Yield: 12 servings               Heating Time: 3-4 minutes
Temperature: Medium-High
  Medium
  
Shortening                       1 pound Monterey Jack
12 Corn Tortillas*                 cheese,** sliced into 12 slices
                                 3/4 cup Green Chile Salsa***

1. Heat 1/2 inch of shortening in a heavy pan at medioum-high heat.
2. Quickly dip each tortilla into the shortening to soften. Drain on
   absorbent towels.
3. Place a slice of cheese and 1 tablespoon of relish on half of
   each tortilla. fold tortilla in center as for a turnover.
4. Place filled tortilla in an ungreased skillet and heat at medium
   heat, turning once, for 3-4 minutes. or until the cheese is melted
           and tortilla turns crisp.

* See recipe for Corn Torilla.
** Jalapeño cheese may be substituted
*** Varied amounts may be used. See Salsa Verde recipe.

Queso Nuevo Mexicano
(New Mexican Cheese)

Yield: Approximately 1 pound       Heating Time: 10-15 minutes
Temperature: Low

16 cups milk                       4 tablespoons water
2 rennet tablets                   Cheesecloth

1. Warm the milk to 90°F in a large kettle, using low heat.
2. Dissolve the rennet tablets in water in a small mixing bowl. Add
   dissolved tablets to warm milk and set mixture aside for 30 minutes.
   (The mixture will develop into a curd.)
3. Pour curd into a cloth bag or cheesecloth and allow the whey
   (liquid) to completely drain.
4. Open a 1-pound can at both ends and pierce the can around the
   sides. Pack cheese into the can and allow it to drain for 3-4 hours
   before serving.

NOTE: Queso Nuevo Mexicano is traditionally served with preserves or syrup.

Chauquehue (Thick Corn Gruel)

Yield: 6-8 servings                  Cooking Time: Approximately
                                        5 minutes

1 1/2 cups blue corn flour           1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup water                        1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 cups boiling water                 1 tablespoon lard

1. Dissolve blue corn flour in water in a medium-sized saucepan. Add
boiling, salted water to mixture and cook for 3 minutes at medium
heat, stirring briskly.
2. Add lard and baking soda and cook, while stirring, until thick.

NOTE: Chauquehue is thicker gruel than Atole. It can be served in the same manner or as a substitute for potatoes or rice.

Jalea De Cacto (Cactus Jelly)

Yield: 6 half-pints                    Processing Time: 5 minutes
Temperature: High, Medium-high

Prickly pears*                        3 cups sugar
Boiling water                         1/2 cup lemon juice
Cheesecloth                           6 ounces liquid fruit pectin

1. Place prickly pears in a large saucepan or kettle. Cover
   prickly pears with boiling water, allow to stand for 2-3 minutes,
   and pour off water. (This aids in softening stickers of prickly
   pears.)
2. Peel prickly pears, cut into pieces, and place in a medium-sized
   saucepan. Cover prickly pears with water and boil at high heat for
   5 minutes.
3. Pour boiled mixture through cheesecloth. Drain as much juice as
   possible. Discard seeds.
4. Measure juice. Combine 3 cups of cactus juice, sugar, and lemon
   juice in a large saucepan or kettle.
5. Bring mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-high, add
   liquid pectin, and cook mixture for 8-12 minutes, or until the
   mixture begins to thicken. Skim off any foam that may have formed.
6. Pour mixture into hot, sterilized, half-pint canning jars. Seal
   jars according to manufacturer's directions.
7. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for five minutes. 
   Test seal when cooled. 
   

* Prickly pears are fruit that is left on the prickly pear cactus plant after the cactus has bloomed. The prickly pears may range in color from yellow-green to deep purple-red. The pears may range in size from that of an apricot to 6-inches long. For this reason, there is no accurate way of judging how many pears it may take to obtain a given amount.

NOTE: Cactus jelly may "jell" soon after processing or can take as long s 2 to 3 weeks.

Boiling Water Bath

A Boiling Water Bath is the cooking of food in jars for a set period of time. The boiling water bath seals the lids of the jars to prevent bacterial entry, and the heating of the jars destroys the bacteria, enzymes, molds and yeast in the food inside the jars. The jars are immersed in a large container filled with boiling water. The water must cover the tops of the jars by 2 inches throughout the boiling time.

Memelede De Cacto (Prickly Pear Marmalade)

Yield: 6 half-pints                   Processing Time: 10-15 minutes
Temperature: Medium-High, 
   Medium
   
2 lemons, thinly sliced               4 cups water
   about 1 cup)                       4 cups prickly pears, peeled,
2 large, unpeeled oranges,              chopped and seeded
  chopped (about 3 cups)              6 cups sugar
1. combine lemon, orange, and water in a large mixing bowl.  Allow
   to stand for 12-18 hours in a cool location.
2. Pour mixture into a kettle and cook at medium-high heat for
   approximately 30 minutes, or until the peel is tender. Cool.
3. When cooled, add prickly pears and sugar to the mixture and
   cook at medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixtue begins
   to thicken, approximately 25-30 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into hot, sterilized, half-pint canning jars. Seal
   jars according to manufacturer's directions. 
5. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for five minutes. 
   Test seal when cooled.
 

Jalea De Piracanta (Pyracantha Jelly)

Yield: 4-5 half pints                  Processing Time: 5 minutes
Temperature: High,
  Medium-High, Low
  
3 cups pyracantha berries*             Cheesecloth
6 cups water                           1 1/2 ounces packaged, 
Juice of 1 lemon                         powdered pectin
Juice of 1 grapefruit                  Sugar

1. Wash and stem berries. Place berries and water in a kettle and
   simmer at low heat for 20 minutes.
2. Add lemon and grapefruit juece to berry mixture. Strain berry
   mixture through cheesecloth without squeezing berries.
3. Measure amount of liquid and discard berries.
4. Return liquid to kettle and add powdered pectin. Cook at high
   heat until mixture comes to a full boil. Reduce heat to medium-high.
5. Add the same amount of sugar as the measured liquid. Boil mixture
   at medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. (Mixture
   will be thin.)
6. Remove mixture from heat and skim off any foam that may have
   formed.
7. Pour mixture into hot, sterilized, half-pint canning jars. Seal
   jars according to the manufacturer's directions.
8. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for five minutes. 
   Test seal when cooled.

* Pyracantha berries are the fruit of the pyracantha bush. The pyracantha bush is used as a colorful landscape accent in New Mexico.

Jalea De Chile Verde (Green Chile Jelly)

Yield: 6 half-pints                       Cheesecloth
Temperatuer: High

6 cups sugar                              6 ounces liquid pectin
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar                  6 drops green food coloring

1. Wash and mince chiles. Combine chiles, sugar, and vinegar in a
   large saucepan or kettle and boil mixture at high heat for 5
   minutes.
2. Pour boiled mixture through cheesecloth to remove seeds. Return
   mixture to saucepan or kettle.
3. Add pectin and food coloring to mixture and boil for 1 minute.
   Skim off any foam that may have formed.
4. Pour mixture into hot, sterilized, half-pint canning jars. Seal
   according to manufacturer's directions.
5. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for five minutes. 
   Test seal when cooled.

Enlatar Jalapeños (Canning Jalapeño Chile)

Yield: 6 pints                            Processing Time: 15 minutes
Temperature: High

Jalapeño Chile*                           1 1/2 cups olive oil
6 cups vinegar                            6 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water                          6 teaspoons pickling spices

1. Wash peppers. Pack tightly into sterilized, pint canning jars.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large saucepan and bring
   mixture to boiling at high heat.
3. Pour hot mixture over peppers in each jar to within 1 inch of top
   of jar. Seal jars according to manufacturer's directions.
4. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for fifteen minutes. 
   Test seal when cooled.

Chile will vary in size. For this reason, there is no accurate way of judging how many it may take to obtain a given amount.

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© 1994 Public Service Company of New Mexico.

Recipes from Cocinas De New Mexico, reproduced by permission from the Public Service Company of New Mexico.