Noche Buena recipes from Chef Aracama

As you can see, there have been no food and resto features for a long time. Am not about to blame Typhoon Yolanda, but some friends were really serious when they urged netizens (like me) not to post food photos while hunger was prevalent in Tacloban & neighboring areas. So be it!

Anyway, this is not about food for the sake of eating. Will be sharing some recipes which you can use for the family’s all-important gathering for either the Noche Buena (during Christmas Eve) or Media Noche (during New Year’s Eve) this year. It is only three days before December after all!

This was from last Saturday’s class at The Maya Kitchen which I announced previously. Even though weekends are sacred to me because of family time, I didn’t pass up the opportunity to attend the class because the recipes up for demo by noted restaurateur and Chef Fern Aracama looked really good. Besides, I’ve been loving Spanish food lately.

Here was the line-up of dishes (from left): Malunggay/Spinach & Mozzarella Dip, Insalata Uvato which is the chef’s signature salad with honey balsamic vinaigrette, Grilled Ensaymada Media Noche Style, and the Bunuelos (fritters) with Warm Chocolate Dip. The Potato & Chorizo Soup was covered with the cast iron red Staub cookware which I was eyeing to be in my Christmas wish list :)

Maya Kitchen set up

The Potato & Chorizo Soup uncovered. Rich, filling & comforting.

Potato & Chorizo Soup

Maya publicist Tess Laurente and I’s photo op with Chef Fern. Picture taking pag may time! I enjoyed the class because the chef threw in interesting anecdotes, wasn’t scrimping with his insider tips and there was lots of food to share afterwards.

With Chef Aracama

The Grilled Ensaymada was the bomb. Utterly sinful because you’ve got all these fillings on a sandwich of ensaymada and the finale is frying the whole thing in butter. But hey it’s Christmas… we get an allowance to indulge :)

Grilled Ensaymada

The chef recommends pairing the ensaymada with salad

Salad & Ensaymada

Here’s how to make it:

You need -

4 pcs. large classic ensaymada (save yourself the effort, buy ready-made)
4 tbsp Dijon or yellow mustard
4 tbsp pickle relish
½ cup grated queso de bola or your choice of cheese
1-1 ½ cup shredded Chinese ham
½ cup butter, softened

Procedure:

1. Cut the ensaimada in half and turn it inside out.
2. Spread the mustard and the pickle relish on the bottom slice.
3. Top with the grated cheese and the shredded Chinese ham. Turn over the other half to cover the filling.
4. Heat up a non-stick pan over medium heat and add about a tablespoon of butter. When the butter has melted, grill the ensaimada until nice and crusty.
5. Add some more butter and turn over to grill the other side of the ensaimada. It should have a golden brown crust.
6. Slice the sandwich in half and serve with a side of Insalata Uva.

I guarantee this is soo good!

The others I will be posting in my (dormant) recipe blog soon.

Chef Fern Aracama holds class on Xmas cooking

Chef Fernando Aracama

Rarely do I attend cooking classes at The Maya Kitchen because of the early call time, but I will be there this Saturday, Nov. 23, to see well-known Chef Fernando Aracama do his demo from 9am to 1pm. The place: The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center at the 8th Floor Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City.

Chef Fern will share a few precious recipes that will be useful to us this Christmas. On the menu: the Spanish inspired Patatas Riojana, a very simple yet hearty and delicious potato and chorizo soup; Grilled Ensaimada Media Noche style, hot and crusty butter grilled ensaimada stuffed with Chinese ham and queso de bola; Insalata Uvato, a salad with honey balsamico vinaigrette, toasted pine nuts, green and red grapes and kesong puti; Malunggay and Mozzarella dip in a creamy, cheesy brûleé best served with crispy crostini; and Bunuelos and Warm Chocolate Dip for dessert. These are deep fried choux pastries served with a thick and smooth milk chocolate dip.

Chef Fern hails from Bacolod and is a graduate of the University of the Philippines with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration. He took further studies at The New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont USA and was a 2003 Cochran Fellowship Program Awardee at the Hilton College, University Of Houston, Texas, USA.

Chef Fern has a long list of bars and restaurants to his name like Aracama Filipino Cuisine, Opus, Republiq & Café Republiq, MYTHAI Kitchen, Lucky Niku Café, The ChopHouse, The Tides Hotel Boracay as well as previous spots Restaurant UVA, Encore/Embassy & Member’s Only and CANTEEN simple+good food.

He is also active in World Association of Chef Societies (WACS), Les Toques Blances Philippines, Council of Chefs, United States of America’s Department of Agriculture and is a Chef Consultant with Philippine Airlines.

For more information on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com, e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.

Learn Chef Robby’s farm to table cuisine

chef robby goco

So we’ve heard about Green Pastures, the latest venture of Chef Robby Goco who is behind the successful Cyma Greek Restaurant Chain.It is a dining concept that features a unique farm to table cuisine featuring dishes that are created from all organic, local, original, with no antibiotics, vine ripened, unprocessed whole ingredients.

Learn all about healthy eating and today’s trend for organic gourmet cuisine in a cooking class that Chef Robby will teach at the Maya Kitchen this Saturday, September 28, 9am to 1 pm.

Learn to prepare the following dishes from the master himself:

Ricotta on Toast, Onion Jam and Roasted Garlic, Roasted Squash with Maple Onion and Mint, Young Goat Bolognese Pasta, Seafood Tioppino (stew), Cheesy Kale (salad),Honey Comb Dessert with Greek Yogurt and Lemon Curd.

Talking about Green Pastures, his latest food project found at the new Shang-ri La Mall East Wing, Chef Robby says:

“The philosophy behind Green Pastures is to have the taste of the food as the main focus. It is to offer food the way it is supposed to be.

The food is not your usual bland, lackluster organic kitchen offerings but rather food of exceptional taste presented in the most creative ways. It is like gourmet organic with the restaurant offering duck, roast beef, chicken cooked slow for as long as six hours.”

The chef uses lardon and has rillette on his menu. He pulls his own cheese and what he cannot produce on his own, he sources from reliable suppliers.

Chef Robby is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. He owns and operates a total of eight Cyma Greek Taverna restaurants in Greenbelt 2, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Trinoma, Eastwood Mall, Robinsons Place Ermita, Robinsons Magnolia, Ayala Mall Cebu and D’Mall Boracay. His latest venture, Green Pastures is on Level 4, East Wing, Shangri-la Plaza Mall.

For more information on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.?