San Luis Green Chile Soup

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The recipe is an enhanced version of the traditional green chile stew of New Mexico.  From August through September check your supermarket or farmer’s market for fresh Hatch* green chile, but you can always find Anahiem chile in all seasons.   Anahiem will be hot about 10% of the time so taste test your chile after the roasting step to gauge how hot your soup will turn out.  This recipe is adapted from “Créme de Colorado Cookbook”, published (1987) by The Junior League of Denver, a recipe book that represents the best of Colorado cooking.

 

 

San Luis is the oldest Colorado town founded in 1851 and is located near the northern border of New Mexico state.  At the end of the Mexican war of 1848, the United States acquired an area that was called the Territory of New Mexico Territory.  Mexican and Spanish heritage settlers from Taos Valley established small villages along the Rio Culebra so I surmise they brought their cuisine of green chile to San Luis.

 

Ingredients

Serves 6

6 medium fresh Anahiem chiles

1 large red bell pepper

1 fresh jalapeño – optional

½ pound boned chicken breast, thinly sliced

½ pound pork, thinly sliced (butt, shoulder, or boneless country rib)

2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup tomato sauce

6 cups chicken broth

½ cup tomato peeled and diced

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Salt

 

Garnish

Avocado slices

Sour cream (optional)

 

Preparation

Roast Anahiem chiles, red pepper and jalapeño under hot broiler close to heat until skins blister, turning to char on all sides.  Place in plastic bag and steam until cool enough to handle.  Peel skin off the peppers, and remove stems and seeds. Cut each into ¼ inch thin strips, then cut strips to 1 inch length. Set aside.

 

 

Add the oil to a dutch oven or large pot and bring to high heat.  Sauté chicken and pork quickly until browned.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  At medium high heat, add onion and cook until transparent. Add flour and cook stirring until roux is golden brown.  Remove the dutch oven from heat and stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic and tomato sauce. Add chicken broth and heat to simmering. Salt to taste .

Add chiles, red pepper, jalapeño, chicken and pork to soup and simmer for 10 minutes.  At this point the soup can be made 1 day ahead.  Plate the bowls of soup with slices of avocado; optionally you can add a dollop of sour creme.  Serve with flour tortillas.

 

Note*

“Hatch” chile is synonymous to Anahiem-like chile varieties grown in the state of New Mexico.  Hatch is the name of a small town in New Mexico around where much of this crop is cultivated. Though New Mexican chile is grown throughout the Rio Grande valley, the Hatch valley is thought of as the Napa valley of chile.  These hot peppers are produced in grades of mild, mild/medium, medium/hot, and extra hot.  In recent years the producers have spread their hatch distribution nationally. My friend Jim Moore buys them in his supermarket in St. Louis, Missouri, so check out your super, and you just might find them in August-October. You may also find these roasted in cans and non-refrigerated packaging.

Buen provecho!!

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