chile peppers
Chile is the Mexican-Spanish word for any pepper variety. All native peppers are hot peppers. The sweet bell pepper was developed in Germany long after the colonization of Central America.
Chile peppers—unlike sweet peppers—are generally too powerful to eat by themselves. They are overwhelmingly used in soups and sauces.
Most peppers are perennial plants that are grown as annuals in temperate regions. Plant them in a pot and bring them indoors during winter to keep them alive. Multi-year plants develop woody stems and tend to bear fewer fruits than in their 1st year.
Pepper varieties I have grown:
Pic1: serrano peppers = long, thin, firm, very hotPic2: jalapeno peppers = thicker than serranos, firm. hot
Pic3: NM chiles are soft-bodied long chiles that come in several varieties from mild to extra hot
Pic4: cayenne pepper = a decorative small plant with multitudes of tiny upright pods, very hotPic5: sweet bell peppers = firm but hollow, almost no heat
Pic6: hot yellow peppers = similar in size to jalapenos, but with a soft body, hot
a. growing chiles at home
2013-2017
bell peppers
Pic7: seedling in groundPic8: young bell pepper in a pot
Pic9: almost ready for harvest
- No need to buy seeds. Save the seeds from a pepper you buy in the store. Even green peppers have viable seeds. If desired leave the pepper on the kitchen counter until it turns red.
- Sow the seeds in trays in late winter to have larger plants that are ready to bloom and bear fruits as soon as the last freeze is over.
- You might have to harden off the plants by placing them in a shady spot outside during the day, bringing them beck in colder nights. Indoor plants that are placed in full desert sun without transition may get sun-burned.
- Companion planting: I planted my peppers near tomatoes or in between rows of tomatoes. That kept the plants in a partially shaded area and watered regularly.. Plants that survive in full sun produce fewer but hotter peppers.
- Harvest the pods before they turn color. Plants with ripe pods stop blooming. Pulling the green pods forces the plant to bloom again and produce more abundantly.
Exception: Cayenne peppers (Pic4) keep growing and blooming even with dozens of ripe pods.
b. green chiles
many dates
The pepper known in New Mexico as 'green chile' is long, narrow and soft-bodied (Pic3) and it comes in a range from mild—which is still respectably hot to newbies—to extra hot.
Green chiles are pods that have been harvested before they were fully ripened. They usually have a sharper (and spicier) flavor than the ripe pods. Green chiles are sold fresh, because they would ripen and change color while sun-drying. They are often roasted before they are used in the kitchen. It adds a delicious smoky flavor and it makes it easier to peel the peppers.
home-grown green chile
2016-10-31
Pic10: oven-roasting green chile — internet picturePic11: peeling and chopping green chile
Pic12: chopped green chile ready for the freezer
2016-12-27
Pic13-15: green chile puree- Frozen green chile is usually sold chopped, not pureed.
- Green chile is supposed to be spicy. I did not bother removing the seeds.
Hatch green chile on the internet
internet pictures
Pic16: Hatch, NM chile storePic17: fire-roasting chile
Pic18: roasted chile
internet pictures
Pic19: chopped green chilePic20: burger with roasted Hatch chile, smoked cheese
Pic21: roasted green chile salsa (green chile, garlic, chicken stock, lime juice, taco seasoning)
b. red chile
Red chiles are late-season pods that have been ripened and sometimes also dried on the vine. The pods are sold fully dried, need to be rehydrated, peeled and pureed. Frozen red chile is usually pureed.
2 internet pictures
Pic22: Hatch, NM ristrasPic23: fresh chile vs. dried chile — some, like chipotle (jalapeno) and mulato (poblano,) are dried by smoking them
rehydrating dried chile / red chile puree / red enchilada sauce
All pictures below were borrowed from the internet FYI.
1. whole pods, without roasting — internet pictures
Pic24-27:
- Buy dry chile that is dry but still pliable.
If brittle and breaking when folded, crush in food blender and use as dry chile powder. - Pour boiling water over the pods. Simmer for 15 minutes. Rest 30-60 minutes.
- When the peppers are soft, strain to separate the liquid.
If the liquid is bitter, discard. If it tastes good, reserve and reuse. - Blend the peppers in a food processor. Add liquid as needed to make the mixture smooth.
- Strain again to remove the seeds, peels and stems.
Some people recommend against straining, claim it removes much of the flavor.
See: mole de rancho
2. destem, deseed and roast first
Pic28: pliable, not brittlePic29+30: destem and deseed
- Buy dry chile that is dry but still pliable.
If brittle and breaking when folded, crush in food blender and use as dry chile powder. - Many recipes recommend that you destem, deseed (Pic29+30) and roast (Pic31) the peppers first.
Pic31: roastPic32: soak
Pic33: soaked
- Pour boiling water over the pods, cover and wait 30-60 minutes.
- When the peppers are soft, strain to separate the liquid.
If the liquid is bitter, discard. If it tastes good, reserve and reuse.
Pic34: pureePic35: pureed
Pic36: red chile enchiladas / enmoladas?
- Blend the peppers in a food processor. Add liquid as needed to make the mixture smooth.
- Optional:
- strain again to remove the seeds, peels and stems.
Some people recommend against straining, claim it removes much of the flavor. - Add other ingredients to enrich the sauce (see below.)
- strain again to remove the seeds, peels and stems.
3. optional: add other ingredients: moles / enchilada sauce
Pic37: onions, garlic, spices, tomatoes, bread, ...Pic38: red chile sauce
Pic39: red chile enchiladas
- Optional:
- Add other ingredients and blend together with the rehydrated chile peppers.
- Simmer for 30 minutes wile stirring occasionally.
- Adjust seasoning.
- Serve and enjoy.