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Discerning Diner
Authentic chiles add passion to Cinco de Mayo

By Elan Head

Cinco de Mayo is not, on the face of it, a particularly American holiday. On the face of it, it’s not much of a holiday at all.

The event that it celebrates, while not insignificant, is one of history’s minor footnotes, namely, the 1862 defeat of French forces by a rag-tag but determined Mexican army. (Eventually, the French won the war.)

It is not, as many think, Mexico’s independence day and, excepting Puebla, where the battle took place, observances of it in that country are muted.

Yet this holiday is celebrated passionately in America, particularly along the border, where it has become a tribute to Mexican culture--the culture of an important and growing American demographic group.

It has also been heavily commercialized, but then, what American holiday hasn’t?

Cinco de Mayo received (and receives) due observance in my hometown in New Mexico, which is not exactly along the border but not far from it, either.

My high school had a mariachi band--a pretty good one--which did not let the holiday pass unremarked.

Neither did the Chicano studies teacher there, who often led his class in cries of “Viva!” that thoroughly disrupted our Spanish class across the hall.

As for the food, well, it was the same good, New Mexican-style Mexican food we ate year round, only more of it.

Much as I appreciate the beautiful, complex cuisine of southern Mexico, sometimes nothing hits the spot like this simple, home-style cooking: enchiladas, tamales, chiles rellenos and that classic of New Mexican cooking, a good, hot, red chile con carne.

In New Mexico, this typical food is everywhere.

For obvious reasons, it’s harder to find New Mexico-style Mexican food in Arizona, but it’s not impossible: try Los Dos Molinos in Mesa.

In places like Washington state, where I’ve been living recently, and most other non-border locales, it really is impossible.

Here, if I want a bowl of chile con carne--New Mexico-style, free of superfluous beans and tomatoes--I have to make it myself.

Here’s how t o do it:

Cut two pounds of lean, boneless pork into stewing-sized chunks. Heat a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat, with lard or vegetable oil to a depth of ¼ inch.

Now coat the meat in flour, shake off any excess and fry until brown on all sides.

Work in batches so as not to crowd the pan, flouring each batch just before you fry it. Remove the meat to a plate, but don’t wash the pan.

In another pan, simmer eight dried red New Mexican chiles in water to cover for about 10 minutes, until soft. (The chiles can be hot, medium or mild, as you’d like.)

Puree the softened chiles in a blender with two crushed garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon dried oregano. As you blend, add enough of the chile cooking water to make a smooth but thick sauce.

You should have about two tablespoons of fat in the pan you used to fry the meat; add or remove oil as necessary.

Now, over medium-high heat, fry the chile paste in this for two or three minutes, stirring constantly. Add the meat and one to two teaspoons salt; stir some more.

Add about two cups of water (the resulting sauce should be thin.) Simmer this until you’re ready to eat, at least 40 minutes and up to several hours. Then salt to taste and serve.

Viva!

Elan Head is a former Kyrene Corridor resident who travels extensively with her husband. She writes regularly for Wrangler News.

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