Chile ropes, known as ristras, are found decorating everything from buildings to lamplights throughout Santa Fe, New Mexico. Photo by Jim Corbett
Each winter, I search for a place to warm up; a place with a cozy fire that provides heat and flavor, such as the fire that radiates from New Mexico’s famous chile peppers, both red and green, fresh and dried, particularly those grown in Hatch.
And the chile pepper is the designated state vegetable that defines New Mexican cuisine, especially in Santa Fe.
“There’s something addictive about our chiles. We New Mexicans have to have our ‘chile fix’ at least once a week,” said Ed Pulsifer, historian at Santa Fe’s legendary La Fonda on the Plaza hotel and restaurant. “No wonder we grow more chiles in New Mexico than any other state, and no surprise we consume 70% of the crop. We eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Our La Plazuela restaurant sells more Chile Rellenos than anything else on the menu.”
La Fonda’s executive chef Lane Warner’s recipe repertoire uses fresh and dried green and red chiles in countless dishes, many of which begin or end with green and red chile sauces. These sauces contribute the flash of heat and complex flavors in such signature dishes as Roasted Green Chile Corn Chowder, Red Chile Pork Tamales, Hatch Green Chile Cheeseburger and Chile Relleno con Huevos de Cualquier Estilo – dishes for which you’ll be asked how you prefer them sauced – green or red chile. I order like a local and ask for Christmas – sauced with a little green and red.
New Mexican chiles will vary in taste and heat, depending on the variety and where they’re grown. As a rule, New Mexico green chiles generally have a subtly sweet, spicy, smoky taste. Red chiles, which are green chiles that have ripened on the vine, offer an earthiness with the bite of a back heat.
When making a New Mexican chile pilgrimage plan, include the Santa Fe School of Cooking for a crash course on chile cooking. The combination school and culinary shop was established nearly 30 years ago, and offers weekly classes, many that focus on the joy of chiles.
“We love the fire, and here it’s all about the chile. That’s why we kept true to the chile tradition,” said Santa Fe School of Cooking chef, Lois Ellen Frank, who noted there are thousands of chile varieties.
She said the first rule of chile cooking is roast or toast to enhance the flavor. Toast dry chile pods in a dry skillet to bring out the flavor. Roast fresh chiles on a grill or in a heavy skillet. Roast until they char (blacken on both sides). After charring, place chiles in a plastic bag and allow them to sweat and cool. The skins will peel off easily.
Whether you’re in Santa Fe or not, New Mexican chiles provide the ultimate winter warm-up to place on a plate. To flame your passion for fire and the New Mexico’s chile culture, La Fonda and the Santa Fe School of Cooking have shared a couple of classic chile recipes that are guaranteed to help chase away winter’s chill.
Chile Rellenos (La Fonda On the Plaza)
8 Hatch green chiles, roasted and peeled
8 ounces Chihuahua cheese
8 ounces asadero cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half
Mix the cheeses and half-and-half together with a mixer until smooth. Place in a pastry bag fitted with a straight or star tip. Insert the tip of the pastry bag into the top of a roasted, peeled chile, pointing the tip toward the end, gently filling the chile with cheese. Be careful not to overfill, or the chile will break apart.
La Fonda Batter
7.5 ounces flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
12 ounces beer
1 egg
4 cups peanut oil, for frying
Mix dry ingredients together. Whisk in beer and egg until batter is smooth. Dust the stuffed chiles with flour and set aside. Heat oil to medium heat – about 350 F. Dip stuffed chiles into batter and gently slide them into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Plate and serve sauced with either red or green chile sauce. Makes eight servings.
Red Chile Sauce from Ground Chile (Santa Fe School of Cooking)
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
3 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup ground medium Chimayo or New Mexican red chile
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seed
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over a medium high heat, and sauté onion for a few minutes, until softened. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and chile, and whisk in water. Add the oregano and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until mixture has thickened. Season to taste with salt.
Note: Chile and specialty spices can be found online at santefeschoolofcooking.com.
