The Alentejo is a rich region. Rich in customs, people, gastronomy, culture and places. And today we’re going to talk about Christmas traditions in gastronomy.
Alentejans like to gather around the table with family and friends. They take every opportunity to enjoy a good meal. And Christmas is no exception.
On Christmas Eve, we started with cod with cabbage, one of the most popular Christmas dishes in the region. We serve it on Christmas Eve, because in the Alentejo we avoid eating red meat on this day. However, cod can be prepared in other ways, depending on the family.
Another dish served on Christmas Eve is the typical roast lamb. Slowly roasted to result in tender, delicious meat, accompanied by roast potatoes.
At lunchtime we served stuffed turkey. Marinate the turkey the day before with water, salt, lemon and orange. The turkey is then stuffed with beef and pork, and when it goes into the oven to roast, the side dishes are added to finish it off at the same time.
As for the traditional sweets of the season, we can’t forget the chickpea, sweet potato and almond “azevias”, the “filhoses”, the “rabanadas”, the “sonhos” or even the almond lamprey.
