A Mexican Christmas Menu

An appealing menu for the holidays, particularly for Christmas Eve dinner and the Christmas Day feast often include the following Mexican recipes. These offer beverages and desserts with a little zing in addition to traditional Christmas recipes and some from other Hispanic traditions.

• Christmas Eve Salad – Check the link for the delicious recipe. You can add other fruits to this dish if you like, in your own tradition.
• Chicken Vinaigrette
• Tamales – very popular in Northern Mexico with pork, chicken, beef or other meats, but enjoyed in many locales in that country, as well as Central and South America. We thank our Aztec and Mayan cousins for this. Click the link for a recipe.
• Portuguese Bacalhau – A nicely flavored mild fish dish.
• Mexican Rice – A type of fried rice in the Mexican tradition.
• Sweet Potato Turnovers – You will find this dish enjoyed in Portuguese homes as well. It can be used as a side dish, a dessert, or breakfast.
• Mexican Hot Chocolate – this beverage offers a touch of spice, but some restaurants are adding three types of ground hot peppers in small quantities to this drink and people are living it.
• Bizcochitos – spicy cookies

Portuguese Bacalhau

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pound of prepared of salt cod. You may find that this is packed in small wood crates.
• 6 Large potatoes
• 2 Large Spanish onions, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 Green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin sticks
• Olive Oil
• 4 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3 Hard cooked eggs, cooled and sliced

GARNISH

• Sliced black olives
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
• Juice of 1 lime

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
• Soak cod fish overnight in water and drain.
• Boil fish in a large pot of unsalted water 15 min. and drain.
• Flake the fish with a fork fish into a large bowl.
• Boil potatoes, then slice and set aside.
• Slice onion and peppers, crush the garlic and sauté all in olive oil until just soft.
• In large casserole dish with a lid, layer potatoes, fish, sliced eggs, vegetables.
• Sprinkle lime juice over the dish.
• Scatter olives, parsley, and some pepper on top.
• Sprinkle a small amount of olive oil over the top layer.
• Cover and bake 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• A large pot of boiling salted water
• 3 Bay leaves
• 12 peppercorns
• 1 Cup water
• Two 3-pounds broiler-fryers, cut up
• ¼ Cup yellow mustard and ½ Cup white vinegar
• 4 potatoes, peeled
• 2 pounds of tomatoes, peeled and sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 packaged box frozen peas, heated to a bright green color but not overcooked
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Leaf lettuce to line a platter

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place chicken parts in a large pot with 1 Cup water, the bay leaves, and peppercorns.
• Boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
• Mix together mustard and vinegar and add to the chicken pot. Add tomatoes and onions and simmer until done.
• Meanwhile, in the pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes 30 minutes and drain.
• On a platter lined with leaf lettuce, place chicken pieces. Top with tomatoes and onions. Cut potatoes in half and arrange next to chicken. Sprinkle peas and salt and pepper to taste over all and serve.

Mexican Rice

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup uncooked rice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Cups water
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
• ¼ Cup tomato sauce
• 1 Roma tomato, cut into 8ths
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 chili pepper, sliced lengthwise and seeded
• Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pour oil into a pot or large frying pan with lid and warm oil over medium heat; add rice and stir until brown.
• Add garlic and water, stir, and add all remaining ingredients.
• Blend well, cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Taste and re-season and serve.

Easy Lemon Sweet Potato Turnovers

Makes 24 turnovers

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

• Two 12 oz packages of frozen puff pastry – set out to defrost while preparing potatoes.
• Filling:
• 2 Pounds of sweet potatoes
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• Grated peel from 1 lemon
• 2/3 cup whole peeled almonds
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp anise extract
• 1 Large egg yolk
• Powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rinse sweet potatoes and place in a large pan of water; boil until fork tender. Drain and cool.
• Grate lemon zest onto a plate and grind almonds in a nut grinder or food processor.
• Separate the egg yolk into a bowl and save the white for something else.
• Peel potatoes by rubbing off skin. Cut into quarters in a mixing bowl and mash.
• Add lemon zest, ground almonds, cinnamon, and anise extract and mix well.
• Add sugar and mix again.
• Cut circles of dough 3 inches in diameter with a cookie cutter or a clean drinking glass.
• Place a Tbsp filling onto each circle, fold in half, and seal edges with a fork.
• Place turnovers on cookie sheet.
• Whisk the egg yolk and brush top of turnovers.
• Bake 15 minutes or to golden brown.
• Remove from oven and cool 5-10 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar.
• Serve warm. Easily reheated in a toaster oven.

Mexican Chocolate or Chocolate Caliente

INGREDIENTS

• 6 Cups whole milk
• 6 oz milk chocolate
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate
• ½ tsp Mexican vanilla
• ½ tsp cinnamon or to taste
• Heat milk over medium heat, and do not scald it.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Break all the chocolate into smaller pieces.
• As milk becomes very hot, add chocolate and keep stirring all the time until melted and blended. (If you want to add a small amount of your favorite hot pepper to this beverage, this is the point at which to do so.)
• Allow the drink to come to a slow boil.
• Quickly pour in vanilla and cinnamon.
• Beat the drink until foamy and serve at once.

Bizcochitos (Anise Cookies)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Cup lard or solid vegetable shortening
• ¾ Cup sugar
• 1 tsp anise seed
• 1 Large egg
• 1/4 Cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pre-heat oven to 325 degree F.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat lard, 2/3 Cup sugar and anise seed until fluffy.
• Beat in the egg, add orange juice and beat until well blended.
• Add all dry ingredients, mix well, and then vigorously beat.
• On a dinner plate, mix the rest of the sugar with the cinnamon.
• Divide dough in two ball.
• Pat down each dough ball on a floured surface and roll them out to 1/4" thickness.
• With floured cookie cutter or drinking glass lip, cut dough into circles or other shapes.
• Singly, dip the top of each cookie in sugar-spice, pressing gently.
• Place cookies sugar-side up, 1/2" apart on ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake cookies until edges look a golden brown.
• Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.