Cacique and Chef Aarón Sánchez Announce Finalists to Compete in the Go Auténtico Challenge Cook- off

Cacique, largest Hispanic cheese brand in the U.S. and Celebrity Chef Aarón Sánchez announced the four amateur chef finalists whose Latin-inspired recipes featuring Cacique’s authentic Hispanic products have earned them the right to compete in the Go Auténtico Challenge Cook-off at Chef Sánchez’s restaurant, Centrico, in New York City.

Go to Cacique’s website at http://www.caciqueusa.com/goautentico/landing to read more details about the finalists and their original Go Auténtico Challenge dishes. Fans can tune in and watch the finalists preparing their dishes in a series of vignettes during the cook-off on The Cooking Channel in February 2011 to see who earns bragging rights as the most unique, Latin-inspired recipe using Cacique’s products.

“We are thrilled about the large volume of original recipes and video submissions we received for our inaugural Go Auténtico Challenge, but our four finalists stood out for their outstanding creativity and prominent use of our authentic Hispanic ingredients,” says Gil de Cárdenas, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Cacique.

After considering many extremely creative entries, Cacique’s panel of reviewers selected the following four contestants to compete in the final Go Auténtico Challenge Cook-off:

-Stella Ortega of South Lake Tahoe, CA with her deliciously spicy and complex Chicken a la Diabla. Her use of zesty Cacique chorizo livens up the chicken, and reconstituted dried chiles bring out traditional, old-world flavors, while fresh Queso Fresco balances the spiciness perfectly. See Stella’s recipe here: http://caciqueusa.com/goautentico/86/chicken_a_la_diabla

-Leah Lyon of Ada, OK with her creative Shrimp Rajas al Carbon Panela Tostaditos recipe. A fried Panela cheese round takes the place of a tostada base, while the savory shrimp mixture is garnished with an elegant lime-infused Crema Mexicana Agria, avocado and bacon garnish.See Leah’s recipe here: http://caciqueusa.com/goautentico/95/shrimp_rajas_al_carbon_panela_tostaditos

-Helena Giesea of Monte Rio, CAwith her recipe for Cactus Frittata. Cactus, also known as nopales, is a staple in Mexican cuisine and Helena’s creative spin on this traditional ingredient placed her among the final four. Helena’s Cactus Frittata is a wonderful vegetarian option, highlighting crumbles of robust Cotija cheese and authentic, mild Panela cheese.See Helena’s recipe here: http://caciqueusa.com/goautentico/116/helena's_cactus_frittata

-Susan Ten Pas of Myrtle Creek, OR with her recipe for Roast Squash and Pear Soup with Chorizo Meatballs. The title of this recipe alone proved intriguing and tasting it demonstrated that risky ingredients and creativity could be very rewarding. Susan uses Crema Mexicana and Crema Mexicana Agria to thicken and enrich her soup, while using zesty Chorizo to bring to life the subtle flavors of the squash and pears.See Susan’s recipe here: http://caciqueusa.com/goautentico/131/roast_squash_and_pear_soup_with_chorizo_meatballs

Chef Aarón Sánchez and guest judges, which include his mother, celebrated Mexican cooking authority Zarela Martinez, Master Chef Brad Barnes from The Culinary Institute of Americaand Gil de Cárdenas, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Cacique, make up the panel of celebrated judges to evaluate each contestant’s dish based on taste, effective use of Cacique products, dish presentation, and recipe creativity.

The winner of the Go Auténtico Challenge Cook-off receives an all-expense paid trip for two to Napa Valley, California and a five-day culinary boot camp at The Culinary Institute of America.

“To achieve authentic Hispanic flavors, you have to start with the best ingredients and not substitute quality,” says Celebrity Chef Aarón Sánchez. “I’m really excited about this year’s Go Auténtico Challenge finalists and the unique dishes they created using Cacique’s line of authentic Hispanic cheeses, creams and chorizos. I encourage everyone to go to the Cacique website to see all the contest videos.”

Feeling inspired? See Chef Aarón Sánchez’s Cacique-inspired recipes and seasonal recipes to adorn your table at http://www.caciqueusa.com/recipes/2/all.

Learn more about Cacique and their family of products at http://www.caciqueusa.com.

Cacique products are available at leading national retailers such as Kroger, Safeway, WalMart and HEB and Hispanic specialty retailers such as Fiesta, Food 4 Less, Northgate, Mi Pueblo, Pete’s Fine Foods, Sedanos, SuperiorWarehouse and Vallarta.

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