I first tasted a green gazpacho with kiwi when I was visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico. I couldn’t wait to create my own version, and I love the way it turned out. The soup itself is pureed in a blender. 

Pozole is a delicious and hearty stew made from dried hominy, a type of dried corn. It is a traditional Mexican dish originating with the Aztecs who considered corn a sacred plant, and it was usually made only for special occasions. Pozole is often made with pork, but I like this vegetarian version with green chiles even better.

If you want to make a big impression in your kitchen I recommend baking a pan of these cheesy popovers. They come out of the oven puffed up like pillows, and the centers are filled with air pockets that capture the aromas of chiles and smoked cheese inside. I recommend roasting your own green chiles for this recipe, but if you can find canned Hatch chiles at your grocer they will work fine.

I’ve been making this egg casserole since long before I had children. I love it because it uses roasted green chiles, and it has no meat or bread.  There have been times I have added cooked sausage, and it was good, but I prefer the cheesy goodness with green chiles on their own. I have doubled and tripled this recipe many times to feed a crowd. It reheats really well for several days, and sometimes I freeze individual portions and pop them in the microwave whenever I need this to get my day started.

Every summer the Hatch chiles from New Mexico hit the grocery stores and market stands in my hometown. I stock up on pounds and pounds of them, roast them over a hot flame, peel, and freeze. That way, I’ve got roasted green chiles at my disposal anytime I need them. 

The city of Chimayo, New Mexico is known for growing some of the best red chiles in North America. Chimayan chiles get their earthy and pungent flavor from the unique soil in the fields surrounding the historic city north of Santa Fe. I purchase bags of the ground chile powder when I visit, and one of my favorite ways to use it is in this Caesar salad, both in the dressing and the garlicy croutons.