Recipe From New Mexico

I snapped this photo after eating the other evening. This was all that was left on my plate. I had finally taken the time to make a batch of chile verde, green chile. I made this batch meatless and used a hot variety of roasted New Mexican green chiles called Sandia.

As I attended the Hatch, NM Chile Festival this year held over Labor Day weekend, I found many vendors selling the green chiles in a wide variety of processing options. Fresh or roasted. Roasted and peeled, roasted, peeled and chopped, roasted peeled chopped and frozen. So, you get the idea.

I chose to carry home three five pound bags of New Mexican green chile peppers that were roasted, peeled of their skin and chopped up. I got them home without thawing them out, so when it came to using them here in Wisconsin, all I had to do was thaw and prepare.

The dishes I intend to make are basic to my household. One is the chile verde or green chile sauce, like an enchilada sauce that we use over burritos, enchiladas, tamales, eggs and hamburgers among other things. 

When you eat in almost any restaurant in New Mexico and order a Mexican or Southwestern dish, the wait staff will ask you, “Red or Green?”

I usually order the green. I like it a lot, so I’ll make some here at home. Another is a soup I invented called Cream of Mushroom Santa Fe. This soup is made from three kinds of fresh mushrooms and a healthy addition of the green chiles in a light cream base. A new recipe that I will make this year will be a green chile chicken chowder. A masterpiece of flavor with corn, potatoes, chicken and the chiles in a thick rich stew.

When these green chiles are chopped, there is no way to make chile rellenos. You need whole chiles for this as they must be whole to stuff them and fry them.

Thank goodness for a friend that is a master horticulturalist here in River Falls. She loves peppers of all kinds and we have been trading recipes over early morning coffee the past couple of weeks. She grew some New Mexican green chiles, which are also called Anaheims, and gave me a bag full. I decided I would use these to make some chile rellenos. You can also use whole poblano peppers, the process is the same.

Through pictures, I will take you through the steps. The chiles are put on a flame, like a gas stove or BBQ grill, and blackened. I place them into a plastic bag and put them in the freezer for about ten minutes.

Fresh home grown New Mexican green chiles, also called Anaheim Chile peppers

I peel off the skins, make a slit down one side and pull out the seed pod. I rinse them in cold water and wash out what remaining seeds I can. Then, I stuff them with cheese. Any kind will do. I like a mix of Monterey Jack and Colby. I don’t stuff them so full that I can’t close up the seam.

I use the burner on my gas stove. You can also use an outside BBQ grill to roast them until the skin turns black

I use the back side of a knife to peel away the blackened skin, then rinse in the sink

I make a light batter from whipped eggs, some flour and baking powder. I dip the stuffed chiles into this batter and fry them in canola oil in an electric fry pan. I guess 350 degrees for the oil, or when the batter sizzles immediately after you place the battered chile into the pan.

The chiles are stuffed with cheese and dipped in the light batter

I fry on both sides, turning once, and placing on paper towels to drain. They are ready to eat. I have made some chile verde sauce from the frozen roasted, peeled and chopped peppers and added a chopped onion to a them in a slow cooker. I cover with water, some garlic powder, black pepper and Mexican oregano. I let this sauce simmer for an hour or two, then thicken with a small amount of corn starch. I made this batch meatless, but traditionally a cut of pork bytt or pork shoulder is used, cut up into small pieces.

An electric fry pan works great for frying up the stuffed battered peppers

I have made some rice and seasoned it with tomato sauce, onion, green bell pepper and some red chile powder. I have cooked some pinto beans. I have onion, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream ready to dress the plates.

A finished chile relleno draining on a paper towel

I take the cooked rellenos, two of them, place them on the plate and smother them with the chile verde. I put down beans and rice, I sprinkle some cheese on top of all of this. Since it is all hot, the cheese slowly melts and becomes part of the platter. I make a stack of the onion, tomato and lettuce. On top of this stack goes a large dollop of sour cream. This dish is now ready to serve.

Ready to eat. Delicious!!

These photos are from that day. We really enjoyed having the taste of New Mexico here in Wisconsin. I thought those stems made a nice shadow shot.

This was all that was left

If anyone would like a more specific industrial recipe with measured amounts and such, just Google Chile Rellenos Recipes, or e-mail me and I will explain further and answer any questions you may have.

Bon Appetit with your Peace