Monday, August 13, 2012

My summer love affair

It's Hatch Chile season!


Last year, Kyle and I ventured to Santa Fe for our first "away from baby" vacation.  I had heard of Hatch chiles before, as our local gourmet grocer has a Hatch Festival every year, but had never understood the appeal.  A chile is a chile is a chile, right?  WRONG!




Towards the end of the summer in Santa Fe, you can't walk outside without the mouth-watering smell of roasting hatch chiles smacking you in the face.  You can get them anywhere form a street roaster to the nicest restaurants in town.  I don't know if it's all of the marketing hype that has sucked me in, or the fact that they just aren't available fresh for more than a few weeks.  But, like a fleeting summer fling, the are hot and sassy and gone by the fall!

When roasted, the skin gets almost buttery.  I like the flavor because it's more of a slow heat, not quite as hot as a jalepeno and more meaty.  Kyle roasted them with onions on the grill last night and served them on top of a burger, smothered in Mexican cheese.  It doesn't get much better than that!



I haven't tried but think they'd be great on pizza, eggs or in pimento cheese!  Here are some more fun recipes from Central Market.  Hatch brownies anyone?



1 comment:

  1. The hamburgers sound so good and healthy too! Thanks for the ideas, Thursday I am trying the pork chops with hatch peach salsa at the coast for Lara, Ronny, and kids.

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