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.

Mama's Kitchen and Sinamay House in Arevalo

A stones throw away from the plaza of La Villa de Arevalo is an ancestral house where one can find not only good pasalubong items but also a look into the past of the district. Known as the Sinamay House , this well preserved ancestral house is an attraction not only in the outside but also what it houses inside. A collection of what the past like is housed in the two storey edifice which also acts like a museum of sorts. Sinamay is simply known as abaca by most and, here, a variety of products made from this fiber can be found. I remember watching a feature on tv wherein the owner proudly showed a framed letter signed by the late Princess of Wales, Diana, showing her appreciation of the handkerchief she was given as a gift coming from this very shop. But the attraction I am most familiar with are the chewies and crunchies made by Mama's Kitchen. Attractively packed in boxes showing their current flavours and variety, this is among the better...

An American Adventure Buffet at Days Hotel Iloilo

I just came from a meeting for an upcoming event dubbed as "America in 3D" and when I arrived at The Promenade at Days Hotel Iloilo, it was like "America in 3D" all over again. But it was delicacies, drinks and desserts that time for it was the launching of their newest dinner buffet called American Adventure. As it promises guests to embark on a culinary journey of the flavours of America, guests will surely the taste of America with it's line up appetizers, salads, delicacies, main course and desserts. I kicked off my journey with a bowl of the clam chowder which was just as good as the one I had a few days earlier at The Venue . It was rich and flavourful, so good that sometime during the course of the buffet I had anotherone. There was a beautiful display of Oyster Rockefeller which turned out to be delectable that I got one each time I stood up and take another round. A play on Las Vegas, I assume, were these chicken nuggets they call Gold Nuggets. Indeed t...

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece por...

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

100% Pinoy: Flavors of Iloilo

I remember watching this episode years ago around 12mn on GMA 7. It was truly a gastronomic delight even at that time since I was still in Manila and it sort of satisfied my cravings for Ilonggo delicacies. Here's a snippet from that episode that eventually inspired my blog name. This page requires a higher version browser From 100% Pinoy GMA NEWS Pista ng mga pagkain Kilala ang Iloilo dahil sa Dinagyang Festival na talaga namang dinarayo rito tuwing Enero. Sa Dinagyang – na nangangahulugang "kasiyahan" – makikita ang iba't ibang palabas at parada. Syempre hindi mawawala rito ang pista ng mga pagkain kung saan kilala rin ang Iloilo. Dinayo ni Raffy Tima ang pistang ito ng pagkain at inumin para makisaya sa taunang pagdiriwang ng Dinagyang. La Paz batchoy Kapag sinabing Iloilo, kakambal na nito ang La Paz Batchoy. Kapag sinabing La Paz Batchoy, agad na pumapasok sa isip ang Deco's – ang sinasabing original na gumagawa ng La Paz Batchoy. Ito raw ay pagmama...

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Search This Blog