Hatch Chile Withdrawal

Where's the roasted hatch chile guy? He was at our local farmers' market in August. Now he's gone, and I'm angry. That's because last time we saw him, Jeff turned to me and asked, "Do you want a 5-pound bag or a 20-pound bag?"

"20 pounds?! What am I gonna do with 20 pounds of roasted hatch chiles?" I said, incredulous.

We bought the 5-pound bag. Now I'm hatch chile-less.

I had no idea I'd become so attached. I can't stop thinking about them. I can still see that circular roaster tumbling warm hatch chiles like clothes in a dryer. I can still smell their woodsy, spicy fragrance that reminds me of crisp autumn nights in front of a fire. I can still taste their smoky, mouth-filling flavor and salivate at the memory every time.

I'm in hatch chile withdrawal.



If you've had hatch chiles, then you understand. If you haven't had hatch chiles, then find some. Quickly. Then add them to salsas and relishes, put them on hamburgers or hotdogs with Jack cheese, and fold them into scrambled eggs. When you run out, call me. We'll commiserate.

I haven't told Jeff this, but if the hatch chile guy doesn't show up at our farmers' market soon, I'll be catching a flight to New Mexico -- hatch chile heaven. Unfortunately I've missed their annual Hatch Chile Festival, but I know that you can't walk more than a couple of blocks in New Mexico without stumbling upon a man with a roaster and 20 pound bags of roasted hatch chiles.

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Hatch Chile, Corn, and Scallion Relish
Makes 4 servings
Printable recipe.

Steak:
4 (6-ounce) pieces of steak, such as top sirloin, rib eye, or T-Bone
1-2 teaspoons olive oil for rubbing steak
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Relish:
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 ear sweet corn, kernels removed from cob
1/2 cup roasted hatch chiles, stems removed, chopped (about 2 whole chiles)
a few shakes of salt, to season

1. Pre-heat grill to high. Allow steak to come to room temperature. Rub it all over with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

2. Warm 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add scallions and corn kernels and saute 2 minutes, until just browned. Add chopped chiles and warm through, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside.

3. Place steaks on the grill. Grill 5-6 minutes. Flip once using tongs (forks can puncture the meat, releasing tasty juices). Cook another 5-6 minutes for medium. Cook less time for rare and longer for well-done. Do the finger test for doneness: Press steak with your fingertip. Rare should feel soft and spongy; medium should feel moderately soft; well-done should feel firm. Transfer steaks to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest 5 minutes to seal in juices. Top each steak with a quarter of the relish, and dig in!

You might also enjoy these recipes from Food Blogga:
The Southwest Hamburger
Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Turkey Burgers with Apples, Gruyere, and Sage Mayo
Healthy Chipotle Chicken Chili with Crispy Spiced Tortillas

Here are more hatch chiles recipes you might enjoy:

Fresh Chile Sauce recipe from Fat Free Vegan

Green Chile Sauce recipe from Gluten-Free Goddess
Hatch Chile Potato Salad recipe from San Diego Food Stuff
Turkey Green Chile Chili recipe from The Perfect Pantry

Confetti Green Chile Corn Muffins recipe from Laura's Best Recipes

Blue Cornmeal-Crusted Green Chiles recipe from Use Real Butter

Roasted New Potato Salad with Green Chiles recipe from Use Real Butter