Holidays & Special Occasions
Fiambre (All Saints’ Day Salad)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.5 oz) cured sausage or chorizo, sliced
- 300 g (10.5 oz) ham, cubed
- 200 g (7 oz) queso fresco, cubed
- 200 g (7 oz) green beans, blanched
- 200 g (7 oz) carrots, sliced and blanched
- 150 g (5.3 oz) cauliflower florets, blanched
- 150 g (5.3 oz) beetroot, cooked and cubed
- 100 g (3.5 oz) pickled onions
- 100 g (3.5 oz) olives
- 2 (2 eggs) hard-boiled eggs, quartered
- 200 ml (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar, mustard)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Blanch the green beans, carrots and cauliflower separately in boiling salted water until just tender, then cool in ice water and drain.
- Combine the cured sausage, ham and queso fresco in a very large mixing bowl.
- Add the blanched vegetables, beetroot, pickled onions and olives to the bowl.
- Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and pour over the salad, tossing gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a large platter, arranging some ingredients decoratively on top.
- Garnish with quartered hard-boiled eggs and chill for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavours meld.
Introduction: Fiambre is an extraordinary, once-a-year composed salad made for All Saints' Day, when Guatemalan families gather at cemeteries to honour deceased relatives.
Cultural Background: Fiambre is an extraordinary, once-a-year composed salad made for All Saints' Day, when Guatemalan families gather at cemeteries to honour deceased relatives. Some versions combine over 50 ingredients — cured meats, cheeses, vegetables and pickles — reflecting layers of family history, as recipes are passed down and added to over generations.
Tips: Fiambre is traditionally made a day ahead — the flavours improve significantly after resting overnight in the refrigerator.
Variations: Family recipes vary enormously; some add over 30-50 different ingredients including different cured meats, pickled vegetables and fruits like plums.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the salad improves with a day of resting.
Reheating: Not applicable — served cold.
Nutrition: Approx. 420 kcal, 24 g protein, 28 g fat, 16 g carbohydrate per serving.
FAQs:
Q: Why is Fiambre only eaten on one day a year?
A: It is traditionally prepared specifically for All Saints' Day (November 1) as a dish to share at family gatherings and cemetery visits honouring ancestors.
Q: Can I simplify Fiambre for a smaller gathering?
A: Yes, a 'fiambre rojo' or simplified version with fewer ingredients is common in smaller households while keeping the vinaigrette-dressed composed-salad format.
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