Recipe of the Month: Black Bean and Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients:

4 cups ripe chopped tomatoes
1 16-oz. can of black beans, rinsed and well drained
1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned sweet corn, well drained
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon fire-roasted jalapenos (optional)
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3 to 4 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat the olive oil, add the corn, and salt to taste. Roast on medium high heat until corn starts crackling. NOTE: If using fresh corn, move onto step two and add the corn last.

Turn the heat down to medium low. Add the minced garlic and sauté just until aromatic, do not brown the garlic.

Add half the chopped tomatoes. Sauté a few minutes until the tomatoes have cooked down to half their volume, remove from heat.

Add the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir and cover. Let stand 30 minutes or refrigerate before serving.

Enjoy!

Taos A to Z Excerpt: Empanada

An empanada is a stuffed bread or pastry. The name comes from the Spanish verb “empanar,” meaning to wrap or coat in bread. An empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing. These delightful treats are either savory or sweet: the first being filled with meat, cheese or spinach; the later with pumpkin, yam, sweet potato, and cream, as well as a wide variety of fruit fillings. ~Jean

For more Taos A to Z, visit Taos Unlimited

Recipe of the Month: Green Chile Stew

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. cubed pork stew meat
1-1/2 large yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chopped, roasted green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (14-1/2 ounces)
2 yellow squash, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 cup fresh steamed, or frozen corn kernels
1 can pinto beans, drained (16 ounces)
1 cup tomatillo salsa
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt, pepper, paprika and chile powder, and add to pot. Cook until well-browned on all sides.

Remove browned pork and set aside. Lower heat to medium, and stir in the onion, garlic and squash. Cook and stir until the onion is soft and clear.

Return the pork to the pot, and stir in the green chiles, corn, diced tomatoes with juice, tomatillo salsa, and chicken broth. Add oregano and ground clove.

Raise heat to medium-high, and quickly bring a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, spoon off 2 cups of the soup, making certain it contains NO pork pieces, and pour into a blender.

Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree until smooth, then pour back into the cooking pot.

This is a good way to thicken the stew and eliminate some of the chunkier pieces.

Continue to simmer at least 30 minutes to one hour more, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender.

Serve with rice, beans and corn tortillas.

Enjoy!

Buy authentic New Mexico Green and Red Chile, Chile Sauces, and Salsas

Recipe of the Month: Green Chile Cornbread

Ingredients:

* 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. cornmeal
* 1 cup all purpose flour
* 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 tbsp. baking powder
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 2 eggs
* 1-3/4 cups milk
* 2 cups of chopped, roasted green chiles or 2 7-oz. cans of chopped green chiles
* 1 cup corn

Additions:

For an especially savory bread, add 3 slices bacon crumbled and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8 x 12 inch baking dish or a 10” to 12" cast iron skillet.

In a large bowl mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar. Beat the sour cream and eggs into the butter-sugar mixture. Add the milk and the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time, alternating wet/dry. Fold in the green chiles, corn, and shredded cheese. Do not over-mix. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 35 minutes, until top is browned, the center springs back when pressed down, and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool almost completely before serving.

Enjoy!