Featured Article - December 2009

Official Answer: Christmas. This recipe for Stuffed French Toast Royale uses both of New Mexico's famous chile's when garnished with Heidi's Raspberry Red Chile Jame and La Carreta Green Chile Lemon Marmalade.

SOUTHWEST FLAVOR
Rise and Shine

Celebrate with a crowd-pleasing breakfast on Christmas morning

One of my earliest memories is of Christmas morning 1972. We lived in a house my father built about a mile off N.M. 14, near the village of Cerrillos. My mom, my sister, and I were bundled up against the cold, waiting for Dad to start the generator. Through the dark, snowy morning we could hear the diesel engine putt-putt-putt to life. Then the lights of our tree ignited—first dimly, then flickering, and then they burst into full brightness as the distant motor revved up to a smooth idle. The room had been transformed! Surrounding the tree were boxes wrapped in shiny paper with ribbons and bows. A Big Wheel tricycle sat unadorned, multicolored plastic streamers dangling from its handlebars. My sister dashed for her Baby-Alive—a horrible, somewhat frightening doll that ate faux baby food and produced faux baby poop—and tore it from its box.

Actually, I don’t know if I truly remember that morning, or if I’ve pasted into my memory banks the version captured on our family’s Super-8 movies. My recollections omit everything but the tree and the gifts —I have no memory of the food. My dad must have been too busy eating to shoot the tablescape.

My family embraced common food traditions, such as Thanksgiving turkey, and created our own—we decorated the Easter oyster. There are also a handful of Durham Family food traditions, invented by my mom, that usually involve lime Jell-O and fall on holidays known only to us.

We make a huge production of Thanksgiving dinner, and spend a lot of money on Mother’s Day brunch (more of a lunch, really). But when it comes to what’s often called “the most important meal of the day,” we turn a blind eye to celebration. So this Christmas, I’m leading a revolution. This holiday season, get ready for “the most important meal of the year”—Christmas breakfast.

For my breakfast menu, I like to stick to the classics: 11 Brussels Sprout Hash, Maple Pumpkin Tamales with Spiced Piñon Butter, and Stuffed French Toast Royale (with traditional garnishes).

In the old days, Grandma might have risen before the sun to prepare pumpkin masa for the tamales. Nowadays, the traditional farolito walk in Santa Fe keeps me out till almost midnight, precluding a pre-dawn start on breakfast preparations. If I could only set my kitchen the same way I set my coffeemaker! Instead, I have to plan ahead. Here are some tips for embracing Christmas morning at a more civilized hour:
1) Plan your menu and shop a couple of days beforehand. Most stores are closed Christmas morning.
2) Cook almost everything the day before. Tamales hold up well; make them first.
3) Set up the ingredients so that you can take them right out of the fridge and start cooking. If space is tight, don’t forget about your instant winter outdoor refrigerator, a.k.a. the garage.
4) Skip steps 1, 2, and 3 and get yourself invited to a chef friend’s Christmas breakfast.

Another tip for taking the sting out of Christmas breakfast is to set it up buffet style. Use table decorations to make it festive: holly, nutcrackers, silver bells, and candles. You can also tack on an additional hour of sleep if you make the dress code for breakfast “Just Out of Bed, Shaving Optional.” You’ll be right at home in your robe and slippers! (Note to self: Buy robe!)

The spirit of the holiday season is love—not the St. Valentine’s Day Hallmark card variety, but real love:
love of friends, love of family, love of God. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kit Carson’s Birthday, what’s most important about this time is to spend it together. So host your friends and family, and welcome a stranger into your home for “the most important meal of the year”—the one we spend eating together.

¡Feliz Navidad, Paz, Amor, Salud y Tiempo Para Gustar las Comidas!

Native Santa Fean Rocky Durham is culinary director of the Santa Fe School of Cooking.

Resources: To order masa harina from the Santa Fe School of Cooking: (505) 983-4511 www.santafeschoolofcooking.com To order Heidi’s Raspberry Red Chile Jam: (505) 898-1784 www.heidisraspberryjam.com To order La Carreta Green Chile Lemon Marmalade: (505) 579-4358 www.lacarretanewmexico.com

Stuffed French Toast Royale
Add pizzazz to your French toast with local raspberry red-chile jam and green-chile lemon marmalade.

12 slices brioche or challah bread
1 cup Heidi’s Raspberry Red Chile Jam
1 cup mascarpone cheese
4 eggs
½ cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon orange zest
butter

Place 6 slices bread on cookie sheet. Mix raspberry red-chile jam and mascarpone cheese. Spread mixture on bread slices, dividing evenly. Top with remaining slices of bread and press slightly to seal.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and orange zest.

Preheat griddle to medium heat, or place nonstick pan over medium heat. Brush griddle with butter. Place bread slices in milk mixture until just coated on both sides. Cook sandwiches on griddle about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Garnish with one or more of the following: whipped cream, honey, La Carreta Green Chile Lemon Marmalade, or more raspberry red-chile jam.

Serves 6.

11 Brussels Sprouts’ Hash
If you don’t care for Brussels sprouts, substitute chopped green cabbage in this hearty dish.

11 Brussels sprouts
2 large russet potatoes
6 rashers bacon, fried until crispy,
oil reserved
1 small onion, sliced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¼–½ cup green chile, roasted, peeled, diced
salt and black pepper to taste

Clean, quarter, and steam Brussels sprouts until tender. Peel, dice, and simmer potatoes until tender. Fry bacon rashers until crispy, reserve oil.

In large frying pan, heat bacon drippings.

Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Place over low heat and cook as long as you can stand it.

Serves 6.

Video: How to roll tamales

Maple Pumpkin Tamales
This recipe is a sweet breakfast take on a New Mexican classic.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons New Mexican red-chile powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2½ cups masa harina
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
¼ cup pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground canela (or cinnamon)
1¾ cups warm water (or as needed)

Cream unsalted butter, red-chile powder, baking powder, and salt. Add masa harina, pumpkin, maple syrup, and canela. Mix until evenly combined and texture is light. With beaters still turning, pour in warm water until texture is creamy.

To roll: Soak cornhusks in warm water overnight, or immerse in boiling water for an hour to soften. Drain.
To roll a bolito-style tamale, start at edge of cornhusk and tear away two thin strips and set aside. Leaving at least 1 inch around the edges of the husk, place 2–3 tablespoons of mixture in center of cornhusk.

Roll long edges of husk into center to cover filling. Using the strips of husk, tie each end near the filling to seal.

To cook: Fill bottom of steamer with 2–3 inches of water. Drop pebble in the bottom. Line steamer basket with extra cornhusks and place in steamer. Place tamales in layers on cornhusks and cover with more husks, to prevent drying out. Cover steamer, bring water
to boil, and cook tamales 45–50 minutes, or until they feel firm and husks peel away from filling. Listen to pot as it boils; if there’s still water, you’ll hear the pebble bouncing; if the noise stops, add more water. When tamales are cooked, let rest several minutes before serving. Serve with Spiced Piñon Butter.

Makes about 24.

Spiced Piñon Butter
Great with Maple Pumpkin Tamales, Stuffed French Toast Royale, or anything else.

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
½ cup New Mexican piñon nuts, toasted, cooled
¼ cup New Mexican honey
¼ teaspoon red chile powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until well combined. Spread mixture on piece of baker’s parchment. Fold paper over atop the mixture. Roll paper until mixture forms a log. Wrap butter-parchment log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Slice butter in coin-sized pieces for service.