Ingredients:

1/4 kg. ampalaya, seeded and sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece medium onion, sliced
150 grams beef sirloin, cut into thin strips
1 piece beef bouillon cube
1 pouch (200 grams) Del Monte Original Style Tomato Sauce
50 grams sotanghon, cut into shorter strands

Procedure:

Prepare brine solution by mixing 1 tsp iodized fine salt (or 1 tbsp iodized rock salt) with 1-1/2 cups water. Soak ampalaya in brine solution for 10 minutes. Squeeze and set aside. Fry garlic, onion and beef. Add bouillon cube, Del MonteTomato Sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp iodized fine salt (or 1/2 tbsp iodized rock salt) and 1-1/2 cups water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add sotanghon and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ampalaya and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Makes 7 servings.

Ingredients:

10 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece medium onion, sliced
1 whole (750 grams) cooked lechon manok or fresh chicken, cut-up
1 can (234 grams) Del Monte Fresh Cut Pineapple Chunks
2 pieces laurel leaves
3 tbsp. Del Monte Red Cane Vinegar
1 tsp. liquid seasoning
1/4 tsp. iodized fine salt (or 1/4 tbsp iodized rock salt)
1/2 cup lechon sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup dried banana blossom (bulaklak ng saging)

Procedure:

Fry garlic, onion and chicken for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and remaining ingredients except banana blossom. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add banana blossom. Allow to simmer. Makes 10 servings.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg. (3 pieces) medium crabs
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 head garlic, crushed
25 grams ginger, peeled and pounded
2 tsp. salted black beans (tausi), mashed in 2 tbsp water
1 pouch (200 grams) Del Monte Sweet Spicy Tomato Sauce

Procedure:

Season crabs with 1/4 tsp iodized fine salt (or 3/4 tsp iodized rock salt) and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Dredge in cornstarch. Deep-fry in 1/2 cup oil until cooked. Halve crabs and set aside. In another pan, sauté garlic and ginger using 2 tbsp of used oil. Add tausi, Del MonteTomato Sauce and 3/4-1 cup water. Simmer covered for 5 minutes over low heat. Add crabs and simmer once. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1 kg. pork pigue or kasim, cut into serving portions
1 pouch (200 grams) Del Monte Classic Mechado-Caldereta Recipe Sauce
2 pieces medium onions, sliced
1/2 tsp. iodized fine salt (or 1/2 tbsp iodized rock salt)
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. Del Monte Red Cane Vinegar
2 piece laurel leaves
1 cup brown sugar
2 piece small potatoes, cut into chunks then fried

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients except potatoes. Let stand for 30 minutes. Add 1-1/2 cups water then simmer until pork is tender. Drain pork but reserve broth. Fry meat pieces until light brown. Return meat pieces to broth and add potatoes. Simmer once. Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece medium onion, chopped
400 grams chicken, cut-up
1 can (234 grams) Del Monte Fresh Cut Pineapple Chunks, drained (reserve syrup)
2 pieces small potatoes, cut into chunks
1 piece small carrot, cut into chunks
1/3 cup cooked/frozen green peas
100 grams Baguio beans, sliced
1 piece small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 pouch (200 grams) Del Monte Original Style Tomato Sauce

Procedure:

Fry garlic, onion and chicken. Add pineapple syrup, 1 tsp iodized fine salt (or 1 tbsp iodized rock salt) and 1/4 tsp pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes or until meat is tender. Add potatoes and carrot. Cook for 10 minutes. Add green peas, Baguio beans, bell pepper, Del Monte Fresh Cut Pineapple Chunks and Del Monte Tomato Sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups glutinous rice (malagkit)
1 can (439 grams) Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Cocktail, drained (reserve syrup)
1 tsp. iodized fine salt (or
1 tbsp. iodized rock salt)
1/3 cup thin coconut milk (second extraction)
2/3 cup thick coconut milk (first extraction)
25 drops green food color
1 tsp. sugar
banana leaves
1/2 cup ready made coco jam

Procedure:

In a bowl, soak rice overnight in the refrigerator. Drain then combine fruit cocktail syrup, half of salt and coconut milk. Mix well. Transfer into an 8”x8”x2” pan or glass dish. Cover and steam for 25 minutes. Stir remaining salt into the thick coconut milk. Divide mixture into 2 portions. Add food color to one portion. Set aside. Scrape the steamed rice and divide into 2 portions. Mix one portion with the plain coconut milk and Del Monte ontelace rice side by side back to the container. Cover and steam for another 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. Line square pan with banana leaves. Transfer the cooked rice into the pan. Alternate the white and green rice to create a marbled effect. Press rice down to compact it evenly. Cover with banana leaves. Press with a heavy object. Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut and serve with coconut jam when firm. Makes 20 servings.

Ingredients:

8 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons of dry yeast
1 cup of warm water (105F, 40C)
1 cup of warm red wine
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of brandy
grated peel of 2 oranges
1 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups of raisins
1 1/2 cups of walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup of pine nuts
1 tablespoon of grated gum mastic or 1 tablespoon of crushed anise seed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the Topping
milk
2 whole walnuts in shells
sesame seeds

Procedure:

Mix the yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water and 2 tablespoons of flour, stir until dissolved and set aside for 10 minutes, until it bubbles. In a large mixing bowl, sift the salt with 2/3 of the flour. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, the remaining warm water, and the wine. Mix until a soft dough forms, cover with waxed paper and a damp towel, and set aside to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down and knead for several minutes until any air pockets are gone. Sift in the remaining flour, add the oil, orange juice, brandy, and grated orange peel. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, raisins, walnuts, pine nuts, gum mastic or anise, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until blended, and add to the dough. Knead well until the dough is firm and doesn’t stick (about 10 minutes), cover, and allow to rise for 1/2 hour. On a lightly buttered baking pan, shape the bread into two circular loaves, about 8 inches in diameter. Cover with a dry cloth and a damp cloth over that, and place in a warm place to rise again, until doubled in size. Using a floured knife, score a cross into the top of the loaves, and place one whole, unshelled walnut at the center. Brush the bread with milk and scatter with sesame seeds. Place a pan with at least 1 inch of water in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450F (230C). Place the bread in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then remove the pan with the water, reduce heat to 390F (200C) and bake for another 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven, brush lightly with water, and cool on a rack. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the anise seed.

Decorate Your Christmas Bread (photo): At step 6, pull a fistful of dough from each loaf. Pat the dough back into shape to rise. When risen, use the small pieces of dough to create designs: roll them out into strips and coil around whole walnuts pressed into the top in the shape of a cross (photo), or make them into the shapes of your choice and place on top of the loaves. Continue with the recipe. Brush with beaten egg instead of milk to get a brighter glaze.

Ingredients:

750 gram /1 lb. 10 oz. royal icing
or 650 grams/1 lb. 7 oz. ready-to-roll icing
3m ribbon
edible colored and gold balls

Procedure:

Attach the balls on to the top of the cake with royal icing. Use the colored ones for branches, gold for the trunk. Tie the ribbon around the cake.

Ingredients:

Pastry skin:
200 grams butter
40 grams icing sugar
30 grams golden syrup
2 grams salt
1 small egg (26g)
325 grams plain flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Egg glaze:
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt

Filling (A)
red bean paste filling, make into small portions of 40g each

Filling (B)
200 grams split green peas (lok tau pean), soaked overnight
150 grams castor sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 – 3 tbsp thick coconut milk
5 salted egg yolks, each quartered

Procedure:

Filling: Steam green peas for 30 minutes or until soft. Put hot steamed peas and sugar into a blender. Blend into a fine paste. Put mashed peas, salt and coconut milk in a non-stickpan. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is dry and comes away from the side of the pan. Leave aside to cool. Weigh each into 30g portions. Wrap each portion around a quarter piece of salted egg yolk. Wrap each piece of red bean filling (A) around the green pea filling (B). Then wrap dough around the balls of filling.

Pastry skin: Beat (A) with an electric beater for 1 minute. Add in egg and beat for 30 seconds. Sift in flour and baking powder to mix. Remove dough from the mixing bowl and mix by hand into a smooth dough. Divide dough into 50g portions and roll into balls. Roll each between sheets of plastic wrap. Wrap pastry skin with the filling. Shape into a mini dome. Place on a lightly greased baking tray. Lightly brush with egg glaze and sprinkle surface with some black and white sesame seeds. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 20–25 minutes.

Ingredients:

8 oz./225 grams seedless raisins
8 oz./225 grams currants
8 oz./225 grams sultanas
3 oz./75 grams chopped dried pear
1 oz./25 grams chopped dried pineapple
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
8 oz./225 grams fresh white breadcrumbs
3 oz./75 grams plain flour
1 tsp. ground mixed spice
¼ tsp. salt
8 oz./225 grams shredded suet
8 oz./225 grams soft light brown sugar
a dash of angostura bitters
4 large eggs - beaten
2 fl. oz/55 ml. dark rum
2 fl. oz/55 ml. calvados
3 fl. oz/75 ml. milk
1 sterilized penny

Procedure:

Lightly grease a 2¾ pint/1.6 litre pudding basin and line the base with non-stick baking parchment. Put the raisins, currants and sultanas in a large mixing bowl with the dried pear and pineapple, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, flour, mixed spice, salt, suet and sugar. Stir to mix. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, a dash of the angostura bitters, rum, the calvados and milk. Add to the fruit mixture and stir well. At this stage add the sterilized penny and take turns in the family to stir the pudding and make a wish. Spoon into the pudding basin and press down well. Cover the surface with a disc of greaseproof paper. Cover the whole basin with some more paper and foil, making a pleat in the center to allow for expansion during cooking. Secure with some string. Place the pudding basin into a large saucepan and pour enough boiling water in to come halfway up the basin. Now bring up to the boil, cover the pan and boil steadily for 5 hours making sure the saucepan doesn’t boil dry. Top up with boiling water only. Once cooked, remove from the pan and allow to cool completely. Re-cover with some fresh greaseproof paper and foil. Store in a cool, dark place for four weeks, or even longer. To reheat on the day, steam the pudding for 2 hours as before. To serve, turn out onto a warmed serving dish. Warm some rum in a pan, and set it alight with a match. Pour this over the pudding and decorate with holly.