche Buena this year, there is now a convenient and delicious alternative — Gourmet Baked Rellenong Bangus.
Fisher Farms Inc., a world-class aquaculture food processor and the largest supplier of farm-raised bangus (milkfish) in the country, recently launched its Gourmet Baked Rellenong Bangus. Created by celebrity chef Reggie Aspiras, the huge whole bangus is stuffed with a savory filling of bangus belly, fish meat, sweet potatoes, shrimps and other premium and special ingredients that give a holiday twist to this classic Filipino dish. It’s juicy and flavorful, and it’s lighter and healthier than the regular Rellenong Bangus because it’s baked, not fried, so it’s considerably lower in fat content. It’s also healthy and safe because it’s made with bangus grown in the farms of Fisher Farms Inc., which grows its milkfish in fish cages in the pristine seawaters of Pangasinan and only high-protein feeds are given to them.
Fisher Farms’ Gourmet Baked Rellenong Bangus comes in three size variants: 800 grams, 1.1 kgs. and 1.3 kgs. Even the smallest size is huge, so it can feed a lot of people and is therefore ideal for sharing in potluck parties, family get-togethers and Noche Buena.
Because the Gourmet Baked Rellenong Bangus is already baked and then frozen at -18˚C, all one has to do at home is reheat it, and this can be done in three ways — by baking, by pan-frying or by heating with the microwave oven. If baking the relleno, it should be thawed overnight in the refrigerator, placed in a baking dish, brushed with oil and baked for 20 to 30 minutes in a preheated 350˚F oven. For pan-frying, the relleno should be halved crosswise after thawing and pan-fried in 4 to 5 tablespoons of oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Microwave heating can be done by cutting the relleno into one-inch thick slices, which should then be arranged on a microwave-safe dish, brushed lightly with oil and reheated for 1 to 2 minutes on High with a small bowl half-filled with water to create steam and keep the relleno from drying out.
Available in selected supermarkets in Metro Manila and in select provinces in the country, Fisher Farms’ Gourmet Baked Rellenong Bangus has been ‘discovered’ by such health buffs among local celebrities as actress, host, fashion designer, dance diva and Zumba instructor Regine Tolentino and model-turned-actress Marina Benipayo. Both Regine and Marina were present during the formal product launch of the Gourmet Baked Rellenong Bangus held at the Oudh Function Room of Marco Polo Ortigas last Monday (December 15, 2014). They joined Fisher Farms Inc. chief executive officer Imelda Madarang and marketing manager Myra Lorredo in stressing the importance of healthy eating and how the new Gourmet Baked Rellenong Bangus can fit into one’s healthy lifestyle.
“I was fortunate to have relatives taste it in a recent reunion. They all said that it’s the best rellenong bangus they have tasted and you can actually see the peas and carrots and it’s not wanting in taste,” says Marina.
It is, to me, an answered prayer because I don’t have time to cook or make relleno from scratch,” adds Regine.
