Taste the World with Hi-Lo
Published:Monday | May 9, 2016 | 12:00 AMKrysta Anderson
Imagine having the flavours of the world delightfully dancing on your palate. Well, Hi-Lo Food Stores has now made this a reality when they launched their 'Taste the World' campaign last month. The goal was to show customers who already know and love the Hi-Lo-branded products, and those unfamiliar with them, new and interesting ways of preparing dishes with them.
"We took our customers on a gastronomic tour with a Taste of Asia (Manor Park), Europe (Barbican), through the Caribbean (Cross Roads), North America (Portmore) and a Taste of Africa (Spanish Town)," Hi-Lo Food Stores Marketing Officer Patrique Goodall told Food.
From Asia, they presented vegetable spring rolls and vegetable fried rice; from Europe, corned beef Shepherd's Pie and speciality Greek salad; from the Caribbean, Jack Mackerel rundown and creamy polenta; from North America, mac and cheese as well as corn dogs; and from Africa, jollof rice and cornbread.
They were a sure-fire hit among the foodies at heart, and did a great job in converting some non-believers too. "The reception was overwhelming. Not many persons knew that Jack Mackerel could be used to make delicious rundown or that macaroni and cheese could be added to a burger. We have decided to add this as a permanent addition to our calendar and to expand to include more stores," Goodall revealed.
She added, "We are a culture that loves to taste before we fully indulge, so we decided to not only have samplings, but also live demonstrations, to show customers how to make these quick and easy recipes at home." So Food joined Goodall at Hi-Lo Food Stores' corporate office, where we went in the kitchen to be taken on our own personal tour with Chef Emelio Dias. As an added bonus for you, our readers, we have attached the menu for you to try for yourself at home. So buckle those seat belts and be sure to take on that gastronomic tour across the world. Enjoy!
Taste of Asia
Hi-Lo Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
1 can Hi-Lo Mixed Vegetable
1 pack Hi-Lo Long Grain Rice
4 tbsp Hi-Lo Soy sauce
1 tsp Hi-Lo Vegetable Oil
1 small sweet pepper
1 clove garlic
1 stalk scallion, chopped
1 small onion
1 tsp sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
Direction
1. Heat Hi-Lo Vegetable Oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.
2. Add onion, sweet pepper, garlic, and sugar to taste. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and stir in cooked rice, scallion and Hi-Lo Soy Sauce.
4. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
6. Add Hi-Lo Mixed Vegetables and cook for 1 minute.
7. Remove from heat and serve hot.
Serves 4
Hi-Lo Vegetable Spring Roll
Ingredients
1 small head of cabbage
2 small carrots
1 can Hi-Lo Sweet Corn
1 small red onion
1 cup corn flour
1 clove garlic
1pack spring roll
Directions
1. Place wok on stove until hot.
2. Add Hi-Lo Vegetable Oil. Swirl to coat wok then add onion, garlic, sweetcorn, carrot and cabbage.
3. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Add salt and pepper.
4. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside to cool. Wipe wok clean.
5. Combine corn flour with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.
6. Place 1 spring roll skin wrapper on a board with a corner pointing towards you. Brush edges with corn flour mixture (keep remaining wrappers covered with damp tea towel).
7. Spoon 1 tablespoon vegetable mixture with thin slice fried plantain into corner of wrapper, then fold corner over filling and roll up from corner to corner, folding edges in to enclose filling.
8. Repeat with remaining wrappers, corn flour mixture and filling.
Serves 5
Taste of the Caribbean
Hi-Lo Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
2 cup Hi-Lo Cornmeal
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups Hi-Lo Coconut Milk
1 tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbs butter
1 tbs Hi-Lo Vegetable or
Coconut Oil
1 onion diced
1 stalk scallion
1 small pinch baking soda
(will give a smooth and silky texture)
1 small tomato, diced
1 small sweet pepper, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onions, pepper, tomato and garlic in oil for 3 minutes or until the onions become translucent.
2. Add water and coconut milk and bring water to a boil.
3. In a bowl combine cornmeal, salt and baking soda. Then use one cup of water to moisten the mixture (this will prevent lumping).
4. Slowly add softened cornmeal mixture to boiling water whisking vigorously for 3-5 minutes.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes then add butter, scallion and thyme, mix thoroughly then cover and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.
Serves 3
Taste of North America
Hi-Lo Mac and Cheese Burger
Ingredients
1 box Hi-Lo Mac and Cheese
Cheddar cheese slices
Mozzarella cheese slices
Butter
1 lb ground beef or 2 cans
crushed Hi-Lo sausage
1 large onion, chopped
Hi-Lo hot sauce to taste
Italian seasoning
Parsley
Ketchup
Mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Directions
1. Cook Hi-Lo Mac and Cheese as directed on box and set aside.
2. Mix ground beef or crushed sausage with Worcestershire sauce, onions, Hi-Lo Hot Sauce, Italian seasoning, parsley and bind with egg and breadcrumbs. Roll into patties and set aside
3. Heat frying pan and grease with Hi-Lo Vegetable Oil
4. Fry patties for 3 minutes on each side or until desired consistency.
5. Butter burger buns with barbecue sauce, mayo or butter. Add cooked burgers, cheese slices, mac and cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard, with macaroni and cheese on top.
6. Serve with sweet potato fries.
Serves 3
Taste of Europe
Hi-Lo speciality Greek salad
Ingredients
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 cucumber
1 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup olives
2 small tomatoes
1/2 red onion
Half sweet pepper
1 tin Hi-Lo Sweet Corn
Dressing
1/4 cup Hi-Lo Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp lime juice
1/4 cup Hi-Lo Vinegar
1 tsp minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. In a large salad bowl, combine the Romaine lettuce, onion, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and feta cheese.
2. Whisk together the vegetable oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and black pepper.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad, toss and serve.
Serves 3