Peace and Love in the Kitchen

adapted from Central Market

Serves 4 – 6

For the chili connoisseur, the Hatch chili is the Holy Grail.  The Hatch looks like any other green chili, but its distinct robust, earthy flavor is a result of its provenance.  It is grown in the Mesilla Valley of Southern New Mexico where at 4,000 feet, the days are hot and the nights are cool.  The varieties of the Hatch range from the mild A-8 to the makes-your-eyes-water-and-your-pores-sweat Big Jim. Hatch chilies are fantastic, but that is not the only reason people go crazy for them.  Hatch chilies are available fresh for only 2 weeks out of the year. This short harvest culminates at the annual  Hatch Valley Chile Festival in Hatch, New Mexico each year on Labor Day weekend.

If you live in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, or Austin, Texas, you can go to your neighborhood Central Market’s Hatch Chili Festival.  CM ships 250,000 pounds of Hatch chilies from the Mesilla Valley to Texas every year.  Over the course of just two weeks, they sell them all.  CM hauls big roasters into their parking lots where they roast pound after pound of Hatch chilies and sell them hot in plastic bags.  You can smell them cooking from blocks away.  Like bees to honey, people swarm around the tables grabbing as many bags as they can.  I saw one man buying 25  pounds.  Are you having a party? I had to ask.  Nope.  I am going to freeze these and eat them until they’re gone.  I put ‘em in everything.  Love ‘em in queso and eggs, but they are really fine in my enchilladas verdes.

If you don’t live near a Central Market or your Labor Day plans don’t include a trip to the Mesilla Valley, do not despair. Hatch chilies freeze beautifully.  Order them online here. Too much trouble?  It won’t taste the same, but the Hatch chilies can be substituted with anaheims or poblanos.

Note: HOW TO ROAST YOUR OWN:  While it is terribly convenient to buy your chilies roasted, you can roast them at home yourself.  Hold the chili over an open flame with a pair of tongs until it is blackened and blistered evenly.  Place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes.  Remove from bag and peel off the skin.

Note:  TO FREEZE:  Frozen, roasted chilies will keep for up to 2 years.  Hold your hands under lightly running water with the roasted chili off to the side not directly under the water.  Remove the skin, stem, and seeds.  Carefully tear lengthwise so that the chili will lay flat.  Dry on paper towels.  Place each chili in its own small plastic bag.  Place all small bags into a large freezer bag and lay flat in the freezer.

I decided to make chili rellenos with my Hatch chilies.  Chili rellenos are stuffed chilies.  Stuffings range from ground meat mixtures like picadillo to creamy cheeses.  After stuffing, the chilies are either battered and fried, or baked and then served with a sauce.  They are usually part of a larger meal.

In this recipe, Hatch chilies are stuffed with a simple mixture of goat cheese, raisins, and pine nuts and then baked. Warm crema Mexicana is drizzled over them to serve.  These are easily assembled ahead of time and then baked just before serving.

8-10 medium – large Hatch chilies, mild or hot, it’s up to you, roasted

9 oz goat cheese

3 oz raisins, chopped

2 oz pine nuts, lightly toasted

Cream Mexicana, for serving

1.  PREP CHILIES:  Preheat oven to 375.  Follow directions for freezing, above, to remove skin, stem, and seeds.  Gently slice the chile lengthwise down one side.  Set chile aside.

2. PREP STUFFING:  In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, raisins, and pine nuts.

3.  STUFF, BAKE, AND SERVE:  Lay chilies in a baking pan.  Stuff with cheese mixture.  Bake  for 15 minutes.  Pour Crema Mexicana into a small saucepan and heat over LOW heat until warm.  To serve, place 1-2 chilies on a plate and drizzle with Crema Mexicana.

Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,

Waverly

Hatch chile rellenos with Crema Mexicana served with grilled Yucutan chicken and sliced summer tomatoes

Tags:

• chilies
• dinner party
• Mexican Food
• vegetarian

3 comments

http://www.peaceandloveinthekitchen.com/2010/08/hatch-chile-rellenos-with-crema-mexicana

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