Photos by Stephanie Cameron
In New Mexico, fall’s turn to winter is always a delight for the senses: The smell of roasting green chile haunts the streets, red chile ristras appear at storefronts and along roadsides, and the calls of cranes and geese on their seasonal trek south hang in the air. But it’s the changing colors that are perhaps the most remarkable: The aspens and cottonwoods blaze gold just as the harvest wanes and we settle in for several months of brisk, cozy mornings and landscapes sketched in more subdued shades. As a last huzzah for the colorful bounty of the season and a celebration of local culinary talent, we asked six creative, hardworking chefs from around New Mexico to prepare a unique dish based around a single color, using at least one locally sourced ingredient. We were astounded at what they came up with, and we think you will be too.
Beetroot Dosa
Paper Dosa in Santa Fe
Paulraj Karuppasamy, Chef/Co-owner
Beetroot dosa with beets from Romero Farms. A thin South Indian crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter, served with sambar and coconut and tomato chutneys.
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
Corner Office in Taos
Jori Jayne Emde, Chef/Co-Owner
Tomatoes from Umami Gardens with corn-flour batter and fermented carrot tops, served with yogurt aioli, herb oil, gremolata, a nest of baby leeks, and flowering dill on a plate made by Whiskey & Clay. Corn flour, eggs, yogurt, herbs, and produce sourced from local farms including Bell Lane Farm, Copper Pot Farm, Feral Farm, Gonzales Farm, and Camino de Paz.
BLUE CORN INFLADITAS
Sentli in Albuquerque
Ernesto Torres Lemus, Chef/Owner
Infladitas with Farm Shark blue corn, filled with black bean puree, blue cheese, and huitlacoche and topped with labneh, radishes, and salsa macha. Produce and beans sourced from La Montañita Co-op; huitlacoche purchased from Irie Mushroom Farm in Oregon, the sole domestic producer of this blue-hued corn fungi.
GRILLED LOCAL CARROTS
Arroyo Vino in Santa Fe
Allison Jenkins, Executive Chef
Carrots from The Vagabond Farmers, whipped feta, dates, harissa, pistachios, and herb salad.
Farmhouse Vegan Nosh
FARMesilla in Las Cruces
Becky Windels, Executive Chef
Chickpea-battered golden oyster mushrooms from Full Circle Mushrooms, corn from Animas Creek Farm, leeks and scallions from Khalsa Family Farms, and shishitos, served with vegan yellow pepper mayo and edible flowers from Valley Farms NM.
WHITE CHOCOLATE ENTREMETS
Farm & Table in Albuquerque
Randall Watson, Pastry Chef
White cake with a white chocolate cinnamon mousse, peach puree made from Alameda Farms’ peaches, house-made fennel ice cream, and crumbled pistachios from Eagle Ranch Pistachio Groves.
