Christmas Feast List: Chicken Cordon Bleu

Practically all dishes with cheese in its main ingredients can really fancy my palate and for my "Christmas Feast List", Chicken Cordon Bleu is on my top five. Steamed chicken meat on the inside but fried on the outside, simply magical! Despite the deep-frying, the meat stays moist, thanks to the japanese bread crumbs that can really guarantee a perfect golden brown result, even if the cook is just a beginner. 

The usual basics of this dish is boneless chicken breast wrapped in ham or bacon and stuffed with soft cheese like mozzarella,swiss or bleu cheese commonly baked or fried (the latter is my favorite!). To those who don't eat pork, ham or bacon is substituted by very thin sliced beef.

I'm not really sure where this dish originated but according to the very helpful "Wikipedia" the earliest reference about this dish was in 1967, published in "The New York Times.

According to chickencordonbleurecipe.net, "As a French-inspired poultry dish, there was proof that chicken cordon bleu was developed by chefs in the United States in order to imitate or reproduce other stuffed chicken meat dishes from Europe. From its name, it is clear that chicken cordon bleu is of French origin. Chicken cordon bleu, in French,  has meaning as blue ribbon. Chicken cordon bleu by French culinary tradition is honored as high quality food made by high quality chefs. The most similar European dish to chicken cordon bleu is chicken Kiev. Stuffed with seasoned butter, Chicken Kiev is also dredged in breadcrumbs before being fried. There is also heavy influence from a Swiss dish, Veal Cordon Bleu, which is wrapped in cheese and ham before being fried."

Here's a recipe of Chicken Cordon Bleu, Pinoy Style! (courtesy of http://lutongpinoyrecipe.info/pinoy-chicken-cordon-bleu/)

PINOY CHICKEN CORDON BLEU INGREDIENTS

2 whole chicken breast marinated in calamansi and salt
2 thin slices ham, halved lenghtwise
4 slices cheese
1/4 cup fine corn flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika

PINOY CHICKEN CORDON BLEU PROCEDURE

• Halve chicken breasts then cut meat in one piece from bones. Pull each half breast open in the middle to make a deep pocket.

• Tuck a slice of ham and cheese into each pocket. Melt butter or margarine in pie plate.

• Mix corn flakes, salt and paprika in another plate.

• Roll stuffed chicken fist in buteer then in crumb mixture to coat well. Place in a single layer in buttered baking dish. Bake in hot oven 400 degrees F. until chicken is golden brown.

In case that you don't have time to prepare this dish, check Bascon Cafe, they definitely serve a great batch of chicken cordon bleu with honey mustard sauce.

Christmas Feast List: OH MY LECHON!!!

Here in the Philippines, every time there's a gathering, from birthdays, reunions, big holidays to corporate parties, weddings and christenings, there is always one star that one can't just go without. It's as if its absence leave a certain disappointment to the attendees. I think no matter how grandiose the menu would be if this delicacy won't be found anywhere the buffet, a little emptiness would just be felt. 

The famous Lechon Baboy never fails to bring excitement to just about anyone's palate. Lechon is derived from the Spanish term "leche" which means milk, thus lechon is for "suckling pig" roasted over charcoal in a rotisserie motion while continuously being basted with annatto seed and oil mixture. One of the popular kind is Lechon De Leche, a young pig that gives a milky taste but of course I still prefer the one of right age though, just not the "senior citizens" please. This dish is best served with Pork Liver Sauce (pork liver, vinegar and sugar are the key ingredients of this special sauce.)

This dish is praised not only in the Philippines but also in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. In special holidays in Hawaii, Lechon is also served with "poi" (sticky rice) on the side. I guess no matter how it is served Lechon definitely makes any occasion extra-ordinary.

Currently, Lechon Baboy here in Bacolod ranges from P3,500 - to P5,000 pesos. Along the bridge before Gaisano City, lechon stalls line up and display their succulent well-cooked roasted pigs and would occasionally wave at motorists and offer their dish. In ordering one whole lechon, it usually comes pork blood stew, commonly known as "Dinuguan", usually for free if you order the more expensive ones. I would remember every time we ordered lechon, my mom would just ask for the pig's blood and cook it herself. In my 38 years in this world, she prepares this dish above the rest (I'm soooooo fortunate to have her as a mom!)

Enting's Seafood Restaurant also offers a gratifying lechon for P4,000 and up. You would be surprised that for such an amount, you'll already get a big lechon good for fifty persons, one reason is he has his own piggery which is definitely makes his price, cost-efficient. The owner, Enting Lobaton is very meticulous in every dish he serves and is really hands on to ensure that he is serving quality foods. A lot of corporate functions would always have him on top of their list so if you plan to order from his establishment, better order now! 

Lechon Fun Facts

Mila's Lechon

*  In La Loma, A Quezon City district in the Philippines, every 3rd Sunday of May they have a Lechon parade wherein roasted pigs are in different costumes and I could not believe that this has been going on for fifty years now (Fun Fun huh!)

*  Have pieces of "lechon" leftovers with vinegar and sugar, boil them and voila! Lechon Paksiw!

*  If in Cebu and Manila, common stuffings would be tamarind leaves, here in Bacolod, it's "Tanglad" (lemon grass).

*  Lechon is the star of any Hawaiian Christmas Luau.

* Cuba has it's on thanksgiving ceremonies and of course top 2 on the menu is pernil or lechon.

* In Spain, lecon is not just the roast pig but a place as well in the region of Aragon which has an amazing population of 57 as of this very moment!

Photo Credits:

Owen Segovia Bayog Photography http://www.facebook.com/pages/Owen-Segovia-Bayog-Digital-Photography-OSB-Digital/165973370085590

http://lechonbaboy.blogspot.com/

http://kimoninbacolod.blogspot.com/2010/07/entings-special-of-sagay.html

Christmas Feast List: Pancit Molo

I could only think of one soup that would make our Noche Buena extra-ordinary, it's won ton soup Filipino style or more popularly known as Pancit Molo.

This dish may have been greatly influenced by the Chinese, but with the Filipinos' love for modification, we can claim that this is our very own.    Pancit Molo is named after one of the popular districts in Iloilo City. Originally, the recipe is consisting of combined pork and beef meat made into dumplings, now there are already recipes using ground chicken meat, suited for those who are more health-conscious. 

The name Pancit Molo is a "noodle-less" dish but since the Molo wrapper is also made of flour and water just like any other noodles, this qualifies as such. 

It is said that the original flavor of this dish can be tasted if it is prepared by one from the Lazaro clan in Iloilo as they are claimed to have the best recipe of the Molo. Maybe in one of my Iloilo trips I can ask my relatives there if this is true but for the meantime, of course my mom's Pancit Molo is still the best.

Here's a link for a recipe of this all-time hit. http://easypeasypinoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2009/05/01/ez-pz-pancit-molo-ala-tita-ditas/

Christmas Feast List: Arroz a la Valenciana

My 37 Christmases would've been incomplete if not for my my mom's Arroz a la Valenciana. Best eaten right after it's cooked, this rice dish can easily warm the tummy and personally, my heart. I have tried various versions but I always go back to my mom's cooking. She has this unique ability to come up with tasty dishes with flavors just right. Her ingredients are not elaborate but she is able to bring out the best in every single one. I think her secret is she tries to get all of the flavor from the ingredients themselves and does not just depend on artificial seasoning like those available at the local grocery store.

Ingredients that are often seen on Mommy's dish would be chorizo bilbao which brings the smokey sweet flavor, raisins which is her natural sweetener, chicken liver that adds more texture, chicken gizzard to demand robust chewing by the way, chicken and pork meat (how I love this combination), garbanzos, red bell pepper and potatoes so veggies are well represented and shrimp to provide the twist. 

Just last night, my bestfriend Minnie enjoyed the valenciana as we commonly call it, batch by batch. Diet slipped through the window without the guilt. I guess my mom's cooking has greatly influenced my taste on what good food is all about.

Fun Facts:

     * Arroz a la Valenciana is often mistaken as a Filipino dish but the truth is, it is Portuguese.

     * Paella and Ba Chang could be considered cousins of valenciana.

    * Paella is tomato-based and usually showcases food from the sea, from squid, shrimp to crabs and asian green mussels, more commonly known by Filipinos as "tahong." 

     * Ba Chang is with a chinese descent but also uses glutinuous rice, deboned chicken, monkey's ears (hey, it's just mushroom!) and dried chestnuts and are usually served during mid-June in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival.

     * In Bacolod, the best ba Chang is served by the undisputed chinese establishment in the Shopping Area called City Lunch Restaurant. It's just so yummy that a single batch can't stay long enough on the steamer as customers rush to get one. Better call and reserve to make sure you're counted amongst the lucky ones to enjoy 'em.

Hassle-Free Crabs!

Crabs have always been on top of my crustacean list. And any restaurant or "karinderya" that I go to that would serve any kind of crab dish would automatically get immunity from my picky palate. I don't really mind eating with my hands so long as I enjoy its succulent meat and sweet flavor (for as long as it's fresh, ok?)

http://ilonggolivingincanada.com/?tag=boston-blue-crabs

With all these that the crab can offer, it comes with its own hurdles. One may need a nutcracker to open its claws and lots of soft soap to wash away the aroma it leaves the hands after eating it. Personally I don't mind, but after our fisher folks discovered that the price of meat alone can give them better income, here in Bacolod, crab meat has been sufficiently supplied in groceries at reasonable prices the last time I bought it was about P200 per kilo as it also depends whether they are in season or not.

With the convenience of the crab meat restaurants and canteens now make it as one of their bestselling viands and for instance at the pantry where I work, one serving plus one cup of rice is only P40, what more could I ask for.

Fun Facts

     

     * The teeth of the crab are in their tummies, talk about speedy digestion!

     * After losing its claw, a crab can grow it back no surgery required.

     * Crabs actually has ten legs, which I lose count especially when they effortlessly fall off right after cooking.

     * Crabs tend to be aggressive towards each other and males often fight to gain access to females. (I never thought crabs could be passionate too. Although I heard rumors that they have aphrodisiac enzymes.)

     * Every year, 1.5 million tons of crabs are eaten over the world by humans (poor crabs...)

Sources: 

http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/facts-about-crab-1884.html

http://www.facts-about.org.uk/facts-about-crab.htm

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/crab-facts.html