Traditional Christmas Foods across Europe

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION
2. AUSTRIA
3. CYPRUS
4. CZECH REPUBLIC
5. FRANCE
6. GERMANY
7. GREAT BRITAIN
8. GREECE
9. HOLLAND
10. HUNGARY
11. POLAND
12. PORTUGAL
13. ROMANIA
14. SERBIA
15. SLOVENIA
16. SPAIN
    1. Cardo con almendras (cardoon with almonds)
    2. Cardo con pure dorado de nabos (cardoon with golden turnip purée)
    3. Besugo al horno (baked sea bream)
    4. Besugo a la Vinagreta (baked sea bream in a vinegar sauce)
    5. Bacalao abadej con almendras (Salt cod with almonds)
    6. Cordero Lechal (suckling lamb)
    7. Escudella i Carn d'Olla (Catalan meat stew)
    8. Pollastre a la Catalana (Chicken the Catalan way, or Chicken with dried plums, dried raisins and pine nuts)
    9. Peras al Vino Tinto (Pears in red wine)
    10. Guirlache (the local turron speciality of Aragon)
    11. Polvorones

Peras al Vino Tinto (Pears in red wine)

Ingredients:
2 kg fresh pears
1 bottle of red wine
1 stick of cinnamon
1 slice of lemon
1 small cup of sugar
[You can use honey instead of sugar, but if so add 2 teaspoons of vinegar.]

Preparation:
Peel the pears and place them whole in a pan with the wine, the cinnamon and the slice of lemon. Put the lid on the saucepan and allow to boil gently for 10 minutes. Add the sugar (or the honey) and stir every now and then.

Leave this to simmer gently for another 10 to 15 minutes. Take off the stove. Lift out the pears and arrange them in a bowl. Strain the liquid through a sieve and then pour this over the pears.

Photograph (c)2008 Helen Macbeth