Venezuelan chef Jesús Díaz shares a foolproof recipe for St. Jude families and others to celebrate Las Posadas in the United States
A holiday dish that combines tradition and practicality, offering an explosion of flavor and color for Christmas celebrations.
December 13, 2024 • 2 min
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For the Latino community in the United States, Christmas is a time to gather with loved ones and keep alive the traditions of their countries of origin.
Among the traditions that bring families together during the end of year holiday season is Las Posadas. The Spanish words “las posadas” translates to “inns” or “lodgings.” Those words sometimes are used to refer to the celebration that commemorates the journey of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter before the birth of Jesus.
The nine-day celebration starts in mid-December and runs through Christmas Eve. Celebrations vary from family to family, but they may include attending mass or saying prayers, as well as celebrating with piñatas and eating special foods, which are chosen depending on the family’s Latin American roots.
The kitchen is usually the center of activity.
“I believe that we Latinos consider the kitchen as the main focus of the house,” said Jesús Díaz, better known as “Chef Yisus,” an award-winning chef, author and TV personality. “It becomes the epicenter of family activity, intensifying its importance, because one of the most cherished traditions is cooking together.”
This year, Jesús visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and met two Hispanic families whose children are patients there. They discussed their year-end traditions and shared ideas on preserving the taste of home in their cooking, even from afar, emphasizing the importance of doing it as a family. For Jesús, the blend of spices and delightful aromas not only creates traditional festive dishes but also evokes unforgettable memories.
His favorite dish for this season? Hallacas.
The Venezuelan dish, which takes hours to prepare, is made of corn dough stuffed with stew, raisins and olives and wrapped in banana leaves.
And even though he enjoys hallacas, Jesús recommends a simpler dish that is still representative of the celebration of Las Posadas as well as filling.
“I think we must go with rice because it always saves us, right? And everyone will like it, and it also fills you up because it yields a lot of portions,” he said.
Recipe: Arroz Navideño
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of rice
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup of chopped green olives
- 1/4 cup of capers
- 1/2 cup of raisins
- 1 cup of cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 cup of cooked and shredded pork
- 1/2 cup of chopped ham
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric (to give it the yellow color)
Instructions:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper, and sauté until tender.
- Add the rice and turmeric and mix well so the rice absorbs the yellow color.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.
- Stir in the olives, capers, raisins, chicken, pork and ham. Mix all the ingredients well.
- Cook on low heat for a few more minutes until everything is well heated and the flavors have blended.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
