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Friday, March 29, 2024

Your Noche Buena, Your Way

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For the typical Filipino family, nothing captures the spirit of bounty during the Christmas Season more than the Noche Buena. We can shop for budget gifts, we can opt for moderation in our Christmas decorations, but we simply cannot skimp when it comes to setting the table for the Christmas Eve feast.

Just as traditional as the practice itself is the fare that typically makes up a Noche Buena spread. The most popular must-haves include the following:

Christmas Ham                                           Lumpiang Ubod

Lechon                                                          Macaroni Salad

Queso de Bola                                             Leche Flan

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Bibingka and Puto Bumbong                    Paella

Tsokolate-e or Hot Chocolate                   Barbecue

Buco or Fruit Salad                                      Sotanghon Soup

Now, what if we put a new spin into the Noche Buena? What if we took a more adventurous approach to our food choices? If you’ve grown just a little tired of seeing the same spread year after year, you might want to prepare a feast that’s just as sumptuous, but departs from the norm. Some suggestions for your consideration:

Crispy pata. Admit it, you’re always looking for an excuse to indulge in this high-calorie dish, right? Use the Holidays as your excuse. Universally loved by Filipino meat lovers, this deep-fried favorite can take the place of your lechon and/or barbecue. Of course, it goes without saying that your crispy pata should be served with your favorite mix of soy sauce, vinegar, onions and, if you’re into the spicy hot, siling labuyo.

Fish and seafoods. Did you ever notice that the above list is practically devoid of deep-sea delicacies? Except for some shrimps you may find in your paella, there’s nothing here that comes from the oceans. Maybe it’s because fish is considered a poor man’s food, and therefore unfit for such a lavish feast? Perish the thought. All-time favorites like camaron rebosado, inihaw na calamares, and steamed lapu-lapu deserve a place on the Noche Buena table just as much as any meat dish. And if you’re in the habit of serving pandesal to go with your queso de bola, you might want to add some Spanish-style sardines to your spread.

Lengua estofada. For sheer taste, tenderness, and texture, ox tongue is unlike any other meat out there. Prepared with button mushrooms and tomato sauce, this dish can add some exciting variety to the Noche Buena spread. You can also mix in some olives for added flavor. As an option, you can turn your lengua estofada into a lengua pastel. After you’ve prepared the dish, place it in a baking pan, top off with a layer of dough or mashed potato, and bake in the oven. 

Roast chicken stuffed with glutinous rice. If someone in your family is good in the kitchen, this is definitely a must-try. Commercially available roast chickens are a dime a dozen, but have you ever seen the stuffed variety? Oh, you’ll find the occasional pandan leaves inside some roast chickens, but that doesn’t come close to the experience of cutting the fowl open and seeing a generous amount of glutinous rice, also known as malagkit, inside. Serve with thick gravy with sliced mushrooms mixed in, and you’re in for an unforgettable gustatory adventure.

Dimsum. The ever-popular beef, pork, shrimp and sharksfin dumplings, also known as siomai, served fresh from the steamer, make for a fine addition to the Noche Buena menu. You can take these with your choice of soy sauce with calamansi and chili garlic, or hot sauce. If you have a taste for anything fusion, try mixing some wasabi into your soy sauce. 

Brazo de Mercedes. Light, fluffy, and sweet, this delightful dessert can take the place of your bibingka, puto bumbong, and/or leche flan. Aside from being a treat to the taste buds, a whole Brazo de Mercedes, with its light brown color and log shape, makes for a visually appealing addition to the Noche Buena table. 

Fruit smoothies. Earlier, we noted that there are no seafoods among the traditional Noche Buena favorites. Another observation: tsokolate-e is the only drink in the list. Why not go for something fruity instead of chocolate-y? Whip out the blender, and drop in pieces of mango, pineapple, avocado, strawberry, coconut, or lychee. Go ahead and create your own combinations. Be sure to add just enough water and crushed ice so that you get a nice thick slush. For non-acidic fruits like strawberry, coconut, and avocado, you can add some milk for added body and flavor. 

Have something in mind other than the items listed above? Wondering why there’s no mention of pizza, liempo, sashimi, cold cuts, or some other favorites of yours? By all means, include whatever you want in your next Noche Buena feast. Don’t let anything or anyone stop you from coming up with your own menu.

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