There is so much already written, much more poetic and inspiring than anything I can write. “Hark, the changing golden yellow light, the long shadows falling across childhood sentiments of pumpkin patches and the crisp mornings. And nostalgic incense of burning leaves and spiced cider.” And on it goes…
I go berserk in the autumn. It is compulsive with me. I want sweaters and boots and thermoses full of steamy elixirs. Kettles of soup, and to get my Hygge on. It never goes down like that. The main problem is that, on the coast where I live, autumn is one of the finest and warmest times of the year. Summers are often composed of overcast, drizzly days. Fog socks us in, and if you don’t go out of town and get some sunshine, your vitamin D levels plummet. And by the time I have resigned myself that it is time for fall, the weather becomes warm and balmy. Sundresses are pulled from the recesses of closets, and the costumed children are sweating their way through the Halloween Parade.
It’s all really lovely. But, deep in my being, I just want to hurry up and cuddle down. So, I will make-do by putting some things aside and into my freezer for the coming winter months. The end of summer brings a bounty of peppers and tomatoes – which I love to use later in the winter. I grew up in the West (in Colorado) and the flavors of the Southwest are comforting to me in the chill of short winter days. My absolute fav is chile verde. I queried everyone I know who makes it, and while the majority of ingredients stay the same, everyone does it their own way. For example, I add a couple of bay leaves, my friend adds a hint of ground cloves. Yum. Chile verde freezes in containers wonderfully and is a hearty, easy supper. This is also one of those recipes I had to write down as I made it this time, because I have always just eyeballed everything. So, here is a cheers to kitchen adventure!
Roasting Chiles
I like to roast my own chiles and tomatillos – especially if I happen upon a bunch of fresh summer chiles. (See Below) Usually, this means Hatch green chiles and a mess of chile Verde. As winter descends, I find comfort and nurturing in certain flavors. (I am sure we all do, or else why would pumpkin spice be a thing?) At the end of the season I buy up all the green chiles I can find, and then roast, peel and freeze them for later use.
As the acid from peppers could get on you and burn a bit, I want to caution folks who are doing their own peppers. You may want to wear gloves. My friend’s mom told me the woeful tale of how, when she was making a large batch of her jalapeño jelly for the year, she burned her hands because she forgot to wear gloves. Also, try not to touch you face or eyes, as peppers will irritate them. Ouch!
How To Roast Chiles
- Under your broiler or on your grill, sear the peppers for around 15 minutes – until the skins are black and blistered. Turn once or twice for even cooking.
- Place the charred peppers in a paper bag and close the top. Let the peppers sit for at least 10 minutes until they are cool enough to handle.
- Peel off all of the skins of the peppers, de-vein (that white membrane) and seed. Now, they are ready to use or freeze.
Things To Do With Chiles
Give everything a Southwestern heat! Dice and use in mashed potatoes with a bit of cheese, top a burger, or add to a meatloaf. Add to eggs, mac & cheese, cornbread, and Pimento cheese spread.
How To Roast Tomatillos
Pull the thin, papery skin off the tomatillos, then rinse off the sticky residue that’s left on the fruit. On a shallow-sided oven sheet, broil the tomatillos until they are blistered and seared. Rotate to get them charred all over. Remove from oven and let cool.
Recipe
My Humble Chile Verde
I make this with either pork or chicken, and this recipe makes a lot, so there’s plenty left over to freeze. That will help get ya’ through the winter…INGREDIENTS
- 5 lbs 2” cubed pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) OR 4 lbs chicken thighs, skinless boneless, left whole
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 Hatch, Anaheim or Poblano chiles, roasted and diced equaling 10 oz
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 1-3 jalapeños, seeded and diced. (This is up to you! I normally do 2)
- ;1 ½ tbsp Mexican oregano
- 1 ½ tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1-2 cups chicken broth
- 1 bottle of dark Mexican beer or 1 cup of white wine (optional)
- 1 lb tomatillos, roasted
- 1 cup cilantro
- 2-3 bay leaves (or a pinch of ground cloves)
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a food processor, puree all the tomatillos, jalapeños and cilantro. Add diced poblano or Hatch chiles. Set aside.
- Salt and pepper the pork (or chicken) well. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add ½ of the cooking oil and brown the meat. After it is browned on all sides, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Pour the grease from meat out of cooking pot and add rest of oil and butter. Sauté onions in pan over medium heat, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add bell peppers to pot, sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add cumin and oregano and stir 1 minute, until spices open up and become fragrant. Add tomatillo puree, chicken broth, beer or wine, and bay leaves or cloves.
- Put the meat back into the pot with any accumulated juices. Add enough chicken broth to cover 2” over pot contents. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 2 hours. Add garbanzo beans, simmer uncovered for ½ hour longer.
- In another saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter, and then add flour to make a roux, whisking flour for 1-2 minutes until cooked. Add a cup of the chile broth and whisk in until thickened. Add another cup and whisk until it is smooth and then mix into the main verde pot.
- When meat is falling apart, it’s ready. shred chicken (if using) and return to pan. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Let cool and let sit overnight in the fridge. This helps to solidify any fats that are going to make the chile greasy. The next day, just skim of the fat and discard.
What Makes Hatch Chiles Different?
They say that the New Mexican chiles are special because they are mountain-grown in volcanic soil, at high elevation, and with hot days and cold nights. The chiles taste different due to the terroir, as the French say. This makes the chile have a smoky and forward flavor profile…Or so they say. People go back and forth on this. Anaheim Chiles are the closest to Hatch. And while many say ‘don’t believe the hype’ of the Hatch chile, I choose to wholeheartedly, and why not? It makes it more special and precious when I come across them, their magic curing all the things that ail me. A spicy kiss of home and comfort from my childhood. I will leave the debate to the expert “chile-heads”out there.
Did You Know?
When in New Mexico ordering food, if you can’t decide between red or green chile, say “Christmas” and get both!
What a great recipe! I’m vegetarian so I replaced the meat with 1lb on Impossible ground beef. I served it with some cornbread for a couple of friends and it was a hit! It was so good I am going to make it again now that I’ve obtained some Hatch chiles!
That sounds amazing Samantha! I love to hear how people change recipes to meet their diets!