If you haven’t seen the chiles roasting at Central Market or caught a whiff of their warm, smoky char in the air at Market Street, you must be out of town! Tis the season for Hatch green chiles and I have looked forward to this time of year ever since the tradition started about 20 years ago. We moved away from New Mexico in 1989 and the thing I miss the most about the southwest is the abundance of and access to Hatch green chiles.
Hatch chiles represent comfort food to me. The first dish I ever crafted using this amazing pepper was Green Chile Stew. Years ago at a family reunion, a group of us took a cooking class in Santa Fe and a version of this recipe was included in the demonstration. Several of my husband’s family members and I took the recipe back to our home states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado and Texas!) and tweaked it, making our own versions. i think I am the lone beef supporter as the others used chicken. If you have not tried my Green Chile Stew, put it on your bucket list. It is deep, savory and so delicious with a fried egg on top and hot flour tortilla alongside.
To be honest, I can never stock up enough on the chiles during the festival; my mother-in-law kindly replenishes my supply when either she visits Texas or we visit New Mexico. But it is nice to have a fresh supply each August. This week on my menu, I am serving the chicken version of green chile stew and the beef version in a pot pie, as well as a version of my personal favorite, Chiles Rellenos. Of course, you will have to supply your own “Red or Green?” Do you get this reference? Have a great week! 2015 Menu for Aug 10