Recipe: New Mexico Green Chile Sauce

So I realized I actually do have a few recipes to share that I've neglected to post here. I keep some of this around AT ALL TIMES and I put it on virtually everything I eat. Everything. To be honest, I have no idea how much oregano and cumin I put in this because I've never actually measured it. This recipe is just my best approximation. I believe I've mentioned before that green chile will cure pretty much any illness (well... maybe not an upset stomach. But it's great for colds, flu, etc.)

My father has the Pasquale's restaurant cookbook, and it turns out their green chile recipe is remarkably similar to mine. (But mine is better than the one in their cookbook, imho.)

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. olive oil (add more if needed)
1/2 a large white or yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp. flour
28-32 oz. chopped New Mexico green chiles*
2 cups vegetable stock
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
dash crushed red pepper flakes

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until almost translucent. Add garlic and continue to sauté until golden brown. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds. Add green chile, vegetable stock, salt, oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

*Yes, I DO mean New Mexico green chiles. New Mexico green chiles are a unique variety that aren't grown anywhere else. If you live in the vicinity of New Mexico there's a good chance you can find frozen green chile in your local grocery stores - check Whole Foods if you can't find it elsewhere. The farther you get from New Mexico the harder it is to find, but you CAN get canned green chiles in unexpected places.

Recipe: New Mexico Green Chile Stew

Okay, a few months ago I had a friend ask me what vegetarians eat when they have a cold, since they can't eat chicken soup. The answer: THIS. It's the best. Seriously. I made this on Saturday because everyone in my house is crazy sick right now - I have this obnoxiously persistent head cold, my sister has walking pneumonia, and my mother seems to have whooping cough or something because her coughing is keeping me up at night. Anyway, we were sick and I was homesick for New Mexico, so I made a big pot of this, and it was delicious. If you don't like tofu in soups or just don't want tofu in THIS soup, you can leave out the tofu and add an extra can of pinto beans.

Ingredients:


2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. extra firm tofu, drained and cut into bite size cubes
4 Tbsp flour
32 oz. vegetable stock
28 oz. chopped New Mexico green chile
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 large carrot, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 small potatoes, diced
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
dash Tabasco sauce

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sautee until onions are translucent. Add tofu and saute about 2 minutes, adding more olive oil if necessary. Add flour and stir well. When the tofu and onions are evenly coated with flour, add vegetable stock and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer at least 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. I prefer to let it simmer at least an hour and a half or so. Serve with tortillas, biscuits, or bread - or top with crumbled tortilla chips.


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