(Chicago) – My first taste of salpicado was in Chateau Verde in University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman when I was still in college. Their version of this dish was extra-ordinary. Every cube of beef was oozing with buttery juice while the meat just melted in my mouth. I clearly remember that I finished 3 cups of rice in that meal. It was so good that I regularly crave for this dish ever since.
Salpicado looks like a dry adobo but differs so much in taste. It does not have a sharp acidic tang like adobo but has a bolder flavor coming from the different seasonings and butter. You can serve this with rice, of course. In many occasions, I skewer each piece of beef and mushroom in a toothpick as hors d’oeuvre. This is a sure hit in any potluck or cocktail party.
- 3 lbs beef tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp for frying
- 3 tbsp garlic (the more the better)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp oyster + 1 tbsp after frying
- 1 tsp liquid seasoning (maggi) + 1 tsp
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 cups button mushroom
Combine olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, oyster sauce, liquid seasoning, Worcestershire and beef cube in big zip lock bag and toss the bag carefully to distribute mixture evenly. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least an hour, preferably longer. Heat the remaining olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large pan on medium high. Put the beef including marinade once the oil is very hot. Brown all sides of the beef evenly. Add button mushroom, remaining butter and cook for 3 more minutes. Lastly, splash remaining liquid seasoning and oyster sauce. This is why it is called ‘salpicado’ which means ‘splashed with’.
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