Chiles from Hatch NM - Chile Festival Time!

I just returned from Sprouts Farmer's Market here in Tucson, AZ.  They have been selling green chiles from Hatch, NM for the last week!  For anyone who is not familiar with Hatch green chiles, just trust the natives here in the southwest, when they tell you they are The Best green chiles. 





I bought a few of the mild ones, but you can also get medium hot and hot chiles.  They are perfect for roasting.  The simplest way to roast green chiles is to place them on a cookie sheet in the oven.

Just wash them, dry them.  Don't cut or seed them!  Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  You can line the cookie sheet with aluminum foil, but I use parchment paper.  Set the oven to low broil.  Watch them carefully, every 5 minutes turn them with tongs, and roast until they are completely black.  It should take about 15 minutes.

Place them in a bowl with a damp dish towel or paper towel over the top for about 20 minutes until they cool.  This will help loosen the skins. Once they are cool, cut off the stem of each chile and slit lengthwise from top to bottom tip.  Flatten the pepper and use the side of your knife blade to scrape out the seeds and veins.  Peel the skins off the chile, leaving the juicy flesh behind.  Repeat this process until all the chiles are seeded and peeled.

You can store your chiles in the freezer to use throughout the year!

You might want to consider wearing gloves while cutting and peeling the chiles.  Be very careful to avoid touching sensitive areas such as your eyes or mouth until you are completely finished and have removed your gloves.

http://www.hatch-chile.com/

http://hatchnmgreenchile.com/

http://www.nmchili.com/our_story.htm


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