Poblano Chile

This Mexican take on gazpacho has a little bit of crunch, thanks to pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Arrachera (skirt steak) is one of the most popular grilled meats in the Yucatán— served sizzling hot off the steel-drum grills of street vendors and at restaurants like La Parrilla in Cancuún.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and purchased tomatillo or tomato salsa mixed with some chopped fresh cilantro.

Set out all of the components of this fun and delicious dish and allow guests to add their own toppings. Because the chili is meatless, the vegetarians in the crowd can also enjoy this meal by simply omitting the crispy cubed-pork topping.

This soup, served hot in a shot glass, is wonderfully warming, and the spicy heat from the chiles will wake up your taste buds. It's a great way to kick-start some festive conversation.

This sweet and spicy salsa takes the place of the more traditional cranberry sauce. To retain the peppers' subtle smokiness, avoid rinsing them after they've been peeled. Instead, dip your fingers in a small bowl of water to help remove any clingy seeds or skin.

Tamales—meat or vegetable fillings surrounded by masa dough and steamed in softened corn-husk packets—are a Latin American staple, and this rendition cleverly showcases corn in three distinct forms. Kernels of fresh sweet corn brighten up a dough made from corn tortilla flour. (Adding cornmeal to store-bought masa flour helps mimic the texture of fresh tamale dough, a trick we picked up from Magda Bogin at the Cocinar Mexicano cooking school in the town of Tepoztlán.) Poblano chiles add a touch of heat, but it's the time on the grill that gives the tamales real fire. The husks develop a light char, and the smoky flavor penetrates the tamale, accenting the corn in all its dimensions beautifully.

These easy enchiladas have a bright, lively flavor thanks to lots of tomatillos, fresh herbs, and two kinds of chiles.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art, by Tom Gilliland, Miguel Ravago, and Virginia B. Wood. Chef Miguel Ravago also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. This delicate soufflélike dish, the Mexican counterpart to the spoon bread of the American South, is invariably the most popular dish on the Hacienda Sunday Brunch Buffet. It is especially good served with grilled meats, ham, or turkey in mole.

This comforting side would also be great for brunch.

This succulent cut, made from two pork loins bound together, makes a princely vessel for spicy corn bread poblano stuffing. To prevent your pork from cooking unevenly, cook the stuffing separately, and fill the crown just before serving.

Try this Mexican-inspired quiche for brunch, lunch, or dinner—it’s good anytime of day!

Flavorful pork shoulder, along with fruit—dried and fresh, the perfect fall combination—stuff these chiles en nogada.

A slightly firm, mellow triple-crème, Mt. Tam cheese softens into this stew but doesn't melt. We like to add a little extra Sherry just before serving.

This colorful side dish gets a hint of heat from roasted poblano chiles. Its bold flavors make it a great accompaniment to grilled meats.

Macarrones con Crema y Queso Poblano and serrano chiles give a mild kick to this cheesy Mexican pasta.