Hatch Chiles - what do I do with them?

I saw them at the store, and having heard about them for many years, bought them.

But… now what?

What are your favorite ways to use Hatch chiles?

Roast, peel and freeze while you figure it out! I would probably use like any other roasted chilies. Omelets, fritatas, beans, quesadillas, rellenos, egg casseroles ( can’t think of the name), stews.

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All of what Shrinkrap said, plus green chile (sauce). Green chile is a staple of Santa Fe style cuisine and is poured on everything there, from breakfast burritos to burgers. Also used as the sauce for green chile enchiladas. There’s not really much to it, just roasted Hatch chiles, a small amount on onion and/or garlic, a bit of stock and maybe a little flour to thicken if you like. It is much more magical than anything so simple has any right to be!

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While particular recipes call for Hatch chiles, to me their flavor and heat is distinctive enough that I use them in any dish where they’d appeal. I especially like their flavor with winter squash, like in butternut squash chili.

A couple of years ago I roasted, chopped, and froze a package in a thin layer. Maybe like @shrinkrap? I break off a small chunk when I want that Hatch flavor in a recipe. Reminds me that I need to restock.

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Lots of green chile recipes from a favorite site: MJ’s Kitchen:

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Perhaps not thin enough to break off. Usually two or three peppers wrapped in cling wrap or parchment, and I add the bundles to a freezer bag. Or at least that’s my plan. Often it is more haphazard; lots of packages of vacuum sealed peppers, strewn about the freezer.

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Thanks folks.

So it sounds like first thing to do is to roast and peel them. Off to do that.

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Thank you for that link :relaxed:

This recipe gave me the idea to process some/most of the roasted chiles into a chutney / salsa before freezing - can’ think of anything they would be used in that wouldn’t also benefit from garlic (and maybe cilantro, though I don’t have any of that at the moment).

Also like this guide for roasting and she has a clever enchilada recipe with lima beans and potatoes, one of my favorite lima bean combinations.

This chicken may be dinner.
These corn cakes look delicious.
Green Chile mayo - so clever!
These tamales are right up my alley flavor-wise but I may have to deconstruct them as polenta and chicken with the chile sauce.
Posole, because apparently I ordered hominy for posole before my pandemic exile, lol.
And she even has an indian inspired pathiri / crepe recipes, very cool.

Thanks @TheLibrarian28 for the link, it’s a nice rabbit hole for a rainy Sunday.

And of course I’m channeling @shrinkrap with all these bookmarks :wink:

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:blush:

Nice link!

“Hatch green chile is the generic name for chiles that only come from the Hatch Valley in New Mexico” is an interesting way to think about it! I think of it the other way around. Hatch as a brand name for a generic Numex chile, but I don’t think Hatch is trademarked. Or is that patented?

From "Chili pepper madness".

“Legislators passed a law in 2012 that prohibits the sale of chili peppers with the label “New Mexican” unless actually grown in New Mexico, or they must include a disclaimer label of “Not Grown in New Mexico”.”

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After prepping them(roasting/peeling, etc) I put them in chili, microwave or sauté and put on hamburgers. They also freeze well after being prepped. Delicious!

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I personally don’t think red tomatoes should go in a verde salsa, as they call it.

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I buy them already roasted in the grocery store parking lot, so I just portion them into baggies and freeze to clean as used.

My most prepared recipe by far is the green chile pork stew and I use this recipe as a base, sometimes changing it up by adding potatoes or other veg. I always serve with grated white Mexican cheese such as asadero or Monterrey Jack if I can’t get the real thing. Now I’m gonna have to make this no matter the temperature.

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