Curious Facts

Chiles en nogada and other Mexican dishes with Spanish influence

By Adriana sanchez - 2020-07-31T16:22:49Z
Traditional Mexican food is so wonderful that it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, and besides being exquisite, it reflects the history that Mexico has gone through, from the pre-Hispanic era to the Spanish conquest, from which marvelous combinations known as mestizo dishes emerged. That is why today we are going to talk about the best Mexican dishes with Spanish influence. These mestizo dishes have their roots in pre-Hispanic cultures, which used typical ingredients like corn, pumpkin, epazote, avocados, chiles, or nopales and mixed them with Spanish products like garlic, some spices, or pork, thus forming a culinary synergy full of flavor and culture. Chiles en nogada The traditional Mexican food of the patriotic festivities is undoubtedly the tasty chile en nogada, made with Mexican ingredients like poblano chili but combined with Spanish ingredients, such as walnuts and pork, brought by the conquerors to our lands. Pozole It should not surprise us that Mexican pozole also has Spanish influence, since although cacahuazintle corn was a delicacy for rulers and priests in the pre-Hispanic era, pork from the Spaniards came to replace other ingredients, resulting in this wonderful stew that became popular in all the states of Mexico. Mole rojo The mole is one of the greatest examples of mestizo food because, although its most important ingredients are chiles and cacao, it is made with almonds, sesame, spices, and other elements brought from Spain. Barbacoa The arrival of ingredients from the Old World brought with it the importation of some cattle, goats, pigs, and lambs, which specifically the Tlaxcalteca culture knew how to take advantage of quite well by learning to wrap them in roasted maguey leaves and cook them in pits underground, resulting in the delicious barbacoa that no one can resist. Enchiladas Another versatile and very tasty dish with Spanish influence is the enchiladas, made with corn and endemic chili sauce and filled with meat or cheese, whose roots come from the Spanish garnishes brought by the conquerors. With these mestizo dishes, we can definitely say that Mexican cuisine would not be the same without the culinary heritage of Spain, do you agree?