Hatch Chile Relleno (Vegan)
Today, some supermarkets sell Hatch and setup roasters in the parking lots. So what’s the big deal about hatch chile? It’s distinct in flavors, sweeter, buttery, fleshier than Anahiem pepper. New breeds of Hatch have lowered heat levels and this presents us more choices.
As we trend to more plant based food, I created this recipe as vegan.. These chiles are primarily stuffed with squash and when paired with chile the combination is a culinary delight.
Summer squash and zucchini needs a little help in flavor so I substitute leeks for onions and further boost flavor with avocado, lime, pine nut, and cilantro. These ingredients scientifically pair well with zucchini.
Check out other Cocina California recipes based on Hatch Chile.
Tacos – New Mexico Hatch Chile
Chile Verde – Colorado Green Chile Stew
Arroz con Chiles a la Parmesana
Ingredients
Makes 4 chiles
Rellenos
4 large hatch chiles roasted
1 cup leek washed and chopped
2 ½ cups of ¼ inch cubes (yellow summer squash and zucchini)
Small bunch squash blossoms, stems removed (optional)
1 medium tomato thinly sliced
1 clove garlic minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Avocado crema
1 medium avocado
⅓ cup fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
½ cup water, or as needed
Salt to taste
Preparation
Roasting Chiles
Rinse the chiles and place them on a baking tray then set the tray 6 to 10 inches under the broiler flame. Roast for 5-6 minutes until the chile is uniformly blistered, rotate and broil all the remaining sides for 3-4 minutes or until all sides are uniformly blistered. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes then place them in a closed plastic bag so the skin of the chile steams and softens.When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin.
Peppers can be prepared ahead several days and stored in the refrigerator. Keep your peeled peppers whole until you are ready to use them.
Relleno Filling
Place the diced squash into boiling water, bring water back to boiling and cook squash for 1 minute, remove squash and set aside to drain. Heat oil to medium hot in a 10 inch skillet, sauté leek 3 to 4 minutes and garlic for 1 minute; add tomato and cook 3 minutes, add squashes and sauté mixture 2 minutes. Add blossoms and sauté and gently stir until flowers until they wilt then stir in fresh cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Avocado Crema
Add avocado, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and water into a high-speed blender. Blend on high until a super smooth sauce forms. If necessary, add small amounts of water to thin out the sauce to a spreadable consistency. Salt to taste.
Plating
When ready to stuff, on a flat surface, carefully place the roasted pepper flat. From the edge of one side, carefully slice the pepper length wise from stem to tip. Unfold the pepper and scrape out the seeds. Lay filling on one half of the open pepper then fold the other half to cover the filling.
Place the stuffed chile relleno over a bed of avocado creama. Accompany the chile rellenos with rice.
Notes:
Hatch chile are cultivated to be mild, medium, hot, xx hot and even xxx hot. If not labeled, ask your grocer how hot their chiles are. Test them after roasting and and use less quantity of chiles if they seem too hot. Start adding in batches and taste test as you go.
Buen Provecho
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