Hatch Chiles from Heinen's

Mr. H and I enjoying cooking with new-to-us ingredients. It's one of the reasons that I enjoy purchasing a share in Fresh Fork Market during the summer. We end up with items in our refrigerator that we wouldn't normally purchase for ourselves at the grocery store. So far this summer, we've had fun cooking with tomatillos, eggplant, garlic scapes, and radishes. All of which have never really made it onto our grocery list before.

So, when Heinen's approached me to partner with them to cook with Hatch Chiles, I jumped at the chance to try something new-to-me in the kitchen. These chiles are from Hatch, Mexico, which is known as the chile capitol of the world.

Ok, ok, let's be honest...Mr. H cooked them, not me. I supervised.

We found a recipe in the Melissa's Hatch Chile Cookbook that used them two ways, and put something on our table that I loooove. Chile Rellenos!

It's my go-to dish at any Mexican restaurant, and we'd never tried making them at home. This version was made with hatch chiles and topped with Melissa's Hatch Salsa Ranchera. We adapted both recipes slightly, and I was pretty pleased with our first attempt at cooking this dish at home.

Chiles Rellenos
8 whole large Hatch Chiles, roasted, peeled
1/2 lb. shredded Mexican blend cheese
4 large eggs, separated
4 Tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil

Roast the chiles on the grill until heavily blackened.

Wrap in tinfoil to slightly steam before peeling the skin from the whole peppers.
Slit the chiles lengthwise and remove the seeds.
Stuff with cheese, using toothpicks to hold the chiles closed.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and yolks and mix thoroughly.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees in a large skillet over medium heat.
In batches, dip the stuffed peppers into the batter.
Fry, turning once, until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side).

Drain on paper towels.
Top with Hatch Chile Salsa Ranchera and serve.

Hatch Chile Salsa Ranchera (makes 2 cups)
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large white onion
2 cloves of garlic
4 Hatch Chiles (roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into 1" pieces)
14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
ground cumin to taste
salt to taste
1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken broth

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and cook until softened.
Add the peeled and diced garlic, brown for 1 minute.
Add the chiles to the pan and cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and their juice.
Add cumin and salt to taste.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the chicken broth.
Add the mixture to the pan and bring the salsa to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Top the chile rellenos with the salsa and serve.

I was pleasantly surprised by how spicy the de-seeded Hatch Chiles were! I love spicy foods, and this was tickling my tastebuds in just the right way. If you don't love heat, this recipe may not be for you.

Hatch Chiles are only available for a limited time. This special August/September pepper is available in any Heinen's produce department right now. They are also featuring cool Hatch Chile Roasting events. You still have time to catch one at the Mayfield Village Heinen’s location.

Friday, Sept. 11th: 2 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12th: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 13th: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Pick up some hatch chiles at Heinen's and give them a try. They also come pre-roasted, if you're looking to skip a step and ease the prep for a weeknight meal.

Disclosure: I was provided with a $50 Heinen's gift card and the Melissa's Hatch Chile Cookbook in exchange for this post. All opinions stated are 100% my own.