Recipe File: Ham-tastic recipes using Christmas leftovers

MANILA, Philippines - There are few meals in the year that are as special — and stressful — as the Christmas Noche Buena. Being the highlight of the Christmas celebration, a time when families gather to celebrate, a lot goes into preparing this special meal.

Be it simple fare made with lots of care and love, or a big family feast consisting of a myriad dishes, one thing is almost always certain: there will be leftovers.

Three of the country’s most renowned and sought-after culinary masters — chef Gene Gonzales of Cafe Ysabel and the Center for Asian Culinary Studies, chef Ed Quimson of Nasi, and chef Arial Manuel of Lolo Dad’s — got together recently to show us what to do with leftovers of the most popular Filipino Noche Buena staple, Purefoods Fiesta Ham.

These mouthwatering dishes are guaranteed to be just as good as your Noche Buena fare, and they will also extend your Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Chef Ed Quimson’s Lengua

Ingredients:

2 kilos Monterey Beef Tongue

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup onions, chopped

2 head garlic, peeled

200 gram Magnolia Chicken Liver

2 can button mushroom, quartered

1/2 cup Baron All Purpose Flour

1 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup black olives pitted

3/4 cup green olives pitted

3/4 kilo Purefoods Fiesta Ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Magnolia Gold butter

Procedure:

Wash tongue under running water until clean and no longer slimy. Let boil in water until fork tender. Drain. Peel off outer skin of tongue then slice into 1/2-inch thick slices. Set aside. Combine all the rest of the ingredients including the lengua slices in a saucepan except the butter. Add some lengua stock as needed. Season to taste. Lastly, add the butter just before serving. Serves 12-15.