Whilst you and I may be thinking of roast turkey when we think of Christmas, the average Mallorcan family looks forward to Galets de Nadal or a Sopa Rellena which both happens to be the same. Galets de Nadal will be eaten as a first course on Christmas Day for lunch, to be followed by Indiot Mallorquí (turkey), faisán (pheasant) or Porcella (suckling pig). There may well be an interim course of Guatleres (Codornizes; quails); after all, it’s Christmas and this will probably be the most important family meal of the year. Some fifty years ago, a Fira de s’Indiot was celebrated in Palma in the run-up to Christmas where live turkey, quail, pheasant, partridge and farmed chicken could be bought for the forthcoming festivities.

The recipe for Galets de Nadal involves a bone of Serrano ham and some snails for the broth, pork and turkey for the filling, as well as parsley, onions, leek, carrots, chickpeas and garlic. The soup dish is most often prepared by the family’s grandmother. Praise yourself lucky if you should be invited to the treat. If no such invitation should be forthcoming, you can buy Galets de Nadal freshly made from a stall at the Mercat Municipal de Pere Garau in Palma (see photo).

The photo was taken in Palma, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: December 21st, 2011. The time was 11:52:12.