WHERE'S THE "PIE" IN FRITO PIE? - Sunny's research reveals the origins of Frito pie but not the "pie."

FRITO PIE: "A BOWL OF RED"

This weekend, indulge yourself with a  bowl of Frito pie. "A bowl of pie?" you ask. Yep. I'm not sure where the "pie" comes in, the concoction doesn't even come close to resembling one. Rather it appears more like a "bowl of Texas red" and for a good reason. Frito pie originated in Texas, not in New Mexico, as some folks believe. The Dallas-based Frito-Lay company says there are two tales of Frito pie genesis. One claims the mother of Elmer Doolin, the founder of  Frito chips in 1932, invented the dish. (I wasn't aware Fritos had been around that long. Did you?) The other tale asserts that it was a woman who cooked for prisoners in a jailhouse owned by her husband. Origin aside, I'm more interested on where the "pie" part comes in. So if anyone knows, please ring me up...it's driving me crazy.

The original Frito pie recipe presumably consisted of hamburger meat, powdered chile, garlic powder, salt,  flour, water and beans. These are the ingredients (whose measures remain secret) of the famous dish served at the Woolworth's store in Santa Fe before it shut down in October 1997. But there are plenty of cookbook versions. Some  recipes contain up to 20 different ingredients and can take two to three hours to cook. Other recipes include no more than four ingredients and can be cooked in the microwave. I prefer the original (and my formerly secret measures), which I share below. To add a New Mexico twist, I top the bowl with strips of roasted Sandias.

TEX-MEX: JUST WHAT IS IT?

We've all heard of Tex-Mex cuisine but not all of us are sure what it is or what Tex-Mex means.  Last week, I mentioned the term in my column. As a result, I received several phone calls from readers asking, "Just what is it exactly?" Here's the scoop summarized from The Whole Chile Pepper Book  by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach.
 
When you hear Tex-Mex, think barbecue and chili con carne. Tex-Mex cuisine is mostly influenced by the Norteno style for cooking from Mexico. But Southern cooking has also inspired  it, especially barbecue. Texas ranch barbecues are famed for their colossal size, with whole goats and pigs and sides of beef being cooked for days over low heat for a long period of time.
Texas is probably most famous, however, for their chili con carne, or "bowl of red," a combination of meat, onions, garlic, cumin, and on occasion, tomatoes. There are several theories on how the blistering hot chili con carne came into being.

-A chilehead multimillionaire claims that the dish got its start in the late 1840s with "instant chili." At the time, brawny Texans pounded dried beef, beef fat, Chiltepins, and salt to make trail food. The concentrate was then boiled in pots along the trail.

-Cowboys invented chili con carne. Range cooks planted oregano, chiles, and onions among patches of mesquite to protect the little pods from cattle. "The next time they passed  along the same trail, they would gather the spices, combine them with beef (what else?), and make a dish called "trail drive chili."  It's presumed that the soup's heat came from Chiltepins (called  "chilipiquins" in Texas) found in the wild.

-The destitute invented chili con carne. This theory claims that poor people "stretched" their meat dishes by adding handfuls of chile peppers.

LORENZO'S CAFÉ TURNS UP THE HEAT

"My grandmother would turn in her grave if she knew I was adding chiles to her Sicilian recipes," says Vince Vaccaro, co-partner of Lorenzo's Café (which formerly housed The Gavel on N. Alameda). The café, recently opened for business, is the third Lorenzo's restaurant in town. Green chile lasagna and fettuccine Alfredo, kicking with Italian sausage and green chile, are the latest heated items on the menu. Mop the plate with Lorenzo's yummy bread triangles served at all the restaurants. Lorenzo's Café uses the Alameda kitchen to prepare the famous bread dough.

THE ALFRED BARRIO FRY

Las Crucen Alfred Barrio says he adds  bacon and yellow chile (such as the habanero) to fried eggs. "I don't take out the seeds," Alfred said with chilehead bravo. He also added this bit of wisdom: "If your eyes start to burn, place some salt on your  tongue. It takes away the tears and the pain."  My kind of guy.


THE BITE OF THE ROOSTER EXPLAINED

Last week I asked readers if anyone knows why pico de gallo, meaning "bite (or peck) of the  rooster," was given its name. Mesillan Jim Hurst offers this piece of lore:

"The name comes from the salsa's "bite," which quickly subsides leaving us ready (and eager) for another bite." He also said that "South of the U.S. border, the salsa is called Salsa Mexicana (see A Treasury of Mexican Cuisine: Original Recipes from the Chefs of the Camino Real Hotels, Mexico, p.119)."

ORIGINAL FRITO PIE (recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.)
Serves about 4.

1 1/2 pounds lean hamburger, browned and crumpled
4 cups water
4 tsp. hot red chile powder
1 (16 oz.) can pinto or red beans, drained and rinsed
Up to1/4 cup flour
Salt, to taste
Garlic salt, to taste or 1 large garlic clove, minced (I prefer the latter)
GARNISH:
Favorite chile, cut into strips
Plain yogurt or sour cream (Try yogurt. Its tart taste adds pizzazz!)
Frito chips

Brown meat and fresh garlic in an iron skillet. Since I use lean hamburger, I don't drain the liquid. Transfer meat to a Dutch Oven. Add  chile powder, beans, salt and garlic. Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, add enough flour to thicken liquid. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 1 1/2 to two hours. Serve in bowls garnished with Frito chips, chile strips and yogurt or sour cream. Complement the meal with a salad (green or fruit) and toasted Mexican rolls (bolillos) brushed with garlic juice and melted butter.