Homegrown is top-class

Doubters, eat your words. Filipino cuisine is world-class. By winning the Sears Chef Challenge Grand Championship in the United States last year, Filipino-American chef Alex Dino has demonstrated that innovative Filipino cooking can have extensive appeal.

“I remembered ginataang kalabasa cooked by my mom when I was young and got the inspiration from that recipe,” says chef Alex. “Highlighting marination of the meat was important. For the marinade, I specifically required our Pinoy favorite, San Miguel beer.” His entry of hanger steak with beets and leeks in coconut milk or karneng baka na may ginataang aselaga at sibuyas, won the grand prize of US$20,000 for the chef’s selected charity, The Food Bank of Central New York, and a complete Sears renovation for his Sachet d’ Epices Catering kitchen.

“It is easy to create recipes but execution is the challenge,” declared chef Alex at a cooking demonstration held at the San Miguel Purefoods Culinary Center recently. “All chefs know that they can cook; are confident they have something. But competition requires practice and helps build confidence. Competition will make or break you.” He is a firm believer that keeping up with new technology is important. “I try to keep up with technology and encourage local chefs to so the same. One can be very good with traditional methods of cooking, but people look for innovative cooking.” Apart from using the sous vide method where food is placed in vacuum-sealed bags to slowly cook in warm water at low temperature, chef Alex used a Smoking Gun — a handheld device to give cantaloupe and honeydew balls an unusual smoky dimension.

Easy-to-make cream cheese salmon balls rolled in black and white sesame seeds

What makes his cooking distinct? “I’ll give you something that you’ll remember, something you’ve never had before,” he promises. For one client who wanted something memorable for a romantic dinner-by-candlelight proposal, chef Alex crafted a bacon-fat candle vinaigrette. Hard to imagine? Picture this: as vinaigrette is poured from a container where a lit candle made from bacon fat is floating, the ring tumbles out onto the lady-love’s plate. “I was part of that couple’s history,” chef Alex smiles. “I was not just giving them food; I was giving them a show.”

Sous vide chicken with olive coller and sauce ravigote

At the cooking demonstration, he once again proved that imagination can turn everyday items into unique and special fare. “I know corned beef with pan de sal is a favorite, but you won’t get that today,” he told the group. Instead, we had corned beef quenelles in a citrus-beer brodo and shaved franks. This was Purefoods corned beef dumplings cooked in a poaching liquid that included white wine, bird chilies and lemongrass, and then served with a brodo(or broth) of Kaffir lime leaves, star anise, orange juice and San Miguel Super Dry beer.

It got even better. Magnolia cream cheese was incorporated with smoked chopped salmon, capers, horseradish and other spices, and then rolled in sesame seeds to make tasty cream cheese salmon balls; and Magnolia free-range chicken breasts (“Free-range is tastier”) were cooked sous vide to make an elegant sous vide chicken with olive coller (garlic, brie, olives, olive oil) and sauce ravigote (Dijon mustard, shallots, champagne vinegar).

But the star of the meal was the winning dish. The original recipe used hanger steak from the diaphragm of the cow (or paha in Filipino) but for this particular demonstration, chef Alex used Monterey striploin. San Miguel Pale Pilsen was an integral part of the marinade. We succinctly understood with the very first mouthful why this dish won the Sears Challenge.

“There always should be a better way of presenting your food,” says Chef Alex Dino, and we heartily agree. Imagination makes a whole world of difference.

Striploin with beets & leeks in coconut milk

 For the beets & leeks:

1 tbsp. ginger root, minced

3 pcs. garlic cloves, peeled and minced

One half tsp. crushed red pepper or to taste

2 pounds golden beets, peeled and medium dice (about 5 pcs.)

Corned beef quenelle in a citrus-beer brood and shaved franks

6 oz bamboo shoots, sliced and drained

1/2 lb. leeks, thinly sliced

1 tsp. fish sauce

2 cans coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

 Ingredients:

For the steak

3 lbs. Monterey striploin, trimmed

1 cup San Miguel Pale Pilsen

1 tsp. chili paste

1 cup soy sauce

3 pcs. scallions, chopped

1/2 cup or 1 oz. cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup mild flavored olive oil

2 pcs. garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 tbsps. sugar

salt and pepper to taste

 Procedures:

For the steak

Winning dish: Striploin with beets and leeks in coconut milk

Whisk beer, soy sauce, sugar, chili paste, cilantro, scallion, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour the marinade into a large container, add the steak and cover. Marinate the steak for minimum of 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Pre-heat large skillet or non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add oil, remove steaks from marinade and pat dry, then discard marinade.

Place the steaks into a hot skillet and cook until well browned (approximately 5-10 minutes each side). Insert thermometer into the center of the meat, for medium rare 125º F to 130º F.

Remove the steaks into carving board and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Slice steaks thinly against the grain and arrange on a dinner plate.

Braised golden pineapple, smoked cantaloupe and honeydew balls injected with fruit liquor, and Magnolia Buko Salad Royale ice cream

For the beets and leeks

Pre-heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat, pour the oil and add ginger and garlic. Sauté until golden brown for about 2 minutes. Then add crushed pepper, half of the leeks (save the other half for garnish) and beets and sauté for about 10 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and chicken broth, bring it to simmer. Cook the beets for about 10-15 minutes until tender. Add the bamboo shoots and bring it to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, arrange the beets on a plate and drizzle with the sauce, garnish with sautéed leeks and serve with white or brown rice. Serves 6.