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Caramelized Onion & Red Chile Gravy

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Since the Thanksgiving season is upon us, I wanted to share my favorite way to approach a Southwest-themed red chile gravy. Very simply, it’s to make it the day before.

Why Make Gravy Ahead of Time?

When the turkey comes out of the oven the last thing I want to deal with is extra dishes, straining, scraping, and whisking on the fly. There are many cooks that don’t mind this and sometimes I daydream about being one of them. But the truth is, if it can be done ahead of time when there’s a lot going on in the kitchen, that’s exactly what you’ll find me doing. I’d rather be snacking from the cheese and veggie platter, tidying up the kitchen, or pouring guests drinks.

Don’t Waste Those Drippings

However you cook your turkey, I would recommend not letting any of the drippings go to waste. You can easily scrape them with a heatproof rubber spatula into a container and use them to make soup over the next couple of days.

For this recipe, you really have a few options: you can follow this recipe as is, you can make this recipe using only the turkey neck (usually found in the inside cavity of most birds) and then whisk in turkey jus from the roasting pan after the turkey comes out of the oven, or you can make this gravy vegetarian by leaving out the turkey and using vegetable broth which by the way, is delightful on top of mashed potatoes.

Red Chile Gravy Ingredients carrots, onions, and herbs

Key Lime Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

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For my husband’s birthday this year, my dessert plan included a mash-up of his two favorite desserts: key lime pie and cheesecake. I mean why not? They both often have some kind of graham cracker-style crust and a silky smooth filling. And after thinking more about it, I can’t believe I haven’t tried this before. I eventually landed on my go-to cheesecake filling poured over a gingersnap crust, and after the cake was completely cool, spread with a generous amount of bright and tangy lime curd. This key lime cheesecake can be enjoyed just like this, or garnished with a spoonful of whipped cream and/or fresh berries.

The Perfect Crust: Choosing the Right Gingersnaps

When looking for ginger cookies, the key is that they are crunchy. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, which is why you’ll notice I mentioned the weight (180 grams) in the ingredient list. The cookies I used were small rounds with little bits of candied ginger throughout and were a generous two cups. Depending on the size and shape, this could show up differently for you. If you have a scale, this is the one ingredient in this recipe that I would recommend weighing. Otherwise, just use your best judgment.

The easiest way to approach this recipe, which is really quite simple, is to make it the day before. This way you have plenty of time to make the cake, let it cool slowly to avoid cracking, and then let it firm up in the refrigerator. 

Also in the recipe, you’ll notice that I suggest using a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. If you use a 9-inch, the cake will be taller, and you can cut thinner slices. If you use a 10-inch pan, the cake will be shorter and each piece can be cut a bit wider. Additionally, if you don’t have a springform pan, don’t worry, feel free to use a 9×9” or 10×10” baking dish as well.

Fire-Roasted Green Chile Risotto

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There are few things I love to cook more than risotto. Honestly, I can’t think of anything else except fresh pasta or a summer pie. And I guess what I mean is, that no part of making this Italian rice feels like a chore. Rather more of a gift. When else in the course of a day do you have the chance to stand still and watch simmering rice bloom in warm, buttery broth? Usually, once during the cooking process, I can’t help but think that a pot of risotto cooking on the stove resembles a hungry baby. It’s a hilarious and delightful thought. And I continue on, feeding it one ladle of broth at a time until at last the rice is tender and ready to be finished with parmesan and fresh whipped cream.

You’ll notice this recipe calls for fire-roasted green chiles. There’s a lot of room for interpretation and personal preference here. I rummaged around in my freezer and used a mix of fire-roasted Sandia and poblano chiles. First and foremost, you can use the chiles that you have. If you don’t have a stash in the freezer, don’t despair! You can use frozen green chiles available in most grocery stores in the state (just defrost and drain) or you can buy Anaheim or Poblano chiles and blacken them over a grill or in the oven and then peel the skin off. 

Green Chile Risotto Ingredients

This is a recipe where each detail matters. I like to gather all of my ingredients ahead of time so the cooking flow feels pleasant and easy. Oh, the joy of mise en place never disappoints. In the recipe, you’ll notice that we toast the rice for around four minutes in the pot before adding liquid. This step creates a barrier around each grain of rice, allowing it to absorb liquid slowly and retain its texture without becoming sticky.

This risotto can be served on its own (preferably on a warm flat plate), or paired with roasted wild mushrooms, roasted vegetables, and a variety of fish or meat. It can be served as a side but is perfectly delightful as the entire dinner.

Green Chile Stacked Enchiladas

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It’s a humbling and majestic thing to live in New Mexico as an Italian chef from the Midwest. It’s like landing on a different culinary planet. A planet where flavors transcend, reach deeply into the land and sky, and then reappear in a simmering pot of green chile sauce.

Enchanted lavender

A good example of this is lavender. I mostly had experienced lavender in restaurant kitchens as an unexpected flavor profile meant to wow guests, or by getting a whiff from a lotion or candle in a city shop. For almost twenty years I considered it to be my least favorite smell and taste. Then four years ago I moved to New Mexico. There were two different varieties of lavender in my yard and they smelled nothing like I expected. The high floral notes were grounded with traces of grass and wood, soft musk, and worn leather. The flowers were not alone like I had often seen them. They were part of a family, connected to long green stalks and twisting roots. They were growing next to chives and mint. Honeysuckle grew a few feet away. Sometimes there were other scents too, like roasting chiles and pinion fires wafting around and through wooden fence slats from neighboring yards. In the summer with all these high desert scents bumping and bouncing off each other, for the first time, lavender didn’t just make sense and smell good. I was enchanted. It became one of my favorite flavors of all time.

The Southwest is a melting pot

Because of this interconnected Southwest ecosystem where history, ingredients, landscape, and people meet, learning about New Mexican food feels like an extraordinary gift. With Christmas around the corner, I wanted to share a very special recipe from a very special Chef. Over the past number of months, I have had the privilege of learning about Native New Mexican cuisine from Dr. Lois Ellen Frank and Walter Whitewater through virtual culinary tours hosted by Heritage Inspirations. Lois has spent over 25 years documenting the foods and lifeways of Native American tribes from the Southwest and regions throughout the Americas. In 2007, she started a Native American Cuisine catering company named Red Mesa. I’m so grateful she was willing to share her recipes for Green Chile sauce, Tortillas, and Stacked Enchiladas with us here.

Since the pandemic Red Mesa has gone virtual and is offering hands-on cook-along cooking classes, demonstration-style cooking classes, and holiday family classes, along with a beautiful collection of local food products, cookbooks, and posters available on the website.

“When you cook together as a family, it unifies your bond and calls in the wisdom of the ancestors.”

Lois Ellen Frank
Lois Ellen Frank and Walter Whitewater
This Rotisserie Chicken Stock - in a bowl

Rotisserie Chicken Stock

Create a rich and flavorful chicken stock by simmering a leftover Rotisserie chicken with aromatic vegetables, such as onions, carrots, and celery. This Rotisserie Chicken Stock is a savory and versatile base for soups, stews, and sauces.

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