Category: recipe

  • Red Chile Stacked Enchiladas

    Red Chile Stacked Enchiladas

    If you have ever been through New Mexico, or at least been to a New Mexican restaurant, odds are you have had enchiladas. Red chile, green chile, chicken, cheese, beans, mushrooms, vegetarian or vegan, they are delicious any way they come. Personally, I like recommending red chile over green for enchiladas, because I think the textures match, and the sauce is also easier and less work to make. In fact, if you have a chile ristra hanging, you can just pull a few chile peppers off the bottom and make it like that. Ristras are food after all.

    Restaurant style enchiladas

    Typically if you go to a restaurant, you will be served rolled enchiladas. Rolled enchiladas are a delicious treat, but somewhat harder to make in a home kitchen. One reason is that restaurants often have more resilient corn tortillas, which haven’t cooled down yet. When corn tortillas cool down after being made from masa, certain oils retract, and leave the outer edges prone to cracking and breakage. Unless you plan to make your own corn tortillas, which are delicious, but also labor intensive, stacked enchiladas are a great way to go.

    Home-style stacked enchiladas

    Think about a stacked enchilada in a similar way to a lasagna. You want the same type of deep pan. From there, layer corn tortillas and red chile sauce, along with your other ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. If you are making a big, thick dish, cook it longer. That being said, this is an incredibly forgiving recipe. The corn tortillas will soak up the sauce, but not really get soggy. The water in the sauce also prevents it from really getting burned. If you cook it for an hour, you still won’t really destroy it. Because of that, have fun with it.

    Different ingredients to use

    As you can see, I have intentionally left the recipe very vague. With a red chile stacked enchilada, you will be working with a delicious New Mexico chile sauce, which works well with just about everything. If you like cheese, layer it in with the sauce when you are building your dish. The same goes with shredded chicken, pork, minced meat, or anything else. The main thing is to use meat that is in small and manageable pieces. If you use thick pieces of steak or chicken, then cutting through them will also end up destroying the structure of the enchilada. These things should be fork tender, so either use a tender pre cooked meat, or cut it into very small pieces.

    Vegetarian and vegan options

    If you are looking for a vegetarian way to make this dish, cheese and red chile has been a local classic for generations. You can also mix cheese with beans, mushrooms or other things. Mushrooms have a lot of water in them, so sauté them first in your favorite oil before building your enchiladas. Beans from a can typically have a good texture, but if you are cooking from dried beans, make sure they are nice and soft. Soak them, boil them, season them and give them a small mashing. It really helps bring the texture together with the corn tortillas. Nut based cheeses work pretty well in this dish, but an easy way to test is to simply mix a bit of your red chile sauce with the nut cheese. If it tastes nice, then it will be even nicer baked with some nice corn tortillas. I made a red chile hummus that was incredibly nice in this dish before. Something about sesame, cumin, and red chile really melded well together with the corn tortilla. Another nice idea is to use some chicos beans, just make sure they aren’t too wet!

    Final comments

    I worked a few years as a chef, but I never really blogged about it at the time. I know that my recipes aren’t terribly detailed, but I hope that you can take away some new techniques. I’ve always felt that rigid recipes mean boring food, and instead like to impart my cooking philosophy with what I write. This dish is one of the best ways to take a New Mexican classic and really make it your own. With red chile stacked enchiladas, you can take about an hour to make a meal for the whole family, and even have nice leftovers for lunch. It’s a classic soul food here, and I really hope you can share it with the people you love

    Be sure to check out our recipes section for more ideas about how to use New Mexico’s favorite food!

  • Jhett’s New Mexico Green Chile Recipe

    Jhett’s New Mexico Green Chile Recipe

    As enthusiasts from around the world gather for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, it’s the perfect time to celebrate with a local culinary favorite—the green chile sauce. Renowned for its unique flavor, roasted green chile holds a special place in New Mexican culture and has even spread its influence to places like Denver. Although you can make this recipe with frozen green chile, getting fresh roasted green chile during the chile season is ideal, as you can get exactly what heat level and flavor you are looking for.

    Today’s recipe is mostly vegetarian and easy to make entirely plant-based by simply omitting or replacing the chicken bouillon powder. As a testament to green chile’s versatility, feel free to personalize the level of heat and other flavors to your liking.

    Understanding Heat in Green Chile

    Before we begin crafting our sauce, let’s discuss the spice factor. Green chiles come in a range from mild to extra hot. By blending different heat levels of chile or by adjusting the use of seeds, you can achieve your desired level of spiciness. Remember, seeds maintain their heat even after cooking.

    For those handling hotter chiles, protective food preparation gloves are recommended. The capsaicin contained within can cause prolonged discomfort on your skin and can inadvertently spread, especially through frequent face touching. For gloveless preparation, regular handwashing with soap is imperative to avoid the potent sting of capsaicin. While unconventional, using vodka or olive oil could help in the removal process, soap and water remain the simplest and most hygienic solution.

    Vegetarian Green Chile Sauce Recipe

    With that guidance in hand, let’s get to the heart of our recipe.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb roasted green chile
    • 1 medium onion
    • 4 cloves of garlic
    • 1 medium ripe tomato
    • A strip or zest of lemon peel
    • Low sodium soup stock (You can use Knorr brand bouillon for adjustability; both chicken and vegetable flavors are suitable)
    • A small pinch of oregano
    • A tiny touch of nutmeg and cinnamon
    • Ground cumin (double the amount of coriander seeds used)
    • A dash of paprika
    • A couple of bay leaves
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Method:

    1. Preheat your broiler. This is essential for peeling the tomato later.
    2. While the broiler heats, finely dice your onion.
    3. Place the tomato under the broiler until the skin begins to split, showing hints of brown or blackened spots—about 10 to 15 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, chop the garlic—larger pieces to avoid burning, smaller for a stronger flavor—but watch carefully as it cooks.
    5. In a pan over medium heat with canola oil, season the onions with salt and pepper, cooking until translucent and just golden. Add the garlic and stir regularly to avoid charring.
    6. When the tomato is ready, set it aside to cool.

      Time for Green Chile:

    7. Wearing gloves, remove the stem and peel from the chiles. Slice them open, scrape out the seeds, and chop into small pieces.
    8. Add the prepared chile to the pan with the onion.
    9. Turn your attention back to the peeled tomato. Dice it and add the flesh and any juices to the pan. Slice the remaining core to salvage all tomato pieces, discard only the very center stem, and add everything to your pot.
    10. Let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally. Insert the bay leaves and lemon peel at this stage, allowing the flavors to meld over roughly 20 minutes.
    11. Begin seasoning with cumin, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, and paprika—spices can always be added, but never removed, so season with caution, tasting as you go.
    12. Once satisfied with the seasoning, turn off the heat and let the sauce sit for 10 minutes.
    13. Finally, remove the bay leaves and lemon peel. The flavors should now be perfectly married.

    The Final Touch:

    When seeking green chile or other related items, consider visiting my family business Farmers Chile Market. And if you have a beloved green chile recipe or adaptation, please share! I’m eager to hear how others enjoy this versatile ingredient.

    With your green chile sauce ready, it’s time to savor the rich, complex flavors that New Mexico has to offer, alongside the beauty of the Balloon Fiesta. Enjoy!

    Be sure to check out our recipes section for more ideas on how to cook with New Mexico’s favorite food!