Archive for Pepper (hot)
Corn Chowder with Chiles
On our way back home from blackberry picking at San Patricio Berry Farm in the cool, green mountains near Ruidoso, we came across a farm store on the side of the road. At first, we were just interested in the freshly pressed (and apparently widely known) cherry cider advertised on the outside, but after trying a few pints and deciding to take home a gallon, we spotted some other delicious goodies just a few feet away.
Peaches, apples, plums, and cherries were among the several fruits available, but we had our eyes (and our appetites) set on the nearby corn. Grown in Artesia, NM (less than 200 miles away) this corn is made possible by a unique water source known as an artesian aquifer–the same one that feeds Roswell, of extraterrestrial fame.
We decided to highlight the subtle but refreshing flavor of the corn and accent it with a splash of heat from the many, many chiles we’ve gotten from the farm lately. It all came together in a wholesome and inviting corn chowder.
Chiles Rellenos
With how well the chiles are doing, we’ve got a constant supply of these red and green beauties in our refrigerator. It’s a good thing we love peppers and appreciate the subtle heat, because we’ve been putting chiles in just about everything we can think of (except for our morning cereal).
Our dilemma isn’t new. Latin Americans have been finding creative ways to eat their chiles for thousands of years. One of the classic ways to eat a chile is to stuff it. “Chiles rellenos,” Spanish for “stuffed chiles,” is a localized twist on what many people are familiar with as stuffed bell peppers. The biggest difference between the two is the method of preparation and, of course, the resulting flavor. We adapted a Mexican recipe that uses poblano chiles and substituted with our distinctly New Mexican Joe E. Parkers instead.
Roasted Chiles
Here in New Mexico, green chiles are a staple. Their deep, dark, and smoky aroma, when roasting over an open flame, is unlike any other you’ve experienced.
On the farm, they’re just about the most successful crop we’ve had so far. In the past, there have been problems with blossom end rot, but this season the farmer decided to give the peppers another chance. To his surprise (and much to our delight), the Joe E. Parker variety we planted took off in full swing.
In order to preserve the recent bounty of these slightly hot chiles, roasting is the way to go because they can be frozen immediately afterwards. The red ones are usually dried and ground into chile powder, but we particularly enjoy the full smoky flavor that roasting produces. Since we don’t have a grill, we turned to our gas stove as a makeshift roaster, and it worked like a charm.
“Mysterious” Salsa
You can’t fully experience living in New Mexico without ever making your own salsa. Throw in some green chile, and you’re really in business!
We decided it was time to try our hand at making salsa from fresh ingredients that thrive right here in New Mexico, the chile capital of the world. The name of this salsa was inspired by the farm from which we got the main ingredient (tomatoes): Mysterious Horizons Farm. We also got our hands on some leftover tomatillos, so we decided to make a hybrid salsa–a combination of salsa verde (“green sauce”) and salsa roja (“red sauce”).
Since we both enjoy a little heat, we couldn’t resist throwing in a Serrano pepper to liven things up a bit (not for the faint of tongue!). What we got was a fresh medley of colors and flavors that reflects our landscape and captures a little heat of the New Mexico sun.
