OVEN-ROASTED PABLANO PEPPERS AND HATCH CHILIS
1-1/4 lbs. fresh pablano chilies, or 4 X-lg., washed and drained
1-1/3 lbs. fresh hatch chilies, or 10 lg. (also called green chilies), washed and drained
Place all peppers on wire rack over large baking sheet. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, turning once halfway through.
The hatch chilis will roast quicker than the pablanos if they’re small. If that’s the case, then remove the hatch to a board, then finish roasting the pablanos.
Remove from oven, place in paper bag to wilt (a few hours at room temperature).
Prep peppers separately.
Remove from bag, pull off stems, slit up sides and remove seeds.
Stack pepper planks, cut in half from end to end, then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide segments. Place in covered container till ready to use in a recipe. Or cut them any shape you want.
Notes: Remember to keep pablanos and hatch chilies separate. You can use them both in the same recipes. It’s just easier to keep them separate till you decide what to do with them.
We’re not charring the peppers and chilies here. We’re roasting them, which means soften the flesh and skins, but don’t let the skins get charred or dried so much that they peel off. Some peeling is fine, but not much. We want the skins on, but a tender-soft texture throughout.
Charring peppers and removing the skins is for another recipe and requires a higher more direct heat.
These hatch chilies are hot. The people at the market where I bought them said they were the same as green chiles. Not the same chilies I’ve had. Green chilies are more like Anaheim peppers. These are hot – so hot that when Steve took a small handful of pieces as a snack he spit them out. Market employees don’t always know what they’re talking about. Maybe green chilis come in different heat scales.
Although the pablano peppers have some heat, they can be used more liberally in recipes.
Experiment. Use in all kinds of salads, soups, chilis, rice, potato or bean main dishes, sauces. Like I say – experiment.
I’ll let you know when I use these. It’s always better to roast them instead of lose them if you don’t have an immediate plan.
ANIMAL-FREE SOUS-CHEF™ 