Try something new this
Christmas by incorporating traditional Spanish cuisine into your festive feast.
From prawns and shellfish soup to roast lamb and Spanish sweets, this guide
shows you how to inject the taste of Spain into your Christmas dinner.
Most of us are used to turkey,
Brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding on Christmas Day, but why not try
something different this year? Take inspiration from Spanish yuletide cuisine
and introduce new dishes into your festive feast. This guide gives an overview
of Spain’s most popular Christmas dishes and suggests how you can incorporate
the taste of España into your merry meal.
Christmas Eve feast
Spaniards gather together for
their big family feast on Christmas Eve, which is called La Noche Buena (The
Good Night). Eaten late in the evening and lasting for hours, this meal
comprises several courses of sumptuous food accompanied by Spanish cava, a
sparkling wine, followed by coffee and brandy.
It begins with ‘tapas’
(appetizers) and moves on to a ‘primer plato’ (first course) typically of
seafood, soup or salad. The ‘plato principal’ is the main event and is a meat
lover’s dream, followed by ‘postre’ (dessert) full of Spanish sweets.
Typical Spanish tapas
Appetizers at a Spanish
Christmas meal often include ‘langostinos’, large prawns, which you can prepare
by boiling and serving on a bed of lettuce or with a Romesco or pink sauce. An
easy option which involves no cooking is a selection of ‘jamón, queso y
chorizo.’ That’s ham, cheese and sausage!
Favourite Spanish first courses
Get your guests’ stomachs ready
for the heavier course by serving a light ‘primer plato’ of fish and shellfish
soup. Other popular options include seafood salad with a good dollop of Romesco
sauce. All you need to make the classic Spanish sauce is oil, garlic, vinegar,
almonds and roasted red peppers.
Spectacular Spanish second courses
‘Cordero asado’ (roast lamb) is
very popular in Spain and is usually served with ‘patatas fritas’. These
home-made potatoes are fried lightly in olive oil and are a welcome addition to
any table! An ‘ensalada mixta’ (mixed green salad) helps balance the richness
of the heavy meat and potato dishes.
Spanish Christmas sweets
When it comes to dessert, the Spanish know how to satisfy a sweet
tooth. ‘Turrón’
(nougat) is a must, as are ‘polvorones’, which are soft crumbly
cakes. ‘Figuras
de mazapán’ (marzipan figurines) are also popular.
Does all this talk of Spanish
food make you want to pack your bags and sample authentic cuisine in the
country itself? Visitors to Spain will not only get the chance to taste the
food of the country, they will also have the opportunity to learn Spanish
language skills.
Those who really want to get to grips with Spanish
study abroad to immerse themselves in the culture. When it comes to
Spanish courses Spain is unsurprisingly the number one destination for students.
Poll: Which Spanish food will you incorporate into your Christmas
day feast?
A Langostinos
B Shellfish soup
C Roast lamb
D Spanish sweets
Resource Box
Discover more about Christmas
traditions in Spain from the BBC.
Read the Guardian’s recipes,
cookery masterclasses and features on food and drink from Spain.
Learn how to make all manner of
Spanish dishes from the Good Food Channel.
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