Tastes of the Desert

I have no idea what the recipes to these dishes are. If you like to cook, and are good at it, and you love Southwest cooking, I'd like to challenge you.

Below is the menu from the 2008 Tastes of the Desert banquet.

Pick a menu item, sign up under the menu item with your squidoo lensmaster id and then get to cooking.

Experiment making your own perfected version of the recipe and we'll publish all the recipes under another lense. You might even create your own lense sharing your secrets.

Take plenty of pictures of you preparing your meal and your finished dish and include them in your lense or Contact Me and I'll get them onto the contest lense.

With family coming for holidays, this is a great time to try some warming Southwest dishes.

The only rules:

1. Must be YOUR recipe, it can be based on someone else's but you must make it original in some way.

2. The primary foods must be native foods and reflect a Southwest style of cuisine. You don't have to go to Arizona to get your chili, you just need to get a type of chili from your local market that is native to North America. Easy, right?

3. You must be a Squidoo member. If you're not already a lensmaster, destiny awaits you and it's free. You can do that here.

Sound fun? Let's do it! Ready, Set, Go!
Good Luck!

To help get the party started, I'll start cooking first.

Just because the holidays get busy and who wants to pick up anything super challenging, unless of course you're having a New Year's Eve party or something, then it may be perfect to pick something like Mesquite Grilled Chicken with Poblano sauce. Which of course, I will be working on. So get your recipe ready and we'll see if yours is better than mine? Eh...

But to start with, the chili is great and will work next week when we're done with the turkey.

What makes it Pueblo? What do think of when you think of this. Great cooking is like art. Their's the colors, will the colors be inspired by "Pueblo"? Deep rich reds and creamy peach southwest sunsets and landscapes?

Maybe Ancho or New Mexico Red chili to add smoky, warmth like the clay Pueblo ovens the women cook bread in down there. I think they're called "horno".

I looked it up and yes it's a horno. I've had amazing bread that the women at Isleta Pueblo cook in their horno. These women are cooking a deer I think or maybe a pig as part of their Slow Food program.

Here's a recipe I'll use to start playing with:

COLORADO BAKED ANASAZI BEANS

1 lb. dry Anasazi beans, washed & soaked overnight
2 c. orange juice
2 c. water
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
3/4 c. chopped onion
1/4-1/2 c. molasses
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, optional
Dashes of curry powder, chili powder, cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed

Mix all ingredients in 3 quart oven proof dish. Bake, covered, in preheated 300 degree oven for 3 hours or until beans are softened, but still slightly firm. Increase heat to 325 degrees, uncover beans, stir and bake about 30 minutes longer or until beans are soft but not mushy. Sauce will thicken to desired consistency. 8-10 servings

We love trout! It's the only food that swims that we all like.
The Blue Cornmeal has a nuttier flavor than yellow cornbread and I really am excited about checking out the the nutty flavor with the garlic and chili. Yum!

I think I'll start with the fish recipe from recipe from Cooks, then I'll change and adapt it with the blue cornmeal and chili.

GRILLED TROUT

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dry white wine or lemon juice
2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. each salt & pepper
4 (6 oz.) salmon trout or rainbow trout fillets
For garnish: Tarragon sprigs & lemon wedges

1. Put oil, wine, tarragon, salt and pepper into a heavy plastic bag. Add fillets. Close bag and turn to coat fish. Refrigerate 1-2 hours, turning once or twice.

2. Grill fish in lightly oiled wire basket or on grilling screen over hot coals 5-7 minutes, turning once, until fillets are barely opaque in thickest part when tested with knife. Or broil on oiled broiler pan rack as close to heat as possible, 5-7 minutes without turning fish. Garnish with tarragon and lemon wedges.