A Prelude to Christmas

It's late November and talk of the coming holidays reminds me of time--and the lack thereof.

Every year, I throw a christmas dinner party for my friends. It's my way of getting a jump-start on the season before all the insanity starts. I figure, why not begin sooner than later, before we lose track of time and forget why we do this every year?

This week, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Work was a challenge and it happened to hinge on this dinner party. Regardless, entwertwining must go on... even after I dropped a large 6-pound frozen Roaster Chicken on my foot. Bring it on Santa, who?!

My toes are now purple, not the colour scheme I had in mind for my Christmas decorations this year!

Limping around my kitchen as I bake and cook makes me wonder how I am going to get everything ready in time. With lots of humour and wine, That's how I'm hoping to get through it. Really?

Since it's everyone's first Christmas dinner this year, I didn't want to ruin a turkey and all the trimmings for all of us. So, I am making an Asian-inspired dinner. I am Filipino, after all, and could make these dishes with my eyes closed. Thank God!

I am not much of a baker, but every Christmas I swallow my fear and I make my annual "Hung-The-F***-Over care package." This year, I am making lemon macaroons with lemon-white chocolate ganache and an idiot proof Mexican inspired cornbread cake. This should help everyone the day after, since we'll all be drinking lots of wine tonight. One way to remind ourselves of what's about to come in the next few weeks... After tonight, I am pacing myself. Right.

The decorations are up. The tables are set. The food is hot. The wine is breathing. An empty gift box has been set on each plate, ready to be filled with treats for friends eager to enjoy this early Christmas feast. I am happy, really!

I'm grinning because the wine has already made me forget about this rough week--and my weak toe.

I guess it's officially Christmas in my house. 

Lechon Manok

Ingredients

• roaster chicken or regular roasting chicken
• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1tsp ground pepper
• juice and rindof 1 lime
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp tumeric
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 1 tbsp dried lemongrass
• 1 tbsp fish sauce, optional
• 2 medium onions, peeled and cut in half
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for chicken, onion and cloves of garlic.
2. Mix thoroughly and rub all over chicken and inside cavity.
3. Stuff onion and garlic into cavity.
4. Put chicken in a roasting pan and cover with plastic and aluminum foil over.
5. Marinate inside the refrigerator the night before.
6. As a general rule, roast chicken base on it's weight. 20 minutes each pound.
7. Slow roast in 350 F uncovered.
8. Baste as usual.
9. When it's cooked, thermometer should read 180 F when inserted in the inside leg.

Mango-chili sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cup 100 % mango juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp fresh red chili pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
• a pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• seasoning, to taste

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, sautee ginger, garlic and chili pepper in oil over medium heat.
2. Pour in mango juice and add vinegar.
3. Boil and bring to a simmer over low heat.
4. Add cinnamon. Season to taste.
5. Cover and set aside to cool. About 5 minutes.
6. Mix cornstarch into the water.
7. With a whisk, add in cornstarch mix into the sauce.
8. Make sure the cornstarch doesn't curdle.
9. Serve over chicken as a gravy.

Filipino Style Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 2 medium red bell peppers, sliced lengthwise
• 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise
• handful of fresh beans, cut both ends
• 1 cup canned water chestnuts, cut in half
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• sesame seed, to garnish
• seasoning, to taste

Instructions

1. In a wok, sautee garlic, onion and ginger in oil.
2. Add potatoes and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until tender over medium heat.
3. Add remaining water and mix.
4. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and vinegar.
5. Add remaining vegetables.
6. Cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Depending on how crunchy you want your vegetables.
7. Mix broth and cornstarch. Add towards the end.
8. Season to taste.
9. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Saffron-Basmati Rice

Ingredients

• 3 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 pinches of saffron
• flat parsley, chopped to garnish

Instructions

1. Combine water and broth together in a large saucepan.
2. Add rice and bring to a boil over medium heat. Uncovered.
3. Cover and simmer over low heat after boiling point. About 15-20 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, pour 1 tbsp of water over saffron. Mix by pressing a spoon over it. The saffron will then permeate the water. Let it set. This will allow saffron to release it's flavor.
5. Remove rice from heat and let it stand for about 5 minutes.
6. Fluff with fork and mix in saffron thoroughly.
7. In a wok, melt butter and sautee onions for a couple of minutes.
8. Remove from heat and mix in basmati rice.
9. Garnish with parsley.

Mini-Lemon Macaroon with Lemon-White Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp lemon rind
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• light green food colouring.

Instructions

1. Sieve almond flour and Icing sugar. Throw away Coarse leftovers.
2. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer over medium steady stream.
3. Add food colouring when egg whites are frothy. Add food colouring slowly and adjust base on desired colour.
4. Continue beating while adding sugar and lemon rind in a slow steady stream.
5. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form.
6. It should keep a stiff form when beaters are lifted.
7. With a spatula, fold half of almond mixture into egg whites.
8. Gently fold in remaining mixture.
9. Mixture should look and feel like a thick, moist cake batter.
10. With a wide round tip piping bag, fill bag with macaroon batter.
11. In a parchment lined tray, pipe quarter-size-wide rounds onto sheets. About a half an inch apart.
12. Make sure the top of each macaroon Doesn't have any peak by gently smacking the bottom of the tray onto a counter until it's smooth.
13. Let it rest for about 30 minutes or until batter feels dry to the touch.
14. Preheat oven to 280 F.
15. Bake for about 15-18 minutes. Check after 15 minutes. You don't want it to brown and hardened. Bake furthermore when macaroons shifts when touched. About 2-3 minutes.
16. Let it cool or until it comes off easily from the parchment paper.
17. Pipe or spread filling in between two macaroons.
18. As a general rule, it's best consumed between 2-3 days in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for up to a week in an airtight container. Make sure layer with parchment paper when storing. Enjoyed best in room temperature.

Lemon-White chocolate ganache filling

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup good quality semi-sweet white chocolate
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp lemon rind

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, bring a small amount of water to a boil. Keep in mind it evaporates.
2. In a bowl big enough to go on top of a saucepan, melt white chocolate.
3. With a spatula, add half of the cream and mix. Make sure chocolate is mixed in well with cream.
4. Add the rest of the cream then the lemon rind.
5. Add a little bit more cream if it's too thick. 
6. Let it cool. About 10 minutes.
7. Pipe or spread the ganache onto the macaroons.
8. Set aside macaroons until ganache sets and store in an airtight container.

Mexican Style Cornbread Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups  Bob's Red Mill cornbread mix
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup canned peach corn
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red bell peppers, diced and cubed
• 1/4 cup fresh jalepeno peppers, seeded, diced and cubed
• seasoning, to taste

Instructions

1. In a pan, melt butter and sautee sundried tomatoes, corn, red peppers and jalepeno.
2. Cook for 3 minutes.
3. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix cornbread, water, oil and egg.
5. With a spatula, fold in cheese.
6. Fold in sauteed vegetables.
7. Preheat oven to 350 F
8. Transfer cake mix into a greased 7-inch round cake pan.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or less.

                              Make it a great Christmas!