Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Featured Recipe: Beef Caldereta

By Clemente Escopete
Finalist, Amateur Division
Kulinarya : A Filipino Culinary Showdown 

Happy New Year! Welcome back to Isla Kulinarya. In the last couple of weeks, we have been featuring the recipes of the 6 finalists to Kulinarya : A Filipino Culinary Showdown held at the Metreon in San Francisco last December 4, 2010. Organized by the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco along with the various government agencies, namely, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Philippine National Police with the goal of increasing the awareness and appreciation of Northern California residents on Filipino cuisine. 

This week , we are featuring the recipe of Clemente Escopete, one of the 3 finalists at the Amateur Division. The featured recipe was the dish that he prepared at the preliminary round of the competition which was held  last August 2010 at the Metreon.
Photo by Jun Belen taken from the Kulinarya blogsite
http://kulinarya2010.wordpress.com/
 
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs beef chuck steak cut into 1 1/2" squares
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 medium onion
3 medium ripe tomatoes
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 bay leaves
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips
vegetable oil for deep frying
4-5 cups stock or water
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 of lemon juice
1/2 cup green olives
1/2 cup button mushroom
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Cut chuck steak into 1 1/2" squares. Rub with salt and pepper and garlic. Pan fry, covered until brown and tender, allow to cool.

2. Saute garlic, onion, tomatoes in olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Add the cubed beef, beef stock or water, tomato paste and lemon juice and bay leaves. Stir well, cover the pan with tight -fitting lid.


4. Lower the heat and cook slowly until beef is tender. Stir occasionally.

5. When beef is tender, add potatoes and olives.


6. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender, add button mushrooms and red and green peppers. Mix well.

7. Cook for another 2 minutes. You can expect about 2 cups of sauce or gravy. 


Join us again next week as we share with you the recipe of Aileen Suzara, one of the finalists at the Amateur Division.


Isla Kulinarya lets you explore the islands, taste the food, relive the memories -- all made possible by Island Pacific Supermarket. Go and visit an Island Pacifc near you with branches in Southern California located at Cerritos, Canoga Park, North and South Vermont in Los Angeles, Panorama City and West Covina;  Union City and Vallejo in Northern California.Check out our website at www.islandpacificmarket.com. Stay connected with us-- find us on Facebook @island pacific market, follow us on Twitter @islandpacificUS and  Blogger @island pacific market. For your comments, suggestions and request for recipes that you want us to feature, please email info@islandpacificmarket.com. Presyong Sulit... sa Island Pacific.
**Featured recipe and some notes were taken from the Kulinarya Event Magazine published by the Philippine Department of Tourism, San Francisco, December 2010.
**Special thanks to the Philippine Department of Tourism, San Francisco for allowing us to feature the recipes of the 6 finalists.
ABOUT CLEMENTE ESCOPETE 
Clemente or Uncle Clem,  as he is fondly called, hails from Bicol region, known for its cuisines characterized by the use of chilies and coconut milk. Uncle Clem's cooking style does not only come from his Bicol roots but he also draws on influences from other parts of the Philippines, China and Spain. He is an architect by profession and has a burning passion for cooking.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Featured Recipe: Sisig

By Chef Kristela Nazario Mendoza, Finalist, Professional Division
Kulinarya : A Filipino Culinary Showdown
*Copyright 2010, Philippine Department of Tourism, San Francisco
Last week, we have shared with you the recipe of Chef Cocoy Ventura, one of the 3 finalists in the Professional Division,  at the recently concluded Kulinarya : A Filipino Culinary Showdown held at the Metreon in San Francisco last December 4, 2010. Organized by the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco along with the various government agencies, namely, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Philippine National Police with the goal of increasing the awareness and appreciation of Northern California residents on Filipino cuisine. 

This week we are featuring another recipe prepared by Chef Kristela Mendoza, one of the 3 finalists in the Professional Division

Photo by Jun Belen taken from the Kulinarya blogsite
http://kulinarya2010.wordpress.com/

Ingredients:
3 lbs pork belly
1 lb pork ears
1/2 lb pork liver
2 cups milk
6 each jalapeno pepper
3 cups chili vinegar
2 cups soy sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
15 each calamansi
1/2 each red onion
Sea salt to taste
1 bottle San Miguel Beer
 
Instructions:
1.Blanch pig ear. Cut into small pieces.
2. Soak pork liver in milk for 20 minutes
3. Cut pork belly and pork livers into small pieces
4. Cook meat in low heat, using pork belly as fat.
5. Slice red onions and jalapenos thinly.
6. Turn off heat and combine other ingredients.


Join us again next week for another sumptuous recipe from one of the finalists of the Kulinarya : A Filipino Culinary Showdown

**The featured recipe, some references and the write up about Chef Kristel were taken from  Kulinarya: A Filipino Culinary Showdown Event Magazine published by the Philippine Department of Tourism, San Francisco, December 2010. Published with prior consent from the Philippine Department of Tourism, San Francisco.


Isla Kulinarya lets you explore the islands, taste the food, relive the memories -- all made possible by Island Pacific Supermarket. Go and visit an Island Pacifc near you with branches in Southern California located at Cerritos, Canoga Park, North and South Vermont in Los Angeles, Panorama City and West Covina;  Union City and Vallejo in Northern California.Check out our website at www.islandpacificmarket.com. Stay connected with us-- find us on Facebook @island pacific market, follow us on Twitter @islandpacificUS and  Blogger @island pacific market. For your comments, suggestions and request for recipes that you want us to feature, please email info@islandpacificmarket.com. Presyong Sulit... sa Island Pacific.

 

 
ABOUT CHEF KRISTELA NAZARIO MENDOZA

Chef Kristela Nazario Mendoza is currently the Executive Chef at Pyramid Breweries in Berkeley, CA. She was educated at the California Culinary Academy and received an A.O.S. degree in a Le Cordon Bleu accredited program. She had also completed an externship program at the Rockefeller's Caneel Bay Hotel and Resort in St. John U.S. Virgin Islands. Chef Kristel is the "Iron Chef 2010" champion at the Sysco San Francisco Annual Product Show held at the San Mateo County Event Center.