Memories and flavours: the essence of Christmas

Christmas is a time for reunions and flavours that bring back cherished moments from our lives. Kitchens fill with the scent of wood fires and spices, creating a feast that blends tradition and emotion. The magic of each dish isn’t in the quantity, but in the love and stories shared as we enjoy them. 

Discovering those culinary treasures that lead us on a journey of authentic flavours is a true delight. Among them, the starters turn rural traditions into small bites full of character. One example is the cardoon in almond sauce, which whets the appetite with its smooth, velvety texture, reminiscent of marzipan or nougat.There are family variations that include ham, bacon, saffron, or a more elaborate seasoning mix. 

After the starters, the main courses take centre stage. The Christmas stew is a symbol of festive cooking, a hearty dish made with meatballs, chickpeas, and seasonal vegetables. Each family has its own secret recipe for the meatballs, which may be scented with lemon zest or fresh parsley. Christmas pelotas (dumplings) have deep roots in the traditional cuisine of the Valencian Community and Catalonia. 

In the Valencian Community, especially in the province of Castellón, Christmas pelotas are an essential part of the Christmas Day paella or the Christmas stew. In Catalonia, pelotas are an essential part of escudella i carn d'olla, a traditional Christmas dish. Although the recipes may vary, they all preserve the homely, festive spirit that characterises this time of year. Finally, the celebration gives way to a sweet finale with desserts that reflect the country’s history and soul. Among these, nueces al fondant (candied walnuts) stand out for their delicate, glossy appearance, evoking warmth and nostalgia. This traditional dessert, linked to convent confectionery, is still made in many homes, keeping alive a tradition that has stood the test of time.
 

Christmas pelotas

Time: 1 ½ hours

Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: (6 people)
 

• 600 g minced pork
• 40 g lard
• 10 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 250 g dried breadcrumbs (2-3 days old)
• 5-6 sprigs of mint
• 5-6 sprigs of parsley
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 25 g pine nuts
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
   

Instructions:

Heat the lard and oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the pork and stir until it’s nicely browned on all sides. Turn off the heat and let it rest for a few minutes. Meanwhile, grate the bread using a coarse grater. Wash and finely chop the mint and parsley. Place both in a large, deep bowl. Add the eggs, cinnamon, pine nuts and salt. Add the tempered meat with all its fat and mix well. Form the balls with your hands — whatever size you like, but bear in mind that when you add them to the broth they will get bigger — and roll them in the beaten egg white. Leave them in a large bowl, without piling them on top of each other, and wait for them to dry out a little. Add them to rice dishes, usually broths, or soups.
 

Energy: 414 kcal 

Carbohydrates: 26.4 g

Simple sugars: 44.1 g

Protein: 27.5 g

Fat: 22.1 g

Saturated Fat: 6.2 g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 9.2 g

Cholesterol: 140 mg

Fibre: 1 g

Cardoon in almond

Time: 1 hour 

Difficulty: Easy 

Ingredients: (4 people)
 

• 1 kg of fresh cardoon (you can also use good-quality tinned cardoon).
• 80 g toasted and peeled almonds.
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 slice of bread from the day before.
• 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock (homemade is best).
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
• 1 teaspoon flour (optional, for thickening).
• Salt to taste
• Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

• If the cardoon is fresh, clean the stalks by removing the threads with a peeler.
• Cut it into pieces 5-6 cm long.
• Boil it in plenty of salted water (adding a splash of lemon juice to prevent it from darkening) until tender, about 40–50 minutes. Drain and set aside. In a frying pan with oil, fry the whole garlic (with skin) and the slice of bread in olive oil until golden brown.
• Remove them and grind them in a mortar and pestle or food processor together with the toasted almonds, until a paste is formed. In the same frying pan, add a little more oil and fry a teaspoon of flour (optional, if you want the sauce to thicken). Stir in the chopped almonds and mix.
• Gradually pour in the hot stock, stirring until you have a smooth, light sauce.
• Add the cooked cardoon to the sauce and let it simmer gently for 10–15 minutes so the flavours blend together. Adjust salt.
• Serve hot, with a little chopped parsley on top.

Energy: 228 kcal 

Carbohydrates: 12.7 g

Simple sugars: 6.6 g

Protein: 7.6 g

Fat: 16.3 g

Saturated Fat: 1.7 g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.6 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Fibre: 5.13 g

 

Candied walnuts

Time: 45 min 

Difficulty: Medium 

Ingredients: (15 units)
 

• 125 g egg yolks
• 100 g sugar
• 100 ml water
• 50 g ground almonds (as much as you can manage)
• 15 walnuts
• 1 egg white (for the glaze)
• 5 ml lemon juice (for glaze)
• Icing sugar (for the icing)

Instructions:

• Prepare a thick syrup with the sugar and water (about 110ºC temperature). Beat the egg yolks and slowly pour them in a thin stream into the syrup, whisking constantly until it thickens.
• Leave to cool and stir in the almond flour until you have a dough that is easy to work with your hands. The amount of almonds depends on how thick the yolk mixture has become.
• Shape small balls about the size of a walnut, and place a half walnut in the centre of each. Let them rest in the fridge for at least one hour. To make the icing, beat the egg white with the lemon juice, gradually adding the icing sugar while continuing to mix until it reaches a honey-like consistency.
• Place the balls in the icing, making sure that the entire surface is covered with the icing, and leave to drain on a wire rack until the icing is dry. Place them in paper cases.
   

Energy: 109 kcal

Carbohydrates: 11.2 g 

Simple sugars: 11.2 g 

Protein: 2.5 g

Fat: 6 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.9 g

Monounsaturated Fat: 2.3 g

Cholesterol: 89 mg

Fibre: 0.6 g