Las Cruces abounds with New Mexican food and the family traditions surrounding it all year round. But you can count on the Christmas season to bring out the best in both!

New Mexican food has its own place, between traditional Mexican food and Tex Mex, tending to be a blend of both northern Mexican cuisine and Pueblo Indian food.

As any true New Mexican knows, it’s all about the chile, the main ingredient in most dishes, whether served from Abuelita’s kitchen, or at the finest restaurant. Here in Las Cruces, we are lucky to have access to the famous Hatch Green Chiles that grow right here in our own backyard. We are not afraid to use them, mild, hot, or borderline atomic, on anything and everything. Whether you go “Red,” “Green” or “Christmas”, you know you’re New Mexico through and through when your food is smothered in the stuff.

Our locally grown chiles are the staple of our culture in these parts. They grow in our valleys, they adorn our homes, they complete our recipes, and they interweave family life and tradition in New Mexico.

If you’re ready to test your palate and sample the real deal, dining options in Las Cruces are seemingly endless. From traditional to fine cuisine, come and try them all! If you are lucky enough to have family and roots here in Las Cruces, your thoughts most certainly are on a traditional holiday celebration -- tamales, pozole, and everything in between.[minti_spacer ][vc_row bg_color="#51a031" top_padding="25" bottom_padding="25"]

Tamales, Pozole and Everything In Between

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Holidays are a time to cherish tradition, and nothing carries on tradition quite like family recipes prepared at home with love.

Traditional holiday meals in New Mexico and Mexico include a steaming pot of pozole, green chile chicken or red chile beef tamales, ponche and atole dulce. The preparation of the feast kicks off in the morning and usually lasts the entire day, along with the eating.[minti_spacer ][vc_row bg_color="#dd3333" top_padding="25" bottom_padding="25"]

Pozole

[minti_image img="20743"][vc_row top_padding="25"][minti_spacer ]Pozole stew (also spelled “posole” in certain areas) is the ultimate comfort food. It generally consists of pozole (hominy), pork, and red or green chiles, but like all New Mexican cuisine, most families have created their own variations.

Here we share the recipe for a traditional New Mexican Style Red Chile Posole courtesy of iamnewmexico.com.

Pozole Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ pounds dried hominy (posole), soaked overnight in cold water
  • 1 Red Chile Recipe
  • 2 pounds fresh pork belly, cut into 11/2 inch cubes
  • 2 pounds pork shoulder, not too lean, cut in 2-inch chunks
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped) (approximately 1/4 cup)
  • 2 cups finely diced white onion

PREPARATION

Soak posole for 24 hours. Transfer to large soup pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Let simmer briskly for 1 hour. Season pork belly and pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. After posole has cooked 1 hour, add pork shoulder, pork belly, onion, bay leaf, garlic, and cumin. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches, then return to a brisk simmer. While adding water occasionally and tasting broth for salt, simmer for about 2 1/2 hours more, until meat is tender and posole grains have softened and burst. Skim fat from surface of broth. Stir in 1-2 cups red chile and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.[minti_spacer ][vc_row bg_color="#dd3333" top_padding="25" bottom_padding="25"]

Tamales Rojos

[minti_image img="20745"][vc_row top_padding="25"]Tamales are a treat favored by most New Mexicans year round, but are especially enjoyed at the holiday table. Making tamales at Christmas is a tradition that has been observed and passed down for generations. They consist of a tube of “masa” (dough) made with dried corn kernels cooked in lime water with a filling of either beef, chicken or pork and red or green chiles. Tamale making starts early in the morning, and is likely to involve the entire family. Try this recipe to observe your own tradition, or to start a new one.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence on Food network 

New Mexican Beef Tamales

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds beef
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1 garlic bulb, cloves removed and peeled
  • 4 ounces dried New Mexico chilies
  • 2 ounces ancho chiles
  • 2 ounces pasilla chiles
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted
  • 1 tablespoons salt
  • 2 bags dried corn husks, about 3 dozen
  • 4 cups masa mix
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 cups reserved beef broth, warm
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening

PREPARATION

Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper then brown in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add enough water to cover the roast along with the 1 sliced onion and about 6 cloves of garlic. Cook until the meat is fork tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. When done, remove the roast to a platter to cool, reserve the beef broth. Hand shred the meat and set aside.

To prepare the sauce, remove the tops of the dried chilies and shake out most of the seeds. Place the chilies in a large stockpot and cover them with water. Add the cumin, remaining sliced onion and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes until the chiles are very soft. Transfer the chiles to a blender using tongs and add a ladle full of the chile water (it is best to do this in batches.) Puree the chiles until smooth. Pass the pureed chiles through a strainer to remove the remaining seeds and skins. Pour the chili sauce into a large bowl and add salt, stir to incorporate. Taste to check seasonings, add more if necessary. Add the shredded beef to the bowl of chili sauce, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use. Go through the dried cornhusks, separate them and discard the silk, be careful since the husks are fragile when dry. Soak them in a sink filled with warm water for 30 minutes to soften. In a deep bowl, combine the masa, baking powder, and salt. Pour the broth into the masa a little at a time, working it in with your fingers. In a small bowl, beat the vegetable shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa and beat until the dough has a spongy texture.

Rinse, drain, and dry the corn husks. Set them out on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel along with the bowls of masa dough and beef in chili sauce. Start with the largest husks because they are easier to roll. Lay the husk flat on a plate or in your hand with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon dipped in water. Do not use too much! Add about a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the masa. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.

Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.

The tamales are done when the inside pulls away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy. To serve, unfold the husk and spoon about a tablespoon of remaining beef filling on top.[minti_spacer ][vc_row top_padding="25"]New Mexican Red Chile Pork Tamales Recipe

Here we share the recipe for a traditional New Mexican Style Red Chile Posole courtesy of iamnewmexico.com.

New Mexican Red Chile Pork Tamales Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds pork shoulder roast
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1 garlic bulb, cloves removed and peeled
  • 4 ounces dried New Mexico chilies
  • 2 ounces ancho chiles
  • 2 ounces pasilla chiles
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted
  • 1 tablespoons salt
  • 2 bags dried corn husks, about 3 dozen
  • 4 cups masa mix
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 cups reserved beef broth, warm
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening

PREPARATION

Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper then brown in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add enough water to cover the roast along with the 1 sliced onion and about 6 cloves of garlic. Cook until the meat is fork tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. When done, remove the roast to a platter to cool, reserve the pork broth. Hand shred the meat and set aside.

To prepare the sauce, remove the tops of the dried chilies and shake out most of the seeds. Place the chilies in a large stockpot and cover them with water. Add the cumin, remaining sliced onion and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes until the chiles are very soft. Transfer the chiles to a blender using tongs and add a ladle full of the chile water (it is best to do this in batches.) Puree the chiles until smooth. Pass the pureed chiles through a strainer to remove the remaining seeds and skins. Pour the chili sauce into a large bowl and add salt, stir to incorporate. Taste to check seasonings, add more if necessary. Add the shredded pork to the bowl of chili sauce, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use. Go through the dried cornhusks, separate them and discard the silk, be careful since the husks are fragile when dry. Soak them in a sink filled with warm water for 30 minutes to soften. In a deep bowl, combine the masa, baking powder, and salt. Pour the broth into the masa a little at a time, working it in with your fingers. In a small bowl, beat the vegetable shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa and beat until the dough has a spongy texture.

Rinse, drain, and dry the corn husks. Set them out on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel along with the bowls of masa dough and beef in chili sauce. Start with the largest husks because they are easier to roll. Lay the husk flat on a plate or in your hand with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon dipped in water. Do not use too much! Add about a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the masa. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.

Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.

The tamales are done when the inside pulls away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy. To serve, unfold the husk and spoon about a tablespoon of remaining beef filling on top.[minti_spacer ][vc_row bg_color="#dd3333" top_padding="25" bottom_padding="25"]

Tamales de Dulce

[minti_image img="20747"][vc_row top_padding="25"]When making savory tamales, many families put aside a bit of masa to make Tamales de Dulce, or Sweet Tamales. Fillings vary from simple sugar to pineapple, raisins, dried fruits or jams. Tamales are a food made for celebration and a special holiday treat. Some dye their sweet tamales with a dash of food coloring. Regardless of your family’s own twist, tamales are a labor of love.

We share with you a recipe courtesy of iammexico.com

Tamales de Dulce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • Banana leaves
  • 1/2 cup rum
  • 1/2 cup dark raisins
  • 1/2 cup white raisins
  • 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

PREPARATION

Defrost the banana leaves overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, and cut off any hard sections or sections with holes. Cut the leaves into unbroken 12-inch pieces. If the leaves are pliable, proceed with recipe. If not, steam the banana leaves in the top of a double boiler until soft and pliable, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside until ready to assemble the tamales.

In a small saucepan, gently heat the rum. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with the warm rum. Let the raisins soak and absorb the rum while you prepare the masa filling.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the vegetable shortening until very light, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and half of the masa, and beat until combined. Mix the milk and coconut milk and add alternately with the remaining masa in several batches to the mixture until mixture is the consistency of medium-thick cake batter. Add baking powder, salt and cinnamon, and beat for 30 seconds. Add the melted butter and beat to incorporate, being careful not to overmix.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the masa batter into the center of a banana leaf. Place about 2 teaspoons of plumped raisins in the center. Fold 1 side over the batter, then the other to enclose the filling. Bring the bottom and the top over the filling to create a small package. Tie the tamale with a piece of string, and repeat with the remaining masa batter and filling.

Line a steamer insert with a layer of unused banana leaves. Lay the tamales in the lined steamer, and steam over simmering water until the tamales are cooked through and release easily from the banana leaf wrappers, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.[minti_spacer ][vc_row bg_color="#dd3333" top_padding="25" bottom_padding="25"]

Ponche Navideño - Christmas Punch

[minti_image img="20748"][vc_row top_padding="25"]Ponche Navideño is a hot punch that is served (with or without alcohol) during the holiday season, generally during Las Posadas. It’s often left simmering on the stovetop to release it’s fragrant blend of cinnamon, apples and sugar, offering the warmest of welcomes, especially on a chilly December night. Traditional ingredients are cinnamon, raw sugar cane, sugar cane sticks and seasonal fruits such as guavas, apples, pears and oranges. Some also add chamomile and other special family touches--the rum is up to you!

Recipe courtesy of mexicoinmykitchen.com

Ponche Navideño - Christmas Punch Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 quarts of water 1 gallon
  • 1 large piloncillo cone (or 12 oz. of brown sugar)
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 lb Tejocotes
  • 1½ Lb. guavas about 12 guavas
  • 3/4 cup prunes chopped
  • 1½ cup apples chopped
  • 1 cup pear chopped
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 3 sugar cane sticks, about 5-in. long cut into four pieces each
  • 1 cup of Tamarind pods peeled (or 1 cup of Hibiscus Flowers)
  • Rum to taste

PREPARATION

Place water in a large stockpot.

Add the piloncillo (or brown sugar) and cinnamon to cook for about 15 minutes. If you are using fresh Tejocotes, add them with the piloncillo and cinnamon, since they take longer to soften. Ponche Navideno

Add the chopped guavas, apples, and prunes along with the rest of the ingredients like the sugar cane sticks, tamarind pods or hibiscus flowers. If you are using the canned version of the tejocotes, then add them in this step.

Simmer for about 1 hour. Serve hot in mugs, ladling in some of the fruit and adding rum to your liking.[minti_spacer ][minti_image img="20749"][vc_row top_padding="25"]Ponche Navideño recipe courtesy of thekitchn.com

Ponche Navideño - Christmas Punch Recipe

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)

PREPARATION

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.

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.

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.

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.[minti_spacer ][vc_row bg_color="#dd3333" top_padding="25" bottom_padding="25"]

Atole Dulce

[minti_image img="20750"][vc_row top_padding="25"]This thick and delicious drink is served hot as the perfect accompaniment to a piece of sweet bread, or a spicy tamal. Typically it will include masa, cane sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and either chocolate or fruit. There are many, many regional variations.

Recipe for Dulce de Leche Atole courtesy of theothersideofthetortilla.com

Atole Dulce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 quarts of water 1 gallon
  • 1 large piloncillo cone (or 12 oz. of brown sugar)
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 lb Tejocotes
  • 1½ Lb. guavas about 12 guavas
  • 3/4 cup prunes chopped
  • 1½ cup apples chopped
  • 1 cup pear chopped
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 3 sugar cane sticks, about 5-in. long cut into four pieces each
  • 1 cup of Tamarind pods peeled (or 1 cup of Hibiscus Flowers)
  • Rum to taste

PREPARATION

Place water in a large stockpot.

Add the piloncillo (or brown sugar) and cinnamon to cook for about 15 minutes. If you are using fresh Tejocotes, add them with the piloncillo and cinnamon, since they take longer to soften. Ponche Navideno

Add the chopped guavas, apples, and prunes along with the rest of the ingredients like the sugar cane sticks, tamarind pods or hibiscus flowers. If you are using the canned version of the tejocotes, then add them in this step.

Simmer for about 1 hour. Serve hot in mugs, ladling in some of the fruit and adding rum to your liking.[minti_spacer ][vc_row bg_color="#51a031" top_padding="25" bottom_padding="25"]

Still haven’t checked off everyone on your Christmas Shopping list?

Come on down to the Food Truck Fiesta and see what our many vendors have to offer. Special Pricing for Kiddo shopping!

Shopping’s all done? Way to go! *High-five* Take some time out for you, you deserve it for getting that shopping done early! How about Christmas Carols and Luminarias at the Plaza in Old Mesilla or the Classic film, “White Christmas” at the Rio Grande?

There’s still time to soak up the magic of holiday lights. Visit the Best Christmas Displays in Las Cruces 2018 by using the online map or our Visit Las Cruces app to route you![minti_spacer ][minti_image img="20751"][minti_spacer ]

See the Full Christmas in Cruces Events Calendar Here

[minti_spacer ][minti_button link="https://www.lascrucescvb.org/christmas-in-cruces/" color="color-3" size="full"]View Complete Schedule[/minti_button]Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of event information. Visit Las Cruces assumes no responsibility for event errors, changes, or omissions.