We have a special request from a favorite friend in Spain, who would like to have a page just for traditional Christmas dishes---those dishes so special that we only serve them at Holiday time. Tell a story or a tradition with your recipe.

Hello Mary,

Thanks for starting up this thread.  I thought it will be very interesting if we can share recipes of Christmas Fare throughout the world.  Each country and, indeed,  region has its own Christmas traditions as far as the table is concerned.  Some old, some new, but often an interesting variation on our own menus.

I've cooked for Christmas in three difference "languages" during my life - English, Swedish and now  Spanish.

This recipe is a starter or hors d'oevre that we serve in my home on Chritmas Eve, when we share our big Christmas meal in Spain.

It is a tropical sea food salad.  I live in a sub tropical agricultural area and all the ingredients,  (apart from the seafood - now sadly "bought in" are grown in this zone).  It is a new tradition.

Granada Tropical Christmas Salad (8 people - you have less?!)

1  cos or iceberg lettuce washed and shredded
2  mangoes - cut into cubes
4 kiwis         -  peeled and sliced
2  avocado pears (hass variety is best)  peeled and cut into cubes
1  dutch or 2 small cucumbers - peeled and cut in slices
2  large salad tomatoes - sliced
I red  pepper - dry fried and sliced

1 lb (1/2 kilo) of large fresh or cooked prawns or frozen ones in their    shells - defrosted

Sauce

1/2  pint /1/4 litre  home made maayonaise
3 tablespoons of tomato puree
ground pecan or pistacio nuts, to taste
2 cloves of garlic - crushed
Salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of 1/4 to whole lemon, depending on size
1/4 teaspoon fresh oregano

Lay out salad ingredients on a decorative serving plate, in the most pleasing way that you can.

Using an almost dry frying pan (just a drop of oil at most), sprinkle a little salt over them and  fry the prawns until they change colour to the dark pink of cooked prawns and start to crisp.

Repeat this with the red pepper cut into strips

Put on prawns and fried peppers on top of the salad ingredients.

Mix the sauce ingredients and pour over the salad, or serve in a separate dish, according to taste.

This is quick and simple to prepare and makes a tasty starter tham can be prepared and left in the fridge whilst you are busy with the rest of the meal.

Enjoy.
Love
Jenny

This is my Grandmother's recipe for christmas Pudding with a delicious brandy sauce, The pudding recipe has been passed down through the family and before we changed to decimal currency in the 1960's my mum used to hide silver sixpences in the pudding before she cooked it ,for good luck. . It is also considered good luck to have lots of people stir the pudding when you are preparing it..The brandy sauce is a more recent addition-T This recipe was from a favourite elderly aunt who has since passed on. I still prefer the traditional christmas lunch of fresh seafood entree, Roast turkey and vegetables, followed by Christmas Pudding with brandy saucel. There is nothing bettter in this world than left over cold christmas pudding for breakfast on Boxing day. CHRISTMAS PUDDING.... Prepare the fruit the night before and soak in a little (well a cup or so)of brandy. 8oz butter 8oz brown sugar. 4 eggs 8oz each of Raisins,currrent and sultanas. 2oz chopped blanched almonds some glaced lemon peel. 1/2 teaspoon carb- soda. 4oz breadcrumbs. 8oz plain flour. 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon and mixed spice. Cream the butter and the sugar,add the eggs. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the fruit mixture,then mix in the creamed butter mixture. lastly add a little more brandy.(well not too little, give it a good slug.) Stir well. Spoon into a pudding basin and steam for 8 hours.(cover with gladbake paper and alfoil before clipping on the lid) When cooked pour a litle more brandy over the top of the hot pudding. This is best made weeks ahead and kept in the fridge in the basin. To reheat turn out and microwave for a few minutes or steam it for another hour un til heated through.. To serve , turn it out onto a plate,add a sprig of holly, pour over about half a cup of warm brandy and flame it. Serve with the brandy sauce. Brandy Sauce, 1 egg 3/4 cup of caastor sugar brandy to suite. 1/2 cup of whipped cream pinch of salt. Seperate the egg white and whisk Gradually add the sugar,salt and yolk.Fold in the whipped cream and brandy. .