Lechon Manok

Ingredients

* 1 whole chicken
* 3 tablespoons of brown or white sugar
* 1 cup soy sauce
* 1 head garlic, minced
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 3 tablespoons of calamansi juice or lemon juice
* 1/2 cup of sprite, 7up or beer
* 2 cups of tanglad (lemon grass) for stuffing
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Marinate the whole chicken in soy sauce, calamansi juice, minced garlic, chopped onions, soda or beer, sugar and pepper.
2. Let stand marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.
3. Stuff the chicken cavity with tanglad (lemon grass).
4. Cook chicken on grill or in oven until golden brown

Gravy:

Ingredients:

* 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces (about 1/3 cup)
* 1 small rib celery, chopped into rough 1/2-inch piece (about ½ cup)
* 1 small onion, chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces (about ¾ cup)
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
* 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
* 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
* 1 bay leaf
* ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
* 5 whole black peppercorns
* Table salt and ground black pepper

Steps:

1. For bout five 1-second beatings, pound the carrot till it is broken into roughly ¼-inch pieces. When carrot is broken, add celery and onion; pound vegetables till turned into 1/8-inch kaput pieces.

2. In a large saucepan, heat butter on a medium-high temperature; when the foam subsides, add vegetables. Stir continuously until it is cooked, softened and browned for about seven minutes. Slowly reduce heat. Stir the flour for about five minutes till it is golden browned and attained its yummy scent. Constantly beat with gradual pouring of broths and wait till it heats up. When it is boiled, cream-off any foam that shapes on its surface. Add bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Simmer and stir once in a while for about 20-25 minutes. Wait till it is thickened and reduced to 3 cups.

3. Strain gravy and get the fine-mesh texture into clean saucepan, press the solids to extract; discard solids. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve it hot.