Christmas
with Carmen López

This festive period offers much opportunity for us to prepare and enjoy the very best of Spanish cuisine and so I have culinary suggestions for this impending celebration.

For Noche Buena (Christmas Eve - the traditional Christmas celebration in Spain) I have followed tradition but, not without good reason. For starters I have chosen almond and ham soup for, even in the south, the nights are chilly and what better and healthier way to warm one's guests than by using nationally produced, wholesome and tasty ingredients in a piping hot soup. This is followed by smoked salmon parcels. No celebratory dinner in Spain is complete without sampling the country's fish and salmon adds that luxurious touch to a very special meal. The main course is stuffed turkey served with carrots, broccoli and potatoes. Nowadays some criticise the traditional turkey for being too dry and without much taste, but this very much depends on how and with what it is cooked and I think you will find that the sumptious stuffing that I have chosen results in succulent and tasty turkey breast. Also it is important, more so than ever during a time when we are inclined to over-indulge, that we monitor the nutritional and health aspects of what we are eating. For example, turkey contains 5% fat overall and its white meat contains only 1% - compare this to 7-10% in chicken. The fat it has is unsaturated, thus helping us avoid problems with cholesterol. It contains 20-22% proteins which are very easily digestible and its calorie count is 114 compared to 124 in chicken or white fish. It is high in vitamin content, is rich in selenium and potassium and low in salt. Therefore it makes a particularly important contribution to our health and well-being. Dessert is Pineapple Surprise. The fresh juice of pineapple to clean the pallet and the cream, sugar and rum mixture to give it that luxurious "surprise" !

ALMOND AND HAM SOUP

Ingredients

• 150 grammes of almonds
• 100 grammes of local ham
• 1 litre of meat stock
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 ham bone
• parsley
• croutons (squares of fried bread)

Prepare the stock by boiling the ham bone together with the chopped ham for 15 minutes Crush 50 grammes of almonds, the garlic and parsley. Add the egg yolks and two tablespoonfuls of stock and the rest of the almonds. Cook for 30 minutes, taking out the ham bone which will probably have provided sufficient salt for most tastes. Serve the soup piping hot with croutons.

SALMON PARCELS

Ingredients

• 75 grammes of smoked salmon
• 150 grammes of Philadelphia type cheese with herbs
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 diced spring onion

Mix the herb cheese, diced onion and lemon juice and wrap it in thin smoked salmon slices. Garnish with tomato, cheese and lemon.

STUFFED TURKEY

Ingredients

• 1 turkey (3 kg)
• 5 slices of Serrano ham
• For the Stuffing
• 1 kilo of sausage meat
• 75 grammes of sultanas
• 2 egg yolks and one egg white
• 1 dl of sherry, salt, pepper and 2 cloves of cinnamon
• a sprinkling of rosemary and thyme

Clean the turkey taking away the gizzards , head etc. and wash it thoroughly inside and out. Mix together all the ingredients for the stuffing and stuff the bird, sewing the opening thereafter. Places the slices of Serrano ham over the bird before cooking. Cook in the oven at 200ºC 30-35 minutes per kilo, basing the bird in its own stock from time to time. For particularly succulent breast, pierce it in various places and use a needleless syringe to inject additional stock. Let the turkey rest in the oven for ten minutes before serving and serve with fresh broccoli, carrots and potatoes.

PINEAPPLE SURPRISE

Ingredients

• 1 large pineapple ( per two persons)
• 2 tablespoons of rum
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 3dl of pouring cream

Cut the pineapple in half long ways Scoop out the contents taking care to preserve the shell Mix the contents with rum in a blender Beat the egg whites until they peak Similarly beat half the cream with the sugar together Mix all of the above together and fill the pineapple shells Place in freezer for four hours When ready to serve, add the rest of the freshly beaten cream and sugar

WINE SUGGESTIONS

For the fish dish I suggest a white wine such as Antea 93 Marqués de Cáceres. To accompany the turkey a Rose, e.g. fresh and exuberant Santa Digna or if you are a lover of red wine, despite the dish, perhaps a Viña Mayor 1989. For dessert, Cava of course. Anna de Codorniu is dry and tasty or, more luxurious, Freixenet reserva real.

May I wish you every happiness and health over the festive season and for 1997.

Carmen