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Text: Bernadeth Manalo
Photos and Video: Steph Dote
Ano gang handa n’yo sa “Noche Buena”?
Traditionally, we, Filipinos, prepare a special and prosperous dinner on our table come Christmas Eve. This is where we, together with our family, gather and eat together as we welcome the day Jesus Christ was born.
Usually, the menu for Noche Buena includes a pasta dish, puto bumbong, bibingka, salad, ham, lechon, a chicken dish, and some sweets to end the meal. Keeping away from the usual food preparation, we think of a recipe that would be an alternative for pasta dishes. This dish looks and sounds “sosyal” but it’s affordable and easy to cook.
Drix Hernandez (Ms. Dyan’s brother) shared his own version and way of cooking Potato Gratin (pronounced as “gratan”). This dish will remind you of lasagna and carbonara but the star in this dish is potato intead of pasta. Its cooking time and preparation runs for about 40 minutes. The ingredients cost between P160.00-P260.00 only and the recipe below is good for 4-6 persons.
Below are the ingredients and procedure in cooking Potato Gratin by Sir Drix. Ingredients with asterisks are optional.
Ingredients:
3 medium sized potatoes
½ of 1 pouch all-purpose cream
*1 small can sliced button mushroom
*½ of 1 small can evaporated milk
*½ of 1 box quick melt cheese
1 pack Eden Cook Sarap
1-2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
4 cloves of garlic
½ white onion
Procedure:
1. Carefully cut the potatoes into thin slices.
2. Boil the sliced potatoes.
3. After boiling put it on a plate and set it aside for a while.
4. Sauté the white onion and garlic in a saucepan.
5. Add the sliced button mushroom.
6. Add a half of 1 pouch all-purpose cream.
7. Pour the evaporated milk. Let the mixture simmer.
8. Add some dash of Italian seasoning for flavor and salt and pepper to taste.
9. Put the boiled thin sliced potatoes.
10. Mix it gently to avoid mashing the potatoes. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.
11. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
12. When the mixture and potatoes boil, transfer the ingredients on a baking dish.
13. Sprinkle the surface with the cheese.
14. Bake in the hot oven until the top is deep golden brown, the cream has thickened, and the potatoes are extremely tender. Since the reason for putting it in the oven is to basically melt the cheese, you may use oven toaster if baking oven is not available in your home.
Now, don’t miss to try this dish as your family would surely love this. Have a tasteful and delicious meal. Merry Christmas!
