As part of its promotional activities to familiarize consumers with its premium German knives and kitchenware brand, Carol Schmidt Sohn recently started a Solingia series of cooking demonstrations staged in various True Value and True Home branches in Metro Manila. The first of the series took place at True Value Shangri-La Plaza and was conducted by Chef Jam Melchor of Healthy Eats Manila.
An impromptu dining area was created in a strategic area of True Value Shangri-La Plaza for the cooking demo, which turned out to be a fun Saturday afternoon celebration of good food prepared using high-quality cookware and knives.
Chef Jam featured three recipes—Free Range Chicken and Apple Salad, Puttanesca Pasta al Cartoccio, and Citrus Soy Marinated Steak—using Carl Schmidt Sohn products to show the brand’s outstanding quality, unquestionable durability and elegant design.
These products are made in Solingen, Germany, which is the knife manufacturing center of Germany and where 90% of the world’s premium knives and kitchenware are produced. Products under the Carl Schmidt Sohn brand, which traces its roots back to 1829, are being distributed in the Philippines by Much Prosperity Trading International Inc. (MPTII).
The cooking demo, which was hosted by Starstruck’s Ultimate Steven Silva had Chef Jam starting with Free Range Chicken and Apple Salad, a refreshing starter that combined the smoky taste of roasted chicken and the fresh crispness of two kinds of apples. This was followed by Puttanesca Pasta al Cartoccio, which is a vegetarian’s delight although non-vegetarians won’t feel anything missing in the dish when they partake of it. Highlight of the cooking demo was the Citrus Soy Marinated Steak, which most of the audience wanted to enjoy medium or medium rare.
The cooking demo was dotted with raffle draws among the audience, who won Carl Schmidt Sohn items from peelers to cookware. The same happened during the baking demo conducted the next day by Chef Dorothy Ferreria for Cake Boss, the sister brand of Carl Schmidt Sohn that has been created for baking purposes.
The rest of the cooking demo series shall also feature a Carl Schmidt Sohn cooking demo on the first day and a Cake Boss baking demo on the second day.
Free-range Chicken and Apple Salad
Ingredients
2 pcs. large Fuji apples, cubed
2 pcs. Granny Smith apples, cubed
2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
3/4 kg. roasted chicken fillets, chilled and cubed
1 cup toasted walnuts
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, mayonnaise, celery, bell pepper, salt and ground pepper.
2. Add cubed chicken fillets.
3. Toss to coat well. Then cover and chill for 1 hour.
4. Top with toasted walnuts before serving.
Puttanesca Pasta Al Cartoccio
Ingredients
2 Tbsps. olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. chopped black olives
1/2 tsp. capers
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup tomato sauce
tomatoes, chopped and peeled
pasta noodles, cooked according to package direction
fresh basil leaves for garnish
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a Carl Schimdt Sohn casserole. Add garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
2. Add chopped black olives and capers.
3. Pour in wine and allow alcohol to cook and evaporate for an added dimension of flavor.
4. Add tomato sauce and some chopped and peeled tomatoes. Cook until sauce is thick.
5. Add cooked pasta and toss until fully coated with sauce.
Citrus Soy-Marinated Steak
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pc. seedless orange, juiced
1 pc. lime, juiced
1/3 cup wansoy (cilantro), roughly chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. vinegar
3 slices pickled Jalapeño, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
400 grams beef tenderloin
Directions
1. Blend olive oil, orange and lime juices, cilantro, garlic, vinegar, pickled Jalapeño slices, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender for 30 seconds.
2. Pour into a Ziploc bag. Add beef tenderloin. Shake it up. Marinate for at least 6 hours in refrigerator.
3. Drain beef from marinade, and grill over Carl Schmidt Sohn stainless steel pan to medium rare for about 3 minutes on each side.
4. Rest the steak on a chopping board for 5 minutes. Slice into strips.Serve with veggies.
For the veggies
Ingredients
1-2 Tbsps. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced
4 pcs. marble potatoes, lightly boiled and halved
6 pcs. heirloom carrots
drizzle of white wine
dash of smoked Spanish paprika
Directions
1. Heat oil in pan. Sauté garlic until fragrant.
2. Add marble potatoes, then heirloom carrots.
3. When potatoes and carrots are lightly tender, add wine and a dash of smoked Spanish paprika. Adjust seasoning.
4. Serve as a side to steak.
