Hatch Me If You Can!

I love August. I love August so much it hurts.

Sure, I complain about the heat (don’t we all?), but August is when two of my favorite events happen: my children go back to school, and Central Market has their Hatch Chile Festival! From August 8 through August 21, you can get all things Hatch at Central Market. (If you haven’t tried Central Market’s pound cake with their mango and Hatch chile salsa, well, all I can say is you are missing out, my friends!) To celebrate my happy days, I’ve come up with three new recipes for you that incorporate this most lovely of all capsicums.

Note: I usually get a bushel of hot Hatch chiles and a bushel of mild Hatch chiles and roast them myself. However, Central Market makes it easy by roasting chilies all through the festival, so you don’t have to!

Another Note: You can use hot, mild, or a mix of chiles in all these recipes. I usually use a mix.

Grilled Corn and Hatch Chile Salad with Panela and a Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

6 ears of corn, shucked, grilled*, and kernels removed from cobs

5 to 6 roasted Hatch chiles, diced

3 or 4 scallions/green onions, thinly sliced

½ bunch cilantro, chopped

Juice of 2 limes

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or, if you want to get fancy, you can use avocado, walnut, or pecan oil)

4 ounces panela cheese, cut into small cubes or roughly crumbled (you can substitute a mild feta for this, but since most grocery stores around here carry panela, why?)

Directions

*I don’t grill corn like most recipes tell you to grill corn. I don’t fuss with soaking and trying to remove the silk without removing the husks before grilling in the husks. That seems silly to me as the smoke from the charcoal doesn’t get to the part you actually eat. I shuck the ears, removing husk and silk, and then grill, turning until all sides have some charring. This is much easier and much faster.

Combine the corn kernerls, Hatch chiles, scallions/green onions, and cilantro in a bowl. In a jar with a tightly-fitting lid, combine the lime juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and shake until the salt is dissolved. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add the oil and shake like crazy. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss. Add in the panela cheese and toss gently. Garnish with a little extra chopped cilantro and serve. Serves 4.

Hatch Chile and Black Bean Hummus

I love using black beans in hummus. There is just something about them that calls to me.

Ingredients

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

3 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

2 to 4 roasted Hatch chiles, roughly chopped

½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Juice of 2 limes

Zest of 1 lime

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (you can substitute regular oregano, but Mexican oregano is available in most grocery stores these days)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons tahini paste (available in either the Middle Eastern or Kosher sections of most supermarkets)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cold water as needed

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients except the oil, water, and salt and pepper. Pulse to blend and then, with the processor running, drizzle in the oil. Check for consistency, and slowly add water until the hummus reaches the consistency you like. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. This will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is great as an appetizer or over grilled meats.

Hatch Chile Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a South American condiment made of chopped parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, and oil. This is my take with my beloved Hatch chiles.

Ingredients

½ bunch Italian or flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

2 to 3 roasted Hatch chiles, roughly chopped

3 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Check for seasonings. This can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week and is great over most grilled meats and seafoods. It can be used as a marinade or used as a dip. I typically keep a jar of it in my fridge just to have on hand.

Remember, if you are too busy or too burdened with cranky children to go to the store, Central Market’s Curbside Pickup service is ready to help. Simply go online, place your order, and your groceries will be delivered to your car. It’s amazingly convenient and so easy!