It’s no secret: adobo is one of the best Filipino dishes. Americans will soon get in on the act, as our unofficial national dish was included in Bon Appetit‘s series called “Greatest Recipe of All Time.”
The “Greatest Recipe of All Time” is a regular series where writers share about the “recipes we hold near and dear to our hearts because they really are the greatest of all time.“
The spotlight was focused on adobo thanks to Amelia Rampe, a contributor.
According to her, “I cannot remember a time when there wasn’t adobo in my life. Coming home to the enticing perfume of steaming rice combined with vinegary, garlicky adobo would make my mouth water immediately and I KNEW I would be getting my favorite meal for dinner. Whether it was chicken, pork, or squid adobo, it didn’t matter, it was all good.“
She added that it was a staple at any Filipino gathering, where everyone claims theirs is the best. “But hey, all of them are right because no matter how you’ve prepared your adobo, there’s really no messing it up. That amazing fusion of soy, vinegar, garlic, and pepper in every version is a winning formula.“
Rampe shared a personal recipe, which uses broccoli, green beans, carrots, mushroom, lotus root, or any vegetable that can hold up to sauce.
Her recipe is:
Toss ¾ cup Silver Swan soy sauce (or any kind, but this was what my family uses—it’s made in the Philippines—and it adds a slightly sweeter flavor), 1 cup rice vinegar,15 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons black peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, 3 Thai chiles(more or less depending on your heat sensitivity), 2 tablespoons palm sugar (if you can’t find it at the store, sugar in the raw will work), and a 2-inch piece of ginger with 8 chicken drumsticks in a plastic bag and marinate—no bowl or pan washing required. Keep in mind that adobo is always better the next day. I chose to do an overnight marinade so you can have that next-day flavor as soon as it’s cooked. Sear the chicken in a pot (save that awesome marinade!) until the skin starts to caramelize. Then at that point, throw in the marinade and ½ cup water and very gently simmer until the broth is glazed and saucy. The adobo should be cooked covered for around 30 minutes and then uncovered for another 30. That way the liquid doesn’t reduce too quickly. To complete the dish, serve the chicken over fluffy white rice. Dollop with as much sauce as you like (the more, the merrier), and top with thinly slice scallions. Once you take a bite, you’ll quickly realize that whatever version of adobo you come up with will soon become your “greatest recipe of all time” too.
Is the adobo really the Greatest Recipe of All Time? Share your thoughts below!
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