Chile Peppers - Hatch
Get out your roasters, gather up some of these fabulous Hatch chile peppers, fire it up, and let the roasting begin! Your brow might sweat, eyes may tear, noses may run - what a wonderful way to celebrate the chile harvests.
With thousands of acres producing chile peppers, the chile plant has played a passionate role in New Mexico's cuisine and culture since the early 1600's when chiles were first planted by the Spanish along the fertile Rio Grande valley. "Our pods are peerless", declare New Mexicans about their chiles, although chile peppers are now grown worldwide.
Southern New Mexico offers some of the best and tastiest chiles in the world - about 30 miles northwest of Las Cruces is Hatch, New Mexico - the "Chile Capital of the World". Hatch cultivates over 30,000 acres of the succulent Hatch pods, and every year celebrates the harvest during Labor Day weekend with a festival that includes chile roasting, contests, parades, and traditional culinary dishes.
Following is some chile/chili information:
- Chile or chili? Chile is the Spanish adaptation of chili, which is the Aztec name for the pod. In New Mexico, Chili refers to Texas soup that is prepared with chili powder.
- Chile powder or Chili powder? Chile powder spelled with an I refers to dried, pure ground chile peppers. Chili powder spelled with an E is a powdered seasoning mix of dried chiles, garlic and other herbs like oregano, cumin, cloves and coriander.
- Red or green sauce? Chile is generally served as a green or red sauce. The heat level can vary from mild (1 scale) to very hot (10 scale). It is wise to ask when dining out what the heat level is for any chile sauce! Green sauce is less earthy than red sauce, and is many times somewhat sweeter than green sauce.
- Chile "pain" relief? Forget water because it does not help. Yoghurt, however, will dull the pain, as will milk.
- Red chiles are green chiles that ripen on the vine. The red chiles are generally used in ristras (string chiles) because of the fabulous color, and are a wonderful color addition to any dish requiring good chile peppers.
- Chile rellenos are green chiles that are stuffed with cheese, rolled in a cornmeal mix and deep fried.
- Enchiladas are tortillas that are stuffed with cheese, onions and spices and baked with a red or green chile sauce topping. Enchiladas are traditionally served with rice.
- Tamales are made with raisins, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, pecans and brown sugar (this is the sweet holiday tamales), wrapped in fresh masa (corn dough), and encased in a cornhusk. Tamalies can include fresh vegetables, cheese and fresh herbs - be creative.
- Huevos rancheros are a flat tortilla covered with black beans, fried eggs, lots and lots of chile sauce and cheese - a breakfast delight!
- Chilehead is an experienced chile connoisseur - the hotter the chile the better.
- Hotluck is a potluck that includes numerous chile dishes.
- Chile fix - for the true chile connoisseur, chiles are required daily.
- Chile "flashes" (or perspiration) at the brow may occur after consuming very. hot chiles included in many dishes - non-gender specific.
- Capsaisin is what gives chiles their bite - centered around the stem, inner veins and seeds.
- Chile Pepper Institute is located in Las Cruces at New Mexico State University. The Institute is an international, non-profit organization devoted to educational research, and the promotion of chile peppers.
- Hatch Chile Festival is the annual Hatch chile pepper festival held every Labor Day weekend in Hatch, New Mexico. It is said that the air is filled with the fragrance of roasting chile peppers, and it is impossible to resist the fabulous aromas and foods that are part of this annual event.
- Whole Enchilada Fiesta is held every year during the first week of October in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The fiesta features parades, concerts, dancing, and the making of the world's largest enchilada - this monster is shared by more than 70,000 fiesta goers.
Hatch, New Mexico has a population of about 1,000 that grows to over 15,000 plus during its annual festival - Chilestock? The smoke from the many chile roasters can be seen for miles as you arrive in this small, beautiful community. Hatch is about 30 minutes northwest of Las Cruces, or around 3 hours south of Albuquerque. If you attend the festival, you can purchase Hatch chile peppers and have them roasted during your visit. The people in Hatch freeze the roasted chiles so they can enjoy them year- round. Roasting removes the tough skin and brings out the delicious flavor of this incredible chile. Note: when dining in Hatch during the annual festival, you will be asked " red or green " - if you want the heat, ask for it. If you are not quite that daring, it is safe to order "Christmas" - a combination of red chile sauce and green chile stew. Beware: the smell and flavor of the roasted Hatch New Mexico chile is very, very addictive!
When selecting the Hatch chile pepper, go for the large, firm pepper. When preparing for roasting, slit each pepper lengthwise and remove all the seeds and veins - wear protective gloves, and be careful not to touch your eyes when handling chile peppers. Arrange the prepared chiles in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place in the oven about 5 inches from the broiler. The skin will blister and turn black, your kitchen (or backyard if you roast outside) will be filled with the mouth-watering aroma of roasted chile peppers.
After the Hatch chiles have cooled, remove the skin and prepare as desired. Cut into small pieces and serve as a plate addition. Puree and add fresh herbs of your choice for a terrific sauce. Use as a base for a sweet salsa (add peaches, nectarines, plums, raisins, apples, mangos, papayas - all ripe with their peak of sugar). Stuff with cheese and fresh herbs and make one of the best chile rellenos you have every enjoyed. Use your imagination - Hatch chile peppers are loaded with vitamin C, and will be available in early August at J&J Distributing. Hatch chile peppers are packed in 30# burlap bags with Hatch authenticity labels. There are 35 bags per pallet, and you can use the emptied burlap bags for bulking up your bin display - stuff with newspapers. Abbandanza!!!
Build large bin displays - J&J has a fabulous POP package for you for marketing this great chile pepper - please request package from your marketing/sales professional at J&J.