For a variety of perfectly defensible and irksome reasons I am not in Santa Fe collecting freshly roasted bushels of New Mexico’s finest green chile, soaking at Ten Thousand Waves, eating at La Choza, drinking at Second Street Brewery and dodging cacti on the Dale Ball trails.
That said, we are not entirely without the green goodness here at Chez Chien. I picked up one bushel of freshly roasted medium Hatch from a seasonal street vendor I’ve patronized for the past three years and another of Big Jim from Colorado’s Western Slope, courtesy of Spencer’s Lawn & Garden. Six bags — about 50 chiles — are in the ‘fridge for immediate use, and the rest, as you can see, are in the freezer.
The Hatch seems a bit mild, but the Big Jim packs something of a wallop. After peeling and nibbling on a pepper from each batch, I made a pot of green chile sauce using a 50-50 blend, poured it over a rack of buffalo chorizo enchiladas with a little extra-sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack, popped it in the oven for 20 minutes, dug in and presto! Head sweat. Good times.
Herself had to take an intermission between enchiladas, but at least her hair didn’t catch fire this time.
Mad Blog Media 
Damn I miss the chile harvest. The Big Jims sound just about right. Make a 100 % batch and remember the orphans in the great northwet. Freakin summer is a washout. 9:45 AM and it is 48 degrees. My knees hurt from the moisture. I must return to colorado for my mexican cooking supplies. Get some dry weather into my creaking joints.
Our local Whole Paycheck brings in tons of green chiles and roasts them in the parking lot. They’re doing me a good service by cutting my labor time down substantially. This will have to do for this year as I have no time for anything but work and school (and commenting at Mad Dog Media).
I gotta say, it’s weird smelling roasting chiles in 95 degree heat with 80% humidity and afternoon monsoons. But I’ll take ’em however I can get ’em.
Chiles….WTF? I thought he was talking about some herb, man!
Seriously, sounds wonderfully delicious. I envy you Patrick. Time, money and freezer space to accomplish that.
There are advantages to living in New Mexico, eh?
Ha! I am in fact able to accomplish all of those things at any given time now (save the 10,000 Waves visit – cha ching!). I am in fact going to Second Street Brewery this evening (it is within walking distance of my office) to tie one on and listen to some tunes. All the while inhaling the intoxicating smell emanating from the black, fire charged barrel swirling hypnotically in the Smith’s parking lot. Sucka!