The 'riojanito' made by José Antonio Guerrero, from Gastrobar Sabores (Valladolid), wins the I Master Pinchos Gourmets. The mission, in which eleven other chefs participated, consisted of making miniature sandwiches with ingredients belonging to the Rioja Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (IGP).
This contest premiered at the 36th edition of the Salón Gourmets, which is held until Thursday at Ifema Madrid, and is promoted by the Government of La Rioja to demonstrate that, in gastronomy, the region can contribute much more than wine.
The winning recipe, which won a prize of 1,500 euros, consists of Valladolid bread stuffed with Rioja beans with their sacraments and accompanied by crispy chorizo, oil spherifications and piparras.
Second and third place went to chefs Enrique Fernández, from Meraki Gastrobar (Nájera, La Rioja) with the 'Don't eat my ear' skewer and Helio Flores from Los Álamos Gastronomic Laboratory (Peñaranda de Bracamonte, Salamanca) with 'Bocado camerano caramelized'. Each one took 700 and 500 euros, respectively.
To compete for the top prize, the chefs had to use at least one of these ingredients in the preparation of the sandwiches: PDO Peras de Rincón de Soto, PDO Queso Camerano, PDO Aceite de La Rioja, PDO Nuez de Pedroso, PDO Alubia de Anguiano, PGI Chorizo Riojano, IGP Pimiento Riojano and PGI Cauliflower from Calahorra.
That is why the jury, made up of chefs Iñaki Murúa (Ikaro, Logroño) and Lucía Grávalos (Amicitia, Madrid), especially valued the amount of Rioja ingredients used, the technique, originality and flavor of the sandwich.
And since Rioja is known by many as the region with the best wines in Spain, they did not forget their specialty. A special prize was awarded for the tapas best harmonized with wines of the Qualified Denomination of Origin (DOCa) La Rioja, which went to Antonio de Diego, gastronomic advisor in Cartagena (Murcia), who entered the contest with the tapas 'Chorinditos' and has received a prize of 500 euros.
