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Hospitality is a trait common to all Filipinos hence it is with Sulatnons too. "Patrons," or town fiestas as it is commonly called, is not only a celebration of thanksgiving to our patron saint but traditionally, as a showcase for our hospitability, when we prepare the best fare for the visitors, when the often kept heirloom dishes and utensils are washed and shined, the fancy table cover unrolled, when whole house is vibrant with activity and all around is spic and span.

Here is a sample of our recipes and from time to time, this will change. Also, when time comes that anybody wants a recipe for a dish whose ingredients are forgotten, one might wish for somebody to show him/her how it is done by clicking "e-mail me," we will surely accomodate them and highlight the need so anybody who knows the dish can send a recipe.

Bill of fare 1:

Mixed salad

Beef soup

Spanish boiled beef (Cocido)

Stuffed beef roll (Morcon)

Stuffed chicken (Pollo Relleno)

Camaron rebosado

Leche flan

Mixed salad:

          1   bunch lettuce leaves                             1/2 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined

1   medium iceberg lettuce, shredded            6   cherry tomatoes

2   medium potatoes, boiled and cubed        1/2 cup vinegar

1  15 oz. can quail eggs, drained                 2 tbsp. salad oil

1   cup shredded seafood or crabmeat            1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper

A. Arrange lettuse leaves around the side of a large bowl. Place the iceberg lettuce at the bottom of the bowl.

B. Arrange potatoes, quail eggs, seafood, shrimp and tomatoes on top of the iceberg lettuce. Set aside

C. Combine vinegar, salad oil, sugar, salt and black pepper in a screw cap jar. Cover and shake until mixed.

D. Pour dressing over salad

E. Chill before serving.

Beef soup:

1 lb. boneless beef, diced                           1 celery stalk, cut strsight 1/4 in. thick

2 tbsp vegetable oil                                  1 bay leaf

1 small onion                                5 cups water

1 small carrot, diced                                 salt and black pepper to taste.

A. Heat oil in deep saucepan.  Fry meat until browned.

B. Add onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, water, salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer for one hour or until

    meat is tender.

Spanish boiled beef (Cocido):

3 lbs. fresh beef brisket                              2 medium carrots, cut into 1-in. pices

2 medium onions, sliced                           1 small cabbage, quartered

1  5-oz. pack Spanish sausage, slized           Salt and black pepper to taste

2 medium potatoes, cut in half

A. Put beef brisket in a deep saucepan. Add just enough water to cover the beef. Add onion. Cover and bring to

   a boil for 1 to 2 hours or until tender. Season with salt and black pepper.

B. Add Spanish sausage (chirizo). Simmer until cooked. Remove and drain. Place in a serving platter and

   slice.

C. Boil vegetables in the drippings. Simmer until crisp-tender. Remove and drain.

D. Arrange the vegetables around the beef and sausage in the platter. Serve with tomato sauce.

Stuffed beef roll (Morcon):

2  1 lb. beef flank steaks, sliced                   6 hard-boiled eggs

            1/4 in. thick                                 4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp lemon juice                                     2 medium onions

5 tbsp. soy sauce                                       2 bay leaves

1 1/2 lbs. ground pork                               1/2 cup vinegar

1 cup chopped ham                                   1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup chopped sweet picles                         2 1/2 cups water

1 cup grated cheese                                    Salt, black pepper and monosodium glutamate to taste

2 unbeaten eggs                                        1/2 cup raisens

A. Marinate steaks in a mixture of lemon juice, 3 tsp. soy sause, salt and black pepper for at least 30 minutes.

B. Thoroughly mix ground pork, ham, pickles, cheese, eggs, raisens, salt, black peper and monosodium

    glutamate in a large bowl.

C. Lay flank steak in a flat board. Spread out pork filling evenly over the steaks. Arrange hard boiled eggs

    in the center.

D. Make a roll semilar to a jelly roll and secure with a string.

E. Put in a wok. Add garlic, bay leaves, vinegar, tomato sauce, water, black pepper and 2 tsp. soy sauce.

F. Cook at 250 degrees fahrenheit until meat is tender.

G. Strain the sauce and use for gravy.

Stuffed chicken (Pollo relleno):

1  2- to 3-lb. broiler-fryer chicken                1 cup chopped sweet pickes

1 tbsp. lemon juice                                   1/2 cup raisens

1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce                                 3 Spanish or Chinese sausages

2 lbs. fresh ground pork                             3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

1 cup grated cheese                                   Salt, black pepper and monosodium glutamate to taste

3 eggs, unbeaten

A. With a sharp knife, make a cut at the back of the chicken from the neck to the tail. Carefully separate the

    skin from the meat of the body, leaving the wings and legs intact.

B. Remove and discard the meat and bones, except the wings and legs.

C. Marinate in lemon juice and soy sauce for at least 30 minutes.

D. Mix groun pokk, cheese, eggs, pickles, raisens, salt, black pepper and monosodium glutamate.

E. Stuff the mixed ingredients inside the chicken skin. Arrange sausages and hard-boiled eggs in

   the center of the stuffed ingredients.

F. Sew the skin to close the opening. Wrap the stuffed chicken in aluminum foil.

G. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.

H. Unwrap and brownin its own fat.

                                                        Gravy:

                                             1 tbsp butter                                             1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, mixed with                                                                                                                          2 tbsp. water

                                              1 clove garlic, minced                                 Salt and black pepper to taste

                                              1 cup chcken broth                                     1 tbsp. soy sauce

                                             A. Sautee garlic in butter until lightly browned.

                                             B. Add chicken broth. Season with soy sauce, salt and black pepper. Bring to a                                                                  boil.

                                             C. Add flour. Simmer until thickened.            

Camaron rebosado:

1 lb. prawns in shells                                 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp lemon juice                                       Salt and black pepper to taste

4 eggs                                                       1 cup vegetable oil

A. Remove the shell of prawns and devein, leaving the til intact. Season with lemon juice, salt and

    black pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes.

B. Beat the eggs and add flour. Beat briskly until a smooth batter is obtained.

C. Heat oil in wok.

D. Dip prawns in batter and fry until golden brown. Remove and drain.

E. Serve with sweet-sour sauce.

Sweet-sour sauce:

1/4 cup brown sugar                                   1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp. water

1/4 cup vinegar                                          2 tsp. soy sauce

A. Mix sugar, vinegar and soy sauce in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

B. Add cornstarch. Simmer and stir until thickened.

Leche flan:

1/2 cup brown sugar                                   3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water                                            2 cups evaporated milk

8 egg yolks                                               1 tsp. vanilla or lemon rind

A. In a sauce pan, dissolve brown sugar in water.

B. Cook over medium heat without stirring until syrup has thickened.

C. Line mold pan with caramelized syrup. Set aside.

D. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until lemon-colored and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, milk and

    vanilla. Beat until well-blended.

D. Pour into mold pan in C.

E. Place mold pan over a large panalf-filled with water.

F. Bake in the oven at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour.

G. Remove from oven and cool.

H. Remove from mold pan.

After a few minutes rest, get you stock of laming nga tuba and  PADE, TAGAY!

Photo courtesy of Nella Plaza Betz.

Click to see bigger version.

Photo courtesy of Nella Plaza Betz.

Click for bigger version.

Photo courtesy of Nella Plaza Betz.

Click to see bigger version.

Bill of fare 2:

Ham salad

Chicken  asparagus soup

Beef pot roast

Chicken adobo with coconut milk

Mussel balls

Fruit salad

Ham salad:

1 cup cooked ham, shredded1 tbsp chopped onion

1 medium apple, diced        1/4 cup salad dressing

1/4 cup diced celery   1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup raisens          2 cups lettuce

A. Combine all the engredients.

B. Mix lightly

C. Chill

Chicken asparagus soup:

1 medium chicken breast      1 small onion, chopped

(1/2 lb., sliced)1 clove garlic, chopped

1 lb. chicken bones    1 1/2 cups aspargus, diagonally sliced 1/4 in. thick

4 cups water   Salt, soy sauce, black pepper and MSG to taste

1 tbsp. vegetable oil.

A. Put chicken breast and chicken bones in a saucepan. Add water. Cover and bring

   to boil until tender.

B. Remove chicken breast and shred. Set aside the meat and broth.

C. Sautee garlic until lightly browned. Add onion and chicken. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.

D. Pour in broth. Cover and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Season with salt, soy sauce,

   black pepper and MSG.

E. Add asparagus. Simmer until crisp-tender.

Beef pot roast (Mechado):

1  2- to 4-lb. beef chuck pot roast,   1  8-oz can tomato sauce or 4 large tomatoes, cut in half

   whole        1 bay leaf

1/8 lb. pork fat, cut into strips        6 medium potatoes, peeled

   (about 3/8 in. thick)         2 medium carrots, cut 1 in. long

1/2 cup vegetable oil            4 medium onions, peeled

6 cups water    1 tsp pepperorns

2 tbsp. vinegar          Salt to taste

2 tbsp. soy sauce

A. Pierce the pointed end of the knife through the beef making a deep narrow cut. Insert the pork

   fat strip through the cut. Repeat the process until all the pork fat strips are inserted.

B. Heat oil in a skillet. Brown all sides of beef in oil. Remove and drain.

C. Put beef in a deep saucepan. Add water, vinegar, soy sauce, tomato sauce, bay leaf and salt. Cover

   and simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until beef is tender; or the liquid is reduced to 1 1/4 cups.

D. Add potatoes, carrots, onions and peppercorns. Simmer until cooked.

E. Put beef in platter and slice. Arrange the vegetables around the beef.

F. Strain the sauce and pour over the beef.

Chicken adobo with coconut milk:

1 2- to 3-lb. broiler-fryer chicken     1 14-oz. can coconut milk

  cut into serving pieces       1 tbsp. annato seeds

1/4 cup vinegar   (achuete seeds)

1 cup water     Salt and black pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, crushed

A. Soak annato seeds in 1/4 cup water. Let stand for 20 minutes. Roll seeds with

             fingers until the color is extracted. Discard the seeds and set annato water aside.

B. Combine chicken, vinegar, water, garlic, salt and black pepper in a saucepan.

             Cover and cook over low heat until tender.

C. Add annato and coconut milk. Simmer until its liquid turns oily.

Mussel balls:

1 cup steamed, shucked mussels, diced      1/2 cup mussel broth

1 cup vegetable oil     1 cup cooked rice

1 clove garlic, minced           1 egg beateb

1 small onion, chopped        1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 small tomato chopped       Salt, black pepper and MSG to taste

1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

A. In a saucepan, saute garlic in 2 tsp. oil until lightly browned. Add onion and tomato. Stir-fry

   until soft.

B. Add mussels and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper and MSG.

C. Add broth and rice. Simmer until all the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.

D. Remove and cool. Divide into 24 equal portions and shape into balls.

E. Dip balls in egg and coat with bread crumbs.

F. Deep-fry in oil until golden brown.

Fruit salad:

1 6-oz can Nestle cream or 1 8-oz      1 12-oz. jar coconut gelatin or macapuno

  pack cream cheese      preserve, drained

1/2 cup condensed milk        1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1 tbsp. granulated sugar      1 small apple, cubed

1 16-oz. can fruit cocktai, drained   1 12-oz. jar palm nut preserve, drained

A. Blend Nestle cream, condensed milk and sugar in a

   large bowl.

B. Add fruit cocktail, palm nut preserve, coconut

             gelatin, pineapple and apple.

C. Toss gently to coat the fruit with cream mixture.

D. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Folks, let's try Nila Taganas-Nuhn's recipe.  I tried them and I assure you  that you will like them.

Menudo Special

Ingredients:

1 small pata (beef leg)       3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 chorizo de Bilbao               soy sauce

4 pieces potatoes, cubed              1 carrot cubes

1 piece each - green and red bell pepper      2 medium-sized onions, sliced thinly

1 can tomato sauce (buff size)    1 8 oz. can garbanzos

Procedure:

Boil beef legs in 2 cups water, When tender, cut beef into cubes. Set aside broth.  Saute garlic

and onions.  Add cubed beef, chorizos, tomato sauce, soy sauce and broth. Let boil. Add garbanzos and potatoes. Simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Add carrots and season with

salt and pepper.

Different Fruit Gel

2 bars Gulaman        6 cups water

1-1/2 cups sugar      2 cups diced and drained pineapple

Mix sugar with dissolved gulaman then pour mold containing the fruit.  Anyone of the following will also do:

2 cups banana cubes          2 cups drained fruit cocktail

2 cups mango cubes           2 cups apple cubes