Fiambre
Posted on November 3, 2009 - Filed Under Food, Guatemala | 9 Comments
November 1st is All Saints Day and it is huge in Guatemala. Everyone goes to the graveyards and decorates the graves of the deceased. It’s quite beautiful. We didn’t get to go this year because we were all so sick, unfortunately. You can read about past years here and here, though.
For years now, I’ve wanted to try my hand at making fiambre, the traditional dish that is eaten on this day. Many people call it a pickled salad, but it is much more than that. It can have up to 50 ingredients, including a number of things that I’d rather not eat, like blood sausage and fish. And it can cost between Q50-100 per plate, which is a LOT of moolah. Until this year, we didn’t have the money in October to make fiambre. This year, though, since I’ve had a huge surge in work, I bought all the ingredients, looked up a recipe online and made my own.
Our fiambre had the following ingredients:
- carrots, green beans, red peppers, cauliflower, peas, corn and chickpeas
- chorizo, sausage, ham, hot dogs, longaniza, salchichon, salami, chicken
- mozzerella cheese, American yellow cheese, Parmesan cheese
- hardboiled eggs, olives, baby corn
All pickled in a mixture of vinegar, oil, chicken broth and egg. Sounds weird, but it turned out delicious.
Here’s what it looked like when we were mixing it up. My maid put the cute stars and hearts on the radishes for the photo. 
This sat and marinated overnight. Then on Sunday, I made the plates of fiambre for the in-laws and for Irving.
First the veggies go on a layer of lettuce . . .
Then the meats . . .
And the cheeses and decorations . . .
And finally, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese!
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9 Responses to “Fiambre”
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Always great pictures on your blog! I was wondering what kind of camera you use. Thanks!!
sorry to hear you have all been sick
now that is the kind of Fiambre I would eat… no blood sausage, tongue or other mystery meats for me… great job!
ok, this fiambre looks nothing like the one we ate!!!!!! This one looks delicious!!!!!
That’s why I wanted to make my own, I could tailor the ingredients. I was thinking I could sell it next year as “gringo-friendly” fiambre.
No stomach or blood to be found!
Melissa, my camera is a Nikon CoolPix LS. Just a tiny little thing. I’d take a shot of it, but that would be tough. lol. You can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I1TC2S?ie=UTF8&tag=thehorrorre0a-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000I1TC2S
It´s fiambre blanco, which I usually don´t like as much as fiambre rojo (with beets), but this one looks delicious. Just for the record, you´re supposed to sprinkle it with queso seco, preferably from Zacapa.
The “caldillo” or vinagrette looks extremely delicious!! Next year, just put a sign on your door: Se vende fiambre 1 y 2 de noviembre.
Cristina, I’m really not a fan of beets, hence the blanco part.
I was going to use queso duro, but all the recipes I found said Parmesan. It’s definitely a different taste though, I prefer the hard cheese.
I wanted to sell it, but Irving wouldn’t let me!! He said no one would buy it. But I think he was secretly worried that I wouldn’t be able to pull it off.
Ha! What do you mean nobody would buy it??? I think he was scared your doorbell was gonna be ringing all day on the 1st and 2nd of Nov. No peace at all!
Really, just looking at the caldillo makes me drool!!
Lol! Cristina, I’m afraid my hubby has some reserves when it comes to his gringa wife doing Guatemalan things . . . he appreciates that I try, but he worries that I might not be able to do it the “right” way. I just have to keep proving I can mix cultures.
Looks yummy! I’d have dug right in.
Hope all of you are feeling better!