Fiambre (Guatemalan Cold Festival Salad)

• Prep time: 1 hour (plus 24 hrs marinating)

• Cook time: 30 mins

• Total time: 25 hours 30 mins

• Servings: 12

• Country of Origin: Guatemala

Description

• An elaborate cold dish prepared exclusively for All Saints' Day (Día de Todos los Santos) on November 1st.

• Combines over 40 ingredients including pickled vegetables, cured meats, sausages, cheeses, and a seasoned vinegary caldillo dressing.

Presentation

• Arranged artfully on large platters with layered vegetables, sliced cold cuts, hard-boiled egg rings, and cheeses on top.

• Served chilled or at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pickled beets (julienned)

• 2 cups pickled green beans and carrots

• 1 cup baby corn

• 1 cup cooked cauliflower florets

• 200 g chorizo sausages (cooked and sliced)

• 200 g salami, sliced

• 200 g ham, cubed

• 200 g roast chicken, shredded

• 150 g queso fresco, crumbled

• 150 g Swiss cheese, cubed

• 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup white vinegar

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp salt

Directions

• Whisk olive oil, vinegar, mustard, oregano, and salt together to make the caldillo dressing.

• Combine pickled beets, green beans, carrots, baby corn, and cauliflower in a large bowl; pour dressing over and marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.

• Lay pickled vegetable mixture across a broad serving platter as a base layer.

• Arrange sliced chorizos, salami, ham, and shredded chicken in neat concentric patterns over vegetables.

• Scatter cubed Swiss cheese and crumbled queso fresco over meats.

• Garnish top layer with hard-boiled egg slices, olives, and capers before serving chilled.

Optional Variations

• Fiambre Rojo: Uses a higher proportion of pickled red beets to stain the dish deep red.

• Fiambre Blanco: Omits beets entirely for a pale, savory presentation.

Cooking Tips

• Prepare vegetables 2 days in advance to allow pickles to absorb the vinegary dressing deeply.

• Serve cold; do not heat any components prior to assembling platter.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 450 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 18 g

• Protein: 24 g

• Fat: 32 g

• Saturated Fat: 11 g

• Sodium: 920 mg

• Fiber: 4 g

• Sugar: 7 g