Food Challenge: Hatch Chiles
hatch chiles pin
Along with Thanksgiving and Christmas, Hatch chile season is a favorite time of year in this house of foodies. From mid-August through early September, these beautiful green peppers are a culinary staple that add the perfect balance of flavor and heat to a wide array of dishes.
The New Mexico chile, grown specifically in the Hatch Valley, has become the subject of a culinary challenge each year to develop unique recipes for us Hatch-crazed fans to enjoy. Restaurants and even grocery stores are in on the craze, creating everything from salsas and marinated meats and fish, breads, chocolate, and even beer!
If you miss Hatch chile season or they don’t make it to your area, you can order them online from stores such as Hatch Chile Express or The Hatch Chile Store. If you have a Chuy’s Tex-Mex restaurant in your area, they are in full Hatch Chile Festival mode through September 6th, where you can try seasonal dishes and beverages. You can also use Anaheim chiles, a close relative of the New Mexico chile, if they are more readily available to you.
hatch chiles howto
I tried two new recipes this week and was over the moon with both of them. They are from a lady named Lisa Fain, also known as the Homesick Texan, who helped us retain our culinary palates while stationed abroad.
hatch chiles salsa
Texas Roasted Salsa
by Homesick Texan
Traditionally these chiles are roasted in a large drum over an open flame, but placing them under the broiler in your oven can achieve the same goal. I was a bit impatient and didn't allow my chiles to blacken as much as they could have, but the flavor was still fantastic.
hatch chiles pie
Hatch Chile Apple Cobbler
by Homesick Texan
I used two chiles for this recipe, as I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the potency of adding four. It had the perfect blend of sweetness and spice, and was made even more amazing bintery the addition of homemade whipped cream, courtesy of my dear husband.
What foods do you miss the most when you’re stationed far from home?