Chile Capital of the World: Las Cruces, New Mexico

At harvest, the fields of southern New Mexico are a sea of plump green and red chile, whose aroma sweeps the Mesilla Valley, beckoning chile addicts world wide.

Surrounded by the Organ Mountains, Las Cruces and nearby Old Mesilla are the home to generations-old families who have kept alive the recipes from the past. The pungent chile pod is often the main ingredient.

Nellie's restaurant has been a local favorite for 40 years. The business began when Nellie's husband, Danny, Sr., peddled her burritos first from a push cart, then a truck, and finally from Nellie's own restaurant.

Entree: Red enchilada, taco, chile relleno, chile con carne with sides of rice and beans.


Nellie's number two combo plate.

Green Chile Sauce

• 10 jalapenos, boiled
• Onion and garlic to taste
• Add other kinds of chiles, to taste, the more the better, and blend.

Red Chile Sauce

1. Boil dried red chile pods.
2. Blend the boiled chiles.
3. Blend onion and garlic (amounts to taste) separately from chile.
4. Mix the two together.

Chile con Carne (4 servings)

• 1 1/2 lb beef, cubed, covered with water, boiled, cooked until tender and drained
• Green chile sauce (recipe above)
• Cumin (pinch, to taste)
• Salt, garlic and onion, to taste
• Cook until chile turns pale green.

Relleno (4 servings)

• 4 eggs, separated
• 4 long green New Mexico chiles, roasted and peeled and sliced lengthwise
• Munster cheese cut into strips
• Flour
• Lard

1. Prepare the batter:
   1. Beat egg whites until stiff
   2. Add yolks
      
   3. Melt lard in a deep iron skillet (enough to fill one-half of the skillet).
      
   4. Dip chile in flour, then batter.
      
   5. Fry until golden brown.

Taco

• 1 lb. ground beef, browned
• 1 1/2 potato, grated
• Salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, to taste
• 4 corn tortillas
• Lettuce and tomato, chopped
• Cheese, grated

1. Brown beef with potato and spices.
2. Warm tortilla on the grill.
3. Add spoonful of meat mixture, use toothpick to hold taco together.
   
4. Deep fry the taco.
   
5. Top with chopped tomato, lettuce and cheese.

Enchilada

• Corn tortillas
• Lard
• 1 cup yellow cheese, grated
• Red chile sauce (recipe above)

1. Heat the tortilla in hot oil to soften.
   
2. Add grated cheese and roll up.
   
3. Top with red chile sauce.

Final Preparation
Place all but the taco on a large dinner plate. Top with shredded cheese. Microwave for a few seconds to melt the cheese. Remove from microwave. Add taco, lettuce and tomato.

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