No Sweat, Hatch Chiles Are Here!

My family gets really bored with my cooking this time of year.

You see, it’s Hatch chile time, and I have a tendency to include the lovely pods in almost everything. (Yes, I know that the first step to beating an addiction is admitting you have one. Why do you ask?) I also freeze the roasted chiles so that I can use them throughout the winter.

While I love Hatch chiles, my family is not quite as enthusiastic as I am. Don’t get me wrong, they like chiles. They just don’t like them in every single dish.

More fools they.

Hatch Chile Escabeche

These quick pickles are favorites in our house. Put them on tacos, over enchiladas, or just eat them out of the jar. Escabeche is a method of pickling food, be it vegetables, fish, or game.

Ingredients

For the brine

1 ½ cups apple cider or white vinegar
1 cup water
½ to ¾ cup sugar (I use ½ cup of coconut sugar for more flavor, if using white sugar, use ¾ cup)
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons uniodized salt

For the vegetables

5 to 7 large Hatch chiles, cut into rings (I use a mix of hot and mild)
1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch coins
2 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano (available in most grocery stores now)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Directions

For the brine

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

For the vegetables

Combine all the ingredients in a large glass bowl. Once the brine has come to a boil, pour the brine over the vegetables. Stir to incorporate everything. Cover the bowl with a plate and allow to come to room temperature.

Once the vegetables have come to room temperature, they can be stored in cleaned glass jars or plastic containers in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. If they last that long…

Hatch Chile and Apple Crumble

I know, I know. Chiles in desserts. Weird, right? Wrong! New Mexico grows gorgeous apples, and this crumble is my take on a dessert I had in Santa Fe years ago.

Ingredients

For the filling

5 large Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, peeled, cored, and diced or sliced
2 large Hatch chiles, seeds and veins removed, and finely diced (you can use hot or mild for this – I use whatever I have on hand)
½ cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

For the crumble

¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 stick salted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°.

For the filling

Combine apples, chiles, pepitas, white and brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and flour in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and toss to combine. Pour the mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish or large cast iron skillet. Dot the butter cubes over the top

For the topping

Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl. Pour the melted butter over the top and mix well. Sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture.

For the crumble

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the crumble topping is golden brown. (If the topping starts to brown before the filling is bubbling, tent the baking dish with foil.) Remove the crumble from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes so the filling is no longer hotter than lava. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla, cinnamon, dulce de leche, or salted caramel ice cream.