December is approaching and with it the end of the year celebrations, gifts and many people’s favorite moment: the Christmas dinner!
Christmas dinner is one of the most anticipated moments at the end of the year for Brazilians
Photo: iStock
And it is the typical Christmas dishes be they those influenced by Christmas foods from other countries or those that have the look and taste of Brazil that make this moment of Christmas Eve the most awaited moment. Although these are foods that are available all year round, eating them during Christmas dinner, at a gathering with family and friends, makes everything special.
That’s why we’ve selected some Christmas recipes that will make your dinner even more special this year! From appetizers to desserts, there will be no shortage of typical dishes and special variations of these dishes on your table.
What is the origin of Christmas dinner?
Just like Christmas and the custom of Decorate Christmas trees To this day, Christmas dinner originated in Europe.
It was the custom there for families to leave the doors open on Christmas Eve to welcome travelers and pilgrims passing through the neighborhood. They stayed in the house and socialized with the family, who welcomed them and prepared a dinner with several dishes to feed everyone.
This custom has spread all over the world and each country has added its own peculiarities. In Brazil, for example, farofa and pavé are a must at our Christmas dinner something that is not available in other countries such as the USA or France.
What shouldn’t be missing from Christmas dinner?
There are some dishes that cannot be missed at Christmas dinner!
Some of them are:
- Turkey or other poultry, e.g. B. Chicken;
- Tender loin or other pork;
- cod or other fish;
- Rice;
- Farofa;
- chicken salad;
- Couscous;
- French toast;
- panettone;
- paving;
- Pudding;
- mousse;
- Colored gelatin.
Each family has its own tradition, meaning what may be typical in one home may not be common in another. For example, one family likes cod for dinner while another doesn’t like farofa, and that’s normal: in Brazil, no two dinners are the same.
A curiosity that shows the difference between each family’s Christmas dinner customs is that in China, the typical Christmas dish is fried chicken from the American fast food chain KFC.
What are the typical Christmas dishes?
As we already know, Christmas has a number of typical dishes that depend on the region, state and even the country where it is celebrated.
In addition to the traditional turkey and panettone, the most popular Brazilian dishes include farofa, salpicão and pavê.
We have selected typical Christmas dishes for you to prepare for the holidays!
rice
The traditional everyday rice gets a very special touch at Christmas: in some households it is turned into Greek rice, in others it is added with raisins, in others nuts and other typical fruits are added.
However, what the dish has in common is always present: garlic, spices, salt, water and rice whether white, parboiled or whole grain.
At the Terra DegustaFind the recipe for colorful Greek rice, Greek tender rice which is twice as Christmassy and rice with raisins, which divides opinions and families at Christmas.
Chicken salad
A salad with cold chicken, mayonnaise and whatever ingredients you prefer: this is Salpicão, a typical Brazilian Christmas dish.
Despite the variety of ingredients that can be part of the salpicão, it is common that the traditional recipe includes chicken, corn, olives, peas, mayonnaise and, for decoration, straw potatoes.
However, there are many different sausage recipes that can be made at Christmas: from swapping the chicken for turkey to serving the sausage in a different shape, like a garland or in little parmesan baskets, there is always a way to vary the traditional recipe Surprise friends and family at dinner.
Farofa
Farofa is probably one of the most varied dishes in Brazilian cuisine. Because flour based, you can invent countless recipes with different ingredients that everyone will like.
Another thing that stands out about Farofa is its practicality and speed: it can be prepared in just a few minutes and will therefore be far from being the most difficult dish to make at Christmas dinner.
From the traditional farofa with pepperoni and bacon to farofa with spinach, banana or couscous, you will find some farofa recipes that will delight your family this Christmas and be a hit at dinner.
Peru cannot be missing from Brazilian families’ Christmas dinner
Photo: iStock
Peru
There are some dishes that cannot be missing from Christmas dinner and one of them is undoubtedly turkey. Turkey is sometimes replaced by other birds like roast chicken and is so traditional to the holiday that when you think about Christmas you can’t stop thinking about it.
And you don’t have to worry about all the steps involved in roasting a turkey for dinner: to make a delicious and practical Christmas turkey, just follow the Degusta recipe for a juicy and easytoprepare Christmas turkey.
cod
Cod is a very versatile fish: it can be boiled, fried and even made into cakes, which is popular with many people. It’s no wonder that it is one of many families’ favorite foods.
Cod recipes include the colorful bacalhoada, which uses potatoes, onions and peppers, cod escondidinho and even the chickpea salad with cod a lighter version that can be made with leftovers from Christmas Eve.
tend
Tender, known to many people as “Bolinha,” is a traditional Christmas pork. So much so that you won’t be able to see it on market shelves until November, when dinner preparations begin.
One of the most traditional versions of the recipe is the tender with pineapple and farofa a bet on bittersweet that delights and conquers most palates.
What Christmas desserts are there?
Christmas desserts also tend to be more elaborate and decorate the dining table.
Photo: iStock
Who doesn’t like a sweet treat, right? Christmas is no different: desserts are one of the most anticipated moments. After all, they often only taste so delicious at Christmas and some are only prepared at this time of year, such as panettone and chocotone.
Panettone and chocolate
Panettone is the face of Christmas and is a dessert created in Milan, Italy by a baker named Toni. “Pani di Toni” Toni’s bread soon became very popular and became one of the most popular Christmas dishes. There were variations such as chocolate and even savory versions such as lemon, guava or pistachio.
There are many panettone recipes that deviate from the traditional and will be a hit at your Christmas dinner, such as the churro, brigadeiro or black forest variant.
pave
“Is it Pavê or Pacumê?”: the protagonist of Christmas dinner jokes, it is also one of the most anticipated dishes of the day! Practical, quick to prepare and always delicious: Pavé comes in so many different variations and flavors that it’s difficult to choose just one for Christmas.
From nougat and honey pavé recipes to five milk pavé, it will be impossible to choose just one recipe for dinner!
pudding
Pudding and pavé go hand in hand in the variety of recipes: be it the traditional condensed milk pudding, chocolate pudding or unusual but still delicious recipes such as tapioca and yogurt pudding, there is a recipe for every palate.
In addition, the pudding is also a simple recipe: with a mixer and an oven, you can create a delicious, beautiful dessert that will fill everyone’s eyes and mouths at dinner and at lunch too, if there are still pieces left.
French toast
Just as traditional at Christmas as panettone, rabanada is a sweet that usually consists of bread soaked in eggs and milk, deepfried and then dipped in sugar and cinnamon.
And this sweet has also experienced numerous variations on Brazilian tables: There is the Rabanada made from panettone, chocotone, brioche, filled with nest milk, with dulce de leche and even spices and sweet quark.
In other words, there is a French toast recipe for every situation!
A curiosity: although here in Brazil it is a recipe generally prepared only at Christmas, rabanada is a breakfast dish in countries such as the United States, where it is called French toast French toast, in a loose translation.
At Terra Degusta you will find several recipes to impress your family and friends at Christmas dinner!