In the Dominican cuisine on Christmas Eve, pork is king

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican gastronomy is without a doubt very varied, exotic, and delicious and at Christmas time you can see it when the Dominican houses decorate their tables with flavor and tradition.

It is typical to see that although the citizens of this country do not enjoy a good economy when the date arrives, each family gathers efforts to be able to serve the characteristic menu of that celebration.

Acento asked his readers through a survey which is the food or drink that cannot be missing from the table at Christmas and New Year. The results showed that 67% of the 6,256 readers who participated agreed that roast pork cannot be left out of that menu.

For 11% of them, the Christmas dinner is not complete without the loaf of bread or the cake. While 10 % would not leave out the Moorish of the pigeons.

Only 9 % of the voters said that punch, rum, and wine cannot be missing from their tables during that dinner.

Some readers commented that there must be space at the table for chicken and potato salad.

As time has gone by, that Christmas Eve dinner menu has been changing, as it has taken ideas and dishes from other cultures making this dinner even richer and more diverse.

This menu contains everything from baked goods, desserts, and alcoholic beverages. The following is a review of each of the dishes that are not missing from the table of the Dominicans on the night of December 24, Christmas Eve.

Chicken or roast pork: In several homes, they choose to include both dishes, but in the most humble homes one of these is selected.

Moro de gandules: This is a mixture of rice and pigeon peas. There are those who prepare it with coconut milk and others not, but in both ways it is acceptable.

Russian or pasta salad: The Russian salad is a combination of potatoes, carrots, boiled eggs with a mixture of mayonnaise, chopped onions, corn, and a little bit of vinegar. While the one of paste is made with spirals or some other short paste. Both recipes are modified according to the family’s taste.

Pastelón or Lasaña: The pastelón is made with a base of ripe plantain filled with ground beef and cheese. On the other hand, the lasagna is made with sheets of pasta (lasagna sheets) and can have the same filling with bechamel sauce. Like other recipes, there are those who modify it and add their favorite condiments.

Bread of Telera: This is a type of bread that as it approaches the time of Christmas it appears in the market, it seems that it only takes place during this time.

Pastel en Hoja: Made from mashed food such as green plantain, guineito, yucca, yautía and stuffed with ground beef or chicken and then wrapped in banana leaves.
Cakes and crepes.

Dry fruits: Within this group the nuts or the famous coquitos stand out.
Red apples and grapes.

Colored gummies and nougat.

Punch/Egg nog: This is an alcoholic drink made of egg and sweetened milk. It is usually a drink prepared at home and one of the most traditional for the time.