stuffed hatch green chiles

It’s that time of year in Colorado when hatch chiles appear in the market. Hatch chile is the name given to a generic New Mexican pepper that is grown in the Hatch valley in New Mexico. This pepper is typically harvested in August and September but is sometimes extended dependent upon the weather. This pepper is so revered that there is a whole festival dedicated to this chile pepper that takes place Labor Day weekend. Hatch chiles have an earthy flavor (similar to an Anaheim pepper) which is further enhanced once they are roasted. They range in heat from mild to hot. You will often see the peppers tumbling in a roaster. The smell of the roasted peppers is divine! They are the perfect size for stuffing and are typically used to make green chile sauce.

I love researching different recipes and spending time in my kitchen with these beautiful peppers. Today I am making salsa verde and this past week, I roasted and then stuffed hatch chiles. This recipe comes from the blog, ‘Like Mother, Like Daughter’.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

4 Hatch Chiles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup red onions (diced)

1 cup frozen corn (or freshly cooked corn kernals from corn on the cob)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

For the cilantro yogurt sauce:

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

1. Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package. (I used vegetable broth instead of plain water to add some flavor.)

2. Preheat broiler on high and place the Hatch Chiles on a roasting pan or cooking sheet (or you can do this on a grill).

3. Place under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until the chiles are blistering. Watch carefully. (Mine blistered about 3 minutes.) Do not over cook the chiles. *

4. Remove from the oven and put peppers in a ziplock bag. Seal and let cool.

5. Carefully peel the skin off the roasted peppers.

6. In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.

7. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.

8. Add the corn and saute an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

9. In a small bowl, add all the spices, pepper, salt, and brown sugar. And stir in the water.

10. Pour the spices and water in with the onions and corn and stir until combined.

11. Cook for a minute or two, until the water is absorbed by the corn and onions

12. Add the cooked quinoa and heat an additional 2 minutes until it is hot.

13. Slice the length of the Hatch chiles to open and scrape away the seeds with a small spoon.

14. Stuff each chile with 1/4 of the onion/corn/quinoa mixture.

15. Top with 1/4 of the shredded cheese.

16. Set under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to melt cheese.

For the cilantro yogurt sauce:

1. In a small bowl, add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cilantro, and honey.

2. Stir to mix.

3. Serve with the stuffed chiles.

*I overcooked my chiles and when I split them, they fell apart. I made it work but they didn’t like as pretty. Just FYI.