Lucban Hardinera Special

Lucban Hardinera Special is what I call my colorfull version of the hardinera a kind of meat loaf of Southern Tagalog, Lucban Quezon in particular. It is as popular with Lucban's Pansit Habhab. Hardinera is made up of diced meat, luncheon meat and other ingredients that are usually found in embutido. In addition other garnishing are also added to enhance the flavour and visual presentation like hard-boiled eggs, bell pepper strips, carrots and pineapple. These garnishing are placed at the bottom of the llanera an aluminium oval pan commonly used as mold for leche plan and other Pinoy sweets and native delicacies. When the cooked hardinera is served it is inverted onto a serving platter and these garnishing form a colorful topping. Beaten egg is used as a binder to hold together the ingredients, it is poured into the llanera to hold the garnishing in place it is also mixed with the meatloaf ingredients to hold them together. Hardinera is usually served only during fiestas and special occasions including Christmas.

Baked Lukban Hardinera Special 

My version uses diced pork and diced luncheon meat and other ingredients that I usually used on my embutido recipes. To enhance the flavours I added Spanish chorizo and roasted bell peppers. For garnishing I also included sliced pineapples. Hardinera usually use leche plan llaneras and steamed cooked. On my version I went to the non-conventional method. For the mold I used a full size glass loaf pan and instead of steaming I baked it. Using a glass mold is helpful since the actual appearance of the garnishing is visible through the glass. I though baking the hardinera will have the same result with steaming as long as the right oven temperature is maintained. When steaming the hardinera the mixture in the llanera has to be wrapped sealed with aluminium foil to ensure that no liquid and steam are absorbed by the mixture, in effect all that is utilized is the heat from the steam to cook the hardinera. To achieve the same cooking effect I baked it for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours which is about the same with steaming at 275ᵒF to 300ᵒF. Here is the recipe of my Christmas Hardinera, Lucban Hardinera Special.

Ingredients:

1/4 kilo pork, diced into small cubes
1 340 gram can luncheon meat, diced into small cubes
1/2 small size chorizo, diced into small cubes
1-4 clove garlic, chopped
1 small size onion, chopped
2 pieces sliced pineapple, drained, diced into small cubes
1/2 small green bell pepper, roasted, diced
1/2 small red bell pepper, roasted, diced
1/2 small size carrot, diced into small cubes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. sweet pickled relish
50 grams raisins (sultanas and apricot raisins)
1 small can liver spread
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup fish sauce
salt and pepper
cooking oil

For garnishing:
2 pieces sliced pineapple, drained
1/2 small green bell pepper, roasted, cut into strips
1/2 small red bell pepper, roasted, cut into strips
1/2 small size carrot, sliced into florets
1 hardboiled egg, sliced or quartered
1 egg, beaten

Cooking procedure:

In a sauce pan saute garlic and onion until fragrant. Add in the pork and chorizo, stir cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in fish sauce and tomato paste stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add enough water up to about 1 inch over the meat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pork are tender. Add more water as necessary. Now continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated and only an oily sauce remains, stirring continuously to avoid burning. Remove from heat and mix in all the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste, mix and blend well. Let cool down.

Arrange slices of hard boiled eggs, pineapple, green and red pepper strips on the bottom of the mould/llanera pour over half of the beaten egg over the garnishing. Put the hardinera mixture into the mould/llanera, press top to smoothen. Pour the remaining half of the beaten egg over the hardinera mixture. Cover the mould/llanera with foil and bake for 275ᵒF to 300ᵒF for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, if the hardinera is cooking to fast reduce the temperature. Alternately wrap the mould/llanera to seal with aluminium foil and steam for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

To serve run the handle of a spoon or fork along the sides of mould/llanera to loosen the hardinera, invert onto a serving platter and tap mould/llanera lightly to release. Slice and serve with or without ketchup.

See other Meatloaf, Embutido and Relleno recipe:

Cheesy Baked Embutido 
Special Embutido 
Chicken Embutido 
Baked Embutido 
Embutido 
Marikina Everlasting Special, Christmas Everlasting 
Meatloaf, Christmas Meatloaf 
Chicken Meatloaf 
Chicken Relleno Rolls 
Rellenong Manok, Chicken Relleno