This chicken comes in cans

Sexy." This is how chef Ed Quimson describes the exotic dish he prepared for the product launch of Purefoods chicken chunks in cans at the Ilustrado Restaurant in Intramuros on a sultry summer’s day at the tail end of April.

A turon stuffed with chopped Purefoods chicken chunks adobo, grated green mangoes and grated cheddar cheese was what it was. "It’s sexy, like me," he says with a naughty grin. Imagine that!

How many ways can you enjoy Purefoods chicken chunks in cans? Some of the country’s best chefs, who were guests at the launch, showed that with just a bit of imagination, you can actually come up with quite a few.

Take the chicken adobo flakes with sautéed eggplant by celebrated restaurateur and caterer Glenda Barretto of Via Mare fame. Paired with a bowl of steaming hot rice, you can already enjoy a full meal.

"It’s Filipino comfort food," Barretto notes.

"The new Purefoods chicken chunks line answers the need among our consumers, especially working moms, for a no-fuss way of preparing meals that are at the same time great-tasting and healthy," says Purefoods Hormel product manager Patricia Besinga. "You get the same home-style quality goodness of premium quality Magnolia chicken in every can. Skinless and boneless chicken breast and thigh, diced into chunks and marinated using the finest ingredients and spices, create a flavorful ready-to-eat viand."

San Miguel Purefoods Company (SMPFC) vice president and project manager for integrated meats approach Tomas Loanzon says, "This innovative product integrates the expertise of two of our flagship brands. Purefoods, which is strongly associated with the processed meats industry, enjoys an extensive distribution network, while Magnolia is renowned for its quality poultry line. By combining them, we have come up with another winning product that is affordable while at the same time catering to the distinct tastes and preferences of Filipino consumers."

Purefoods chicken chunks come in oil or water, as well as viands such as hot & spicy, afritada, adobo and curry.

Nancy Reyes-Lumen of the famous Reyes clan of culinary experts, credits her grandmother, Engracia Reyes, or Aling Asiang, the grand dame of the landmark Philippine restaurant Aristocrat, for bequeathing to her 10 important culinary lessons, one of which is how to make good pancit. For the launch, this practical cook and foodie prepared old-style pancit sotanghon with Purefoods chicken chunks in water that was drained. Finely chopped kinchay and young garlic together with slices of salted eggs completed the satisfying dish. Inspired by the Bicol Express recipe of Cely Kalaw, the culinary genius behind The Grove, the mother of all Pinoy buffets, and the more recent Sinigang Bar, Lumen also prepared her own version of the Bicol Express using hot and spicy chicken chunks. Another traditional Pinoy dish served during the launch was Cely Kalaw’s kare-kare.

"It’s a suitable alternative for fastidious eaters who have grown tired of the usual packaged products they find on supermarket shelves," Besinga says. "Sa wakas!" they said. Here is a product that is low in fat, cholesterol and preservatives, without the "fishy" taste of the usual product you find in cans.

"Children love it," Besinga claims. "Mothers now have an alternative product that is at the same time nutritious and convenient to pack for their children’s baon."

At the launch, guests savored Purefoods chicken chunks with kesong puti in pandesal, as well as an ensalada prepared by the San Miguel-Purefoods Culinary Center. A light starter was the empanadang kaliskis prepared by pastry chef and food consultant, Jill Sandique, who teaches at the popular Heny Sison Culinary School.

Another interesting dish was the traditional bringhe using Purefoods chicken chunks curry as prepared by Quimson, who has his hands full these days attending to his new restaurant, Chef Ed, in Makati. He is well known for his unique style of mixing ingredients resulting in delightfully intriguing dishes that could only be hatched from a well-developed and fertile imagination.

It was Albert Einstein who said that more important than knowledge is imagination. With just a bit of imagination, the new line of Purefoods chicken chunks offers immense possibilities. Imagine that!