Green Chile Blue Corn Cake. Photo by Liddie Martinez

Green How to prepare Chile Blue Corn Cake. Video by Liddie Martinez

By LIDDIE MARTINEZ
Española Valley

One of my favorite comfort foods to serve in cold March weather is a bowl of red chile with a hearty slice of corn bread. It is so easy to make and so delicious and comforting. While this might be seen as a humble meal by some, in Northern New Mexico it is like a return to your youth.

We always helped in the kitchen as kids and learning how to make cornbread and chile was and still is a rite of passage in this region. When your kids have mastered making this meal, you can rest assured they will never go hungry.

My sister and I would stand at the kitchen table taking turns stirring the corn bread batter and my mother would be at the stove stirring the red chile and singing what we always called the Chile Pot song, *

“My brother took a suitcase and away he went to school. My mother said he’d only learn to be a silly cook. My mother said that I should learn to make a chile pot but then I burned the house down, the chile was too hot! Mañana, mañana, mañana is good enough for me.” I can still visualize my mom singing at the stove.

Even today, I will get a phone call from my 83-year-old mother and she will begin our conversation with a serenade of our favorite Chile Pot song. We laugh and sing and remember those wonderful times. Take time to teach your children and grandchildren how to cook a few traditional New Mexican dishes. The memories will last forever.

This Green Chile Blue Corn Cake is a grander version of our humble corn bread and is beautiful enough to take center stage on your table for a festive occasion, if you have a steady hand and a small bit of artistic flare.

I’ve used blue corn meal because it is what I had on hand but you could certainly substitute with regular yellow corn meal. I’ve also stirred in diced green chile to kick up the flavor, but you could leave it out and only use a small amount to decorate the top. Take the time to pat the chile dry before adding so that the cake cooks evenly. I used a combination of green chile and roasted red bell pepper slices to create the design. The red pepper adds a sweetness that pairs well with the green chile heat and the color combination begs our State Question? Red or Green? Of course, the correct answer is always Christmas!

1 cup                  blue corn meal

¾ cup                  flour

1 Tbsp.               sugar

6 Tbsp.               butter, melted (plus extra for pan)

1 tsp.                  baking powder

1 tsp.                  baking soda

¼ tsp.                  salt

2                         eggs, slightly beaten

1 can (12 oz.)     evaporated milk

¾ cup                 green chile, chopped and patted dry (plus extra whole chiles for garnish, if desired)

Preheat oven to 425°. Butter 12×12 cast iron griddle or baking pan and set aside.

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. In a small bowl combine milk, butter and eggs. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir to combine. Do not over mix. Fold in chopped green chile.

Spread evenly in buttered pan with a spatula and gently arrange extra chile and/or roasted peppers in a pleasant pattern.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for ten minutes then remove from pan to cool on rack.

Makes 12 servings.

*Actual Song Title: Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me) by Peggy Lee