Holiday Leftovers Makeover

CEBU, Philippines – Ham and lechon are probably the top foods widely associated with the Christmas and New Year holidays in the Philippines. Most company giveaways would include ham. And any significant Filipino banquet would have lechon on the table.

Money is quite in abundance during the season. Among the working group, it is the time for the 13th month pay and bonus. Hence, there is a general tendency to over-spend on the preparations, especially on food. Leftovers are common.

In any average home now, there may still be holiday leftovers in the fridge. Without creativity and imagination by those preparing the family's meals, these leftovers may just eventually rot away. Family members, having been satiated by the same fare during the holidays, would certainly not want it around on the dining table at this time.

But, of course, ham and lechon are just too much to let waste away. Something must be done with them. And, indeed, something can be done.

The website www.yummy.ph shares two recipes with ham that are highly doable at home:

Ham and Mushroom Rice

Ingredients:

1/4 cup minced onions

1/2 cup diced ham

1/2 cup diced mushrooms

2     cups long-grain rice

2     tablespoons butter

3     cups beef stock or chicken stock bay leaf salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Using the pot from the rice cooker, sauté onions, ham, and mushrooms in butter.

2. Add 2 cups white, long-grain rice. Mix until rice is well coated with butter.

3. Add 3 cups beef stock or chicken stock, a bay leaf, and salt and pepper. Place pot in rice cooker. Cover.

Continue cooking in the rice cooker as you would cook plain rice. Serve while warm.

Potato and Ham Soup

Ingredients:

11/2  tablespoons butter

1 chopped onion

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon (or equivalent herb)

1 cup chopped potatoes

2 cups broth

3/4 cup minced ham salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup evaporated milk

Preparation:

1. In a pan, melt butter. Add onion and tarragon. Cook until onions are translucent.

2. Add potatoes and pour in broth; cook until potatoes are very tender. Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until smooth.

3. Return the soup to the pan and add ham. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This recipe makes four bowls.

Lechon Paksiw

Ingredients:

4     cups leftover Lechon (or any deep-fried meats)

4      Tbsp Vinegar

1 ½  Tbsp Whole pepper corns

2      Tbsp Garlic, minced

2       bulbs Onion, sliced Dried bay leaves Salt Pepper Cooking oil Sweet pork sauce Hot water

Preparation:

1. Sauté garlic and onions.

2. Add the meat.

3. Close the pan and let the dish simmer.

4. Add water, vinegar, bay leaves and whole pepper corns. The combined liquid shall come to about  the level of the other ingredients.

5. Let boil for ten minutes or so.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with sweet pork sauce.

NOTE:

Half cup of sweet pork sauce may be added into the mix in step 4, in which case there is no more need for sweet sauce at serving time since the ready lechon paksiw itself would already have a hint of sweetness in it.