PASTEL DE POLLO (CHICKEN POT PIE)

Pie is such a beauty to behold. It tempts you to break the crust and eat it yet restrains at the same time to look at it some more. Pie is not a Filipino thing and pastel is the only savoury pie that I know, not counting hand pies (empanada) and sweet pies.

BEEF MORCON

As Christmas approaches, one can't help but feel nostalgic. Though some seek to inject new ideas into their Christmas celebrations, many still yearn for their Christmas past. I for one yearn for the lovely Christmases I had when I was growing up. The wonderful food, the family togetherness and the presents are part of the warm memories I'll always treasure. I also miss not being the one to orchestrate the Christmas preparations.

BEST EVER FRUITCAKE

There is a long running joke about just the one fruit cake making the rounds at Christmas, it being passed around like a hot potato. For the benefit of fruit cake lovers, I would like to debunk the myth. First of all, most fruit cake recipes make at least two loaves because of the amount of ingredients involved in making it. So if the joke were true, there should at least be two fruit cakes going around. Corniness aside, there are a lot of people who take fruit cake making seriously. I must say that I have tasted just a few fruit cakes that I really like. 

CARAMEL PASTILLAS (PASTILLAS TOSTADO)

The ultimate act of sweetness is giving out sweets as presents for Christmas. All the hype of the season is probably from sugar overload instead of Christmas cheer.

YEMA CAKE

It has been four years since I've started this blog and it has been a wonderful journey. I thank everyone who often come to visit, those who leave comments, those who cook from the recipe and those who do and come back to tell me about it. The blog has become a big part of my life and I am very thankful for it.

APRICOT AND ALMOND STUFFING

This is the stuff that great turkeys are made of. The debates are numerous, sometimes big and at times heated. What stuffing goes in the turkey? There are a million and one ideas but not all are good, unfortunately.

COCONUT MACAROONS

Coconut grows in abundance in the Philippines. Naturally it is used a lot as a cooking ingredient. Although mostly used fresh, dessicated coconut is also used for making sweets and desserts.

We used to make coconut macaroons every Christmas because it is delicious and very easy to make. With the use of a few simple ingredients and a few minutes, yummy little treats can be made. They are perfect for snacks and also as food gifts.

CHRISTMAS SPICED ROAST CHICKEN

A roast is usually the center of the Christmas table. Here in England, more often than not, the roast is a turkey. 

Turkey is not the easiest bird to cook. Even chefs say so themselves. It is its size that poses a challenge even to experienced cooks. The whole bird has to be cooked throughout, be juicy and succulent and have a well browned and burnished skin. In other words, perfect.

BREAD AND FRUIT PUDDING WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

"It's the season to be jolly." Bear that in mind. 

The frenetic activity to make the season jolly sometimes wear me down so I always have to remind myself to choose the easy route. Sometimes less is  more. Less fuss, more fun.

MINI TOAD-IN-A-HOLE WITH CRANBERRY AND ONION CHUTNEY

A Christmas table is not complete without ham, cheese and sausages. Here in England, small sausages called chipolatas are served with the Christmas turkey. They are also served with drinks and on canapés.

Toad-in-a-hole is a snack or appetizer which consists of sausages baked in yorkshire pudding batter. It usually comes with a caramelized onion gravy. What could be better? 

This is one of those kind of food that is for ordinary days as well as special occasions. It is easy to make and can be made ahead and re-heated before serving. 

BACON WRAPPED EMBUTIDO

The Filipino Christmas table is always groaning with food. As part of the celebration, every one who visits is invited to a meal. It may seem a scene from nightmares to prepare a buffet for an undetermined number of guests but  Christmas in the Philippines won't be the same if not done that way.

THE BEST RED VELVET CAKE

...recipe search is over. That's what I mean. I have tried a few recipes and this is the best one yet. This recipe makes the most perfect of perfect cakes.

My daughter loves red velvet cake and it has been her choice for her birthday for  a few years now. I have been using a different recipe each time I make it because I am still unsatisfied with the outcome. Mind you, it is always "sold out". Maybe I am not a big fan of red velvet cake though I seriously want to be. It is so pretty in looks and in name but the flavour leaves me wanting for  more of something that I can't put my finger on. The vibrant red colour probably fools my taste buds into thinking that it has a red flavour. The cocoa is in such a small amount that it doesn't really come out as its flavour. 

FILIPINO STYLE SPAGHETTI

Spaghetti, though an everyday food, brings fond memories of special occasions. Every birthday party probably has spaghetti as one of the dishes served. For me, spaghetti brings to mind Christmas. We always serve spaghetti for Christmas brunch. All the children (as well as the adults) look forward to spaghetti. If we are lucky enough to have leftovers, we look forward to eating pan fried spaghetti for breakfast the next day. The pasta with sauce is heated in a pan with a touch of oil. The spaghetti becomes dry and caramelized with toasty bits of meat and cheese. Super delicious!

CHICKEN, MACARONI AND PINEAPPLE SALAD

Now that Christmas is over, we look forward to celebrating the coming of the new year. In the Philippines, it is again a very big celebration. We are very superstitious folks and we believe in beckoning luck through observing certain rituals. As with Christmas, the table is groaning with food on new year's eve. We call the new year's eve meal Media Noche which simply means midnight. A table full of food on new year's eve is believed to bring abundance throughout the following year. Twelve kinds of round shaped fruits should be on the table to bring prosperity for the next twelve months. Noodles are also served for long life. 

BÛCHE DE NOËL

Bûche de noël is a traditional Christmas French dessert which originated from the Celtic tradition of celebrating the winter solstice. On this shortest day of the year, they would search for a large trunk of oak, beech, elm or cherry and burn it as a symbol of the rebirth of the sun. In the middle ages the youngest and oldest member of the family would carry a decorated log to the hearth and set it alight. This was believed to protect the family from illnesses and evil spirits.

STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN (RELLENONG MANOK)

It is that time of the month again when we, at the Kulinarya Cooking Club, get to celebrate our Filipino cuisine by having a virtual potluck of our beloved dishes. This month's theme is special not just because of Christmas but because we get to present a special dish that we usually cook for Noche buena. 

ARROZ VALENCIANA

The Christmas celebration in the Philippines is long and elaborate . Being predominantly Catholic, the festivities revolve around the religious significance of the occasion. Family and friends all join in to celebrate together. What better way is there to celebrate than with food.

WAKNATOY (FILIPINO PORK STEW WITH SWEET PICKLES)

I come from the town of Marikina in the Philippines and so did my forebears. In fact, I can not trace any root other than this place. It is well known as the shoe capital of the Philippines. A new addition to the list of things to see in my town is the Shoe Museum which houses Madam Imelda Marcos' famous collection of shoes, some of which were made there.

CRAB RANGOON ON PASTRY SPOONS

Eating your food by the spoonful takes on a new meaning when it means eating the spoon, too.

They sell nifty pastry spoons for appetizers at the supermarkets. Just for fun (or self torture, more like), I tried to make some just to see if they were do-able at home. They definitely were. Although a bit rustic looking, they looked decent when filled. I'm sure daintier hands can make neater ones. 

FOOD FOR THE GODS (DATE AND WALNUT BARS)

These moreish bars are called food for the gods but us mortals can have it as a treat. These bars are very popular in Philippine bakeshops but, judging from the ingredients, they are surely of foreign origin. They are so delicious but can only be had as a treat because both dates and walnuts are not grown in the Philippines and therefore not cheap. They are in fact sold as little bars wrapped in cellophane_taster or teaser portions.

If you don't want to make fruit cake, these bars are a worthy substitute. These treats are actually very easy to make. They are ideal for Christmas gift giving, wrapped individually in cellophane or baking paper or put them in a nice gift box. 

I have brushed some with edible gold dust for an opulent Christmas look. Wrap a band of unbleached baking paper tied with jute string if you are going for a rustic look. Anyway it's packaged, I'm sure it will be warmly received.

This recipe was adapted from The Best of The Maya Kitchen cookbook.


Ingredients:


1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3 medium sized eggs
3 tbsps. brandy
1 1/4 c. sifted flour
1 c. pitted and coarsely chopped dates
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts


Method:


Pre-heat the oven to 350° F/180° C. Line a 13"x9"x2" rectangular baking pan. 


Cream the butter until light and fluffy. 

Add the sugars and blend well. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the  brandy. Set aside.

Put the flour in another mixing bowl. Add in the chopped dates and mix very well. Separate the pieces and make sure that they are all coated with flour. This will keep them suspended in the batter when baking. 

Add in the baking soda, baking powder, salt and walnuts and mix very well. 

Add this mixture into the creamed mixture and fold until blended. 


Bake for 10 minutes. 

Lower the temperature to 300° F/150° C and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes. 


Run a knife around the edges. Cool slightly before cutting into bars. Leave to cool completely before wrapping or storing.

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