August 24, 2009

The Hatch Green Chile Festival is in full swing! If you haven't gone “Hatch Crazy” before, now is the time! What's the big deal about the Hatch Green Chiles? They are green chiles that are only grown in Hatch, New Mexico. They are delicious, and they're only available for a short time each year. Here in Texas, we're already hot and spicy so when Hatch time rolls around, we go nuts!

You can do a million things with these flavorful peppers. I wandered through Central Market the other night amidst the Hatch Green Chile frenzy, and they were sampling these things in the store:

• Hatch Green Chile Monterrey Jack Cheese grilled in sourdough bread (unbelievably scrumptious)

• Hatch Green Chile Pesto wrapped up in a tortilla with mild sliced roasted peppers

• Hatch Green Chile Cheese Bread

They also had these items all made with Hatch Green Chiles: tortillas, tortilla chips, sausages, hamburger patties, hamburger and hot dog buns, chili con queso, popcorn, twice-baked potatoes, and meatloaf!  So apparently there isn't anything that a Hatch Chile can't do!

I decided to use some of my roasted pepper stash in a goat cheese spread. I've been buying a Hatch Green Chile Goat Cheese from a little local goat farm for the last couple of years, but sadly they recently went out of business so I made my own easy version.  I used the mild variety of the peppers, so please check the heat level of your peppers and adjust the quantity you use in this recipe if yours are hot.  Trust me!  The hot ones are hotter than heck, and if you use a whole 1/4 cup of them in this recipe, your hair will absolutely be on fire!  Not to mention other parts of your body!

Hatch Green Chile and Garlic Goat Cheese

Hatch Green Chile and Garlic Goat Cheese

4 garlic cloves, crushed (I used 6 cloves cause that's how I roll)
1/4 cup roasted and chopped mild Hatch Green Chiles
Olive oil for sauteing
8 ounces goat cheese
Dash of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Pepper to taste

Saute the crushed garlic in the olive oil over low heat for a minute or two, but do not brown.  Add the chopped chiles and saute for another 30 seconds.  Add to the goat cheese, and mix to blend well.  Add the Frank's Red Hot and pepper to taste.  Serve with crackers or crudite.

Hatch Green Chile and Garlic Goat Cheese with Tomato Dippers

Whatever your pepper pleasure is, make sure to take advantage of these peppers while they're in season!

~BigSis