As the holidays draw near and kitchens everywhere fill with the warmth of baking spices and savory delights, three beloved local chefs are sharing their favorite recipes to make the season even more special. Ky Quintanilla of the Taos Trading Post is offering his red chile bison posole, Lee Clayton of the Mobile Bodega is offering their cornbread dressing recipe, and Aya Trevino of SUP – Craft BBQ offers her gluten-free alternative to biscochitos. From family favorites to fresh, festive twists, these chefs are bringing their unique talents and creative flair straight to your table.
Ky currently owns and operates Trading Post Market and Deli where they serve up the meanest mac-n-cheese bowls and deli sandwiches on the south side of Taos. Previously, he’s been the executive chef at Lambert’s and has trained under Wolfgang Puck. In this recipe, Ky takes a traditional Mexican stew and adds a slight twist in the accompanying protein.
Nathan Burton/Taos News Trading Post Market & Deli owner and chef Ky Quintanilla stands for a portrait Tuesday (May 2).
Red chile bison posole
Ingredients
1 onion8 cloves garlic1 lb. of ground bison1 cup of red chile powder 1 Tbsp oregano1 Tbsp cumin½ Tbsp green chile powder2 lb. frozen posole½ gallon stock
In a soup pot, sauté the onion, garlic and bison. Cook until caramelized then add cumin, red chile powder, oregano, and optional green chile powder. Continue to cook on medium heat until aroma is present, then add posole and simmering liquid of choice if not using stock. Simmer for one hour or until desired posole tenderness is reached. Season to taste during the whole process.
Mexican red pozole, hominy and pork stew
Ky notes, “For the holidays, I like to choose ingredients of the area: lamb, duck, bison, trout, chiles, herbs. One thing that never changes is the taste. I like to share that with my ancestors every holiday season.”
Lee Clayton is known as the culinary force behind Bodega by Church’s deli and international market. It is probably the only establishment capable of offering jerk chicken, bahn mis and birria ramen in one place. For the holidays, Clayton has offered their take on a southern staple.
Lee’s Holiday Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
6 cups cornbread crumbs1 small red pepper1 small green pepper2 stalks of celery diced2 shallots diced2 carrot sticks diced1 jalapeño diced1 small bunch parsley1 package Italian sausage2 cups flavorful broth1 Tbsp salt1 Tbsp pepper 1 Tbsp olive oil
Homemade Spicy Jalapeno Cornbread Cut into Squares
In a large pot on medium high heat add olive oil. Once oil shimmers, add Italian sausage and break into small pieces. Once sausage has rendered its oil and is partially cooked, add red and green peppers, shallots, carrots, celery, jalapeño and salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables have softened and shallots are translucent.
Add cornbread crumbs and thoroughly combine with meat and cooked vegetables. Once mixed, add broth and turn off heat. The mixture should be like Play-Doh. If too dry, add more broth. Add chopped parsley to combine and place in a serving dish. Bake uncovered on 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Make sure the topping is brown and the dressing is set.
Trevino is responsible for the irresistible aroma of smoked meats that wafts out of SUP – Craft BBQ located in the Taos Food Hall. Trevino offers your standard barbecue options such as oak-smoked brisket, pulled pork and pork ribs. In addition to being able to produce smoke rings on proteins, Trevino is also knowledgeable in the gluten-free arts. As such she’s offering her gluten-free alternative to the biscochito.
Aya’s Gluten-Free Abuelita’s Biscochitos
6 cups gluten-free flour2 cups lard, coconut oil or butter1 ½ cup sugar 2 whole eggs2 tsp baking powder1 tsp psyllium husk1 tsp salt1 tsp anise seed and anise seed powder1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp vanilla (optional)
Mix dry ingredients first. Add wet ingredients and mix with your hands. Cut out cookie shape with cookie cutter onto baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Separately, place semisweet chocolate in a double boiler to melt. Once cookies are cooled, dip half in the chocolate.
Biscochos, biscochitos cookies close up on a plate