BY Marcella Echavarria | February 16, 2012

The cultural heritage of New Mexican cuisine

Creativity and versatility are two of the main attributes of New Mexican Cuisine. “With corn, for example, we make corn tortillas, tamales, posole and use fresh corn in calabacitas, a vegetable side dish”, explains Nicole Curtis Ammerman, director of the Santa Fe School of Cooking. This versatility is the result of a very rich cultural heritage: Spanish, Native American and Anglo. When the Spaniards came in 1598 they brought with them livestock and grains and meat was introduced. Lamb is the most traditional meat but today, pork, beef and chicken are more popular.

Chiles grow in many places but the land and climate in New Mexico gives New Mexican chiles a distinctive flavor. There are hundreds of varieties of red and green chiles that are the base for red and green sauces that go on huevos rancheros, enchiladas, or burritos. Also, there are still a few farmers that use the old style of processing local foods.  For example there is a very unique corn product called chicos, which are young, sweet corns toasted in horno ovens or outdoor mud ovens.   Posole, similar to hominy, is a corn product that is treated in the mineral lime.  In some of the small villages in northern New Mexico one can still see the cages with drying racks for the posole to be put on while it dries.

Even though, New Mexico has a fragment of the diversity of Mexican cuisine, it has the versatility and the richness of three very distinctive influences and the specific characteristics of a land that produces unique chiles. The Santa Fe School of Cooking, founded 22 years ago by Susan Curtis, has as its mission to celebrate New Mexico food, farming, and culinary traditions. The school has been purchasing their herbs, posole, blue corn meal and chile from the same farmers always.  The most popular classes are the traditional New Mexican, but they also offer Mexican, Spanish, Native American and contemporary Southwestern.  In every class, the first thing is to establish a sense of place and talk about what makes New Mexico so special and unique.  They do demonstration style classes, hands-on classes and restaurant walking tours where groups go out to meet some of Santa Fe’s great chefs.   According to the director of the school, Nicole Curtis Ammerman, the main role of the school is “supporting our small, local farmers and sharing their stories and food traditions is very important”.

New Mexican Fiesta
Recipes from the Santa Fe School of Cooking

Corn Tortillas

• 2 c. masa harina
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1-1/3 c. (approximately) warm water
•  

Combine the dry ingredients in medium bowl and slowly add the water, stirring with a fork until the dough comes together into a ball. Knead the dough several times and roll into log shape (like ice box cookies) about 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and let stand for about 30 minutes.

Preheat a cast iron comal, skillet or griddle over medium-high. Cut the log into 1/2-inch rounds, keeping it covered so the dough doesn't dry out. Place 1 round between 2 sheets of plastic in a tortilla press and flatten to about 1/16 inch. Pull off the plastic and place the tortilla in the preheated pan. Cook about 1 minute, until light brown speckles appear. Flip the tortilla and cook 30 seconds, pressing down on the tortilla with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining rounds. As the tortillas are cooked, stack in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Serve immediately.

Makes about 16 four-inch tortillas

Note: This recipe may also be made in a food processor. Place the dry ingredients in the workbowl fitted with a steel blade. With the processor running slowly pour the warm water through the feed tube and process until the dough forms a ball. Proceed as directed above.

Green Chile Sauce

• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 to 3 t. minced garlic, to taste
• 1 to 2 T. flour
• 2/3 c. mild roasted, peeled, chopped New Mexico
• green chile
• 2/3 c. hot roasted, peeled, chopped New Mexico green chile
• freshly ground coriander seed to taste, optional
• 1-1/2 c. chicken stock
• salt to taste
•  

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onion until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 2 minutes more. Stir in the flour. Add the green chile, coriander seed (optional) and slowly stir in the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

Optional seasonings: diced tomato, fresh cilantro.

Red Chile Sauce from Ground Chile

• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1/2 c. finely diced onion
• 2 to 3 t. minced garlic:
• 2 T. all purpose flour
• 1/2 c. pure ground medium Chimayo red chile
• 2-1/2 c. water
• 1 t. dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 t. freshly ground cumin seed
• salt to taste
•  

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté 2 minutes more. Stir in the flour, the chile and slowly add the water, whisking to break up any lumps in the chile. Add the oregano and the cumin, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Season with salt to taste.

Makes about 3 cups

Optional seasonings: freshly ground coriander seed, Mexican oregano.

Calabacitas

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 1/2 cups diced yellow summer squash
• 2 1/2 cups diced green zucchini squash
• 3/4 cup (1 bunch) finely chopped green onions
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup mild roasted, peeled and chopped green chile
• 1/2 cup hot roasted, peeled and chopped green chile
• 1 cup diced, ripe Roma (Italian plum) tomatoes
• 1/2 cup (packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt to taste
•  

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet, and saute the onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add the diced squash and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the green onion, corn and green chile and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in the diced tomato and cilantro, and heat through. Season with salt to taste and serve.

Serves 8 (Makes about 6 cups)

Note: After the first 5 minutes of sauteing, its possible to hold, add the green onions, corn and green chile and reheat to finish the cookin

Black Bean Soup

• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 t. dried
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 t. dried
• 2 t. dried Mexican oregano
• 1 T. epazote
• 1/4 c. canola or olive oil
• 3 to 4 dried chiles de arbol, chipotles, moritas or
• 2 t. chile caribe
• 2 c. chopped white onion
• 2 t. minced garlic
• 1 lb. smoked pork shanks
• 2 t. ground toasted cumin seed
• 2 t. ground toasted coriander seed
• 1 t. ground canela
• 1/8 t. ground cloves or allspice
• 1 lb. dried black turtle beans, picked over and soaked
• overnight in water to cover
• 8 to 10 c. chicken broth
• 2 to 3 t. Sherry vinegar
• 1 to 2 t. coarse salt, or to taste
• 1/4 c. finely diced red onion
• 1/2 c. sour cream
•  

Tie the fresh herbs into a bundle with kitchen string. If using dried herbs, rub them between your hands to crumble.

Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high and sauté the chiles for 30 seconds or until toasted but not burned. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the pork, the herbs and the spices. Stir in beans and 8 c. of the broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are soft.

Add the vinegar and salt, and simmer the soup an additional 30 minutes. Remove the pork shanks and the herb bundle. Remove the chiles if desired. Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with red onion and sour cream.

Serves 6 to 8

For more information about the Santa Fe School of Cooking, please visit, www.santafeschoolofcooking.com.