I’m asked all the time about New Mexico recipes. What do I love, what’s easiest, what’s best for a crowd, what’s good for dessert, how do I make a chile relleno or sopaipilla. It dawned on me that one of the easiest ways for everyone, especially someone new to this cuisine, to prepare traditional New Mexican dishes is to grab a copy of one of my favorite cookbooks – Simply Simpatico, from the Junior League of Albuquerque.

My copy was given to me by one of my Albuquerque pals years ago. It was published in 1981 by the Junior League of Albuquerque and if you’re lucky, Amazon might have a copy or two left at this link. Maybe Ebay has a copy of two available. My copy is quite appropriately, smeared with evidence of red chile sauce, avocado, batter from chile rellenos.  I’ve USED this cookbook.

Especially during the years that I was exiled to Kansas and North Carolina, I tried almost every recipe in the “Comida Simpatica” section, which is touted as the section which will “. . .introduce the novice cook and the newcomer to the basics of New Mexican cookery.”  At the time I didn’t necessarily consider myself a novice cook, but without a Sadie’s or Frontier around the corner where I could order rellenos smothered in green chile, I knew I had to learn very quickly how to make my own.

So I learned to make red chile sauce and rellenos and bizcochitos and sopaipillas and quelitas and fry bread and tamales and carne adovada and albondigas and empanaditas.  I improvised with local ingredients – once my mother sent an extra suitcase home to North Carolina with Johanna, full of fresh green chiles.  I had to roast them on my own over the charcoal grill. No one in North Carolina had the slightest clue what I was doing.

I even made tortillas from Simply Simpatico, and in the process impressed the folks where I was living with what they considered very interesting cooking. I took green chile stew to a potluck in Greensboro, North Carolina, handed out the recipe, and still hear from the girls in that office every time one of them makes the dish.  They taught me to make grits in exchange (which taste great with green chile by the way) for my bizcochito recipe.

Simply Simpatico is a great gift – especially for yourself.   It’s essential in my kitchen, still.  It’s full of recipes that use fresh, local ingredients – Michael Pollan would be proud.  It’s an easy way to follow his Food Rules.

Even if I can now walk to the Plaza Cafe today for lunch for a green chile smothered burrito, sometimes you just want to try your hand at something authentic.  Ever tried Capirotada or Natillas?  They’re in there. . .

I’d love to hear about your favorite New Mexico recipe book.

Recipes next!

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