Hatch Chiles are everywhere right now. If you’ve been to your grocery store lately, you’ve probably seen a big bin of them somewhere. If you haven’t, I promise they’re on their way! Your local grocer may even have a Hatch Chile Roasting event, where they’ll have roasters in the front, roasting these puppies for you! They span all heat levels, though the mild seems to be the most popular, and let me tell you – they are delicious. I even have a super special giveaway today, so you’ll want to keep reading!
If you haven’t gotten on the hatch chile train yet, don’t worry. It wasn’t until last year that I realized that this was a thing. You know I’m a lover of all things spice so I hopped right on that bandwagon, and even brewed a beer with them!
Melissa’s Produce is hosting many of these Hatch Roasting events, so check the listing to see if there’s one near you. If not, you should still be able to find fresh chiles to roast yourself. I journeyed to Bristol Farms in Palm Desert recently, for one of the Melissa’s roasting events, and this is how it all goes down!
The roasting happens outside, because those roasters can get HOT HOT HOT! They are big metal tumblers hooked up to a gas line. They add the peppers, close the door to the tumbler, turn on the gas, and get the motor running! It takes about 5-8 minutes for all the peppers to roast.
JUMP IN THE FIRE, LITTLE CHILE PEPPER!
Gloves are essential to protect the hands from the heat, and the brush helps keep the tumbler and chute clean from seeds and skin that inevitably falls off the chiles during the roasting process.
These beauties are roasted, and ready for their forever home!
This was the beginning of the day – I can’t imagine how many more pallets of chiles Bristol Farms had in the back.
Melissa’s Produce Hatch Chile Roasting from Natalie Wiser-Orozco on Vimeo.
Outside they had a table covered with everything Hatch Chile from Melissa’s Produce – mild and Hot Chile Powder, tamale kits, trail mixes, and even two cookbooks to help you on your pepper journey. And now for the little surprise we have for you – we’re doing a giveaway of not one, not two, but FOUR Hatch Chile books. To sweeten the deal even further, they’re all signed by Chef Ida Rodriguez herself! Isn’t that awesome? Keep reading…
Inside this Bristol Farms, they were fully prepared for this event with a wonderful spread of anything and everything you could imagine containing hatch chiles. They provide wonderful inspiration to take those roasted hatch chiles back into your home and create something spectacular. They even had hatch chiles as part of floral bouquets! Simply stunning.
Brownies, cupcakes, smoothies, juices, cornbread, macaroni & cheese, pizza, cheese itself, chorizo, sausages, crab cakes, meatloaf – all made with hatch chiles. I could go on, but pictures are much better!
So if you haven’t had enough inspiration already, I’ve got a gorgeous breakfast sausage to tantalize your taste buds. This one is a winner, and it NEEDS to be your next breakfast. You’re going to love it, and it’s super easy too. This sausage has first and foremost – roasted hatch chiles. Secondly, it has dried hot chile powder. Then, we get into the sweet goodness to hit all the flavor points. Cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg, and brown sugar. I know it sounds weird; just trust me.
All you have to do is fry up one of these bad boys – it gets great caramelization and sweetness from the brown sugar, a wink and a nod to sweet breakfast items with the warming spices, a kick from the dried hatch chiles, and a pleasant earthy taste, and moist texture from the roasted hatch chiles.
You can put cheese on it if you want. Or not.
Breakfast kinda needs eggs.
Ohhh yeah I went there. Whole grain english muffins, and TAKE THAT FAST FOOD!
If you wanted to take this, and scale back on the calories a bit, you could always serve the sausage with a fried egg, and top it with a roasted hatch chile salsa.
No matter which way you spin it, it’ll be absolutely delicious!
- 1 Pound Ground Chicken
- 1/2 Cup Roasted Hatch Chiles, diced 1/4″
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Hot Hatch Chile Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
- 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Gloves
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and using a spatula, gently combine.
- Using a 1/4 cup scoop, gently scoop onto a saran wrap lined plate, and press gently to flatten to 1/4 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 2-4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat, and coat the pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the patties, and cook about 2-3 minutes per side, or until just done.
- Toast an english muffin, melt cheese on the sausage patty, and place on the heel of the english muffin with a sunny-side-up egg on top. Top with the crown of the english muffin, and serve!
- Serve a sausage patty along side a sunny-side-up egg, and top with roasted hatch chile salsa.
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! I’ve teamed up with my most awesome posse to bring you more hatch chile inspiration, so peep the recipes below. In addition to that, Melissa’s Produce is giving out four signed Hatch Chile Cookbook’s to four of our lucky readers! There are all kinds of great recipes in this book – you’re going to absolutely love it!
Hatch Chile Pesto Sauce from Sue @ It’s Okay To Eat The Cupcake
Sometimes it’s the simple things that are the best! This hatch chile pesto will elevate any meal.
Read More >>
Hatch Chile Chicken Puff Pastry Pockets from Sara @ My Imperfect Kitchen
I will definitely be dreaming about these flaky, savory pastries. Filled with chicken and hatch chiles, you can’t go wrong!
Read More >>
Hatch Chili Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini from Rebekah @ Decadently Fit
These super healthy and flavorful stuffed zucchini are perfect if you’re looking to cut back on the calories! They’re low carb, vegetarian, gluten free, and diabetic friendly!
Read More >>
Check it out, that’s Chef Ida Rodriguez, the co-author of the cookbook. She was gracious enough to sign the copies that you’ll be receiving. I’m so excited to share this chile love with you all. Everyone needs a little more hatch chile in their lives. To enter the giveaway, follow the instructions on the widget below, and show my girls some love!
Good luck, and we’ll announce the winners Saturday morning (8/29/2015)!
Love,
*DisclaimerMelissa’s Produce has furnished me with Hatch Chile products. They sponsored the giveaway by furnishing the Melissa’s Hatch Chile Cookbooks. I love hatch chiles regardless of Melissa’s Produce, and all opinions are my own.
What a wonderful blog/description of the world of Hatch Chilis! I’ve never had them before but see them roasting around Las Vegas every year. You got my mouth watering as now want to try them!! Sounds like a great new tast treat!
I love the radical spice combination you used for your Hatch Chile sausage! Can’t wait to try this.
Great pictures, Natalie! Love this post! <3 <3
Gorgeous photos and that sausage and breakfast sandwich…wow! Definitely gonna have to make this!
GREAT post. GREAT chili pepper. GREAT state of New Mexico for providing the world with what I consider the best chili (e?) pepper out there!
Oh, and thanks for the outstanding photos and breakfast sausage suggestion.
Doc Chuck
GREAT post. GREAT chili pepper. GREAT state of New Mexico for providing the world with what I consider the best chili (e?) pepper out there!
Oh, and thanks for the outstanding photos and breakfast sausage suggestion.
Doc Chuck