The gastronomy of Holy Week corresponds to all culinary customs and foods “permitted” during the sacred period of Catholicism, and it usually runs from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
Each place in the country usually has a set of unique dishes and preparations for these dates that, as a general rule, They do not typically have meat due to abstinence during this period.
Another characteristic of food during Holy Week is moderation both in food preparation and the ingredients used when cooking.
This tradition has some rules, not only in refraining from consuming some ingredients but also in the quantities. Fish is usually consumed accompanied by all kinds of vegetables and legumes. Sweets also usually appear on the menu. And something that must disappear for the whole week is the liquor.
Food that is not eaten, according to religious belief, at Easter
red meat
Meat is the food that, ultimately, should not be eaten. Red meat, specifically beef, is counted, but pork is also included. This has been maintained by tradition as a kind of commemoration of the passion and death of Jesus.
This custom is associated with austerity because in ancient times, eating meat was much more expensive than eating fish, for example. Even today, eating meat daily or large quantities can be a privilege. Abstaining on these days somehow honors Catholic values.
What foods to include for this week
Fish
It is usually the food badge for this week since it represents the miracle of Jesus in which he multiplied the loaves and fishes. In this way, it seeks to honor the wishes that Jesus had in life on the day of his death.
In addition to having great significance for the Catholic community, this food has excellent nutritional contributions, so consuming it throughout the week has double benefits.
On the other hand, and changing religious beliefs, the ancient Romans associated the fish with Venus, and it was used as the main symbol on their feast day on Friday, where fish was eaten in honor of the goddess.
other foods
The hard-boiled egg is also part of the typical foods of this week. This appears as an ingredient in various Easter dishes from other cultures, such as salted cod in Europe and America.
Seafood is another ingredient used in this week's festivities in Europe and Latin America.
Recipes to prepare at Easter
tuna croissants
Ingredients
- 6 pancake tortillas
- 1 can of tuna in water
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (frozen peas and carrots)
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped onion
Preparation:
Heat a skillet over medium heat and lightly brown the crepe tortillas so that you can fold them into croissants. Combine the ingredients (tuna, vegetables, cheese, mayonnaise, onion, mustard) in a small bowl. Assemble the croissants with the filling, and you must open the tortilla and close it by folding and putting the ends down.
Salmon fillets with citrus sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup cubed pineapple
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1/2 cup salt-free chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Preparation:
For the sauce, in a small bowl, combine tomatoes, pineapple, basil, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper to taste. Cover and chill until serving.
Put the fillets in a greased pan, and pour in the chicken broth. Let cook for 10-15 minutes, and to finish, sprinkle the fillets with lemon zest and pepper to taste. Serve with sauce, and accompany with the vegetables you want.