Review
"captures New Mexican’s love of chiles in imaginative dishes with a contemporary twist..." --
The Artesia Daily Press (March 24, 1996)"indepth explanation of chiles...outstanding collection of inspired dishes...feast for the eyes and treat for the palate. Highly recommended!" --
Midwest Book Review (June, 1996)"interesting chile pepper information...traditional and contemporary original recipes by noted food columnist, Sandy Szwarc. An A+ chile cookery book." --
The Culinary Sleuth (December, 1996)"lovingly and cleverly incorporated her love of New Mexico landscapes and local ingredients into 100 colorful and easily prepared recipes." --
The Cookbook Collector (Fall, 1996)"precious little guidebook by food columnist and New Mexican food connoisseur Sandy Szwarc...magic recipes for authentic chile." --
Albuquerque Magazine (May, 1996)Real New Mexico Chile presents an indepth explanation of how chiles are grown, what makes them hot, and why New Mexican chiles are unique from other chiles grown outside the state. Here are an outstanding collection of inspired dishes: Rainbow Salsa, Watercolor Pasta Salad, Thunder Subs, and Baked Chile Rellenos in Clouds to name only a few of these colorful and easy to prepare recipes. These dishes are a feast for the eyes and a treat for the palate. Other inspirations include Pueblo Corn Jerky Stew and Mesa Baskets with Indian Lamb Stew, Sunflower Pie, Atomic Cake, and Hot Chocolate Cookie Clusters. Highly recommended! --
Midwest Book Review
From the Author
Real New Mexico Chile is a compilation of original recipes I developed while living in New Mexico for over eighteen year. As a culinary professional and passionate home cook, I studied my state’s traditional cuisine from native home cooks, while experimenting and creating new dishes using the local ingredients I came to know and love.
New Mexican food is colorful, natural, fresh, and texturally rich—more about vibrant flavor than heat. The ingredients are modest and readily available most anywhere. What makes the cuisine delightful are the unique creative ways the simplest foods are used. I think it’s one of America’s most extraordinary regional cuisines.
To love New Mexico’s food is to love our chile. Our chile peppers are the soul of our cooking and we’re pretty passionate about them. Just like wines and cheeses, our chiles uniquely reflect the land. Whether from Hatch or anywhere along the Rio Grande Valley, over a dozen different varieties of New Mexico chile have been specially bred over the centuries for greater heat or flavor, some have thicker flesh and larger size to yield more meat, or smoother shape for better roasting. There are few hard and fast rules when cooking with chiles as no two are exactly the same. Even within varieties, flavors and heat vary depending on where the chiles are grown, even from field to field, as well as the temperatures and rainfall during the growing season of any given year.
Anyone can learn to use New Mexico chile. In this book, I give you an insider’s guide to preparing and cooking with our wonderful chile. I think you’ll find the recipes easy, fresh and flavorful. They can be prepared for simple family suppers or casual entertaining. These contemporary recipes call for ingredients you’ll have no trouble finding in your home town. And, like many of today’s conscientious home cooks, you’ll appreciate their natural healthful style.
