As I learned during a visit to record radio shows in Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque, green chile stew is the “national dish” of New Mexico. The key, of course, is the “chile,” using the fresh peppers in their green stage rather than their red.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ pounds pork loin, cut in bite-sized pieces

2 medium onions, chopped

8 garlic cloves, minced

8 cups chicken broth

8 medium potatoes, cubed

1 cup crushed green chile

½ cup chopped cilantro

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon oregano leaves

½ teaspoon freshly black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and brown the pork with the onion and garlic. Add all remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meat and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Serves 10.

Recently I came into a stash of Cajun boudin from southwest Louisiana – specifically boudin blanc made from pork and rice, as opposed to boudin noir, the traditional blood sausage. This dish has quickly become a favorite to serve family and friends.

4 (6-ounce) chicken breast halves

1 cup cooked pork and rice boudin filling

1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion

1 tablespoon plus ½ cup minced red bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced parsley

Creole seasoning

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup finely chopped shallot

¼ cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken broth

Caramelized green beans

Minced parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a cutting board, using a sharp knife, cut a deep horizontal pocket into the thick side of each chicken breast. Be careful not to cut through to the other side. Wash your hands. Mix the boudin filling with onion, 1 tablespoon red bell pepper, garlic and parsley, then stuff this into the pocket you just cut. Lightly sprinkle with Creole seasoning.

In a large bowl, mix the flour with Creole seasoning. Beat the egg with the water in another bowl. Lightly dust the stuffed chicken breasts with the flour. Shake off excess, coat with the egg wash and lightly dust with flour again. Heat the oil and butter in a large oven-proof skillet. Add the stuffed breasts and sear until golden brown, 2-3 per side. Set the pan in the oven and finish cooking the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer breasts to a platter.

Set the pan over medium-high heat and add the shallot and remaining bell pepper, briefly caramelizing. Stir in the thyme, then add the wine and chicken broth. Cook over high heat until syrupy and reduced by about ½, 6-8 minutes. Position each stuffed chicken breast atop green beans. Spoon pan sauce over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 4.

 

While packed with flavor and a sense of celebration, this is actually one of the lightest dishes to carry the Gulf Coast flavor brand. And perhaps best of all, the dressing from the salad is all the additional sauce you should need.

1 (1 ½-pound) pork tenderloin

Extra-virgin olive oil

Creole seasoning

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups baby arugula

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onions

Lemon pepper

Preheat the grill. Slice the pork tenderloins across about ½ inch thick. In a dish, coat the slices with olive oil then sprinkle with Creole seasoning, lemon pepper, garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile combine the arugula and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Toss salad with 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, dehydrated onions and a sprinkle of lemon pepper. Grill the pork slices until medium rare, 2-3 minutes per side. Divide onto 4 dinner plates and top with the salad. Serves 4.

 

There’s not too many things Southerners love better than pecans, unless of course it’s pecan pie – unless of course it’s chocolate pecan pie. These chunky, chewy and gooey dessert bars deliver exactly that kind of pleasure.

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup fine Graham cracker crumbs

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup packed brown sugar

3 large eggs

3/4 cup corn syrup, such as Karo

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (11.5-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chunks

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. To form a crust, beat the flour, Graham cracker, butter and brown sugar in a bowl until crumbly. Using your fingers, press this mixture into a greased 9 X 13-inch baking pan or baking dish, covering the bottom completely. Bake until crust is lightly brown, 13-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by beating the eggs with the corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate and the pecans and, when crust comes out of the oven, pour in the filling. Bake until thoroughly set, 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then set pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes more. When chilled, cut into three bars across and 4 or 5 lengthwise. Serve at room temperature. Makes 12 or 15 dessert bars.

This recipe concept started making the rounds in New Orleans and eventually caught on across the Gulf Coast – wherever crawfish are boiled. The name “beignet,” though, is a bit romanticized since the dish has more in common with the fritters made with tenderized conch meat in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas and other tropical outposts in the Caribbean.

Citrus Remoulade:

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon lime zest

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

½ teaspoon lemon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 ¼ cup canola oil

½ teaspoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon finely chopped cornichons

Beignets:

½ pound crawfish tails, finely chopped

¼ red bell pepper, minced

2 tablespoons minced green onion

21 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon minced jalapeno or other hot pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

Oil for frying

¾ cup whole milk

Creole seasoning

In a food processor or blender, combine the egg yolks, lime zest, orange juice, Creole seasoning, lemon pepper and garlic powder until smooth. Slowly incorporate the oil until he sauce is thick. Stir in the remaining remoulade ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Prepare the beignets by combining the chopped crawfish in a bowl with the bell pepper, green onion, garlic, hot pepper, parsley and butter. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.

Heat oil in a deep pan to 375 degrees. Stir the flour mixture into the conch mixture, then add the milk to form a batter. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil and cook until golden brown on all sides, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the beignets to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with Creole seasoning. Serve hot with Citrus Remoulade. Makes about 16 fritters.

These things are wildly popular on BOTH sides of the Sabine River, for every good reason. They’re delicious as empanadas in Texas, of course. In Louisiana, they’re known as Natchitoches Meat Pies – from the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. Feel free to call them whatever you like, as long as you’re talking with your mouth full.

Dough:

1½ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) chilled butter, diced

½ cup cold water

Filling:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ small onion, finely chopped

½ green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon minced jalapeno

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup dried currants

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

4 ounces ricotta cheese

 

½ cup flour for dusting

1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

To prepare the dough, combine the flour and salt in a food processor and add the butter, processing until fine crumbs form. Add the cold water while the processor is running and pulse until the mixture becomes a dough ball. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Make the filling by heating the oil in a large skillet and sauteeing the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno until soft. Add the beef and stir until lightly browned. Season with the Creole or Cajun blend, garlic and onion powders, and cumin. Add the tomatoes, currents and parsley. Cover the skillet and finish cooking, about 10 minutes. Transfer the filling to a bowl, add the cheese and stir to combine thoroughly. Let filling cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Dust a clean, flat surface and a rolling pin with flour, then roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out circles using a 4-inch cookie cutter. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling at the center of each circle; seal by folding and pressing the edges. Brush the surface of the meat pies with the egg wash and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Serve hot. Note: these meat pies are also excellent when deep fried. Makes 15 small pies.

 

Here in Texas, it’s common to enjoy a margarita at the start of dinner. This sheet cake allows us to enjoy a margarita at the end of dinner as well.

Cake:

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

6 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons finely grated lime rind

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons anejo tequila

Icing:

6 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons lime zest

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons anejo tequila

Additional lime zest for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. To prepare cake, coat a 12 X 16 inch sheet cake pan with cooking spray; line the bottom with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Dust pan with 2 tablespoons flour. Combine 4 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and 1 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended, about 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in 2 tablespoons lime rind, lime juice and tequila. Pour batter into prepared pan; sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack; remove wax paper from cake. To prepare icing, combine powdered sugar and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Carefully turn so cake is top-side down onto a serving platter; spread icing on top of cake. Garnish with lime zest, if desired. Serves 18.

Here’s a fun dessert I’ve been making for a few years – very much Tuscany by way of Texas. You can, of course, form the things in individual molds and make them look all fancy, which I’ve done. But I kind of prefer the crumble approach. This is a great way to welcome each peach season around Fredericksburg and Stonewall in the Hill Country. You can make this vin santo whipped cream, or simply serve the crumble warm topped with vanilla ice cream.

4-5 five fresh Texas peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced (or frozen peach slices)

2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup rum

8 biscotti, broken into chunks

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 tablespoon vin santo dessert wine

Combine the sliced peaches with 2 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a sauté pan and stir over medium heat until the peaches start to soften, 4-5 minutes. Flame the peaches with the rum. When the alcohol has burned off, pour the peaches into a casserole dish with the broken-up biscotti and combine, letting the biscotti soak up the peach liquid. Press down lightly in the casserole and dot with pieces of the remaining butter. Set in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake until golden on top, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, using a chilled whisk in a chilled stainless steel mixing bowl, beat the cream with the sugar and wine until peaks form. To serve, spoon warm peach crumble onto dessert plates and top with chilled whipped cream. Serves 6-8.