Fiambre Rojo for Día de los Muertos #SundayFunday

Today the Sunday Funday group is writing about and sharing Día de los Muertos recipes. Thanks to Stacy of Food Lust People Love, Sue of Palatable Pastime, Rebekah of Making Miracles, and Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for coordinating this low-stress group. 

 This week, I am hosting and asked the bloggers to share Día de los Muertos recipes. Here's the #SundayFunday recipes line-up...

• Atola- East Indian by Sneha's Recipe
• Caldo Tlalpeño by Food Lust People Love
• Dia de Los Muertos Sugar Skull Cake by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Enfrijoladas de Pollo by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Fiambre Rojo for Día de los Muertos by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Pan de Muerto (Mexican Day of the Dead Bread) by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pan Seared Tilapia with Shrimp by Palatable Pastime
• Taco Casserole by Making Miracles
• Vegetarian Tortilla Soup by Mayuri's Jikoni

Día de los Muertos. Day of the dead. But, no, this is not a morbid holiday where zombies rule. This is about remembering. So, every year we feast and toast those who we have loved and lost. This year I came across a Guatemalan dish that is prepared once a year on November 1st for the Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos also called Día de los Difuntos. Traditionally people visit the cemetery bringing flowers - usually marigolds -, incense and fiambre to their dead. 

Fiambre Rojo

Fiambre is a salad of sorts, comprise of meats, cheeses, and vegetables all served cold after being marinated in a sauce called a caldillo, basically a vinaigrette. I love that this is dish that families make together. Unfortunately, Kid2 did not like this, so I doubt he'll be helping me make it. His complaint: it has too many textures. It's too much!

Because every family has its own recipe, no two fiambre are alike. But there are categories: Fiambre Rojo  is made with beets; Fiambre Blanco is made without beets; Fiambre Desarmado or Divorciado is a regionally specific fiambre where all the ingredients are served separately; and Fiambre Verde which is vegetarian. Looking at that list again, I realized that I made fiambre rojo. And, at least Jake and I appreciated it.

Since every family has its own version, there certainly aren't hard and fast rules. Omit what you don't like or don't have; add what you want. All of the veggies were cooked al dente before being marinated in the caldillo. Here's what I used...

• baby asparagus
• baby corn
• green beans
• fingerling potatoes
• multi-color carrots
• beets
• broccoli florets
• cauliflower florets
• fresh mozzarella ciliegie
• pork carnitas chunks
• soft-boiled eggs
• Optional: organic marigold blossoms

Caldillo (dressing and marinade)

• 3/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 2 cups vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Whisk everything together to form a dressing. Pour the dressing over the different ingredients. Let marinate for several hours up to overnight if possible. Arrange the ingredients on a platter. Garnish with marigold blossoms, if using. Serve.

¡Buen Provecho!

Well, that's a wrap on the #SundayFunday Día de los Muertos event. We'll be back next week as we share winter squash recipes with Wendy at the head of the discussion. Stay tuned.