chile fix
hav e y our own fi rsthand experi ence w i t h N ew M ex ico’s secret cul i nary weapo n It’s been well documented in the media, including on food TV: The Land of Enchantment enchants with its chile. Having being savored and coveted by countless fans for years, the nationwide love affair with the fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) continues to grow. (Can world domination be far behind?) Given the early and bumper crops of green chile this past season, aficionados have no doubt filled their freezers with bags of the fiery stuff and are prepared to satisfy their cravings throughout the winter. As fall approaches, we find that the ruby red version pops up everywhere. (Red chile is simply the ripened version of the green.) Santa Fe chefs love to cook with chile—a requisite ingredient that locals demand and curious tourists come in search of, wondering what all the fuss is about. The five restaurants below are just a few that put their chiles where their mouths are, with must-try dishes made even
The chile relleno at Joseph’s of Santa Fe features a New Mexico green chile stuffed with melting asadero and Cotija cheeses and a fluffy egg that’s been battered and fried. The dish is sided with a traditional red chile sauce and an herbaceous green rice spiced with jalapeños.
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santafean.com
october/november 2014
At Coyote Cafe, chef Eric DiStefano uses orecchiette shells in his Hatch green chile mac-and-cheese, as they perfectly capture the creamy coming together of asadero, cheddar, and mozzarella cheeses.
yummier with a capsaicin kick. Dining at Joseph’s of Santa Fe (josephsofsantafe.com) is always an adventure, simply because chef Joseph Wrede doesn’t look at food the way other chefs do. If he confits duck, it’s not just the leg that’s braised in its own fat, it’s half a duck that gets the fork-tender, impossibly moist treatment. His bar menu includes his famous duck-fat fries and a plump chile relleno that demonstrates his love of our indigenous cuisine. For the latter, Wrede stuffs a New Mexico green chile with melting asadero and Cotija cheeses and a fluffy egg that’s been battered and fried and sides it with a traditional red chile sauce and an herbaceous green rice spiced with jalapeños. The palate-play here and all over the menu is what keeps Joseph’s on the map. If more is more, as is often the case in the battle to be the best burger in Santa Fe, the burger at Bang Bite (bangbitesf.com) topped with pork belly, fried egg, green chile, asadero cheese, and fiery chipotle aioli takes first prize. Two hands are required to hold this jawbreaker, and with so much going on you might be afraid that the chile zest would be lost. Not so! The kick is prominent, and if you really want to gild the lily, add a side of chipotle bacon maple jam—a fabulous coming together of hot, sweet, and salty that’s worth every calorie. (Swimsuit season is over. Enjoy!) All year long, Coyote Cafe (coyotecafe.com) is filled with world travelers (locals love it, too) who come to dine at the restaurant that gave birth to the idea that chiles can be right at home on high-end menus. Although chef Mark Miller is long gone, chiles still pop up on the menu of chef Eric DiStefano, who continues the quest to create a new Southwestern cuisine and, in my opinion, has the best palate in town. A fat scallop topped with seared foie gras and scattered with razor-thin
DOUGLAS MERRIAM
Santa Fe chefs love to cook with chile— a requisite ingredient that locals demand and tourists come in search of, wondering what all the fuss is about.