Let’s talk about the Christmas and Happy New Year’s Eve traditional meals at my house.
Me and my brother were born in Venezuela, so on Christmas Eve we have the traditional Venezuelan meal, which consists of:
- Hallaca;
- pan de jamón;
- pernil;
- Ensalada de Gallina.
Finding the leaves of platano to wrap the hallacas in Italy has been such a challenge during the last few years, but this year we finally made it!
So, what exactly is a Hallaca?
- Hallaca is a typical Venezuelan tamal. It consists of a roll traditionally prepared with a corn-based dough filled with meat (beef, pork or chicken), vegetables, fruit or other ingredients such as raisins, capers and olives. The hallacas are folded into plantain leaves; the dish is traditionally served during the Christmas season and has several regional variations in Venezuela.
To create the whole traditional meal for Christmas, you must certainly need the rest of the elements on a plate:
- Pan de Jamón: A loaf of bread stuffed with cooked ham, bacon, raisins and green olives which can be stuffed with chillies.
- Ensalada de Gallina: Depending on each region or each family, the ingredients of this chicken salad may vary, some add fruits such as apple or pineapple and others use chicken breast instead of chicken, although the most important and key thing for it to be perfect, is to prepare a good dressing since it is responsible for giving it its characteristic flavour. We usually prepare it with Chicken, carrots, apples, petit pois and mayonnaise.
- And last but not least important: Pernil: Eating pernil at Christmas came to Venezuela as a Spanish custom. It was a way to protest against the Jews in Spain and differentiate themselves from them during these holidays since Jews did not consume pork at the time. Eating pork at Christmas was considered a way of reaffirming the Catholic faith and demonstrating against the Jews.
I know, yummy right?
I shouldn’t talk about desserts, because then this blog will have to become Cooking traditions with Gigliola. Well… maybe for next Christmas I will tell you more about it.
New Year’s Eve meal tradition
To not leave behind our origins, as I mentioned on part of my origins, we are half Spanish, half Portuguese, so tradition dictates on this day of the year we eat the traditional Cod with chickpeas and potatoes. Usually accompanied by a well-made (homemade as well) Sangria with Rioja wine.
Some years we prepare also Carne de Vinha d’alhos which is very traditional in Portugal as well. This Vinha d’Alhos meat recipe is a traditional dish from Madeira, in which the pork is marinated in wine and garlic for at least 24 hours. This sauce is made with wine, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and salt. Then, the meat is fried with lard and served with roast potatoes. I’m famished again, gosh!
Great, always happy to teach people some traditions about my mixed family, see you soon!!
Dancing Giglio 