THE DISCUSSION OF AMERICAN FOOD would be incomplete without considering the food of actual Americans.
In the desert Southwest, we find the people and the food most closely aligned with what was here before settlers arrived to start forming the melting pot we’ve created. For many here, the area is an ancestral homeland. For others, it is where they were driven after being displaced in shameful ways, and it might be slightly more comforting if only there was evidence to suggest we’ve evolved to a point that nothing that terrible could ever happen again. Regardless, the perseverance of these people and their culture is inspiring.
No flavor will put my head in the Southwest faster than chile sauce. Equally useful as a braising liquid or a condiment, and as likely to be found at a fancy restaurant or burger shop as in some sweet abuela’s casita, these simple sauces are easy to master and will transport me to Sante Fe no matter where I am.
The question I’ll get when I order virtually any dish here is “red or green?” I don’t feel put on the spot. My favorite answer is “Make it Christmas!!!”
The red sauce is made from the roasted pulp of the indigenous peppers and has a bold earthiness. You’ll find the peppers being roasted in huge perforated drums in the parking lots of supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations. The aroma becomes an integral part of the atmosphere.
The green sauce is made from the same plant, but fresh from the vine with a bright fruitiness. The beautiful thing—both literally and figuratively—is that you don’t have to choose. Ask for yours to be “Christmas” and the dish will be draped with some sauce of each hue.
Next door in Texas, the independent spirit of the formerly autonomous republic lives on with its own cuisine. When I get off the plane in Texas, I grab a cowboy hat—which goes perfect with shorts and Crocs, thankyouverymuch—and start thinking about grabbing a seat at the table of one of my friends who are masters of the craft: Dean Fearing, Tim Love, Robert Del Grande, Chris Shepherd, Tyson Cole, Paul Qui, Bryce Gilmore.
But first I go find some brisket from Aaron Franklin or Louie Mueller or one of the spots in Lockhart, a little town that was built on BBQ smoke in houses with names including Smitty’s, Black’s, and Kreuz. Don’t be turned off by the modesty of a roadside shack with questionable structural integrity. If there’s a plume of sweet oak smoke billowing out of a vent, I’ll stop in to give it a look. In Texas, it is cattle country and beef is what’s for dinner, so find a truck stop or a diner or a place with an unlikely German or Czech name on the sign and cowboy types sitting in it, and saddle up for some ’cue and a bowl of red. In the rest of the Southwest, it’s more about the chiles and the Latino flavors interpreted by a plethora of different immigrant cultures with their own take on the flavor of the local soil.
Roadside treasures of the Southwest are CHILES RELLENOS, TACOS, ENCHILADAS, and every sort of food with a Hatch chile in or on it; here there is almost no chance to go wrong unless you can’t stand the heat!
SERVES 4
It took a hearty breakfast to fuel the work on the ranch, and this dish was standard fare for the hands. Now it’s a mainstay of yuppie and traditional brunch menus around the region and beyond. Serve with a side of beans and a slice or two of avocado.
Canola or corn oil for frying
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas
8 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups Green Chile Sauce or Red Chile Sauce (here), or 1 cup of each, warmed
4 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves ½ cup sour cream
Heat ¼ inch of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. With tongs, lower a tortilla in the oil and fry for 30 seconds. Turn over and fry the other side for 30 seconds; it’ll puff up. Remove to a paper towel–lined plate and repeat until all the tortillas are fried, placing paper towels between the layers as you go.
In another, larger skillet, heat a little oil over medium-high heat. Fry the eggs as you like them, sprinkling with a little salt and pepper. Sunny-side up for me!
On each of 4 plates, place 1 tortilla and top with 2 eggs. Spoon about ½ cup chile sauce over the egg whites. Toss on some green onions, some cilantro sprigs, and a dollop of sour cream.