Mother Lily’s ‘lechon’

Today I celebrate the late “Mother” Lily Monteverde, whom I will always remember with great fondness.

The Monteverdes are dear to me. Mother’s daughter Sherida “Meme” and I call each other kapatid, kapamilya and kapuso!

We were first acquainted in my kitchen ages ago, when Meme came as a student. Every now and then, Mother’s other daughter Roselle would also grace my kitchen to learn how to prepare a few recipes.

Our friendship flourished, and over time, I became part of the Monteverde family’s most intimate celebrations. It gave me a thrill to know that they all enjoyed my food, especially Mother.

Mother Lily was always full of life. She radiated! She was warm, funny and so magnetic, one couldn’t help but be drawn to her.

She knew how to live. She knew how to have a good time, and if there’s anyone who knew how to party, it was Mother! Her life was a party, and she celebrated it every day, often through music. She found pleasure in playing the piano, as she did bursting into song, and where there was rhythm, she took to her feet and danced to it with ease.

True to being the Mother of Showbiz, for Lily Monterverde, life was entertainment!

‘Lechon’ project

Yes, she cherished good food. Her cuisines of choice were Chinese and Filipino. She loved kakanin and was truly passionate about her lechon.

In fact, Mother, Meme, Roselle, Dondon and I worked on a lechon project, as an ode to her favorite food, debating whether to name it Mother’s Lechon or Mother’s Mouthful.

We’ve perfected the different variants, from Classic, Dinuguan, and Chinese Style, to Paella and Mushroom and Truffle-stuffed—all in accordance with Mother’s high lechon standards. Unfortunately, every member of the family became too busy to focus on the project, such that the lechon-making sessions turned out to be occasions for the Monteverdes to gather, cook together and to enjoy freshly cooked suckling pig.

As a tribute to Mother, I am sharing a special lechon recipe that I created just for her, crafted with her favorite ingredients and flavors in mind. I prepared this specifically on her birthday fetes that I had the privilege of cooking for.

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Knowing Mother, this is how she would like to be remembered, happily—and deliciously!

Mother Lily’s ‘Lechon’

6 kg pig, cleaned
1/3 c Chef Reggie’s Aromatic Seasoning Wine
1/3 c + 1/2 c Chef Reggie’s Sea Salt
Bay leaves, handful
1/3 c whole peppercorns
1/2 kg garlic, smashed
1 c star anise
12 pc lemongrass, hearts bruised, then tied together
Banana leaves to fill the cavity and give the pig a nice shape when roasted.

1. Wash the cavity of the pig by pouring hot water into it. Drain. Pat the entire piglet dry. If the piglet is freshly slaughtered, washing the cavity with hot water may be omitted.
2. Rub cavity with 1/3 c sea salt.
3. Pour wine into cavity and rub with salt until salt melts.
4. Add peppercorns; you may crack them for bolder flavor.
5. Add the remaining ingredients—garlic, bay leaves, star anise, lemongrass—into the cavity.
6. Put as much banana leaves as you can to stuff the lechon. When stuffed well, the lechon will hold its shape after cooking.
7. Sew up openings.
8. Rub 1/2 cup salt on the skin until salt melts and is absorbed by the skin.
9. Put pig on a rack over a baking tray.
10. Oil the ears and the tail and wrap with foil.
11. If time permits, let pig sit for 2-3 hours to marinate.
12. Preheat oven for 15 minutes.
13. Roast at 325ºF for 1½ hours.
14. Increase heat to 350- 375ºF and continue to roast until skin is nicely golden brown and crisp.
15. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
16. Serve with Mother Lily’s Lechon Sauce (recipe below).

Mother’s Lily’s ‘Lechon’ Sauce

¼ c oil
2 c onions
1 apple, chopped
1 thin slice of ginger
2 tsp garlic
1/2–1 red chilies
100 g pig’s liver
300 g chicken liver, cleaned
¼ c Datu Puti vinegar
½ c brown sugar
¼ c soy sauce
1 tsp whole peppercorn
2–3 c pork stock
2-3 Tbsp white sugar
1 heaping Tbsp paté or liver spread
Thyme, pinch
Salt and pepper to taste
Truffle oil

1. Heat oil and sauté onions. When almost caramelized, add apples, ginger and garlic. When apples are soft, set mixture aside.
2. Add more oil to the pan and cook pork and chicken livers.
3. Add in apple mixture, and the rest of the ingredients except salt, pepper and truffle oil. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Process in a blender until fine. Strain.
5. Return to pan and season to taste with sugar, salt and pepper. You may add some stock if you want a runnier sauce.
6. Finish with truffle oil before serving.

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