Chile and Chorizo Cornbread

Anaheim’s are very popular in Southwestern US Cuisine. Also called “New Mexican Chile”. These were developed by Dr. Fabian Garcia in New Mexico about 100 yrs ago who was seeking a chile pepper that was bigger, fleshier, and milder.

They got the name “Anaheim” when a farmer named Emilio Ortega brought these seeds to the Anaheim area in the early 1900′s. This chile can be roasted and peeled and used in recipes or stuffed to make chile rellenos just as the Poblano Chile.

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Ingredients:

1/2 pound chorizo, removed from casing
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 (8 oz.) can creamed corn
4 fresh Anaheim chiles, fire-roasted, peeled and chopped
1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped or 1 (4 oz.) can green chiles chopped
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F.

Crumble and fry the chorizo in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes to render some of the fat. Put the sausage meat and 3 Tbsp. of the fat in a large bowl. Add the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, eggs, sour cream, corn, chiles and 1-1/4 cps of the cheese. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

Generously butter a 1-1/2 quart casserole, 9″X 9″ baking dish, or 10″ heavy skillet. Spoon in the cornbread batter and sprinkle the top with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cornbread turns golden and smells wonderful. Serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Recipe from “The Complete Sausage Cookbook” by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly. Ten Speed Press, August 1977.