Allure of hot green chiles from Hatch, N.M.
Like Georgia’s sweet Vidalia onions, New Mexico’s hot Hatch green chiles are a special ingredient coming from a specific place.
Unlike Vidalia onions, though, Hatch green chiles aren’t easy to find in supermarkets or even specialty markets. And, of course, that adds to their allure.
Over Labor Day weekend, some 30,000 chile lovers will flock to the tiny agricultural village of Hatch, N.M. — dubbed "The Chile Capital of the World" — to experience the fruits of the harvest at the annual Hatch Valley Chile Festival, www.hatchchilefest.com .
Just before that, in late August, Taqueria del Sol, the popular Atlanta-based Mexican-American restaurant chain, receives a large shipment of Hatch green chiles to use in a variety of dishes, including the likes of green chile cheeseburger sliders.
On Sept. 12, the Howell Mill Taqueria del Sol location will host a block party-style Hatch chile celebration, spilling into the parking lot with food stations, drinks and live music.
Chef David Waller, who runs Sol Catering, the special events arm of Taqueria del Sol, will be in charge of the menu.
A graduate of Johnson and Wales College of Culinary Arts in Charleston, Waller is a veteran of restaurants all over the country, including stints at Coyote Café in Santa Fe and Sundown Café in Atlanta. He also teaches a class on green chiles at the Cook’s Warehouse.
“I’ve done all kinds of cooking,” Waller said. “I’ve cooked Italian, French and California cuisine, but this is the stuff I like. It has meat, spice and bold flavors. I like food that stands up for itself.”
Waller looks forward to green chile harvest time with particular relish. That’s when Taqueria del Sol prepares batch after batch of Hatch chiles in a gas-fired drum roaster.
The roasted chiles are frozen and used throughout the year in dishes such as green chile enchilada sauce and green chile stew. But the big hit of the season is Taqueria del Sol’s green chile relleno, a crispy, cheese-stuffed creation that’s become an addiction for many regulars.
“We get calls almost constantly all year, wondering when the chile relleno will be on the menu,” Waller said.
Hatch Chile Celebration
5:30-8:30 p.m. Sept. 12, $12. Taqueria del Sol, 1200-B Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, 404-352-5811, www.taqueriadelsol.com
New Mexico Green Chiles
Large, slender and pale green, New Mexico green chiles are similar to Anaheim chiles, but hotter. Look for them in late August in Mexican markets or order them from New Mexico purveyors, such as New Mexican Connection, 800-933-2736, www.newmexicanconnection.com
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Recipes
Sol Catering chef David Waller provided these three recipes featuring fresh New Mexico green chiles. But their less hot, much easier to find California cousin, the Anaheim chile, will work well for chile relleno. And in a pinch, readily available canned green chiles will work for the other recipes.
Chiles Rellenos With Salsa Frita
The battered and fried chile relleno, literally "stuffed chile," is a Mexican classic. This version borrows from Asian cooking, with a simple, tempura-like batter and a crispy coating of Japanese-style breadcrumbs.
Roasting the chile peppers and removing the skins is essential to the texture and flavor of the dish. Chef David Waller likes to use a blowtorch to blacken and blister the skins but the work also can be done on a gas burner or gas grill, under a broiler or in a hot oven. Refrigerating the stuffed chile peppers before frying keeps them from coming apart.
Hands on: 1 hour Total time: 2 hours, 10 minutes, including 20 minutes for steaming chile peppers and 50 minutes for chilling Makes: 4
For the salsa frita:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups fresh tomato chunks
2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
Salt to taste
For the chiles rellenos:
4 New Mexico green chiles or Anaheim chiles
2 cups shredded cheese, such as Monterey Jack
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups Japanese breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
To make the salsa frita:
In a deep saucepan over high heat, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering and very hot. Add the tomatoes and jalapeno peppers, being careful of spattering oil. Reduce heat and cook on medium-high until the tomatoes and peppers are very soft, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste, cool slightly, and puree tomatoes and jalapeno peppers in a food processor or blender. Hold at room temperature.
To make the chiles rellenos
To roast chile peppers:
Over a gas burner flame, under a broiler or in a 450-degree oven, roast the chile peppers, turning until the skins are blistered and blackened on all sides.
Enclose chile peppers in a large paper or plastic bag for 20 minutes to steam and loosen skins.
When cool, remove skins by rubbing each chile pepper with a sheet of paper towel.
To stuff and coat chile peppers:
Starting at the stem, open each chile pepper with a single lengthwise slit, leaving tip intact.
Remove seeds, but leave stem on.
Stuff each chile pepper with up to 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, leaving enough room to close the slit around the cheese.
Place chile peppers on a large plate or platter and refrigerate 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, water and salt to make a thick batter.
On a large cookie sheet, arrange breadcrumbs in a thick layer.
Grasping the stem, dip each chile pepper into batter, covering well and allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl.
Roll each batter-coated chile pepper in breadcrumbs, patting firmly to cover all sides.
Repeat batter and breadcrumbs process for all four chile peppers.
Return chile peppers to plate or platter and refrigerate 20 minutes to set crust.
To fry chile peppers:
In a large, deep frying pan, add vegetable oil to a depth of at least 1/2 inch. Heat oil to 350 degrees. Add chile peppers in batches, turning with tongs until golden brown on all sides.
Remove chile peppers from oil with tongs and drain on wire rack or paper towels.
Repeat frying process to make four chiles rellenos.
To serve: Divide salsa frita among four plates and top each plate with a fried chile relleno.
Per serving: 686 calories (percent of calories from fat, 43), 26 grams protein, 73 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 33 grams fat (12 grams saturated), 50 milligrams cholesterol, 822 milligrams sodium.
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Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Makes: 8 servings
This flavorful enchilada sauce is a staple at Taqueria del Sol, where it’s served with enchiladas and other Mexican dishes. Roast the green chiles as per the chiles rellenos recipe or use good quality canned green chiles, such as Hatch brand.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely diced yellow onion
½ tablespoon chopped garlic
2 1/2 cups small diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups roasted, peeled, seeded and diced green chile peppers
¼ teaspoon chicken base, such as Better Than Bouillon
¼ teaspoon beef base, such as Better Than Bouillon
1 cup water
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Salt to taste
In a large saucepan over medium heat add vegetable oil, onion and garlic and sweat onions and garlic until soft but not browned.
Add tomatoes, chile peppers, chicken and beef bases, stir and cook 5 minutes or until tomatoes start to soften.
Add water and simmer 15 minutes.
In a small dish, whisk melted butter and all-purpose flour together.
Add the water and flour mixture to the pan and stir to thicken the sauce.
Add salt to taste.
Serve warm with cheese, chicken or pork enchiladas or other Mexican dishes.
Per serving: 79 calories (percent of calories from fat, 52), 2 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 59 milligrams sodium.
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Green Chile Stew
Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 2 hours Makes: 8 servings
Because the pork isn’t browned first but simmered to make a rich broth, this version of green chile stew resembles posole. A variety of peppers add complex flavor and heat. The stew is tasty on its own or with white rice, warm corn tortillas or cheese or pork enchiladas. Like most stews, it’s even better the next day.
1 pound boneless pork shoulder cut into ½-inch chunks
½ pound ground pork
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
3 1/2 cups water
4 roasted, peeled and seeded green chile peppers, medium dice (see chiles rellenos recipe) or six canned whole green chile peppers, medium dice
1 green bell pepper, seeded, medium dice
1 poblano pepper, seeded, medium dice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, medium dice
1 banana pepper, seeded, medium dice
½ cup medium diced yellow onion
½ cup medium diced russet potato
In a large stew pot over high heat, add pork chunks, ground pork, salt, garlic, white pepper, cumin, oregano and water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 to 45 minutes until pork chunks start to soften.
Add green chile, green bell, poblano, jalapeno and banana peppers, onion and potato and continue to simmer 30 to 45 minutes, until vegetables soften, pork starts to fall apart and stew thickens.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in bowls with white rice or warm corn tortillas.
Per serving: 195 calories (percent of calories from fat, 50), 17 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 11 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 59 milligrams cholesterol, 593 milligrams sodium.
