I love cookbooks with stories behind the recipes—such is “Legacy: The Assumption Cookbook.” It is a collection of personal creations, family and heirloom dishes.

From “Legacy,” I picked some recipes worthy of being added to your “to cook” list for the holidays.

Jansson’s Temptation

This is by Bella Yuchengco, a Swedish recipe that she has made her own. It’s the perfect side dish for any roast.

3 cans anchovy fillet

Anchovy juice

5 c raw potatoes, cut into strips1 c finely chopped onions

2 c cream

Butter

Pepper

Drain anchovies. Save juices. Mash anchovies.

Butter baking dish and arrange alternate layers of potatoes, onions and anchovy. Top layer should be potatoes.

Distribute mashed anchovies. Pour anchovy juice and half the cream. Dab with butter. Sprinkle with pepper.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil. Add remaining cream. Bake uncovered until golden, about 20 minutes more.

Adlai Risotto with Lobsters

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat came across Mindanao adlai and sustainably caught lobsters by the Dumagat fisherfolk during one of her provincial trips. With them she made this:

½ onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

1½ c adlai

¼ c white wine

3-4 c lobster stock

Salt and pepper

Grated Romano cheese

1 whole cooked lobster

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add adlai and toast lightly. Add white wine and 3 cups of stock. Stir. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring adlai and stock to boil. Lower heat. Cover. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth if needed. Stir in cheese and season. Top with cooked lobster.

Parmesan Crusted Salmon

Happy Ongpauco Tiu’s recipe gets rave reviews from her guests.

1½ kg whole salmon fillet

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 c mayonnaise

10 g garlic powder

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

60 g panko bread crumbs

20 g curly parsley, finely chopped

Cherry tomatoes and basil, for garnish

Preheat oven at 350°F.

Line baking pan with wax paper and oil. Place salmon fillet skin down. Season fish with salt and pepper. Spread mayonnaise on top. Sprinkle garlic powder and spread. Do the same with grated Parmesan. Add panko bread crumbs and parsley.

Bake for 20 minutes and broil until crust is golden brown. Garnish with blistered cherry tomatoes and basil.

Roast Pork

This recipe was the first roast pork Joey de Larrazabal Blanco made as a married woman.

1½ kg boneless pork belly, skin on

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 tsp coarse salt

Caramelized apples:

3 apples, quartered

¼ c butter

¼ c brown sugar

Sea salt

Pepper

Spice mix:

2 Tbsp each cumin and fennel seeds, sea salt

1 Tbsp each paprika and coriander seeds

2 tsp dried thyme

Grind seeds and salt. Add paprika and thyme. Set aside.

Pat pork dry. Score pork skin, 1-centimeter intervals. Cut the skin and a bit of the fat. Turn pork belly over (skin side down) and drizzle olive oil over meat. Take minced garlic and rub all over the meat. Place 2-3 Tbsp spice mix on meat and rub. Turn pork belly over (skin side up) and rub salt onto the skin.

Place pork on pan, skin side up, and bake in preheated 350°F oven.

Cook for 1½ to 2 hours, or until fork-tender. Once meat is tender, set oven to broil and cook till skin crackles.

Make apples. Put butter in a pan. When sizzling, add apple wedges. Add sugar and cook until soft, and season.

Serve pork with the apples.

Caramel Crunch

Pixie Sevilla learned to make this at age 12, with the help of Maur Lichauco.

Chiffon cake:

2¼ c sifted cake flour

½ tsp salt

½ c sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

6 egg yolks

¾ c water

½ c salad oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1¼ c egg white

1 c sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

Coffee crunch:

1½ c sugar

⅛ tsp instant coffee

¼ cup corn syrup

¼ cup water

1 Tbsp baking soda

3 c whipped cream

Chiffon cake:

Sift cake flour, salt, ½ c sugar, twice. Add baking powder and sift again.

Beat egg yolks, water, salad oil, vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Mix 1 cup sugar and cream of tartar together. Add to the egg whites gradually.

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg yolk mixture and blend in a circular motion. Mix well until the batter is smooth. Cut and fold into the egg white mixture and blend well.

Pour into a 9-inch cake pan lined with baking paper, or a lined 8 x 12 rectangular pan. Bake in a 375°F preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Prepare coffee crunch: Boil sugar, instant coffee, corn syrup, water. When syrup starts to brown, remove from the heat and add baking soda. Stir vigorously until well-blended and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Quickly pour the foamy mixture in a well-buttered 9 x 9 pan. Do not touch until the candy hardens. Once hardened, crush with rolling pin or food processor.

Assembly: Divide basic chiffon cake into three or four layers. Spread whipped cream over each layer and sprinkle with coffee crunch. Ice cake with whipped cream. Decorate with crunch. Freeze before serving.

For more recipes and tips, get a copy of “Legacy,” tel. 0917-5303038.

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