12 Recipes for Festive Mexican Christmas Food
Mexican Christmas food spans enchiladas, pozole, tamales, and plenty of desserts. These are our favorite recipes for flavorful versions of those dishes from Mexican chefs, along with a few festive drinks. Start a tamale-making tradition, warm up with pozole, and enjoy saucy enchiladas.
Related: How Christmas Is Celebrated Around the World
Vegan Pozole Rojo
Traditional pozole typically contains chicken or pork, but this version from Edgar Castrejón subs in earthy oyster mushrooms for umami flavor and chew. Two types of chiles bring heat and vibrant color to the dish.
Banana Leaf-Wrapped Lamb Shank Tamales with Morita Chile Salsa
Cooking writer and cook Paola Brise?o González brings us these tamales filled with braised lamb and a cilantro-onion relish wrapped in aromatic banana leaves.
Oyster Mushroom Tamales with Mole Encacahuatado
Paola Brise?o González brings us this plant-forward tamale with roasted oyster mushrooms and a rich peanut mole, or mole encacahuatado.
No-Bake Vegetarian Enchiladas
These vegetarian enchiladas took inspiration from Josef Centeno's great-grandmother who raised 12 kids. It features a slow-cooked carrot sofrito, a smoky tomatillo salsa, and freshly fried tortillas,
Vanilla-Orange Flan
This citrusy flan from Chef Jose Garces' mother is served with a delicate melon-citrus salad.
Guava Ponche with Sweet Vermouth
So many bright seasonal fruits go into this vermouth-centered take on the spiced tropical fruit punch Ponche Navide?o. Hibiscus, guava, apples, and mint make for a gorgeous pink hue and a lovely floral, fruity flavor.
Coconut Arroz con Leche Tamales
These dessert tamales from Paola Brise?o González are filled with a slightly sweet coconut rice pudding. Cajeta or dulce de leche is drizzled over tamales for a buttery finish.
Mezcal Negroni
Yana Volfson's riff on the classic gin cocktail features mezcal for a robust, smoky flavor. Notes of citrus, herbs, and spices come through in this festive drink.
Pork and Chorizo Pozole
While traditional pozole is typically slow-cooked and elaborately prepared, this version from Chopped judge Aarón Sánchez calls upon pre-spiced fresh chorizo and pork cubes to cut back on prep and cook times.
Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce
Chef Aarón Sánchez reaches for store-bought red chile sauce and few other ingredients for enchiladas made at home. This classic dish can be cooked in 35 minutes with just 10 minutes of active time.
Mushroom-Chickpea Pozole
In chef Marcela Valladolid's vegetarian pozole, chickpeas stand in for the usual hominy and two types of mushrooms stand in for the meat.
Cinnamon-Sugar Churros with Cajeta
Claudette Zepeda offers pro tips for perfect churros, a crowd-pleasing dessert for any celebration.
For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Food & Wine.