Mindanaotoday.com | Lanao Norte fisherfolk chef wins BFAR-10 seafood cooking tilt
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Lanao del Norte dominates four other provinces in the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region-10 (BFAR-10) Seafood Cooking Contest with its take on gourmet mussel pizza called “Pizcharru” on May 31, 2022.
With the support of Noel Saldajeno, the provincial fishery officer, fisherfolk from Lanao del Norte created a scrumptious take on the typical pizza.
‘Pizcharru’ is a gourmet flat dough topped with tomato sauce, cheese, onions, mushrooms, greens, and steamed mussel as the star of the circular delight.
To cut through the savory flavors of the Pizcharru, the fisherfolk chef assembled a seaweed pickle.
Its sweet-and-sour taste and gravy-like thickness envelopes one’s tongue after every bite of the pizza slice.
The flavor combination of both the Pizcharru and the seaweed condiment gave Lanao del Norte the edge over four other epicure seafood creations.
With a little margin over the gourmet champ, fisherfolk chef from the province of Bukidnon was hailed second place with her creation, the “Tilwraps.”
“Tilwraps” is a take on the classic shawarma with tilapia fish as the star of the show.
Every part of the tilapia fish was utilized for the recipe.
The roti wrap itself was seasoned, spiced, and mixed with tilapia skin. The fillet was marinated in lemon juice and the fish’s bones were brought to a boil with its broth incorporated in the sauce.
Assembled in its tasty manner, the fried tilapia nuggets were cushioned with thinly sliced fresh cucumber and tomatoes, shredded cabbage, and iceberg lettuce.
To complete the mouthwatering flavors, it is then drizzled with its sauce and lastly, blanketed with the fish skin roti.
Garnered the third place was a full-packed burger and sandwiches dubbed “Musstty” from the province of Misamis Occidental.
Musstty burger and sandwiches is a do-it-yourself burger or sandwich. The judges were provided with the bun, bread, lettuce, fried egg, cheese, mayochup, and lastly the quarter pounder mussel patty that was oozed in savory goodness.
Furthermore, gluttons loved the piquancy of the Sardine Tausi of Misamis Oriental that watered the mouths of the judges and left their stomachs pleading for rice.
Accompanied by a bottle of beer, drinkers would love the culinary innovation of fisherfolks from the province of Camiguin.
Their hot and spicy Green Mussel Sisig elated the critiques as its pleasant and well-balanced aftertaste lingers in their palettes.
To add, BFAR 10 Director, Teodoro Bacolod Jr., encouraged each province to step-up in value-adding their fishery and aquaculture products and urged the participants to come up with more creative food that would break the seafood market. (CLViajante | BFAR10)