Stewing about dinner in a hurry? Try an accelerated adobo

CBC wanted to know what Edmonton's best chefs whip up when they're short on time or just don't have the energy to create their usual fare. In Fast Food, we'll be highlighting local chefs from their own kitchens, sharing their go-to recipes.

Building strong customer loyalty is a dream for any chef/restaurateur, and Filistix chef and co-owner Ariel Del Rosario doesn't make light of the intense loyalty that his customers have shown him.

He knows that loyalty has been built over time through his delicious, quintessential Filipino comfort foods.

Memories of his grandmother fuelhis passion for the food of his Filipino roots and inspired him to start Filistix with his cousin, Roel Canafranca.

"She would take turns staying at Roel's or my house and pots would already be simmering on the stove when we woke up," Del Rosario recalls.

"We really didn't appreciate how good our grandmother's cooking was as little kids, but what I would do for her Pork Binagoongan right now," he adds, referring to a dish of stewed pork cooked in shrimp paste.

A Filistixmainstay is its Chicken Adobo rice bowl, and despite the fact that Del Rosario can eat it anytime at work, a variation Chicken and PorkAdobo regularly makes its way onto the family table.

"Our kids dictate what's on the dinner menu,"says Del Rosario."All kids love adobo."

Adobooriginated in the Philippines and the term is used interchangeably, referring to a sauce or a cooking method. Its hallmark is a vinegar and soy sauce marinade.

Del Rosario says this dish is normally cooked in a Dutch oven, which can take about 90 minutes. When it comes to home cooking for the kids, it has to be simple and quick to prepare.

Using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, you can get iton the table with just a few minutes of prep and about 15 minutes of cooking time, using mostly staples from the pantry.

These are common ingredients for people, regardless of ethnic background, but combined in proportions that make the result distinctly Filipino.

Fast Food Filistix

6 years ago

Duration 3:59

Ariel Del Rosario from Filistix shows us a quick meal using the Instant Pot.

Of course, the ultimate fast food is leftovers, and according to chef Del Rosario, chicken and pork adobo actually tastes better the longer you let it sit. "In fact, adobo is best enjoyed the day after."

Chicken and Pork Adobo

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

• 2 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
• 2 chicken drumsticks, bone in, skin on
• 1 poundpork belly, cut into 1-inch cubes
• cupwhite vinegar (substitute white sugar cane vinegar, if available)
• cupsoy sauce
• 1 cupwater
• 6garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 - 2bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 Thai chili (optional)

Directions

In a medium-size mixing bowl, add vinegar, soy sauce, water, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, sugar, oil and chili, if using.Mix well to dissolve the salt andsugar, and meld all the flavours together.

Add chicken and pork to the bowl and mix well, ensuring each piece is coated.

Place the chicken and pork in the pressure cooker and spread evenly, then pour in the remaining sauce.Stir around to ensure an even layer of meat and even distribution of sauce.

Choose the "pressure cook" option and set to high. Set the timer to 15 minutes and turn it on.

Once the 15 minutes have elapsed, make sure to release the pressure fully before opening the lid.

At this point, the adobo is ready to serve.However, you can reduce the sauce to your preferred consistency by switching the setting to saute for up to 10 minutes.

Ladle the pork and chicken into a medium-size serving bowl and pour the remaining sauce on top.Serve with plenty of steamed rice. Enjoy!

Other stories in our Fast Food series

• Mixing it up with a mushroom burger
• Pasta pronto: Puttanesca in 10 minutes flat