For more than 25 years Native Seeds/SEARCH has worked to preserve the seeds of crops grown in the Southwest. For just as long, volunteers and staff have enjoyed sharing meals, food preparation tips and recipes.

One aspect of our nonprofit work has been learning about and promoting the desert plant foods that are particularly good at preventing or controlling diabetes. Once virtually unknown in this region, diabetes is now epidemic among Native American people.

The traditional Native American diet in our region included large quantities of water-soluble fiber obtained from desert plants, which use fiber to capture and hold onto precious water. Fiber consumption was an important factor in preventing diabetes. By providing this fiber, foods like mesquite meal, beans of all types, cactus fruit, acorns and small-seed foods like chia did a wonderful job of keeping people healthy – and still can! You’ll find some of these foods incorporated into the recipes here.

These varied recipes also reflect the diversity of the crops and wild food plants we have worked with, the diverse heritage of the cooks who have worked with us, the creative combination of tradition and experimentation, and how the love of food and cooking brings out the most artistic and creative inclinations.

We hope you enjoy exploring the culinary delight of our regional foods and invite you to share your favorite creation!

You may download a pdf version of the recipes

PUEBLO RED CHILE STEW
From Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank (NS/S Board Member)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless chuck roast, cubed
1 onion diced
¼ cup New Mexico or Anaheim red chile powder
8 cups water
8 medium russet potatoes, peeled, if desired, and cubed
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano

In a skillet over medium to high heat, add the oil and brown the beef for two minutes on each side; then decrease the heat to medium and add the onion and red chile powder, stirring constantly. Cook for three minutes, until the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a sauce pot, bring six cups of the water to a boil with the meat and dried red chile mixture. Decrease the heat and simmer until the meat is tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Add the potatoes, salt, oregano, and the remaining 2 cups of water and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes, until the potatoes are soft.
If the stew seems too thick, add a little more water. If it is too thin, simmer a little longer until it reduces and the stew is thicker.

Serve 6 to 8.

SPICY BROWN TEPARY BEAN RAVIOLI WITH CORN AND CHILE CREAM SAUCE
From Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank (NS/S Board Member)
2 cups dried brown tepary beans
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon red chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 recipe Blue Cornmeal Ravioli Dough (see recipe below)
1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. The next day, drain, rinse with cold water, and place them in a saucepan with fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat and simmer for several hours, until the beans become soft. Add water when necessary and stir occasionally to prevent the beans from burning. Remove from the heat.
Toast the oregano and cumin in a dry sauté pan over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the unpeeled garlic to the pan and roast over medium heat until it is soft and blackened in spots. Let cool, then peel and mash with a knife.

In a saucepan, sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat until it is lightly browned. Decrease the heat to low, add the mashed garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add the oregano, cumin, red chile powder, salt, beans, and just enough water to cover, about 2 to 3 cups. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Puree the bean mixture in a food processor until it is smooth.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat the remaining oil over high heat to its smoking point. Add the bean puree and stir for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to moderate and cook for 5 minutes, while stirring, until the bean puree is a medium paste. It will thicken as it cools.

Next, prepare the ravioli dough (recipe below)

Blue Cornmeal Ravioli Dough
1 cup finely ground blue cornmeal
1 ½ cups sifted flour
5 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Pour the cornmeal and flour into a mound on a flat work surface. With your hand, make a depression in the center that almost reaches through to the board. Crack the eggs directly into the well and, with a fork, whip in the salt and oil, mixing the flour in from a round the edges.

Mix and knead the dough with your hands for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough has a smooth and elastic consistency. If the dough seems a bit dry, add a little more water; add a little more flour if it seems too moist. Once you have obtained the desired consistency, cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Divide the dough in half and roll out each portion of the dough into a rectangle, 12 x 15 inches and 1/8 inch thick. With the back of a knife, lightly mark 3-inch squares on the dough. With a basting brush, spread a thin layer of egg wash, about 1 inch wide, along the marked lines on the dough. Place 1 tablespoon of bean filing in the center of each square with a spoon.

Roll out the remaining dough to the same size as the bottom layer and place on top. With your fingers, press down around each mound of filling to release the air and seal each piece of ravioli. Cut between the mounds with a pasta crimper and sealer, making sure the top and bottom layers of the pasta dough are sealed securely. Set on a baking pan or tray dusted with flour so the ravioli don’t stick and set aside while you make the sauce.

Corn and Chile Cream Sauce
6 green New Mexico or Anaheim chiles
4 cups corn kernels
3 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 cups heavy cream
Red chiles, for garnish
Green chiles, for garnish

Roast the green chiles, then peel, seed, devein and dice them. Combine 3 cups of the corn, 2/3 of the diced green chiles, the serrano chiles, salt and pepper in a food processor and process for about 2 minutes, until smooth. Scrape the sides and process for another 30 seconds. Push through a fine sieve and discard the skins.

Put the mixture in a saucepan and heat over moderate heat for 3 minutes, slowly adding the cream while stirring. Add the remaining corn kernels and diced green chiles. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, until the corn is tender. Set aside to keep warm.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Place the ravioli in the water and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender. Drain the ravioli and serve immediately with the cream sauce. Allow 2 to 3 ravioli per person. Garnish with the red and green chiles.

Serve 6 as an appetizer

Huitlacoche, Queso Fresco, Corn, Dried Tomato and Chipotle Morita Relleno
Serve with Guacamole, Huitlacocho Mojo and Chilitepin Salsa
4 Poblano chiles prepared for rellenos
4 oz fresh, sweet corn kernels
1 oz corn oil
1 tsp freshly chopped garlic
1/8th tsp chipotle morita, reconstituted in water and finely chopped
2 oz soft dried tomatoes, chopped
6 oz Huitlacoche, canned or fresh works well for this dish
6 oz Queso Fresco, crumbled
2 oz Cilantro leaves, left whole but with stems removed

Coat a small sauté pan with the corn oil and sauté the corn kernels and garlic on medium heat for about 3 minutes until the corn starts to soften and the garlic releases its flavor.

Season with freshly ground pepper.

Remove from heat and in place into a medium work bowl

Fold in the chipotle morita, dried tomatoes, and huitlacoche and mix well.

Gently fold in the queso fresco and cilantro.

Stuff the poblano chiles with the filling.

Place in a 400 degree oven and bake the rellenos for 10 minutes until they are very hot in the center.

Remove and serve with guacamole, huitlacoche mojo and chilitepin salsa on the side.

yield: 4 Rellenos

CHEESE PUFFS
A tasty pastry shell that can be filled with a variety of fillings.
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tbsp. butter
1/4 lb. shredded cheddar cheese (or Swiss)
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs at room temperature

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring to a boil the water, salt and butter in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is creamy. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously over moderate heat until mixture forms a ball and does not cling to the sides of the saucepan or the spoon. Do not overheat. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes then add eggs, one at a time, stirring until each egg is absorbed. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for ten minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake about 25 minutes longer. Cool the shells then cut them horizontally with a sharp knife. If there are any damp filaments inside, remove them, then fill and replace the top.

TEPARY BEAN PATE
From Carolyn Niethammer's "The Tumbleweed Gourmet". This is a nice as an hor d'ourve or as a sandwich spread at a picnic or for summer lunches. Very nutritious.
l stalk celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups cooked brown tepary beans
2 Tbs wheat germ
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs wine or basil vinegar
1/2 tsp dried basil or l tsp fresh
1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano or 1 tsp fresh
1/2 tsp cumin

Saute' celery, carrot, onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Grind sunflower seeds to a meal in blender. Combine teparies, cooked vegetables, wheat germ, soy sauce, vinegar and herbs with the sunflower meal and process until smooth. Overnight refrigeration allows the flavors to develop and meld. Variations: Add one of the following or invent a flavoring: 1/4 tsp ground cumin and 2 Tbs chopped green chiles; or 2 Tbs sherry, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 chopped pecans.

Three Sisters Posole
1 cup hominy
½ cup pinto beans
½ cup anasazi beans
½ cup kidney beans
¼ cup olive oil
3 chopped onions
1 tbs. chopped garlic
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole bay leaves
1 jalpeno pepper, seeded & chopped
1 ½ tbs. ground cumin
3 leaves fresh sage chopped
½ cup medium diced celery
3 cups medium diced carrots
3 cups medium diced turnips
3 cups winter squash such as kuri, hubbard or kabocha, peeled, seeded & cubed
1 (32 oz) can peeled tomatoes with juice
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Sort through beans and hominy to discard any broken ones or stones. Place them in a saucepan with five cups of water. Bring to boil and then lower heat to simmer until soft. Pour olive oil in a stove top casserole over medium heat and saute the onions, garlic, cinnamon, bay leaves, pepper, cumin, and sage, for ten minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining vegetables and reduce heat to low. Add cooked beans to the casserole. Simmer over low heat, covered for one hour or until everything is tender. Add salt & pepper to taste and continue to cook another 15 to 20 minutes until thickened. Serve with chopped cilantro. Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Chiltepin Salsa
Yield: 2 Cups
3 Chiltepins
½ Chopped White Onion
1 TBSP Dried Mexican Oregano
4 Plum Tomatoes, halved and seeded
3 TBSP Distilled White Wine Vinegar
2 TBSP Tomato Paste
Salt to taste

Procedure: Puree all ingredients in a blender until completely smooth.

Herbed Bean Dip
1 lb. white tepary beans
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed Mexican oregano
pinch of dried red pepper (or chiles)

Soak beans in cold water overnight in refrigerator; drain beans, add two quarts of water and simmer covered for two hours. Drain beans and cool. Puree beans, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin and oregano in food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkling with dried red pepper and additional oregano.

Christmas Lima Bean Salad
1 pound Christmas Lima beans
2/3 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 each, red & green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup minced cilantro

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 teaspoons dried crushed thyme leaves
1 medium garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in two quarts of water in a lidded pot for 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans; add two quarts of fresh water to the beans and bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender but still firm.

Drain and rinse.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and whisk until well mixed.

When beans are drained, combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl, toss with dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.