TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING

The temperature is around 70 F during the days and around 68 or 67 in the mountains, very high, in the middle of the island. This is Christmas temperature, our winter season, time for family visits, for parrandas, for endless celebrations, for typical music and for food prepared with love and generosity to be shared with neighbors, visitors, and family. My family comes from the southern coast, from my beautiful hometown, Ponce, and also, from Sierra Baja, Guayanilla, where my father’s family had a sugarcane plantation. My mother’s only living family are two cousins: Sarah, 87 who remained in the United States because all her immediate family are there, and Sarah’s brother, Jose Enrique (85) who is actually visiting with his wife and three sons at my mother’s home at Vega Alta. A celebration is the rigueur, not only for the festive season but also for the inmense privilege of sharing my Christmas with this blessed golden aged people.

Therefore, for tomorrow, I plan on having an early dinner (late dinners are bad for old timers) and then, we will watch the television until my guests are ready to retire. After that, back to San Juan, where my friends are having an all night party at Clary’s home. Cooking at Vega Alta is an easy feat because mami’s two companions are wonderful cooks by their own right. Here is tomorrow’s Menu. Buen Provecho!

VEGETABLES AND CHEESE BISQUE
8 servings

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove crushed
2 tb margarine
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups milk
3 tb all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded Jalsberg cheese
1 egg yolk
1 cup corn from a can
1 cup frozen green peas, defrosted and drained
2 tb fresh chopped parsley (or cilantrillo)

In a stockpot, sauté the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic in the butter or margarine, until soft. Add the chicken stock. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Mix 1/3 cup of milk with the flour. Add the remaining milk to the stock. Let it begin boiling. Add the flour mixture to the stock. Constantly move until it thickens. Reduce the heat. Add the cheese. Mix the egg yolk with the vegetables. Add to the stock, let it heat but do not let it boil. Serve garnished with the parsley. Delicious!

RAISINS AND PINE NUTS PILAF
4 servings

1 tsp butter
1/3 cup white raisins or currants
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup white wine or sherry
2 1/2 cups cooked white rice
3 green onions, chopped

In a paella pan or appropriate skillet, heat the butter, sauté the raisins or currants and the pine nuts until brilliant in color. Add the wine or sherry and let it boil until the raisins are soft. Add the rice and the green onions and sauté until the rice is hot. Adjust the seasonings and serve as accompaniment to the entrée.

ROASTED GARLIC CHICKEN
Adapted from a recipe by Leslie Bloom
Serves 4 (can be doubled or tripled according to guests)

2 garlic cloves crushed in a mortar
6 tb white Worcestershire sauce
6 tb fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup chopped cilantrillo
3 tb melted butter
a pinch of ground white pepper
4 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
1 loaf of French bread (I will use delicious Puerto-Rican bread)

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium sized baking pan mix the garlic, Worcestershire sauce,
lime juice, water 2 tb of the chopped cilantrillo, melted butter and the pinch of ground pepper. Make some cuts in the breasts and spoon the sauce over it to coat it. Bake uncovered at 375 F for 20 minutes. Stir remaining cilantrillo into the sauce. Serve the chicken breasts with the cut side up with 1 tb. of the sauce over each breast. Slice the French bread and pass the remaining sauce in a bowl. This sauce is very good for dipping the bread.

I will serve the chicken with a green salad with sliced fresh mushrooms, sliced fresh strawberries and herb vinaigrette.

For dessert, lots of ice cream (for diabetics) and strawberry shortcake. Through the meal I will serve natural orange juice mixed with guava juice and Perrier water.