New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Salsa. YES!
Hatch Green Chile Salsa is a fun cooking opportunity for any home cook who by nature follows recipes exactly and needs a nudge to step out of the comfort zone. It’s a simple and important exercise because you have to think about balance. The amounts should be altered according to how YOU want it to taste and the inherent taste of the ingredients. The acidity and heat of the chiles, tomatoes or tomatillos, and jalapenos varies so you have to fiddle with it. The components are heat, tang and salt, so loosen up and whiz up a batch. Taste and adjust. The recipe is a great place to start, but use it only as a guide.
We have home roasted green chile in the freezer. If you’re not a lucky New Mexican or know one, then you may have to resort to little supermarket cans of chiles. Do it if you have to, or even better try roasting some poblanos. In any case, see how spicy your chiles are and then add the jalapenos (or serranos) for more or less heat.
If you use tomatillos which are more tart than tomatoes, you may want to go down on the vinegar. If it tastes flat, then it probably needs a little more salt. Don’t like cilantro, leave it out.
You see where I’m going here. It’s all a dance and everything moves together. And it’s okay that every batch be a little different. So is every dance partner.
Some of our other favorite New Mexico green chile recipes:
Chile Rellenos the real way and in a casserole! We love them both.
Green Chile Ratatouille is a tasty New Mexico meets France. Serve with Albuquerque Gruet sparkling wine! Oh, and we can’t forget Green Chile Gougeres for serving with sparkling wine.
Green Chile Guacamole you might as well stir some green chile in your guac!
Green Chile Posole can be made with any leftover meat–turkey, chicken or pork.
