A Spanish - Cagayanon Feast

Here in the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro, the Jesuit Community in Loyola House celebrated the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola with a Spanish-themed meal. The menu consisted of

1. seven tapas for our appetizers:
1. gambas: a spicy dish made out of garlic, shrimps, tomatoes and wine
2. salipicado: beef tenderloin bits with peppers
3. jamon: ham slices
4. setas del ajo: mushrooms sauteéd in butter and garlic
5. paté de hígado de pato: duck liver paté
   
6. croquetas: croquettes stuffed with ham and cheese
7. queso: cheese
2. sopa de ajo or garlic soup
3. char-broiled tuna
4. pollo de almodovar: chicken stewed in wine, generously topped with olives and almonds
5. the traditional lechon de leche served in Cagayanon fiestas
6. an authentic Paella Valenciana with chorizos imported from Spain

To end the sumptuous meal, I served a white chocolate mousse infused with the infamous Durian fruit. Here's the recipe:

Durian Mousse
8 egg yolks
2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose cream
flesh from 2 durian sections
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 cups whipping (heavy) cream

1. Beat the egg yolks until it thickens and lightens in colour
2. Gently heat 2 cups whipping cream in a saucepan over medium heat making sure it does not boil. Add durian flesh and incorporate into the mixture.
3. Strain the mixture. You may have to push the mixture through a sieve to eliminate the durian fibers. Return to heat.
4. Stir half of the durian infusion into egg yolk mixture, then pour the mixture back into hot durian infusion in the saucepan. Cook for around 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Melt the white chocolate by stirring it into the mixture. Chill for at least 2 hours.
6. Whip the all-purpose cream into a cold mixing bowl until it forms peaks. Then fold in the chilled durian-chocolate custard into the whipped cream. Serve chilled.