SpiceLines

Most of New Mexico’s green chile crop is grown in 12 counties, primarily in the southern part of the state near Hatch, a small town (pop. 2,000) named after General Edward Hatch, who served under Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War and later became a commander of the Department of Arizona which included the New Mexico Territory.

Although there is some controversy over the Hatch label—apparently one grower trademarked the name, leaving other regional growers in the dust—many insist that Dona Ana county where Hatch is located yields the most delicious green chiles. So delicious that upwards of 30,000 people annually descend on the village over Labor Day weekend for the Hatch Chile Festival.

In the last few weeks, I’ve kept an eye out for fresh Hatch chiles trucked into our local supermarket. But since we’re in the midst of the chile harvest, you may well find New Mexican or related Anaheim peppers in your local farmer’s market. If you’re very lucky, someone like Alex of Peregrine Farm will roast your chiles on the spot in a handcranked, propane-fired wire drum. On a sunny fall morning there’s nothing like the rich, smoky fragrance of roasting chiles permeating the cool air to produce a sense of deep contentment.

But if you must roast them at home, here’s a very simple recipe.

Roasted Green Chile Sauce

If you have a few ears of corn lying around, this is a good way roast them as well.

To make 2 cups of sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh Hatch, New Mexican or Anaheim chiles

Method:

1. On a glorious fall day, the best way to roast chiles is outdoors on the grill. Build a charcoal or wood fire in your grill and let the flames burn down until the coals are red hot and covered with white ash. Place the grill over the coals and spread the green chiles on top. Roast for three or four minutes, or until the skin on the side facing the coals has begun to blister and char. Turn the chiles over and repeat. Continue roasting and turning until they are blackened and blistered all over. (You might hear the chiles pop as the juice begins to sizzle under the skin.)

2. Remove the chiles from the grill and place them in a closed plastic bag for 15 minutes. Then rub or peel the skin off each chile—it should come off easily—and pull off the stem. Tear the chile open—if you’re a neatnik, you can use a knife—and remove the seeds. Briefly run the chile under cool water to remove any recalcitrant seeds or bits of burnt skin, but do not let it become waterlogged. Lay the chile aside and repeat with rest.

3. To make the sauce, simply cut the roasted chiles into medium or small dice.

You can also roast chiles indoors by holding them directly in the gas flame of your stove, or in a dry cast iron skillet set over medium heat. When they are blackened and blistered all over, place them in a plastic bag and proceed as above.

Now that you have your green chile (sauce,) what will you do with it? Please don’t get silly and add green chile to your apple pie or to crème brulee. That’s just wrong.

Try these delicious ideas instead:

1. Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, steaks: In Santa Fe Bobcat Bite makes an award-winning Green Chile Cheeseburger (it’s especially delicious with bacon), and their hamburger isn’t bad either. At the restaurant you can order a side of green chile to eat with a 13ounce rib eye. Good to know: meat fat + green chile= delicousness.

2. Pork and green chile stew: You’ll find this iconic dish all over New Mexico. Try the soupy version right here on SpiceLines. Or grill a pork tenderloin and serve it with roasted green chiles and a sauce of dried ancho peppers and peanuts.

3. Green chiles are a natural with corn (and cornmeal): Swap out the poblanos for New Mexican green chiles and make David Tanis’ Creamy Stovetop Corn with crème fraiche.

Or try our simple recipe for Calabacitas (Summer Squash) with Sweet Corn and Roasted Green Chiles. To spice up your favorite cornbread recipe, stir half a cup of roasted green chiles into the batter.

4. Add roasted green chiles to a BLT: Yesterday at Sandwhich I had Hich’s totally Outrageous BLT: thick slices of juicy late season tomatoes,avocado, lots of thick cut bacon and Bibb lettuce with a whole roasted green chile tucked inside. Bliss! (Actually it was a jalapeno, but you easily substitute any green chile of your choice.)

5. Spicy Homemade Potato Salad: B raves about steamed new potatoes with lemon vinaigrette, tossed with a little garlic and onion, herbs from the garden and chopped roasted green chiles. There's nothing like a little hot green chile to get those endorphins surging.

As for me, I’m working on new recipe for chicken, potato, roasted corn and green chile stew. Luckily green chiles freeze very nicely so you can eat them all winter long!