Chefs on Parade 2013: Modern Contemporary Filipino Cuisine 3-course set menu entry of St Therese MTC College Iloilo City

Can I tempt you with this roulade of beef caldereta with embutido stuffing? Chef Miner del Mundo actually did that to me two Saturdays ago when I showed up at La Fiesta Hotel for a culminating activity of his culinary team from St. Therese MTC College. They were preparing for the biennial Chefs on Parade competition which will took place a week (from then) and I had the gastronomic pleasure of having to sample three sets of their contest "pieces" totalling 11 dishes.

This Modern Contemporary Filipino Cuisine set is described as A modern family style presentation of contemporary Filipino cuisine that combines the chosen main ingredient with other local ingredients. Live cooking of a three-course set menu of three (3) portions each consisting of one (1) appetizer, one (1) main dish and one (1) dessert served family style. (Read More).

For this the team's appetizer was Seafood longganiza with Visayan Adobado sauce (atchuete-coocnut cream and native vinegar) with turnip and cucumber salad on bago-ong dressing. Prawns, pan grilled squid inasal, kalkag grouper and green mango kinilaw, coconut creme

Ilonggo cooking and ingredients have greatly influenced this entry as seen with the use of adobado sauce, kalkag and inasal cooking technique - which are very common anywhere in the region. But I almost have totally forgot everything the moment I had the seafood longganisa.

It was freshly made (the mixing, seasoning, and finally cooking) right then and there as they were also practicing the live cooking demo which is among the contests they entered. The aroma was so appetizing that I never wasted time tasting it. It was very delicious! I could have eaten 10 pcs if there were that many serve then. The spices and seasoning gave it the familiar longganiza aroma and taste at first bite.Then the texture of chunky shrimps and fish becomes evident and you know its not the usual longganisa you've had.

That set up my mood for more food and the the main dish which is a roulade of beef embracing an embotido (filling) then smothered with tick caldereta sauce. For presentation purposes only a minimal amount of the sauce was placed but there was a big extra bowl that I took delight on.

I also loved the side dish it came with, a sort of mashed sweet potato. It was light that it balanced the heavy caldereta making it just a balanced meal. But on its own (sweet potato timbale) it was very good that I finished one serving (and would have asked for more LOL.)

Finally a trio of dessert. Glutinous Rice Skewer on Muscovado Caramel Sauce and Ensaymada Leche Flan Pudding with marinated fruits. While the first two desserts are on teh sweet side the fruits balance the taste buds with some hints of sourness that makes everything tastes sweeter the next bite.

And saving the best for last, I still can't get over the ensaymada leche flan pudding which has "sort of" leche flan base and ensaimada top OR maybe like ensaymada with leche flan "sauce". It's a heavenly yet sinful dessert that even just looking at the photo, you know how sweet and delicious it really is. Its one dessert that would make you confess after eating it but no matter how sinful it maybe, you'd find it a gastronomic pleasure to repeat committing it again.

Note: This set menu of St. Therese MTC College shared the Gold Distinction (with ISCAHM) in the 2013 Chefs on Parade competition held at SMX at the SM Mall of Asia.

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