Thinking on throwing a Christmas fiesta? Here are 4 recipes that will make you look like a real Mexican host to your friends and family.

The intoxicating aroma and perfumed air in your home will certainly entice your guests to give the Mexican holiday experience a try.

The Winter holidays are a perfect excuse to share with our love ones. When family, love and homemade food are mixed together, we can feel the warm sensation of union. I remember making chocolate cake as a child and inviting my friends over to have a piece, then realizing it’s not the food what makes the reunion meaningful and heartfelt, but it definitely is a very important part of it.

In México we’re blessed with a gastronomic paradise. The options and types of cuisines in different regions are amazing to discover; Mexico is a country full of color and flavors, there is many things that Mexico have to offer us. If we are talking about tradition, food represents the climax of Mexican culture. As an expat in México, it is important  to know that traditional Mexican food is dependent upon the region and the staples of the land, and is no overstatement to say that the creativity that we Mexican show in the way we make dishes is an art.

Always remember that when living life to the fullest, loving life and experimenting life, you have to be open to trying new things, cultures, places and dishes. So, here are some traditional Mexican Winter holidays dishes: you are sure to find these at the posadas, Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner, so why not step up to the task and try cooking them yourself?

 

BUÑUELOS (Powdered sugar fritters)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour, sifted twice
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine oil for frying

Method:

  1. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
  2. In a small bowl, beat one tbsp sugar, eggs and butter. Stir in milk. Add milk mixture to flour. If dough is too dry, add a few more drops of milk. Knead dough until it is very smooth. Shape into 20 balls. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
  3. Heat oil one-inch deep in large skillet to 360 F. Roll each ball out on a lightly-floured board into very thin six-inch circle. Fry buñuelos until golden brown, turning once.
  4. Drain on absorbent towels. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon topping while warm, or drizzle with syrup or Miel de Piloncillo. These can be frozen. Wrap separately in freezer bags.
  5. Defrost and place in a 350 F. oven for a few minutes to crips. (20 fritter)

PONCHE – Alcoholic or Nonalcoholic drink option

Ingredients:

  • 16 cups (1 gallon) water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 5 long tamarind pods, husks removed, and seeded
  • 8 ounces whole tejocotes or crab apples
  • 6 large guavas, peeled and diced
  • 2 medium red apples, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 medium pear, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 2 (4-inch) sugar cane sticks, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup pitted prunes
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 medium orange, sliced
  • 8 ounces chopped piloncillo, or 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • Brandy or tequila (1 ounce per cup of punch, optional)

Method:

  1. Place the water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, tamarind pods, and tejocotes or crab apples in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the tejocotes are soft, about 10 minutes.
  2. Remove the tejocotes or crab apples from the pot with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel, trim the ends, halve, and remove the seeds. Return the apple halves to the pot.
  3. Add the guavas, apples, pear, sugarcane, prunes, raisins, orange, and piloncillo. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
  4. To serve, ladle the punch into coffee cups or mugs, making sure each cup gets some chunks of fruit. If desired, add 1 ounce of brandy or tequila to each cup.

ATOLE CHAMPURRADO – Nonalcoholic drink option

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of milk
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 thick stick of Mexican Cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 (3 1/2 oz.)Tablet Mexican Chocolate like Taza
  • 6 oz. Piloncillo or organic whole cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup of corn flour

Method

  1. In a medium size pot, simmer the milk along with the piloncillo, cinnamon and chocolate until it dissolves. This will take about 6-8 minutes.
  2. Mix the corn flour with the 2 cups of water until all the lumps have dissolved. If needed, use a strainer to get a fine mixture.
  3. Add the corn flour mixture to the pot and stir. Keep simmering at low heat and keep stirring for about 8-10 more minutes until the chocolate has a light gravy consistency.

Article written by:
Humberto Zazueta Bugos
Bussiness owner/Food lover

Advertisements