Green Chile. Do you even know what that is? Well let me educate you.
Definition: Green Chile is a long sort of skinny green pepper. Great you might think, but in the world do you do with them? I am so glad you asked.
What do I do with them?: First, you must have them roasted. Then you peel the skin off and slit them and take the seeds out. This part is important, if you don't take the skin off they will have a weird texture. If you don't take the seeds out they will burn your mouth. Then you take them and can use them in all sorts of ways. You can stuff them with cheese and then batter and fry them for Chile rellenoes. You can chop them and put them queso (I highly suggest this). You can put them on a cheese burger. You can pair them with potatoes and pork and make a stew. Or if your are my brother you can use them as hot dog toppings. Or if you are my dad you could use it as a pizza topping with pork sausage (please try this).
Wow, you must think I'm crazy. You see I grew up in green chile country. We put it on everything. Last week I was at a cookout and they had some green chile on a plate to put on your burger. I screamed "IS THIS GREEN CHILE???" I wasn't sure if I should jump for joy or cry. My parents buy a bushel each year and use it all year long. That stuff you buy in a can is an insult to the word green chile. It has no taste compared to the real stuff. I think I was in high school before I realized that you couldn't order a green chile cheese burger at every Sonic nationwide. Nope only in my state. It wasn't until college that I realized that most people didn't know what green chile was. For instance, I still remember how my college roommate looked at me when I first spoke the words green chile. She imagined moldy chili that you put on a frito pie.
Well ladies and gents it's green chile harvest time and I am far away from home, so I did the next best thing. I went to the green chile festival at Central Market. I mean come on, how could I miss it. The first thing I did was waltz over to the green chile section and pick up the package below. Oh they smell like heaven! I'm going to take these guys and put them in individual freezer bags. Then I will have them on hand when I need them.
Then I walked around and picked up some fresh fruit. The cook station has a sample of the jar below. Green chile stew mix. I'm putting this away for a cold rainy day. All you have to add is pork, beef, or chicken and potatoes. It made my nose run, therefore it was worthy of purchase.
Next I detoured into the vitamin section and picked up my multi-vitamins. Then I got lost in the cheese section. Oh the cheese section of Central Market. Have you ever seen so many types of cheese? Well look what I found...Monterrey Jack with Hatch green chile....oh yes...heavenly cheese. So I closed my eyes, didn't look at the price and placed it in my basket. I'm worth it I tell myself. (By the way I took some of this cheese and melted it on my left over crescent rolls from last night....OH MY WORD)
I highly encourage you to stop what you are doing, drive to the nearest Central Market and purchase these three items. If you don't have one near you but have a place that actually sells roasted green chile, be grateful and purchase some immediately. I lived 4 years in OK and they don't have it anywhere. I thought I might die. If you are in my home state and don't go to your nearest farm and purchase a bushel immediately, then SHAME ON YOU. For the rest of you, I apologize, you are missing out on something awesome. Next time you are in my home state I expect you to 1. go to Sonic and order a green chile cheese burger(think of me when you do!) or 2. go into a mexican food restaurant and order something on the menu with green chile. As for me, I am going to enjoy my little treasures and feel just a little bit like I'm at home!
