Hatch Chile season is here!
That makes me a very happy woman. The flavor of a roasted Hatch chile is one I adore. Chile peppers are often feared by some because they think they will be too hot. All chile peppers are not the mouth burning, tear inducing variety. Some are very mild and sweet, and add tremendous depth and flavor to a dish.
Hatch chiles come in both a mild and hot version, so it is easy to find your heat intensity level. I used mild Hatch chiles in this salsa recipe, as well as in the Avocado and Potato Salad with Hatch Chile Vinaigrette I made. In fact, I am going to make that potato salad again, and soon!
This recipe calls for roasted Hatch chiles. For a great tutorial on how to roast chiles I am going to send you over to my friend Dorothy’s fabulous blog Shockingly Delicious. While you’re over there you may want to check out her post “40 Best Recipes for Hatch Chiles You Need Right Now” so you can be ready to make a lot of chile deliciousness!
This salsa is excellent with tortilla chips, or as a topping for burgers, grilled chicken or fish. As I was making it I knew I wanted to put it on top of some grass fed Angus beef burgers I had. I also added a few crumbles of Mexican Cotija cheese, whose flavor is somewhat like Feta. You almost didn’t get to see a picture of the burger, because once I got it photo ready it was all I could do to actually take the picture and not eat the burger! I didn’t even wait and get my lighting right! Once I snapped a few pictures that burger disappeared faster than the speed of light! Yes I exaggerate, but I really did inhale it. The beefiness, the salty cheese and the simple yet complex flavors of the salsa brought it all together.
Damn, I want another burger right now! Excuse me, I have to get back to the kitchen. . .
Recipe: Hatch Chile-Lime Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup diced roasted hatch chiles
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
- juice of one lime
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
- Place the salsa into the refrigerator.
- Let the salsa sit for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Copyright © Cheryl D Lee.
I’m lucky that I can walk down to the local grocery store and pick up freshly roasted Hatch chiles-here in Ohio! I’ve got 2 containers in the fridge, and I know what I’m doing with 1/2 cup of them.
Thanks, Cheryl!
I once visited the Hatch, NM area. I remember the fragrant smoke from chili roaster all through the air. You could even smell it with the windows rolled up! GREG