Homemakers across the country showed off their scrumptious homemade recipes at the first Solane Cuisinera Challenge: 30-Minute Easy Recipes, a competition that definitely was a mouthful of yum with a cook-off that not only focused on regional dishes but also an on-the-spot Market Basket challenge using the secret ingredient – Tablea.
“I hope Cuisinera Challenge will be the first of many competitions that also make the contestants and their families aware of the advocacy of Solane, which is safe cooking at home,” said Filipino food advocate Nancy Reyes-Lumen. Solane has been proactively campaigning against the use of hazardous LPG tanks through their Sugod Barangay educational seminars and innovating product and services like its safety cap and seal and Authenticity Checker Facebook App.
Out of 22 finalists who came from as far as Cebu and Pangasinan, two grand winners were chosen: Maridel Pacleb for her original recipe: Buttered Pork Tenderloin Adobo in Parsley Garlic Cream Sauce and for the Market Basket category, Fe Merluza with her Chocolate Chicken recipe using the secret ingredient, Tablea.
The panel of judges was composed of Solane marketing head Carisse Vendiola and promotions and research manager Valerimae Batenga, and renowned Chef Edith Singian.
Best in Regional Recipe
Buttered Pork Tenderloin Adobo with Parsley Garlic Cream Sauce
This year’s Cuisinera Challenge grand winner Maridel Pacleb wowed judges with her take on the Filipino favorite Adobo. At first, she was hesitant if she could finish preparing the dish in 30 minutes, which involved mashed potatoes and caramelized onions. “But sabi nga nila kapag ka may timing at relaxed ka lang, magagawa mo pa rin siya,” she said. “It’s an easy recipe lang, pork tenderloin lang, madali siyang gawin, madali siyang lutuin.”
Ingredients:
500 grams pork tenderloin, slice into ½ inch thick
1 tbsp cooking oil
60 grams butter
1 head garlic, chopped
3 pcs dry laurel leaves
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup cane vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 large onion, sliced
For Mashed Potatoes:
2 large potatoes, peeled and boiled
2 tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp all purpose cream
Parsley Garlic Cream Sauce:
2 heads garlic
1/3 cup parsley
½ cup all purpose cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
- In a medium pan, heat oil and add half of the butter (30 grams). Saute garlic with the dry laurel for 30 seconds before adding in the pork tenderloin. Let it cook till the pork changes its color. When done add the water, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and pepper. Let it boil for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes. Once done, mash the potatoes together with the sautéed garlic and add the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
- In a blender or food processor, mix the parsley, garlic and all purpose cream. Add salt and pepper according to your taste
- Once the pork tenderloin is done and tender, heat a small pan and add the remaining butter. Saute sliced onion till caramelized and set aside. On the same pan, fry the pork tenderloin for at least 2 minutes setting aside the remaining sauce.
- Arrange pork tenderloin on top of the mashed potatoes. Add the caramelized onions on top of the pork tenderloin and drizzle it with parsley garlic cream sauce on top. Use the remaining adobo sauce to drizzle around the dish.
- Best in Market Basket RecipeChocolate Chicken Adobo Home chefs then tackled with the secret ingredient, Tablea. This category’s winner, Fe Merluza, took the risk of mixing chocolate and garlic, which was all worth it.
Ingredients:
½ kilo chicken
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup vinegar
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 pc bay leaf
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 pcs Tablea
10 grams chicken broth cube
1 tsp sugar
2 pcs red bell pepper for garnish
Procedure:
- Boil chicken in soy sauce, vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaf and chopped garlic until chicken is tender.
- Add two pieces of Tablea and the chicken broth cube.
- Stir and season with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Garnish with red bell pepper.
