This pecan pie recipe is a little less sweet than most, so it works well with the added zest of the chile powder. If you can’t find Chimayo chile powder, just substitute any New Mexico red chile powder. If you only want a hint of heat, add 1 teaspoon. I usually add 2 teaspoons!
Potato pancakes, or latkes, are the most traditional dish that is served during Hanukkah. The texture varies, with some made with coarsely grated potatoes, some finely ground, and some are made with mashed potatoes. Adding ingredients such as herbs and vegetables is quite common, but these Southwestern ingredients are not. Traditional latkes are served with applesauce, but if you want to garnish these, try sour cream or Mexican crema.
This is my take on the popular Ensalada de Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Salad) that is served in Mexico. The jicama provides a nice crunchy texture to the salad, but if they are unavailable, use a crisp Granny Smith apple. For added color diced beets are sometimes added in the traditional salad. Pomegranates are in season this time of year, and the seeds add color as well as flavor to this holiday dish.
This particular version of sangrita, or “little bloody drink,” comes from Chapala, Mexico, where the bartenders have not succumbed to the temptation of adding tomato juice to this concoction, as the norteamericanos do. The bloody color comes from the grenadine, so this is truly a sweet heat drink that is also salty. Some people take a sip of tequila after each swallow of sangrita, while others mix one part tequila to four parts sangrita to make a cocktail.
Before you go on to another recipe, stop and give this a try! This is not the famed “traveling fruitcake” recipe—the the mythical fruitcake that never spoils and is never eaten! Nope, this is a green chile fruit cake, new and improved, and sassier than ever.
