Recipe of the Month: New Mexican Pinto Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tbsp garlic, finely minced
2 cups onions, coarsely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1-1/2 to 2 cups of fresh or well drained canned corn
1-1/2 teaspoon of dried Mexican oregano
1 dried chipotle pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into small pieces
4 cups of boiling water or stock

2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 to 2 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ripe avocado, diced or sliced
1 teaspoon of salt
Pepper to taste

Directions:

Drain and rinse the beans. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the cumin seed. Give them a quick stir and add the garlic and let it brown.

Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 1 minute. Add the beans, corn, oregano, chipotle, and water or stock.

Lock the lid and bring the pressure cooker to high. When high pressure is reached, lower the heat enough to maintain the pressure and cook for 8 minutes.

Release the pressure and remove the lid, pointing the lid away to release any excess steam. With a slotted spoon transfer 1 cup of the beans to a blender and puree with the tomato paste. Add back to the soup. Add cilantro, lime juice, avocado, salt, and pepper.

Enjoy!

National Tortilla Chip Day

My goodness, if you live in the Southwest, or anywhere in America for that matter, tortilla chips are a crunchy, delicious treat that should be on everybody’s favorite snack list.

Tortilla chips are made from corn tortillas cut into wedges and then fried to perfection. Light, crunchy and just salty enough, they consist of simple ingredients: corn, vegetable oil, salt, and water.

These delectable chips are the result of an unexpected, but brilliant, innovation by Rebecca Webb Carranza. During the 1940s, she and her husband ran a Mexican delicatessen and the El Zarape Tortilla Factory in Los Angeles. They were among the first to automate the production of tortillas. The machine often produced misshapen tortillas and Carranza decided to try and use them instead of throwing them away. She took the less-than-perfect tortillas, cut them into triangles and fried them up, selling them for a dime a bag. Carranza received a Golden Tortilla Award for her contribution to the Mexican food industry in 1994.

For decades, tortilla chips have been a nationwide sensation, served alongside salsa, chili, guacamole, and a variety of other appetizers. In fact, Nachos, which are tortilla chips topped with a variation of shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc. (said to have been created by Ignacia Anaya in 1943) account for 30% of all tortilla chips used in American restaurants.

The Doritos brand was the first toasted tortilla chip launched nationally in the U.S. in 1966. There are, however, many local brands, especially in the Southwest, that are considered to be “more authentic” and therefore more desirable for salsa and guacamole dipping.

Grab some of those delicious, crunchy tortillas and celebrate the day!

Recipe of the Month: Chile Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached bread flour
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red chile flakes, to taste
   
10 oz. flat beer
4 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz. grated Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Warm beer over low heat to 110° to 115° F. Transfer to large mixing bowl, add sugar and yeast. Cover bowl and place bowl in oven over pilot light to keep warm.

Proof the yeast: Let stand approximately 10 minutes. Foam should appear on top of the mixture. If any yeast granules are still present, return to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Once yeast is proofed, add the oil to the mixture. Gradually stir in flour and salt, mixing until dough becomes firm enough to knead. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Start adding cheese and red chile flakes, working them evenly into the dough as you knead.

When the cheese and red chile flakes have been incorporated into the dough, knead another 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Add small amounts of flour to the surface of the dough if it begins to stick. Note: Depending on the humidity and your altitude, you may need to use a little more flour.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with moist towel and set in a moderately cool place to rise slowly.

Note: Setting dough to rise in a warm place causes the dough to rise too quickly. This produces a bread with uneven, open texture and undeveloped flavor. I prefer to let dough rise in a cool place for several hours. This produces an evenly textured, deliciously flavored bread. The difference is remarkable!

Let rise for 2 hours or more, until the dough has doubled in size and does not spring back when pressed. Turn the dough out and knead briefly. Set aside to rise again. When dough has doubled in size again, turn it out, knead briefly and form into a round or oblong loaf. (You can also bake this bread in a cloche, which gives your bread the flavor and texture of having been baked in a brick oven.)

Place on a baking sheet or baking stone. Slash the top of the loaf. Bake at 350° for approximately 50 minutes until loaf is nicely browned and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. Remove loaf to cooling rack. Let cool almost completely before slicing, and completely before storing.

Enjoy!

For Authentic New Mexico Chile visit the Taos Unlimited Food Section

National Corn Chip Day

Let’s Celebrate Fritos and Frito Pie!

There’s no doubt that Fritos are the quintessential American corn chip. There is simply nothing quite like the tasty snack. In 1932, Elmer Doolin was so taken with the bag of corn chips served with his lunch in San Antonio, Texas, that he paid $100 for the recipe and started the Frito Corporation. His company refined the chips, mechanized the process, and then moved the company to Dallas to market the product. The new company was named the Frito Company and in 1961 it merged with the H. W. Lay Company to form the snack king corporation called Frito-Lay, Inc. Although there are many brands and types of chips, no one has been able to copy the distinctive taste, texture and crispness of Fritos. And so, when a recipe calls for Fritos, nothing else will do.

Original Fritos ingredients are limited to whole corn, corn oil and salt. Fritos are now made in the following varieties: Original, Barbecue, Chili Cheese, Flamin' Hot, Tangy Roasted Corn, Sabrositas (lime & chile), Scoops (wider chips intended for dipping), Pinch of Salt, Dirty Mexican Chicken, and Ranch Style.

The classic Frito pie is this: a single-serving bag of Fritos, opened lengthwise and topped with chili or chili beans, Velveeta cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. For the hearty, green chiles and/or jalapenos are added.

As to its true origin, some say Frito pie actually did get its start at the Woolworth’s on the Santa Fe Plaza in the 1960s, as a dish created by lunch counter worker, Teresa Hernandez. Corporate lore at Frito-Lay, however, claims that Daisy Dean Doolin, mother of the man who first bought the rights to market Fritos in 1932, not only perfected her son’s product, but also created the Frito pie recipe as a way to help market the corn chips. Regardless, this dish is extremely popular throughout the Southwest, especially Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. ~Jean

Taos A to Z Excerpt: Tamale

A tamale (in Spanish, “tamal”) is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of steam-cooked corn dough (masa) with or without a filling. The most common filling is pork, but chicken is also used, in either red or green salsa or mole. Tamales can also be filled with cheese, sliced chiles, or other ingredients. The tamale is wrapped in a corn husk before cooking. Tamales are a favorite dish in Mexico that take several hours to prepare and cook. In Northern New Mexican cities and towns, many locals market homemade tamales in shopping areas and supermarket parking lots. For those who love tamales, but don’t have the time or skill to prepare them, this is an easy way for them to enjoy the classic Mexican treat. ~Jean

Read more about Taos, Santa Fe, and Northern New Mexico on Taos A to Z

Recipe of the Month: Roast Pork with Sweet and Sour Chile Cilantro Sauce

Ingredients:

Pork Roast
1/3 cup coriander seeds
1-1/2 cups fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 lb. center-cut boneless pork loin roast, butterflied

Chile Cilantro Sauce
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup caribe (crushed New Mexico red chile flakes)
1 cup honey
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Pork Loin
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coarsely crush coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle or an electric coffee/spice grinder, then stir together with bread crumbs, oil, pepper, and salt in a small bowl.

Turn pork so a long side is closest to you and season with salt and pepper. Pat one third of seasoned crumbs onto pork, leaving a 2-inch border along top edge. Starting with side nearest you, roll meat into a cylinder and tie securely with kitchen string. Coat pork with remaining crumbs.

Roast pork on a rack in a roasting pan in middle of oven 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°F and roast until an instant-read thermometer diagonally inserted at least 2 inches into meat registers 155°F (approximately 1 to 1-1/4 hours more). Let pork stand, loosely covered for 10 minutes.

Make sauce while pork roasts:
Simmer bell pepper, caribe, honey, lime juice, and salt in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened or about 30 minutes. Cool sauce to warm or room temperature, then stir in cilantro just before serving.

Slice pork and serve with sauce.

Note: Sauce (without cilantro) may be made two days ahead and chilled, covered. Heat over low heat until warm and stir in cilantro.

Enjoy!

For Authentic New Mexico Chile visit the Taos Unlimited Food Section

Taos A to Z Excerpt: Cornbread

Definition: “A type of bread made from cornmeal and typically leavened without yeast.” Native Americans were using ground corn for cooking long before the European explorers arrived in the New World. The Native Americans learned early to dry and grind corn into corn meal, the basic component of cornbread. When mixed with eggs and corn flour, the easiest and simplest of cornbreads can be made. Thin, dense, and flat, it was a healthy food that could be transported long distances for months at a time. Cornbread was first discovered by Europeans during their exploration of North America. Europeans who had to use the local resources for food, fashioned cornmeal into cornbread. Cornbread was popular during the Civil War because it was very cheap and could be made in many different sizes and forms.

 

Cornbread is a common bread in United States cuisine, particularly associated with the South and the Southwest. It is often eaten with pinto beans or chili. Cornbread crumbs are also used in some poultry stuffings, with cornbread stuffing being closely associated with Thanksgiving Day turkeys. Some prefer a sweetened version of cornbread, while in the South and the Midwest, the sugar is left out and the cornbread is saltier. In Texas (and the Southwest), the Mexican influence has spawned a hearty cornbread made with fresh or creamed corn kernels, jalapeno peppers, and shredded cheese as a topping. Variations of cornbread include: hush puppies, corn pones, and johnnycakes. ~Jean

Read more about Taos, Santa Fe, and Northern New Mexico on Taos A to Z

Recipe of the Month: Pumpkin Empanadas

Ingredients:

For the Filling:
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger (optional)
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

For the Dough:
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 (1/2-oz.) packages dry yeast (4-1/2 teaspoons)
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour, divided in half
3/4 cup vegetable shortening

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix filling ingredients together and set aside.

Combine water, sugar, salt, yeast, baking powder, and cinnamon. Using an electric mixer, gradually blend in half of the flour. Add shortening and mix, then gradually blend in remaining flour.

Slap the dough balls between the palms of your well-floured hands until somewhat flattened, then roll out on a floured surface into circles approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Place about 1-1/2 tbsp. of pumpkin filling in the center of each circle, fold over and seal the edges.

Bake on a greased cookie sheet until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes (watch carefully as they can burn quickly).

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Month: Chile Rellenos

 

Ingredients:

6 Fresh green chiles of a mild variety such as Ancho, Pablano or Anaheim
1/2 pound Queso Blanco or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
(shredded spiced chicken may be used with or instead of the cheese)
1/4 cup flour
6 raw eggs (separated)
2 cups salsa verde and/or 2 cups Homestyle Salsa
1 cup vegetable oil, plus oil to coat chiles
Salt to taste   

Directions:

Rinse the chiles. Preheat oven to broil.

Coat chiles evenly with vegetable oil. Do not use olive oil, as it has a low smoke point. Place the chiles in a 9 x 14 baking dish and place on the top shelf of your oven.

Keep a close watch on the chiles. When the skins start to char and turn black in places, take the chiles out and flip them over. When both sides are fairly evenly charred, remove them from the oven.

Place chiles in a paper bag, roll the tip closed, and allow the chiles to steam. After a few minutes, check the skins. When the skin comes off easily, peel the chiles.

When the peppers are cool enough to handle, slit each pepper lengthwise. You may remove the stem or cut around it according to your preference. Remove the seeds and pulp, and with the back of your knife, gently scrape off any stray seeds which remain.

Fill the chiles. Fillings should be at room temperature or slightly chilled. If fillings are hot, the juices will flow out and cause the coating to slide off.

Use enough filling to stuff each chile relleno as completely as possible, but not so much that the seam won't hold together. Once the chiles are stuffed, you can set them aside for a few minutes or a few hours in the refrigerator.

Whip the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer, until stiff peaks have formed.

Heat the oil in a skillet until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into the pan.

Beat the egg yolks with one tablespoon flour and salt. Mix the yolks into egg whites and stir to a thick paste.

Roll the chiles in 1/4 cup flour and dip each one in the egg batter. Coat evenly. Fry, seam side down on both sides until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, heat the salsa in a medium saucepan (either one or some of each). Place one or two rellenos on each plate and pour salsa over them. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Purchase fresh or frozen flame-roasted New Mexico chiles

A Question of Taste: Chile Roasting Season

The New Mexico State Bird is the roadrunner. This little fellow is quite an amazing creature. One would expect that any flightless bird might become dinner for a rattlesnake, but the fact is that roadrunners kill and eat rattlesnakes. They are so fast, that they can pick a rattlesnake up by its tail and slam its head on the ground before the snake has a chance to strike. Quite a feat, I would say, and one which earns a real feast.

Which brings us to the New Mexico State Question. Now most states don’t have a state question, but this one is asked so frequently, the legislature had no choice but to adopt it. The question we would now ask the roadrunner is, “Red, or green?” No, we are not checking to see if the roadrunner is color blind, we are asking him what kind of chile he wants with that rattlesnake. And why not? New Mexicans put chile on almost everything.

Chile Rellenos are whole green chiles with eggs. Green chiles are heaped onto omelettes, burritos (of course!) and meats of all kinds, added to soups and stews, and in New Mexico, even McDonald's offers a chile burger. I once had a roommate who put green chile in tuna salad! Now red chiles are served as a sauce, and are not chunky like green chile. Contrary to popular opinion, red chile is not necessarily hotter than green, and in fact, the hottest chile pepper is green. In the mood for a mixture? Then your answer to the state question is “Christmas!”

The average New Mexican probably has a freezer loaded with chiles, or buys any of numerous brands of green chile refrigerated or frozen. And in their pantry is generally a variety of chile sauces. My favorite is chipotle, made from jalapenos specially roasted to develop a delicious smokey flavor. And then there's the hardcore chile addict, who has a year’s stash of the peppers roasted fresh annually.

Throughout New Mexico, supermarket parking lots are turned into chile roasting stations after the chile harvest. Green chiles are purchased in large burlap bags, and the chile lover takes his or her place in line to wait for their batch to be roasted. The aroma of chiles roasting can be smelled blocks from any supermarket, and for those who live in New Mexico towns, it is a constant for several weeks.

I remember sitting in a Taos supermarket parking lot a couple of years ago, waiting for my cousin to finish her shopping. I was parked just next to the chile roasting “paddock,” watching the ritual, and listening to the sounds of the tumbling chile roaster. Now, my cousin loves chile, but does not have enough room in her freezer to store it in such quantity, so freshly roasted, still-sweating chiles are generally not a staple at her house.

As a woman walked by with her chile stash, I asked her if they perhaps sold any smaller batches, explaining my cousin’s situation to her. Well, this kind soul became my cousin’s “Chile Angel,” offering to sell me a couple of gallon zip lock bags of the still-warm peppers for $2.00. I jumped at the chance, knowing I would be rewarded with a big smile on my cousin’s face when I told her the news. She made those chiles last (it was an amount that she could freeze), enjoying them in numerous dishes for most of the following year.

The subject of chile brings up so many questions, I’m going to write about them in ongoing blog entries... sort of a running FAQ. In the meantime, it’s time to make cornbread and chipotle pinto beans. ~Aimee

Recipe of the Month: Chilled Avocado Soup

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. and 1 tbsp. olive oil (used separately in preparation)
1 cup diced white onion
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt, for seasoning, plus 1 teaspoon
4 firm ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and mashed
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 cups water
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Mexican sour cream or creme fraiche, whisked to soften*
1 cup canned corn kernels, well drained
1/4 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 thinly sliced cucumber
1 shaved green onion

Directions:

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, chile and garlic, and cook until slightly soft, about 2 minutes.

Season with salt, to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Put the avocados in a large bowl. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, cilantro, onion mixture, and water. Add, in batches, to a blender and puree until smooth, straining each batch of puree into a large bowl. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of salt and the 1 teaspoon of pepper, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook until fragrant and golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and garnish each serving of soup with cucumber slices, sour cream, pan-roasted corn, and shaved green onions.

Enjoy!

Taos A to Z Excerpt: Fry Bread

An extremely popular Native American food, found throughout the United States, fry bread is a flat dough pan- or deep-fried in oil, shortening, or lard. The dough is generally leavened by yeast or baking powder. Topped with additions such as beans, ground beef, or shredded cheese, fry bread is then served as “Indian tacos” or “Navajo tacos.” Fry bread is also served sweet, with powdered sugar on top.

Some say that fry bread came from the time when about 8,000 of the Navajo people were imprisoned at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, during the 19th century. It is said that the Navajos were just given wheat flour and lard to eat, two commodities that were quite foreign to their bean and corn-based diets. Others say that the Navajo and folk of other tribes made the bread because they didn’t know what else to do with the government-granted wheat and fat they were provided on the reservations. Regardless, once you’ve tasted fry bread in any of its forms, you’ll want to come back for more! ~Jean

Read more about Taos, Santa Fe, and Northern New Mexico on Taos A to Z

Recipe of the Month: Southwestern Salad Bowl

Ingredients:

Mixed Greens
Handful of grape tomatoes
2 green onions, sliced
2 small baby bell peppers, red, yellow or orange, diced
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup fresh sweet corn kernels
1 tbsp. toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 tbsp. grated cotija cheese
A handful of tortilla strips

Directions:

Toss with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

1/2 cup virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. cider or rice vinegar    
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
Dash chipotle sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy!

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!

Recipe of the Month: Buttermilk Scones with Dark Chocolate Chunks and Pine Nuts

 

Pine Nuts, known as Piñon in New Mexico, is a nut which is harvested from the cones produced by the “State Tree” of the same name. These small, nearly conical shaped nuts are prized for their subtle piney and buttery flavor. Pine nuts from New Mexico trees have a richer butter flavor than those in neighboring states, but can be hard to come by, as New Mexico weather does not always cooperate to produce a harvest.

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/3 cup pine nuts, roasted on a baking sheet at 200 degrees until JUST golden

Cooking Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, sugar and salt.

Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Mix in the chocolate chunks and pine nuts evenly.

Add the buttermilk and stir just enough to moisten the dough, leaving small pockets of crumbled flour and butter unmixed. (DO NOT overmix. This, and a very hot oven, is the secret to great quick breads, scones and biscuits.)

Knead the dough 4 to 5 times and pat into a circle about 1-1/2 inches thick. Place the scones on a lightly floured baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden in color.

Cool a few minutes on a wire rack, otherwise the scones will crumble when you cut them. Serve with butter or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Have delicious pine nuts and dried fruit from Root Family Farms delivered right to your door!

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!