Need recipes for hatch chiles!

Cafe Society
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Yesterday I picked up several pounds of roasted hatch chile peppers, as well as a few fresh ones. Plans are underway for chiles rellanos, salsa, and my signature spicy corn chowder, in which I will substitute poblano peppers for hatch chiles. Does anyone have either variations on the above or any delicious recipes for either roasted or fresh chiles?

Also - the first person who can offer a vegetarian hatch chile stew/soup will win my undying devotion. I’m not a big fan of pork but don’t know how to flavor the stew. (I also had some sort of chile soup last year in New Mexico, but I think it was more of a cream-based soup as opposed to the standard stew. It was delicious but I haven’t been able to figure out how to reproduce it. Suggestions?)

Thanks!

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This one looks yummy!

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Mmm, that does look delicious. I think I know what I’ll be cooking next weekend. Thanks!

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De nada. Return to this thread and tell me how it came out. :smiley:

5

#1) If you’ve got several pounds, you have more than you’ll use at once. Luckily they freeze really well. Peel 'em (there’s a sort of cellophane-like membrane* on the outside that peels right off–DO NOT WASH THEM!) and seed them–it’s a pain to do now, but it’ll save you grief later. Then get half-sized ziplock sandwich baggies (they’re half as tall—you’re supposed to use them to put carrot sticks and celery in your kid’s lunch-sack). Take four or five of the peeled chilies and toss 'em in the bag. Toss the bag into the freezer. Repeat until you’re out of chilies. They’ll keep at minimum a year (if they last that long).

What’s nice about that is that later on, if you want just a little in an omlette one morning you just cut off a hunk from one of the frozen chilisickles and put the rest of the log away! (recipe one–chop off about a tablespoon of the chilies, mince, toss into a lightly buttered frying pan, along with some diced onion and tomato. Pour in some eggs lightly beaten with a little milk and then, once they start to set, add a handful of montery jack cheese and keep stirring.)

For green chile, I can’t imagine it without meat. Here’s my version. if you don’t like pork, get a turkey breast, cut it into chunks and toss it in the food processor in batches and pulse each batch about 6-10 times until you have a really coarse grind (pre-ground turkey is just gross)

Traditional Green Chili

This is a really nice green chili and one of the best things about it is that with this green chili, you can taste the favors as well as feel the heat. I love this stuff and eat it all the time.

Ingredients
* 2 pork chops w/ bone (about 1 lb total, including bone)
* 6 roasted hatch chilies
* (optional) 2-3 fresh jalpenoes (supermarket anaheim chilies are wimpy. This’ll add some heat)
* (very optional) 1 (one) serrano chili-no more! If you add more, you’ll overwhelm the flavor of the Hatch (anaheim) chilies and all you’ll taste is “hot”.
* 4 T flour
* 3 T vegetable oil
* 1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
* 6 cups (or more) of water
* 3 chicken boullion cubes–or equivilant amount of boullion powder (don’t use real chicken stock. For some reason it makes it taste weird.)
* 1/2 tsp Garlic salt (or more to taste)
* 1 tsp Cumin
* black pepper–two or three grinds

  1. Roast chilies (both jalapenos and serrano)–spritz them with Pam or other neutral vegetable oil and put under broiler or (better) on a barbeque until the skin blackens all over: you’ll have to turn them regularly (note that the smaller chilies will cook faster! Be careful!). When done they’re done, put 'em in a brown paper bag and close.

  2. Cut meat off pork chops and cut into small dice–pieces should be about the size of your pinkie fingernail, tops.

  3. Spritz a heavy skillet with Pam or other neutral vegetable oil. Add meat and bones. Saute until lightly browned. (there should be some brown crusty stuff at the bottom of the pan)

  4. Peel chilies (the skin will just come right off-DO NOT WASH THE CHILIES or you’re washing all the roasted flavor off–if some of the black stuff remains on, no big deal). Roughly chop chilies (including the Hatch chilies).

  5. Remove meat and bones from pan leaving what oil there is. Add vegetable oil. Heat and slowly add flour which should form a paste (add more oil if needed–it should be a fairly tight paste). Cook until flour is lightly brown.

  6. Add water slowly (a cup at a time), scraping up the crusty brown stuff on the bottom of the pan and stir into flour. Keep adding the water until you have a fairly watery gravy. About half-way though adding the water, dump in the tomato liquid.

  7. Toss in the chopped chilies, the chopped tomatoes and the meat and bones. Note that the color is a sort of reddish/greenish brown…it’s not a pretty color, but it tastes good.

  8. Add a half-teaspoon of garlic salt, a half-teaspoon of cumin and the chicken boullion cubes.

  9. Let simmer slowly (stirring regularly) for a minimum of 20 minutes (longer is better). It should get fairly thick. If needed add a bit more flour.

  10. Spritz some corn tortillas with Pam and add some salt. Chuck into 350o oven for 5 minutes (give or take) turning once until crispy.

Serving options

Option 1–
This is not techincally Huevos Rancheros

  1. Scramble some eggs. (I use Egg Beaterstm)
  2. Put the eggs on the tortillias
  3. Put about 1/2 cup of green chili (but not the bones!) on the eggs.

Option 2–
This is lots closer (it ain’t technically Huevoes Rancheros unless the egg is fried, the same way that putting broiled salmon on bread ain’t bagels and lox), except that real huevoes rancheros use a red sauce that doesn’t taste a third as good.

  1. Fry some eggs sunny-side up.
  2. Put the eggs on the tortillias
  3. Put about 1/2 cup of green chili (but not the bones!) on the eggs.
  4. Sprinkle some colby-jack cheese on the eggs

(If you really want this to be more authentic, don’t bake the corn tortillias, fry 'em in about a 1/2 inch of veggie oil for about 3 minutes–they’ll taste better, but you’ll increase your fat/calorie intake by like double)

Option 3 (the way I usually eat it)

  1. Take about 2 cups of the green chili (but not the bones!) and put it in a microwave safe bowl or another pot
  2. Add about about a 1/2 cup of shredded colby jack (best) or montery jack or cheddar cheese.
  3. Heat and stir regularly
  4. Eat, scooping the stuff onto the corn tortillas.

Fenris

*THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCE SEZ: “Do not put the membranes down your garbage disposal–if you do, you’ll be sooooo-rrrry” :wink:

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Where was this? If it’s somewhere nearby, I’ll go have a bowl and perhaps try to get the recipe. (BTW, I’m in Albuquerque)

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Fenris, you’re a man who knows his chilis! I already froze the peppers, but I froze the roasted ones with the skin still on. I can still thaw them out and peel them when I’m ready to cook’em, right?

Lazlo, this was at a steak restaurant in Santa Fe, but thanks for your offer!

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For your vegetarian option, you can try making a corn-chile chowder. Basically, just make yourself a fresh corn chowder, and add a bunch of chopped roasted chiles to it. If you’re a pisco-vegetarian, then you can even add some shrimp, crab meat, lobster, etc…

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And when you speak of me, and you will, remember this recipe and smile.

CREAM OF GREEN CHILE SOUP

2 corn tortillas
6 long green chiles, peeled, seeded and chopped or use canned (1 cup)
½ stick unsalted butter
2 c chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t oregano
2 bay leaves
3½ c veggie stock, homemade or canned
1 lb (2 medium) baking potatoes, peeled and chunked
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
1/3 c whipping cream
2 c grated Monterrey jack cheese or mozzarella or a combination of both

Cut tortillas into ¼" wide strips and leave uncovered at room temperature until they are dry and crisp, about 24 hrs. (Or buy a bag of Fritos or Doritos, your choice.)

In a 4 qt saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, potatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring twice, until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes.

Cool soup slightly, discard bay leaves, and puree in food processor. Return soup to pan, stir in green chiles, and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the soup has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasoning. Can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Rewarm over low heat, stirring often.

Ladle soup into wide bowls, sprinkle the cheese over the soup, and scatter the tortilla strips over the cheese. Serve immediately.

From The El Paso Chile Co. Texas Border Cookbook - I don’t put this through the food processor – I like the chunks of potato in it. Very rich! Be careful of the “heat” in your chiles so that it isn’t too spicy for you. If you need to be extra careful, just use canned mild chiles.

GREEN CHILE STEW

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
48 oz green chiles, chopped or shredded, and juice
3 quarts vegetable stock
5 large potatoes, washed and cubed
Salt to taste

In 6 qt soup pot, saute garlic and onions in a little oil. Add green chiles. Cover with stock and bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft (about 20 minutes).

Given to me in Roy NM by an old family friend. You can add browned hamburger or cubed pork if you’d like, just cook the stew longer.

Mmmmmmmm!

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Thank you so much for starting this thread! DeHusband is from New Mexico and is addicted to green chiles. You reminded me to order his fix! (and good lord, I think heroin would be cheaper.)

Anyway, I’ve done my duty as a good (and co-dependent) wife. Brownie points for me!!

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If you’re in the mood for some green chile flavor but don’t have much time to cook, try making grilled cheese sandwiches with strips of green chile in them. I got all my roommates addicted to them in college, and they taste really good for something so simple to make.

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Yup, but A) it’s a lot harder to peel 'em once they’ve been frozen and B) you can’t just cut off a hunk and toss it in a pan or sauce.

That said: no big deal–you’ll know for next time and they’re still perfectly good! :slight_smile:

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Thanks to all! DeVena, I’m swooning over your recipes. And Ill Logik, I would never ever have thought of chiles and grilled cheese, but it’s so stunningly, obviously perfect!

pulykamell, I had already planned my pepper corn chowder, but now I’m going to try adding shrimp next time. Silly question: do I cook the shrimp in advance, or will they cook through if I just add them raw to the chowder?

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Fenris, I like your advice, but I want to know how you peel them, physically I mean. I often make recipes that call out for peeled chiles and the only way I know of to accomplish this is to roast the chiles in flame until the cellophane layer splits, blackens and frays. Then I can rub most of the layer off.

Do you have an easier method? In my experience, the layer is not like cellophane in that I can’t grab it and pull it right off.

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:confused: I thought I knew every kind of chile pepper. What are “hatch chiles”?

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Green chile grown in the area of Hatch, NM.

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Anaheim chilies grown in Hatch, New Mexico. They have a better flavor (IMO) than other Anaheims.

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You have to roast 'em. First, the roasting brings out the flavor. IMO, unroasted chilies are kinda blah. Second, the roasting makes 'em easy to peel, if you roast 'em right.

Easiest way (assuming you don’t have one of those barrel-shaped roaster dealies or a propane torch) is to toss 'em on a barbeque. Let them roast until blackened and then toss them into a plastic bag. Let them sit until they’re luke-warm in the sealed bag (which kind of steams them) and the cellophane layer just slides right off.

You may be missing the “plastic bag” step. If so, that’s why they don’t peel right. Since Spree picked up several pounds of roasted chilies, I skipped that step, since I assume that he brought 'em home in a large garbage sack (that’s how mine come when I get them) which accomplishes the steaming step.

If you’re absolutely opposed to roasting them, the only other method I can think of would be to dump 'em in boiling water for a minute or two, and then either let them steam or put 'em in ice water…that method works with tomatos, so I assume it would work on chilies…but roasting isn’t that much work and the flavor is so much better (IMO) that you might as well roast 'em! :slight_smile:

Fenris

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I’ve seen recipes using either cooked or raw shrimp. Personally, I prefer using raw shrimp — I find the texture to be much better. Just throw them in the pot before you add the cream (of course, shell and devein them). Cook until pink (it won’t take too long), then finish off the chowder with cream/half & half/milk.

But if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of shelling and deveining your shrimp, feel free to use cooked shrimp.

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Here’s a recipe I’ve found that looks really good. Of course, you can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, and I’m sure it’ll still come out very good.