I adore roasted Hatch chiles.  These lovelies hail from the Hatch Valley in New Mexico.  The Hatch is a longish, sturdy chile pepper that has some heat. Depending on the variety, these can range from mild to blazing hot.  I favor “medium” heat chiles, but sometimes go for the “hot”.   And then I burn out my taste buds, but it is worth it.

Here in the Inland Northwest we are blessed with a wonderful Mexican grocer, De Leon’s Foods, who brings these chiles north and roasts them in the parking lot every August.  My eyes are watering and my Kleenex is ready in reminiscence of the fumes wafting across the hot asphalt as I disembark from my car to claim my spicy bounty of slimy, juicy peppers.

You can make this recipe without the fire roasted Hatch chiles, but it will simply not be the same. Roast some poblanos at home for a similar but less spicy approximation.  (Yes, you can use canned Ortega chiles, but do not expect Nirvana; although, it will be hundreds of times better than grocery store enchilada sauce, which is usually laced with MSG.)

Ingredients (makes 3-4 pints)

• 2 lbs tomatillos (chopped about 6 C) or 10 medium tomatillos
• 8-10 Hatch chiles, roasted, skinned and seeded (about 2 C chopped)
• ¼ C olive oil
• 1-2 onions, rough chopped (about 2 C)
• 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 2 C water
• 3 C vegetable or chicken broth
• ¼ C apple cider vinegar
• Salt

Method

(Here’s the deal with the salt:  salt at many different stages and taste to see if you like it.  If you wait ‘til the end, you won’t have the flavor developed.)

• Halve or chop tomatillos
• Place tomatillos in 2 C water with 1 T salt in saucepan and simmer til soft (15 min?)
• Add chiles to tomatillos (don’t drain)
• In a separate pan, saute garlic and onions in olive oil until soft
• Add garlic/onion mixture to tomatillo/chiles
• Add broth and simmer ’til warm
• Put everything into blender and blend to desired consistency
• Too thick?  Add more broth.  Too thin?  Reduce on stove.
• Add apple cider vinegar at the end
• Put into pint jars and pressure can for 35 minutes at 10 lbs pressure if at sea level. (Higher pressure for higher elevation.  I am at 2,200 ft, so I put my pressure at 12 lbs.  Consult your canning resource guides for your elevation.)

Because this has broth, chiles and onions, which are lower acid, I recommend pressure canning this.  If you don’t want to PC it, I would recommend freezing it.  It will be great either way!

You will notice when you store this that the olive oil will float the to top.  Worry not.  Simply shake the jar prior to serving.

Stay briny,

–Stacey