Until recently, New Mexican chiles were rarely used in Texas cooking. But as the popularity of chili con carne cookoff contests increased, cooks began experimenting with chiles other than just piquíns and jalapeños. Here is one result of this broadening of the chile pepper experience.
Ed Dorfman, winner of many awards and trophies for his barbecue and chili, says that the ambience of his restaurant (Texas Chili and Rib Company, Phoenix, Arizona) is that of a small Texas bar. Basically a carry-out, his "small joint" seats about thirty people who dig into his brisket, ribs, chicken wings, and several different kinds of chili. About his love for chiles, he calls himself a "capsaicin-holic" who uses chile in everything he cooks--note the eight chile-related ingredients of this recipe.
Eggs play an important role in the cuisine of Yucatán, especially hard-cooked eggs, which are a major ingredient in many popular recipes. Very unique to the Yucatán, these enchiladas are traditionally served garnished with a green oil that is squeezed from toasted pumpkin seeds, but they taste good with or without it. This is a very old Mayan recipe originally made with turkey eggs and it has reputed to have been served to served to the Spaniards when they arrived in the New World. After the Spaniards arrived, chickens and their eggs replaced turkeys in popularity.
