Enchiladas Huastecas (Huasteca-Style Enchiladas with Cecina)

History & Origin

Enchiladas huastecas are a signature dish of the Huasteca region, spanning parts of San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Tamaulipas, Puebla and Querétaro. This region has a unique culinary tradition fusing indigenous Teenek and Nahua elements with Spanish cuisine. Huasteca enchiladas are distinguished by their ancho chilli sauce, giving them a deep dark-red colour and a mildly sweet, smoky flavour. They are filled with fresh cheese or chicken and accompanied by enchilada cecina, a dried salted beef seasoned with chilli and sun-dried. The Huasteca cecina differs from that of Yecapixtla: it is thinner and more heavily seasoned. The enchiladas are served with generous cream, crumbled fresh cheese and pickled red onion. In the markets of Ciudad Valles, Xilitla and Tamazunchale, they are sold from the morning with pot coffee.