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Nancy’s Fiery Fare:
Fresh Chile
by Nancy Gerlach, Fiery-Foods.com Food Editor
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Recipes in this Issue: |
Fall in New Mexico-- I love this time of year! Just seeing the trucks hauling the green chile harvest up from the south makes my mouth start to water. On street corners and in the grocery stores, the large chile roasters turn sacks of fresh green into roasted chiles ready to be eaten or to be put up for the upcoming year. The aroma is heavenly.
Much of what I grow is dried and turned into powder, strung into ristras, or frozen for use when fresh isn’t available. But fresh chiles have a taste and texture that cannot be duplicated by canned, dried, or frozen chiles. They also add such bright, wonderful color to any dish. So when they are in season, I use them in as many ways as possible.
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Roasting Fresh Green New Mexican Chiles
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Small chiles can be picked, rinsed and used without any further processing. The larger fresh chiles, such as New Mexico green and poblanos, however, have a tough outer skin that must be removed before using. The best way to achieve this is to apply heat and blister the outer skin so that it can be peeled away from the meat of the chile. There are several different methods that can be used and all of them work well.
Since I have both a gas range and grill, the method that I use is to roast them directly over the flame. The number of chiles I’m dealing with determines my choice of equipment. Small amounts I roast on the stove and larger numbers outside on the grill. I do use a stove top grill called an asadro that is specifically made for use over a burner. It is a round metal grid with two wooden handles which allows you to roast a chile without holding it, or to blister small chiles which might slip through a grill. It also works well for roasting bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic bulbs. If you don’t have one, a heavy piece of metal mesh such as one used for grilling fish will also work, the object is to keep the chiles from falling into the flame.
After washing and drying the chiles, I make a small slit in the top of each one before placing over the flame. This is done to prevent the chiles from exploding, shooting very hot seeds as much as five or six feet in feet in every direction. The actual roasting of the chiles involves flipping them over the flame to make sure that they are not burning. You will be able to see the skin blistering--even blackening somewhat--and pulling away from the meat. After they are well blistered or browned over the entire chile, I put them in a metal bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel. That’s it. I let them steam for anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes and then peeling is a breeze. If you want the chiles to remain crisp, eliminate the steaming and immediately plunge them in ice water to stop the cooking process, and then peel. You now have a chile that is ready to eat, cook with, or freeze.
As you can see from the following recipes, there are many ways to use fresh chiles. Most are fast and easy to prepare, and there are some that require little or no cooking at all. And these are just a sampling. For more information, tips, ideas, and recipes for dealing with a large chile crop, see Too Many Chiles! From Sowing to Savoring–75 Recipes for Preparing and Preserving Your Pepper Harvest. By Dave DeWitt, Nancy and Jeff Gerlach, Golden West Publishing, 2001 (Update 11/2007: Unfortunately out of print).
This is a recipe I’ve used for years and years and it always works and is always wonderful. Traditionally these are prepared with cheese fillings, but a cooked meat mixture, or a combination of meat, dried fruits and nuts also works well. When I’m processing a large bag of chile, I always set aside the largest, whole chiles for this dish.
4 large or 8 small, New Mexican green chiles, roasted peeled and seeded, with the stems on
1/3 to ½ pound cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, cut into sticks
All-purpose flour
3 eggs
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying
1 recipe green chile sauce (see following recipe)
Make a slit in the side of each chile and carefully stuff it with the cheese sticks. If the chiles tear, secure them with a toothpick. Just be sure to remove it before serving the chile.
Place some of the flour on a plate and roll each of the chiles in the flour until it’s fairly evenly covered. Shake off the excess flour.
Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a small one. Whisk the egg yolks with the flour, water, and salt until they’re thick and creamy.
Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
Pour the oil in a saute pan to a depth of 1 ½ to 2 inches, or until it looks like it would reach a little more than halfway up the side of the chiles. Heat the oil to 350 to 375 degrees or until a little of the batter quickly browns when dropped in the oil, about 20 seconds.
Quickly and gently fold the yolks into the whites so that the mixture is an even color but the whites are not broken down. Dip the chiles in the batter, covering them completely and removing any excess.
Slide the chiles, one or two at a time, into the hot oil. As they are browning on one side, carefully spoon some of the hot oil over the top to assist in setting the batter. When they’re browned, gently turn them over and brown the other side, turning only once. Remove them from the oil and drain on a paper towel.
To serve, place the rellenos on a plate and top with some of the green chile sauce. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
This versatile sauce is basic to New Mexican cuisine. It’s at it’s best made with fresh green chile. Finely diced pork can be added but cook the sauce of an additional half hour. Use this sauce over enchiladas, burritos, eggs for breakfast, or the above chile rellenos. It will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator and freezes well.
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 to 3 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped green New Mexico chile, roasted, peeled, stems removed
1 small tomato, peeled and chopped
In a medium skillet, heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic until they are soft. Stir in the flour and blend well. Simmer for a couple of minutes to cook the flour, being careful it does not brown. Slowly add the broth and stir until smooth.
Stir in the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes.
Yield: 2 to 3 cups
Heat Scale: Medium to Hot
These are quick and easy to prepare and can be made with roasted and peeled jalapeños or fresh out of the garden. Serve these chilled as an appetizer or even as a luncheon entree on a hot day. .
1 4 ½-ounce can crab meat
1/4 cup salad shrimp, chopped
1/3 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
Mayonnaise
8 to 10 fresh jalapeños, stems and seeds removed, split in half lengthwise
In a bowl, combine the crab, shrimp, and cheese. Add enough of the mayonnaise to hold the mixture together and mix well. Fill each jalapeño with a mound of the mixture.
Serve immediately or chill well to serve later.
Yield: 16 to 20 stuffed halves
Heat Scale: Hot
Popular throughout Southeast Asia, this garlic and chile based paste is used as a condiment that adds fire without greatly altering the taste of the dish. It is especially good stir-frys. This is a great recipe for using up any small chiles that are left at the end of the season. This paste will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator and it can also be frozen.
1 cup small fresh red chiles, stems removed, such as Thai, serrano, piquin, or japones
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
8 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
Water as needed
Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree, adding water if necessary, to form a thick paste.
Yield: 1 cup
Heat Scale: Hot
I couldn’t put together a collection of fresh chile recipes without including my favorite--green chile stew. This has been a popular staple in northern New Mexico for hundreds of years, ever since the Spanish introduced domesticated pigs. In the late summer and early fall, when the crops come in and everyone starts roasting and putting up chiles for the coming year, I keep a pot of this stew simmering on the stove to fill and freeze in containers to enjoy during the cold winter months.
1 ½ pounds lean pork, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
Vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 quart pork or chicken broth
6 to 8 green New Mexico chiles, roasted, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 small tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
½ teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican preferred
Salt to taste
In a heavy skillet, brown the pork over medium to medium-high heat, adding a little oil if needed. When the pork is browned, transfer it to a large stockpot. Add the onions and some more oil to the same skillet and until the onions turn a golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer the mixture to the pot with the pork.
Add 2 cups of broth to the skillet, raise the heat, and deglaze the skillet, being sure to scrape all the bits and pieces from the sides and bottom. Pour the broth over the pork in the stockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the stockpot, bring it to just below boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is very tender and starts to fall apart.
Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
