Chile 101

Since I may have metioned we love chile in New Mexico (NM) I thought I should explain what I am talking about.

While the country is nice I hear, I am not talking about the country of Chile on the west coast of South America.

Nor I am a speaking of chili, the dish of ground meat, tomatoes, chile powder and beans depending on your stance. (I have noticed most Texans take addition of beans very seriosly.)

I am however speaking of the dear chile plant, Capsicum annuum, which may be the same genus and species of bell peppers, but that is not what I speak of here.  Long green chile pods that turn red as they mature.  Sometimes they are called Anaheim chiles but that is not always a correct term, especially when speaking of the New Mexican varieties.

Many people of heard of Hatch chile, and some mistakenly beleive that it is a particular kind.  Generally it s a reference to chile grown in Hatch, New Mexico, north of Las Cruces.  They grow many varieties in hatch and a true chile afficionadio knows to ask for the variety the love best.  I won't buy chile if I don't know what variety it is.  I am a snob I know.  (Hatch is also a brand of chile products, they are pretty good.)

So since I mentioned it, what are my favorite varities?  Sandia, Big Jim and my ultimate favorite that is super hot is Barker or AGCO Hot, same variety, just a different name.  Barker is very hot, Sandia is pretty hot, and Big Jim can vary but it does produce long thick walled pods great for rellenos.  For less heat but plenty of flavor I recommend Sonora, NM 64 or Joe Parker.

Seeds of these varieties are not generally packeged and sold, although there may be a few more available through specialty orders.  I have my sources, one of which is the seed suppliers to the farmers, but they usually sell it by the pound.  If you are really interested  let me know and I'll see if I can help you out.  However, at least in NM, you can usually buy the transplants at local garden centers.  Notice I said local, your neighborhood walmart probably does not! 

So back to the important stuff,  how do you eat a chile?  In the summer as they ripen, some of us are known to give it quick rinse and eat it whole with our scrambled huevos in the morning.  Traditionally they are roasted in the green form, the tough skin peeled off and then either used right away and then canned or frozen.   The chiles can be used to make rellenos, enchilada sauce, salsa, topping for hamburgers, or whatever, I know a frozen custard chain, Caliches who will sell you a green chile sundae.   It's really not that unusual for some us to have chile at every meal.  Yes you heard me right.  If I don't have it once a day I feel deprived. 

Red chile is just the further ripening of the chile pod.  (This  

is true of bell peppers too by the way.)  It can also be roasted, very good. Traditionally it is dried in long chains called ristras. 

 It was a method of preserving the chile before canning or freezing, still used today.  Preparing red chile from ristras requires that you first boil the chiles to soften them and then once rehydrated you then chop and process them through a food mill.  Then it can be cooked and seasoned for use in soups, stews and sauces.  It is a a lot of work and luckily now in our modern times, I can go to my local supermarket and buy the puree frozen.  Just for reference, you cannot make good red enchilada sauce from the powder, I don't care what the back of the package says.  I have discussed this with lots of people, who feel the same.  It does not compare to the sauce made from the puree.

 

Chile does seem to be a mostly New Mexican phenomenon, Texans don't really eat it the same, nor do Arizonans and Californians.  Now before all the Texans, Arizonans, and Californians get upset, I am not dissing your chile, but it is not the same.  I have lived or visited all three on multiple occassions and while you can usually get red chile, most have no idea about green.  Even less make it very hot.  The same can be said for the states of Mexico that correspond.  I have found chile to much more predomint in Chihuahua than Sonora or Baja.  While I do love it hot, I also just love it and eat it hot or not!

Now it is 6:30 a.m. I hear huevos and chile calling me!