Roasted Hatch Green Chile Stew

Green Hatch chiles are in season from August to September, although depending upon weather conditions, these chile peppers can be available as early as mid-July and as late as October. To be called a Hatch green chile, a pepper must be grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico, where the growing conditions, known as terroir—high altitude, warm days, cool evening, and rich volcanic soil—give the peppers a complex flavor profile. Hatch green chiles have a smoky, sweet, earthy, grassy flavor. Roasting them gives them a distinctive buttery, pungent taste. There are several varieties of Hatch green chiles—thus their name indicates only the area where they are grown. The heat level of Hatch chiles ranges from 1,000 to 8,000 on the Scoville scale.

Red Hatch chiles season in September and October. This variety has big, meaty pods, making them easy to roast and peel. Their heat levels can be inconsistent, varying from pod to pod and year to year. Red Hatch chile peppers are harvested later than the green variety, fully ripening on the vine. They range from 500 to 3,500 on the Scoville scale.

There are hundreds of varieties of chile peppers. Each type of chile has a unique subtle flavor and its own level of heat. As a general rule, the smaller the chile, the hotter it will be. Individual chiles from the same plant can vary in hotness, which in the US is measured by the Scoville scale. Bell peppers have a value of zero, poblanos range from 1,000 to 1,500, jalapeños from 2,500 to 8,000, and habaneros rank 200,000 to 350,000.

I roasted five Hatch green chile peppers when I made this recipe. If you are unable to find them fresh or don’t want to roast them, Kroger does sell canned Hatch® chopped green chiles. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to find the seasons for green and red Hatch chiles have collided, and you can make your chile “Christmas style”—using both red and green chiles.

Roasted Hatch Green Chile Stew

Makes 10 servings

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 pounds chuck steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 yellow onions, chopped

1 cup red wine

6 cups water

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

5 Hatch green chilies, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (see tip below on how to roast chiles)

or

2 cans (4-ounces) chopped Hatch® green chiles

1 cup beef broth

1 can (14.5-ounces) Kroger® Fire-Roasted Tomatoes Salsa Style

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon large grind black pepper

In a large heavy kettle, heat olive oil over a medium heat. Add steak and onion and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until steak is browned. Add wine and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 hours.

Add carrots and potatoes. Bring the stew to a boil, and reduce the heat again to a simmer.

Add green chiles, beef broth, tomatoes, and cumin and simmer for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

To garnish stew:

1 French baguette, sliced and toasted, 2 slices per serving

4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Sour cream

Place the stew in individual serving bowls and top each bowl with 2 toasted baguette slices. Sprinkle with both cheeses and place under the broiler until cheese melts. Top with a dollop of sour cream.

Tips on roasting chile peppers: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse and dry chiles. Using a fork, pierce chiles to prevent them from exploding. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place chiles on foil in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until skins begin to blister and blacken. Using tongs, turn chiles over and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer chiles to a covered container, Ziplock® bag, or brown bag. Seal and steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Slip off the blistered skin using your fingers or scrape it off with the back of a knife. Using a sharp knife, remove stems. Using a spoon, remove seeds. Set chiles aside.

Tips on handling chile peppers: It is a good idea to wear gloves when handling chile peppers. Once your hands have been in contact with hot peppers, do not touch delicate parts of your body, like lips, eye, or face.

Tips on selecting chile peppers: Select firm, plump chiles with shiny skin and a fresh smell. Do not buy wrinkled or soft chiles. Also, if the skin is mushy toward the stem end, or if the skin is soft, or brown, the chile will be inferior.

Tips on storing chile peppers: Refrigerate in reusable, paper, or plastic bags for up to 1 week.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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