This simple but tasty dish evolved from the need to preserve meat without refrigeration since chile acts as an antioxidant and prevents the meat from spoiling. It is a very common restaurant entree in New Mexico.

Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups crushed dried red New Mexican chile, seeds included (Chimayó preferred)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 teaspoons dried oregano

• 3 cups water

• 2 pounds pork, cut in strips or cubed

Instructions

Combine the chile, garlic, oregano, and the water and mix well to make a “caribe” sauce.

Place the pork in a glass pan and cover with the chile caribe sauce. Marinate the pork overnight in the refrigerator.

Bake the marinated pork, uncovered, in a 300°F oven for 2 hours or until the pork is very tender and starts to fall apart. You may have to add a little water to keep the pork from burning.

Serving Suggestions: Place the Carne Adovada in a flour tortilla to make a burrito, use it as a stuffing for sopaipillas, or use it as filling for enchiladas. If you add chopped potatoes during the last hour of baking, the dish becomes a sort of stew.

Margaret Campos, who owns an organic chile farm and the Comida de Campos cooking school in Embudo, New Mexico, provided this recipe. Since the native chiles in northern New Mexico vary from one micro-region to the next, Campos says to use whatever you have on hand. She serves this green chile stew alone or with beans and a fresh tortilla.

Ingredients

• 15 medium-sized (5- to 7-inch) chiles

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lard

• 1 pound pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into ½-inch cubes

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped

• 3 cups stock or broth

Instructions

Over a medium-hot grill or in a 350°F oven, roast the chiles until the skin begins to bubble. Rotate the chiles to roast them evenly—be diligent to avoid scorching. Chiles will change color when they’re done; the green acquires a yellow hue. Place the roasted chiles in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth and allow them to steam and cool. When the chiles are cool enough to handle, remove the skin, stem and seeds (seeds are optional). Chop the chiles and set aside.

In a medium-sized skillet, add 1 tablespoon lard, and brown the pork over medium-high heat, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. When the pork is done, add the remaining lard and flour, stirring and cooking for two minutes. Brown the flour slightly, and add the garlic. Mix in the chile and stock, and combine well.

Lower the heat and allow to simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the broth has thickened, stirring frequently. Simmering longer will bring out the heat in chile, so simmer to taste. If your chile is too spicy, add diced tomato or a tablespoon of milk to cut the heat.

Yield: 4 main dish servings or 10 to 12 as a condiment

Heat Scale: Hot

With 2,600 miles of coastline providing an abundance of seafood, it’s no wonder that Chileans consume more seafood that any of the other South American countries. Not all of the fish used in seviche is cubed, as evidenced by this popular recipe that calls for fish fillets. The bitter orange juice is from the Sevilla oranges that brought by the Spaniards and are so popular in this part of the world. This is a mild seviche which is usually garnished with hot sauce to bring up the heat. I like to use a Caribbean habanero-based because they compliment fruit, such as the grapefruits used here.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Chilean sea bass fillets, or substitute sole or flounder fillets

• 3/4 cup bitter orange juice

• 1 aji chile, stem and seeds removed, minced, or substitute a yellow wax or jalapeño chile

• 4 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 grapefruit

• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, cut in thin strips

• Lettuce leaves

• Garnish: Caribbean-style habanero hot sauce

Instructions

Cut the fish fillets in 1- to 2-inch pieces. Place them in a nonreactive bowl, cover with the juice, and gently toss to coat. Add the chile, onions, and garlic and mix gently. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours turning occasionally until the fish loses its translucency and turns opaque.

Section the grapefruit and cut the wedges in lengthwise pieces.

Drain off most of the marinating juice off the fish. Add the grapefruit sections and mint and gently toss. Place the lettuce on individual plates, top with the seviche, and garnish with a sprinkle of hot sauce. Serve with additional hot sauce on the side.

See also…

For even more Ceviche recipes, see also: Spicy Latin American Ceviche, by Dave DeWitt.

This is a quick to prepare and unusual seviche. In Ecuador it’s served with cancha, which is a toasted corn but, since it’s not readily available, the popcorn is an American substitution. This seviche is a quick one because you use precooked, frozen, small shrimp. If the popcorn is a bit ” out there” for you, there are a number of other garnishes that are also popular. Garnish with black olives, sliced hard-boiled egg, feta cheese, or a slice of corn on the cob.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds frozen cooked small shrimp

• 1 medium red onion, sliced very thin

• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh aji chiles, or substitute yellow wax or jalapeño chiles

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 3/4 cup lemon juice

• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice

• ½ teaspoon salt

• Chopped lettuce

• 2½ cups freshly popped popcorn

Instructions

Put the shrimp into a colander and run cold water over them for a minute or two to defrost. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Put the shrimp in a nonreactive bowl, add the onion, chiles, cilantro, tomatoes, vinegar, lemon and lime juice, and salt and toss lightly to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Drain the seviche in a colander. Place the lettuce on individual serving plates and top with the seviche, garnish with the warm popcorn and serve.