The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #110928   Message #2333562
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
05-May-08 - 05:08 PM
Thread Name: BS: Baked beans
Subject: RE: BS: Baked beans
We can buy pure New Mexico red chile powder at a couple of specialty stores here, and it is very good, but we get pure authentic Chimayo chile powder by mail order. We have never used any 'mix.' Added spices are oregano (we grow and dry our own, does well here in cold Alberta), and cumin.
Chimayo chile is only medium hot and has a good odor and flavor.

Good sources-
Galeria Ortega, P.O. Box 434, Chimayo, NM.
www.galeriarortega.com
12oz. Chimayo chile powder $5.95 US

Native Hispanic Institute
P. O. Box 5527
Santa Fe, NM 87502-5527
nhi@mindspring.com
Their website is interesting-
www.nativehispanic.com

Here is a simple chile with meat recipe from Erna Ferguson's classic "Mexican Cookbook" (Univ. New Mexico Press) which has mostly northern New Mexico recipes.

CHILE CON CARNE

2 pounds beef, cubed
1 pound fresh pork, cubed
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons dripping, lard, etc. (olive oil good)
3 bay leaves
Tomatoes, 1 large can
1 large onion, chopped
6 tablespoons chile powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon salt (we use less)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 pint ripe olives (optional)

Brown onion and garlic in oil. Mix chile powder with 1 tablespoon flour, and stir into the oil in which the onion and garlic were browned. Add meat (we brown the meat in the oil). Cover and steam* thoroughly. Rub tomatoes through a colander (we just chop), add to meat, stir in chile and cook for 20 minutes. Add seasonings and cook slowly for two hours.
(Optional) cut olives from the pits, add and cook for another 1/2 hour.
(*We don't 'Steam.' After the first 20 minutes of cooking we reduce the temperature and slow cook until the meat is tender.

Periodically the supermarkets here put high quality beef roasts on sale; we cut into pieces and freeze until we are ready to make stews, chile con carne, pot pies, etc.

Serve chile con carne with frijoles. We use pinto beans usually, slow cooked with cut-up cured ham and a pinch of oregano. Tepary beans are excellent with chile also.