by Dave Dewitt
Harvested New Mexican chiles. Photograph by Jeff Gerlach. Used with permission.
In New Mexico, Arizona, California, and parts of Texas, the New Mexican cultivars are the principal chile peppers used in the American versions of Mexican cooking. Although the names of the dishes may be similar, the styles of cooking and tastes are quite different. In New Mexico, red or green chiles can appear in every meal and in every dish imaginable: drinks, salsas, sauces, salads, stews, roasts, casseroles, vegetables, dressings, candies, and desserts.
THE NUMEX CHILES
OF NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY
My good friend Harald Zoschke assembled this montage of chile cultivars developed by the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at NMSU.
1 NuMex Suave Orange and 2 NuMex Suave RedThese two mildly pungent habanero-type chiles were released in 2004.
3 NuMex MirasolReleased in 1993, this chile type is called ‘Mirasol’ because the fruits are erect and point to the sun. It is an ornamental; for instance, in the Southwestern United States, wreaths made with chiles are a popular tourist product.
4 NuMex Las Cruces CayenneThis is a high-yielding, high-heat cayenne pepper with a maturity similar to that of ‘Large Red Thick,’ an early maturing cayenne cultivar. Released in 2010, it helps farmers who supply cayenne mash to the Louisiana cayenne hot sauce manufacturers.
5 NuMex Heritage Big JimReleased in 2013, this cultivar has superior flavor, a uniform and higher heat level, greater plant and pod uniformity, and higher yield as compared with its earlier version. It is the largest NuMex chile cultivar grown in the state.
The Myth of Hatch Chiles
The mating of the words “Hatch” and “chile” first occurred publicly nearly 30 years ago when the village of Hatch launched the first Hatch Chile Festival. The second mating of the two words occurred when the Hatch Chile Company began producing and selling enchilada sauce under the trademark Hatch Chile Co.® in 1995. (Note: A prior usage connecting Hatch and processed jalapeño peppers under the trademark Hatch Select® first occurred in 1988.)
The constant linking of the two words “Hatch” and “chile” over nearly 30 years has led consumers to believe that there is a horticultural variety of unprocessed chiles known as Hatch. I’ve been asked repeatedly if I think that the best chile from New Mexico is the Hatch variety. I always reply that’s there’s no such thing as a Hatch chile.
I believe that “Hatch Chile” is now a marketing term for unprocessed chile peppers grown in New Mexico and should not be controlled by any particular organization byway of a certification mark.
NuMex chiles. Photograph by Harald Zoschke.
6 NuMex Heritage 6-4The name was chosen to distinguish the new selected cultivar from the original cultivar, ‘New Mexico No. 6-4’, while retaining its association. ‘NuMex Heritage 6-4’ has superior flavor compared with the originally grown, standard green chile pepper. This is the cultivar most commonly grown by farmers in New Mexico.
7 NuMex Orange SpiceReleased in 2015, ‘NuMex Lemon Spice,’ ‘NuMex Orange Spice,’ and ‘NuMex Pumpkin Spice’ jalapeños provide unique mature fruit colors—yellow, orange, and pumpkin orange, respectively—which are not currently available in any other jalapeño variety in the marketplace.
8 NuMex CentennialReleased in 1994 to honor the 100th-year anniversary of the university, ‘NuMex Centennial’ and 9 NuMex Twilight are piquin-type ornamental chiles. These compact plants were developed for growing in small containers, but they are suitable for cultivation in a formal garden bed.
10 NuMex Sunglois an ornamental de árbol–type chile. This chile is unique in providing a source, as well as alternative colors, for making mini-ristras and chile wreaths. It was released in 1991.
11 NuMex Bailey PiquinNew Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Breeding Program (CPBP) released this machine-harvestable piquin-type chile pepper in 1991. It was named in honor of Alton L. Bailey, New Mexico State University Extension Vegetable Specialist Emeritus, a valuable cooperator with the CPBP, who actively helped evaluate this selection.
12 NuMex PiñataThis jalapeño is unique in the range of colors it expresses during fruit ripening; it is the only known jalapeño cultivar that changes in color from light green to yellow to orange and finally to red as it ripens. That was the result of a spontaneous genetic mutation. It was released in 1998.
recipes
Chile Rellenos. Photo by Lauri Patterson. iStock.
CHILES RELLENOS CLÁSICOS (CLASSIC STUFFED CHILES)
yield
4 servings
heat scale
medium
The ‘Big Jim’ cultivar of New Mexican chile makes excellent chiles rellenos (stuffed chiles) because the pods are large and meaty, but any of the New Mexican varieties will work well in this recipe. Top these chiles rellenos with either a Classic New Mexico Green Chile Sauce or a Classic New Mexico Red Chile Sauce. Serve with shredded lettuce and guacamole, Spanish rice, and refried beans.
4
green New Mexican chiles, roasted, peeled, with stems left on
Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack, cut in sticks
Flour for dredging in a large bowl
3
eggs, separated
3
tablespoons flour
1
tablespoon water
¼
teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying
Chile sauce for topping
Make a slit in the side of each chile and stuff the chiles with the cheese sticks. Dredge the chiles in the flour.
Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
Beat the yolks with the water, flour, and salt until thick and creamy. Fold the yolks into the whites.
Dip the chiles in the mixture and fry in 2 to 3 inches of oil until they are a golden brown. Serve topped with the chile sauce.
CLASSIC NEW MEXICO RED CHILE SAUCE
yield
about 3 cups
heat scale
medium
This basic sauce can be used in any recipe calling for a red sauce—either traditional Mexican or New Southwestern versions of beans, tacos, tamales, and enchiladas.
10
to 12 dried whole red New Mexican chiles
1
large onion, chopped
3
cloves garlic, chopped
3
cups water
Place the chiles on a baking pan and put in a 250-degree F. oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chiles smell like they are toasted, taking care not to let them burn. Remove the stems and seeds and crumble them into a saucepan.
Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Puree the mixture in a blender until smooth and strain if necessary. If the sauce is too thin, place it back on the stove and simmer until it is reduced to the desired consistency.
LOUISIANA CRAWFISH BOIL
yield
8 to 10 servings
heat scale
medium
When our video crew traveled to Avery Island to shoot footage about Tabasco Sauce for Heat Up Your Life, Paul McIlhenny put us up at the Marsh House and personally prepared a crawfish boil for us in the backyard. If you can’t find crawfish, substitute shrimp or crab. (See the photo on page 102.)
10
gallons water
10
bay leaves
½
cup salt
¾
cup ground red chile pepper
¼
cup whole allspice
2
tablespoons mustard seeds
1
tablespoon coriander seeds
1
tablespoon dill seeds
1
tablespoon red pepper flakes
1
tablespoon black peppercorns
1
teaspoon whole cloves
4
large potatoes,
quartered
4
ears of corn, quartered
4
celery ribs, quartered
3
medium-size onions, halved
3
garlic bulbs, halved crosswise
5
pounds crawfish
Tabasco Sauce to taste
Bring the water to a boil in a 19-quart stockpot over high heat. Add bay leaves and all the ingredients, except the crawfish, to the water. Return to a rolling boil.
Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, 30 minutes.
Add the crawfish. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat; cook 5 minutes.
Remove stockpot from heat; let stand 30 minutes. (For spicier crawfish, let stand 45 minutes.)
Drain the crawfish. Serve on large platters or newspaper. Add Tabasco Sauce as needed.
CHILI QUEEN’S CHILI
yield
6 to 8 servings
heat scale
medium
According to legend, this is one of the San Antonio chili queens’ original recipes. Some changes have been made in order to take advantage of modern ingredients. Never cook beans with chiles and meat! Serve them as a separate dish if you must.
2
pounds beef shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1
pound pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Flour for dredging
¼
cup suet
¼
cup lard
1
quart water
4
ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped fine
1
serrano chile, stems and seeds removed, chopped fine
6
dried red chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped fine
3
medium onions, chopped
6
cloves garlic, minced
1
tablespoon cumin seeds, freshly ground
2
tablespoons Mexican oregano
Salt to taste
In a bowl, lightly flour the beef and pork cubes. Quickly cook them in the suet and pork fat, in a pot, stirring often. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until they are tender and limp. Add the water to the mixture and simmer for 1 hour.
Grind the chiles in a molcajete or blender. Add to the meat mixture. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 2 hours. Skim off the fat.
variations Spices such as cumin, coriander, and Mexican oregano may be added to taste. Some versions of this sauce call for the onion and garlic to be sautéed in lard—or vegetable oil, these days—before the chiles and water are added.
CLASSIC NEW MEXICO GREEN CHILE SAUCE
yield
about 2 cups
heat scale
medium
This all-purpose sauce recipe is from the southern part of New Mexico, where green chile is the number one food crop and is used more commonly than the red form. It is used with enchiladas and is often served over scrambled eggs.
1
small onion, chopped
2
cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2
tablespoons vegetable oil
6
green New Mexican chiles, roasted, peeled, seeds and stems removed, chopped
½
teaspoon ground cumin
2
cups chicken broth or water
In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil until soft.
Add the chile, cumin, and water, and simmer for 1/2 hour. The sauce may be pureed in a blender to the desired consistency.
variations To thicken the sauce, make a roux by sautéing 1 tablespoon flour in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, taking care not to let it burn. Slowly stir the roux into the sauce and cook to the desired thickness. Ground coriander and Mexican oregano may be added to taste. For added heat, add more New Mexican chiles or a serrano or two.
GREEN CORN TAMALES
yield
20 or more tamales
heat scale
mild
The “green” in this favorite Arizona tamal refers both to the green chiles and the fresh, or “green,” corn used in the filling. Tamales are usually a seasonal dish that is prepared in the summer and early fall, when fresh corn is available. This recipe is from Poncho’s on South Central in Phoenix and is delicious as a side dish.
3
cups corn masa
¾
cup lard or shortening
½
teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 ½
cups green chile cut into thin strips
1 ½
cups grated longhorn cheese
3
cups freshly cooked white corn, pureed in a blender
20
or more corn husks, rinsed
In a bowl, combine the masa, lard, baking powder, and salt, and thoroughly mix until the dough is very fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients except the corn husks and mix again, taking care not to crush the chile strips. Let the mixture sit for at least 10 minutes.
Place a large spoonful of the mixture on a corn husk, roll up, and tie each end in a bow with a thin sliver of corn husk.
Place the tamales in a steamer and steam over medium heat for about an hour.
To serve, place the tamales on a plate and allow the guests to unwrap their own.
Chile greenhouse of the late Mario Dadomo at the Azienda Agraria Sperimentale Stuard in Parma, Italy. Photograph by Dave DeWitt.
five
PAPRIKA AND EUROPE
Shortly after Christopher Columbus brought back the first chile pods with seeds from the West Indies on his second voyage, the word was out about the pungent pods. Peter Martyr, a cleric in the service of the Spanish court at Barcelona, wrote in 1493 that the new hot pepper was called “caribe, meaning sharp and strong,” and that “when it is used, there is no need of black pepper.” From that point on, chiles spread like wildfire across the globe.
At any time after 1493, chile seeds from the West Indies were available to the Spanish and Portuguese for transmittal to ports anywhere along their trade routes. Spanish and Portuguese ships returning home were not only loaded with gold and silver; they also carried packets of the seeds of the New World plants that were destined for monastery gardens. Monks and amateur botanists carefully cultivated the capsicums and provided seeds to other collectors in Europe.
In 1494, papal bulls of demarcation divided the world into Spanish and Portuguese spheres of influence; Portugal controlled Africa and Brazil, while Spain effectively ruled the remainder of the colonies of the New World. Thus Spanish and Portuguese traders, setting out from both the Iberian Peninsula and the major colonies of these two nations, used their extensive trade routes to spread chiles throughout the Eastern Hemisphere.
IN SEARCH OF A EUROPEAN CHILE CUISINE
Considering the fact that chiles arrived so early in Spain and Portugal, it is something of a mystery that these countries never became hotbeds of fiery cuisines. Why did Spaniards and Portuguese in the New World fall in love with chiles while their countrymen back home virtually ignored them? The most probable answer is that the colonists were literally inundated by chiles and chile dishes; in Spain and Portugal the seeds were scarce, the pods were rare and exotic, and cultivation was not extensive.
Although the Spanish and Portuguese never embraced chiles with the fervor of other cultures, a few fiery foods caught on and are still served today on the Iberian Peninsula. The spicy Spanish paprika called pimentón picante is the foundation of many of the spicy foods of Spain. Food historian Sharon Hudgins notes: “In 1893, when the Spanish gastronome Ángel Muro published his first edition of El practicón—Spain’s nineteenth-century equivalent of The Joy of Cooking—he referred to both sweet and hot pimentón. Muro claimed that paprika had ‘become, for almost all the inhabitants of Spain, but primarily for those of [the regio
n of] Old Castile, an article of prime necessity, like salt and vinegar.’ He went on to say that in Old Castile ‘not a single food is put on the table that is not seasoned with sweet or hot paprika.’ He also pointed out that large amounts of paprika were consumed in the region of Extremadura, not only as an ingredient in cooked dishes but also as an element in preserving the many types of chorizos (pork sausages) produced in that part of Spain.”