A Christmas Feast to Remember

CHRISTMAS is one celebration that gathers the whole family around the table for the traditional Noche Buena. Sun.Star Cebu Plus & Special provides you with the recipes for a menu of fabulous dishes that combines the best of traditional foods mixed with new flavors to make your Christmas Eve dinner truly delightful and unforgettable.

The Noche Buena will never be complete without the Christmas ham. A staple in the Christmas dinner table, the ham can be prepared in a multitude of ways.

King's Quality Foods shares some hassle-free cooking suggestions to make the ham worth every bite:

For a Delightful Baked Ham:

1. Decorate with clove buds and bake with special pineapple sauce until golden brown.
2. Top with pineapple or orange marmalade and orange or pineapple slices.
3. Serve hot in a platter lined with parsley and cherries.

For an Exquisite Ham Steak:

1. Slice King's Piña Ham and Pear-Shaped Ham at about 1/4 inches thick.
2. Arrange in shallow pan and add special pineapple sauce.
3. Heat over low fire until sauce thickens and ham turns golden brown.
4. Serve Hot with green beans, onions, green peas or sweet corn.

To Make Special Sauce:

1. Mix equal amounts of pineapple juice, brown sugar and water in a saucepan.
2. Heat over low fire with constant stirring until sauce thickens.
A special sauce is now made ready to prepare a delicious ham.

 

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Hola España, a new Spanish restaurant in Maria Luisa Road, Banilad, Cebu City, is drawing a lot of patrons because of the variety of Spanish products displayed (cheese, ham, cold cuts, olive oils, and wine) and good Spanish food served.

"We believe our food here is good but we want the people to come, try and be the judge," said Jose Maria G. Villarreal, general manager and part owner.
Hola España imparts one of their best-selling dish:

Paella Valenciana (e)

2 cups bell pepper
1 onion
1 clove
1/4 kilo shrimp
1/4 kilo mussel
1/4 kilo clams
1 cup sliced squid
1 cup pork
1 cup chicken
1 cup Spanish saffron
1 cup white wine
2 cups water
1 cup California rice
3 tsp olive oil
salt

Procedure:

1. Pre-cook all seafoods.
2. Sautee bell peppers, onions, cloves, chicken and pork with olive oil.
3. Add uncooked rice and pour water and white wine
4. Mix with Spanish saffron
5. Garnish all seafoods and sprinkle olive oil before serving

 

With all of the hustle and bustle during the holidays, one may not have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen to craft creative homemade dishes for the Noche Buena. Even so, one may want to impress family and guests and serve them something delicious. There is no need to panic. All it takes is a quick trip to your favorite restaurant and voila! everything is all set for a Christmas dinner to remember.

 

PATA WITH PEANUTS HOTPOT

Who would have thought that pata could also be cooked on thick soup of peanuts? For that gastronomic wonder, just take our word for it-its delicious. This dish is available at Lai Garden Crossroads, Banilad, Cebu City.

 

HONEY SPRING CHICKEN

This golden-brown, juicy roasted honey chicken will serve as a good entree. Red Moon's Honey Spring Chicken is one of their fast selling items that's perfect for every occasion. Red Moon is located at GQS Plaza, Banilad, Cebu City.