New Mexican Cuisine - Chile and Other Ingredients

Chile and Other Ingredients

Chile, beans, and corn have been described as the "basic ingredients of New Mexico cooking," and all are locally grown.

One of its most defining characteristics is the dominance of the New Mexican chile in red and green varieties, depending on the stage of ripeness when picked. Other distinctive elements include blue corn, the stacked enchilada, and sopapillas into which honey is added moments before eating.

The New Mexico chile, especially when harvested as green chile, is perhaps the defining ingredient of New Mexican food compared to neighboring styles. Chile is New Mexico's largest agricultural crop. Within New Mexico, green chile is a popular ingredient in everything from enchiladas and burritos to cheeseburgers, french fries, bagels, and pizzas, and is added to the standard menu of many national American food chains. In the early twenty-first century, green chile has also become increasingly available outside of New Mexico.