[Tek_Freek]

And this is a big deal because?

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

And this is a big deal because?

They're among the finest chiles on Earth. They're one of those regional delicacies like Alba truffles, Iberico ham, or Napa cabernet sauvignon that make life more pleasant.

This happens all over the Southwest. And Las Vegas should consider itself lucky that we rate delivery of these peppers. It's one of the very few things I annually look forward to in Las Vegas.

[Tek_Freek]

I guess we have to try them then.

Thanks!

[hotjambalaya]

When does the season end?

And when you buy them roasted what are the steps to end up with it chopped and frozen? Do you need to do anything extra? And then when using from frozen do you need to cook them or can you just add it like a sauce? How much loss of flavour/heat does freezing them cause?

Love good chiles and haven't tried these...

[Tek_Freek]

So if we decide to go to one of these parking lot roastings are we going to end up in a line of 200 people?

[ScoopLV]

Possibly. But you WILL end up with 30 pounds of peppers. Because that's the only quantity most places sell.

[Tek_Freek]

30 pounds of peppers for two people. Holy cow. We'd need to buy a separate freezer.

[ScoopLV]

After roasting and cleaning (the skins, tops and seeds go to the compost pile), you'll end up with 15-20 pounds of yield. I put them in 15-20 ziplock bags and freeze -- some whole, some chopped. But I always make chile rellenos on pepper day. And usually for a couple days after as well.

[OmegaSupreme]

this is a little confusing... are there two options, already roasted and fresh?

if so, do you eat the roasted ones at the store's parking lot, are they a part of a dish or something?

i have to see what the hype is about, but don't have room for 20lbs of vegetables to pack into my freezer

[delgadobb]

Originally Posted by hotjambalaya

When does the season end?

And when you buy them roasted what are the steps to end up with it chopped and frozen? Do you need to do anything extra? And then when using from frozen do you need to cook them or can you just add it like a sauce? How much loss of flavour/heat does freezing them cause?

Love good chiles and haven't tried these...

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

So if we decide to go to one of these parking lot roastings are we going to end up in a line of 200 people?

Last year, I bought 25 pounds at Smiths - they were selling (& roasting) them for 3-4 consecutive weeks & had it prominently displayed in their ads. I think I paid $16.99 for 25 pounds & the roasting was free. The guy who did the roasting said they did it as a loss leader to get people in the store; makes sense when you think about the equipment, gas & other expenses as well as the person's time. I didn't have to wait at all when I went (Smiths at Centennial & Losee) - OK, I had to wait like 2 minutes while the guy got the roaster going but nobody was in line ahead of me.

When they roast them, it will char the outside skins black & impart a wonderful nutty, smoky smell to the chiles. I literally took home 25 pounds of chiles & skinned & cleaned them that night, putting them in about 15-20 ziploc/storage bags for future use. Expect to take some time doing this & have a bit of a mess, throwing out about 25% of the overall weight. Use a darker cutting board or expect to get a lot of black stuff on the one you use.

See my cuban black bean soup post several posts previous to this, it's a perfect example of the flexibility & usefulness of the chiles. The recipe calls for a green bell pepper; I got some of these out of the freezer & substituted them for the bell pepper & made the BEST soup I've ever made - and I've made some good soups/stews.

I tend to use the chiles making varieties of eggs. I also use them as a substitute for bell peppers in a number of recipes, really playing it by ear according to whether I think they'd help. They've been great in jambalaya & gumbo. Almost every time the results have been great. When using them from frozen, I tend to take a few out of a ziploc, dice them then add to whatever I'm cooking. For me at least, the freezing doesn't seem to have affected the flavor although I'm sure there's something to be said for having a few right when they're fresh roasted. They aren't as hot as jalapeno or habanero peppers, it's a different kind of heat - I love the latent heat they provide along with a little bit of smokiness.

Buzz, Scoop & others may have other recipes or suggestions above & beyond what I've listed. Although I wasn't blown away by them right away, I will say they've complemented almost everything I've made with them & at this point I'd rather cook with them than just about any chile. They've been a wonderful little thing to discover after a few decades on the planet; sometimes it's pretty cool to discover something new when you think you've seen a lot of stuff.