Our family is going "Mexican" for our Christmas lunch. Does anyone know what the Mexicans eat on Christmas Day?

It wouldn't be Christmas without the posole, start it the day before so it has plenty of cooking time. Serve with fresh flour tortillas, yumm! My DBIL's family is from Mexico and their menu usually consists of tamales, enchiladas (both red and green), posole (with the red chili sauce on the side for us wimps), pinto beans, rice, home-made flour tortillas, fresh fruit and sometimes a flan or cake.

1 comment

by pinon 12 Dec 2013

PS Seems like I'm forgetting things and also, this menu may be influenced by 2 generations in New Mexico. :)

tamales!

Mole. Very celebratory.

you have to have bunuelos Christmas day
Courtesy of Socorro Munoz Kimble & Irma Serrano Noriega

Recipe 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
Recipe Instructions:

In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.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.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. Drain on absorbent towels. Sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon topping while warm, or drizzle with one of the following syrups. These can be frozen. Wrap separately in freezer bags. Defrost and place in a 350 F. oven for a few minutes to crips.(20 fritter)

1 comment

by vickiannette 11 Dec 2013

Sincere thanks to you Maria. Great recipe. I shall use your method, but may have some fun trying to get the ingredients.

http://comidamexicana.about.com/o... there is another warm drink call "atole" they are about the same but you use cornstarch to make atole, it is like a liquid pudding or custard...delicious.

recipe for tamales (from facebook)
Ingredients:

Pork Filling:
2½ pounds boneless pork shoulder
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
7 garlic cloves
2 quarts warm water
½ bunch cilantro, rinsed
½ parsley, rinsed
8 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1 cubanelle pepper, halved, seeded
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 scallions
2 quarts warm water


For the Salsa
4 whole tomatillos, husks removed
1 tablespoon salt
5 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno, seedless, deveined
1 Serrano pepper, seedless, deveined
3 whole scallions
½ bunch of cilantro
1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chipped
3 sweet, small peppers
¼ green pepper, seedless, deveined, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces pork broth

For the Dough
1 pound instant corn masa flour (Maseca is a top brand)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
¼ pound (4 ounces) of vegetable shortening
4 cups of warm pork broth

Extra
22 corn husks
1 tablespoon olive oil

Special Equipment: Tamale steamer**

Directions:

1. For the Pork: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the corn husks. Cover, turn off the heat, and let the husks soak for ½ hour. Set aside.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a heavy pot and heat at medium-high. Add onion, garlic, meat, warm water, and the rest of the ingredients for the pork filling and let it come to a boil. Cover with a lid and gently simmer at medium heat for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.

3. Once the meat is tender, remove from the liquid and let it come to room temperature. Shred finely. Strain the broth and put aside.

4. For the Salsa: Blanch the tomatillos in boiling water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 1 minute. Drain and place the tomatillos in a blender. Add jalapeno, Serrano chili, and the sweet peppers and blend well.

5. Sautee onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add diced green pepper and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomatillo mixture to the pan and cook uncovered 13-15 minutes until it reduces by half.

6. For the Dough: In a big glass bowl, add the instant masa flour, baking powder, salt, and mix well. Add the shortening and mix by hand while slowly adding the pork broth. Knead until the dough is creamy and wet.

7. Take the corn husks, one at a time, spread 2 tablespoons of the dough in the center of the husk. Add 1 tablespoon of the salsa and a few strands of the shredded pork (if you add too much pork, the tamale will open while cooking). Fold the right side of the husk toward the center and repeat with the left side. Fold the tip upwards over the other 2 folds. Carefully place the tamales in the tamale steamer. Repeat this process until the tamale steamer is full.

8. Cook covered at medium-high heat for 50-60 minutes, making sure that there is always water at the bottom of the pot.

9. Remove and enjoy.


**The tamale steamer is designed as a tall metal bucket-like pot with a perforated metal divider that sits at the bottom to keep the tamales out of the hot water. The tamales are stacked upright inside the bucket

tamales

I'm with the rest...tamales are a holiday staple...families get together and make literally dozens of them for Christmas and New Year...it is a tradition that is passed down through generations...

1 comment

by vickiannette 11 Dec 2013

yes , think I shall try them. you never know, might become a hot favourite with us too.

Hi, Vicki! I'd go with tamales! Yum!

1 comment

by vickiannette 10 Dec 2013

Denise, I had a look at a recipe for Pork Tamales. I don't know whether I can make the exact dough recipe, but will try. They do sound very yummy.

MENODO!!! Plenty of it! Hahaha! and don't forget Flan. Hugs, Judy

4 comments

by vickiannette 10 Dec 2013

thank you, now all I need to know is....What is Menodo? Forgive me, I am an Australian!!

by mariahail 11 Dec 2013

Menudo is something you have to develop a taste for it, I so not like it, it is kind of and ugly part of the cows, sometimes if not properly done smells like...poo

by vickiannette 11 Dec 2013

think that we might give this one a miss!!! thankyou

by bevintex 11 Dec 2013

Menudo is supposed a good cure for a hangover,if you want authentic mexican tamales you have to buy a pigs head and boil the meat off. You can buy them and cows heads in the grocery stores here in Texas, I never have. lol
Bev

The menu varies, but mainly tamales, buenolos, champurrado

1 comment

by vickiannette 10 Dec 2013

thank you very much. I shall 'google' to find out how to make some of these dishes.