Southwestern
Grilled Lobster with Creamy Chili Vinaigrette
At Geronimo, located on eclectic Canyon Road in Santa Fe, this is served with a mixed green salad and roasted corn on the cob. The idea here is to dip the lobster meat into the spicy vinaigrette.
Cheeseburgers with Charred Green Chiles and Onions
Ground turkey would make a fine substitute for beef in these Southwest-style burgers (grill until cooked through).
Grilled Corn with Green Chili and Cheese Butter
To make this recipe even easier to prepare, substitute three tablespoons diced canned green chilies for the fresh Anaheim chili.
Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde Dressing
Great on its own or served alongside grilled fish, chicken or steak.
Barbecued Texas Beef Brisket
Texans like their barbecue spicy, in the tradition of the Southwest, which is chili pepper country. For this recipe, you'll need to order a U.S.D.A. "choice" grade, packer-trimmed brisket: That's a brisket with none of the fat cut off. Before being cooked, the meat is seasoned with a dry rub; during cooking, it is brushed regularly with a beer-based mop. You'll need to use a smoker for the brisket (a converted barbecue won’t maintain the very low heat required), and to get the most authentic Texas flavor, seek out the natural lump charcoal specified in the recipe; it's available at barbecue stores, some natural foods stores and some supermarkets.
The Western Club
Partner this sandwich with a bean and rice salad and some crunchy pickles. End with vanilla pudding and fresh pineapple.
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Borracho Beans
Borracho means drunk, and it refers to the beer in the cooking liquid. If you're cooking beans and pork roast at the same time, you can use the fatty pieces of pork that you remove while carving to add flavor to the beans. Otherwise, use some bacon.
Pork and New Mexican Chile Sauce
Carne Adovada
At Maria's New Mexican Kitchen, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this stew is used to fill enchiladas and burritos, but it also makes a very satisfying meal served alone or over rice.
Southwestern Corn Pudding
A cross between spoon bread and tamale pie, this flavorful, colorful side dish is a huge crowd-pleaser. Assemble it at least one hour and up to one day before baking.
Watercress Salad with Cotija Cheese and Fried Tortillas
If you can't get cotija cheese, you can substitute feta — it's stronger in flavor and a bit saltier than cotija, but it works fine. Archibald also makes a version of this salad topped with shavings of Manchego cheese.
Griddled Tomato-Chipotle Salsa
This is another wonderful all-purpose salsa. It goes particularly well with eggs and any dish containing black beans. The essential technique in this recipe is the blackening of the tomatoes. That and the chipotle chile give the salsa its deep, smoky flavor.
Vegetable Chili
Even better over rice. Top it with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese.
Poblano Chilies with Black Beans and Cheese
Brian Polcyn of the Five Lakes Grill in Milford, Michigan, has updated this Mexican favorite by oven-roasting the stuffed chilies rather than coating them with batter and frying them. The chilies are presented on a bed of rich-tasting caramelized onions.
Chopped Vegetables Salsa
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Rice, Bean, and Corn Salad
This recipe can be made in 45 minutes or less.