New Mexico Green Chiles

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Bear's Mom

Speaking of chiles................................

Does anyone have a source for authentic Chimayo chiles? From what I read - it seems that frequently those marketed as Chimayo are NOT. Also wondering about good blue cornmeal?

Thanks for the help!

Good luck on that one. I have only been able to find the powder and the puree (Bueno Foods, freezer section of most larger supermarkets).

[droys]

I heard they are roasting chiles now in the stores around Clovis. Does anyone know about how long they will be roasting. We can't get there until the 28th of this month. I sure don't want to miss getting my freezer filled.

[guinnessjim]

hola:

time to spark the debate again. after roasting do you:

a) toss quickly in ice water
b) freeze immediately
c) sweat them in a paper bag (or the like)

i have always done a quick blanching in ice water then right to the freezer, skin on (been doing it that way since i lived in NM...doesn't mean that is the best way though). never had a problem w/ slimy chiles or loss of flavor (at least not that i knew of.....home roasted NM greens always taste great)

the reason i ask is that i found a chile angel who is going to drive a couple of bushels to me here in las vegas, NV (good to finally live back w/in driving range of NM!). will be roasting them tomorrow, so i figured i would see if anyone had new perspective to offer.

can't express my excitement as it has been 10-15 years since i laid my hands on any fresh chiles (you really just can't get them anywhere else...). can't wait for the smell, the taste, even the inadvertent finger rub to the eye (yeoouch!).

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by guinnessjim

hola:

time to spark the debate again. after roasting do you:

a) toss quickly in ice water
b) freeze immediately
c) sweat them in a paper bag (or the like)

i have always done a quick blanching in ice water then right to the freezer, skin on (been doing it that way since i lived in NM...doesn't mean that is the best way though). never had a problem w/ slimy chiles or loss of flavor (at least not that i knew of.....home roasted NM greens always taste great)

the reason i ask is that i found a chile angel who is going to drive a couple of bushels to me here in las vegas, NV (good to finally live back w/in driving range of NM!). will be roasting them tomorrow, so i figured i would see if anyone had new perspective to offer.

can't express my excitement as it has been 10-15 years since i laid my hands on any fresh chiles (you really just can't get them anywhere else...). can't wait for the smell, the taste, even the inadvertent finger rub to the eye (yeoouch!).

Enjoy your fresh-roasted chile....

I am not freezing roasted this season, but if I were, I toss the lightly roasted chiles on ice to stop the cooking, then bag 6, seal, and put in bottom of fridge until I get ready to place them in the freezer.

This season, I'm stemming and freezing raw whole....spread out on a cookie sheet until frozen, then placed in double Ziplock bags (or even my usual vacuum-seal) to take out only what I need, and roast on the spot.

No more drum-roasted for me....slimy!!!

[guinnessjim]

i guess i am not familiar w/ this 'slimy' you speak of...and i was born and raised in NM. but as far as i know, we always roasted our own so maybe i missed some drum-roasted phenomena.

anyway, thanks for the info....and you know i will enjoy my chile!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by guinnessjim

i guess i am not familiar w/ this 'slimy' you speak of...and i was born and raised in NM. but as far as i know, we always roasted our own so maybe i missed some drum-roasted phenomena.

anyway, thanks for the info....and you know i will enjoy my chile!

I have been doing my own in TX for many years...and didn't have any experience with the commercial drum-roasting that they do here in NM. They roast whole sacks in big drums with propane burners.....and while it is convenient for the customer, it overcooks the chile to me. It is overdone, and gets slimy and mushy!!

So, I will roast a few on my outdoor grill for the fridge...and freeze the rest whole raw.

[domino]

I have never frozen raw chiles before, and didn't think it would work. How do you do it, and how do they turn out?

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by domino

I have never frozen raw chiles before, and didn't think it would work. How do you do it, and how do they turn out?

Another NM poster tipped me off on freezing raw, which I didn't think would work, either.

I started experimenting with them on chiles that I got at Walmart and Lowe's recently. I wash, dry, stem and freeze otherwise whole.

I take out what I want....let them thaw...and roast as usual. They turn out surprisingly good. They are NOT as good as fresh raw NM that are roasted, peeled and eaten the same day.

They ARE vastly better (to me) than drum-roasted frozen in the skin, which turn out slimy and mushy to me. They are fresher and more crisp than commercially-roasted.

BUT....I have not yet done them with chiles frozen for a long period of time. How they do over time remains to be seen.

I'll find out this year!

[guinnessjim]

haven't done the full scale roast yet, but couldn't resist snagging some chile out of the bushels for breakfast....scrambled eggs, diced roasted chile, and no, Pintada, i didn't forget the garlic . topped w/ some good queso blanco.....

so good! i will be roasting 2nite....pbby make pososle or stew or enchiladas 2moro; so happy right now