Five days and counting until my husband and I land in New Mexico. We plan to spend time in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Chimayo, Abiquiu, and maybe hit Ojo Caliente, one of the oldest and most unique mineral springs in North America. Ah, New Mexico! I think those of you who have spent time there know what I mean…

I’ve compiled a list of restaurants to indulge at in both the Albuquerque and Santa Fe areas, and though the list is much longer than feasible, I know we’ll have fun deciding where to dine. Our top choices will lean toward authentic New Mexican, I’m sure. Bring on those red and green chiles! Mmmm. I can smell and taste them now.

I haven’t been able to wait, either. For the past several weeks, I’ve been cooking with one foot, and my heart, in New Mexico. The last dish I made—Carne Adovada Tostadas—was a keeper. I try to pick recipes I think most people can purchase ingredients for, have the equipment to prepare the recipe in, and not spend all day in the kitchen preparing. This recipe stretches the boundaries a bit because it does take time to make (though most of the time is “hands off”), but the results, I think you will find, are worth it.

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs pork, cubed
3 tbsp. canola oil
1 package corn tortillas
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, finely chopped
12 oz. hominy
cumin
oregano
salt and pepper
fresh sliced jalapenos (optional)

Red Chile Sauce ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1/3-1/2 cup New Mexican red Chile Powder, to taste
2 tsp. honey or brown sugar
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cube the pork, season it with salt and pepper, and brown it in batches in the canola oil. It’s important not to crowd the pan, otherwise the pork will not brown evenly. Remove pork from pan and set aside.

Add diced onion and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and golden. Add about ½ cup of the chicken broth to loosen any browned bits. Let cool.

In a blender, place the coriander, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, red chile powder, honey or brown sugar, red wine vinegar, 1 cup chicken broth, and the onion/garlic mixture. Process until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add more chicken broth. (The consistency should be in between a tomato paste and tomato sauce.)

In an oven proof dish, combine the red chile sauce with the pork. Cover the dish and bake for 2-3 hours until the pork is tender. Occasionally add chicken broth to the sauce so it doesn’t thicken and burn.

Shortly before the pork is finished, dice the carrot and zucchini. Sauté the vegetables, along with the hominy, until just tender, with a dash of salt, about ½ tsp. cumin, and a sprinkling of oregano.

To make the tostada shells, bake the corn tortillas in a single layer in a 350 degree oven. They will take about 3-5 minutes per side.

To assemble, top the baked corn tortillas with a layer of carne adovada. Top with the hominy mixture, and add sliced jalapenos, if desired.

In two and a half weeks, I will be in the land of pinon, juniper, sage brush, snow, blue skies, and CHILES! Otherwise known as the Land of Enchantment, or, more commonly, New Mexico. I can hardly wait. Though I live in the Pacific Northwest now, and grew up in Southwest Colorado, when I hear the word home, I think of New Mexico. I wonder why this is, but don’t question it. And so, as I wait anxiously to go “home,” I turn to the kitchen and cook New Mexican inspired dishes.

Notes on ingredients:

Chipotle. Chipotles are smoked jalapenos. Jalapenos naturally turn red at the end of the growing season, and it is these chiles that growers turn into chipotles. You can find them in the Hispanic section of your grocery store, canned in what is called adobo sauce, which is a mixture of pureed chiles, vinegar, and spices. This recipe calls for a chipotle grill sauce, however. Most grocery stores also carry a version or two near the marinades and barbeque sauces. If you can, purchase a fruit and chipotle sauce, such as Raspberry Chipotle, which is what I recommend.

Salsa Fresca. Otherwise known as pico de gallo, this is a mixture of fresh, or raw, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and other vegetables, depending upon the chef. It also contains lime juice or vinegar, and olive or canola oil. In the recipe below, I roasted corn, along with the red onions, for a different flavor. Technically that makes it no longer “fresca” since it now involves cooking, but go with it, will ya?!

Roasted Corn Salsa Fresca

Ingredients:

1 cup corn kernels
½ red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (seeds and placenta removed for milder flavor)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
handful of cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an oven-proof dish, mix corn kernels, diced red onion, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt. Roast in the oven until vegetables are soft and aromatic, about 15 minutes. (Add a touch of cumin for a smokier flavor.)

In a medium bowl, mix the diced tomatoes, diced jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice.

Once the corn mixture has come out of the oven and cooled, add it to the tomato mixture. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for an hour. At this point, check for taste and adjust as necessary, adding more salt, lime juice, etc.

Chipotle Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

Ingredients:

3 medium-large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can black beans
1 package whole wheat tortillas
1 bottle Raspberry Chipotle grill sauce, or variation

Coat chicken breasts with a light covering of olive oil. Grill chicken breasts until done. Let rest, (after you remove from grill, let the meat sit for 5-10 minutes so the juice doesn’t ooze out and dry out the chicken upon slicing) then slice thinly and toss with ½- 1 cup of the grill sauce, depending on amount desired. (Note: Sauces applied before cooking will burn.)

While the chicken is resting, rinse and drain the black beans, then heat with 1 tbsp. of the chipotle sauce.

Warm the tortillas.

To assemble, lay the sliced chicken on the tortilla, sprinkle with black beans, and top with the roasted corn salsa fresca.