Chile Willy
October 30, 2007 2:06 PM Subscribe
Chile fans help me... peppers, peppers, not the country. Please!
I'm making a recipe that calls for:
1. Arbol chile powder
2. Dried New Mexico (sometimes Mexican) chile powder
3. Dried California chile powder
I want to buy th whole dried chile of each type and grind my own powder.
Now, number 1, I can find in my local Latin foods market as "arbol chiles". But number 2 and 3 don't seem to go by those names exactly. It's likely that those dried chiles are certainly available, but labeled under the Spanish word instead. But what are they?
I thought the ol' internet would clear it up for me, but sadly has only made things more confusing. Chiles 2 and 3 appear to be the same thing depending on what website you read. Californias are sometimes called Anaheims, the dried version is often called New Mexican chiles. But dried New Mexico chiles are often called chiles de ristra. Google image searches make things even more unclear. They're the same thing to some people, and two different things to others.
It's important to me that I "get it right". I want to use three different chiles. Can someone make any sense of this please? Thanks!
I'm making a recipe that calls for:
1. Arbol chile powder
2. Dried New Mexico (sometimes Mexican) chile powder
3. Dried California chile powder
I want to buy th whole dried chile of each type and grind my own powder.
Now, number 1, I can find in my local Latin foods market as "arbol chiles". But number 2 and 3 don't seem to go by those names exactly. It's likely that those dried chiles are certainly available, but labeled under the Spanish word instead. But what are they?
I thought the ol' internet would clear it up for me, but sadly has only made things more confusing. Chiles 2 and 3 appear to be the same thing depending on what website you read. Californias are sometimes called Anaheims, the dried version is often called New Mexican chiles. But dried New Mexico chiles are often called chiles de ristra. Google image searches make things even more unclear. They're the same thing to some people, and two different things to others.
It's important to me that I "get it right". I want to use three different chiles. Can someone make any sense of this please? Thanks!
Maybe this place can offer some help?
cook's thesaurus
I linked to the chile page.
posted by Max Power at 2:15 PM on October 30, 2007 [1 favorite]
cook's thesaurus
I linked to the chile page.
posted by Max Power at 2:15 PM on October 30, 2007 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Honestly, peppers don't taste that different.
Yea, I was thinking that too. But I didn't want to mistakenly replace a "mild" pepper with something that might be too hot.
posted by Witty at 2:21 PM on October 30, 2007
Yea, I was thinking that too. But I didn't want to mistakenly replace a "mild" pepper with something that might be too hot.
posted by Witty at 2:21 PM on October 30, 2007
The differences can be fairly subtle, especially with dried peppers, and real New Mexico chiles can be hard to find outside of that area (where are you?). It might not be worth obsessing over this.
Individual peppers can vary wildly in hotness, and because the inner seeds and pith are the hot parts, the way peppers are cut and cleaned can make a huge difference. No matter what, you'd better be tasting your recipe as you go!
I suppose it's possible that one of those powders is supposed to be 'red' (roasted, pretty normal) chiles and the other 'green' (unroasted, more specific to New Mexico and slightly harder to find). But that's really just a guess, and it isn't too typical to mix the two kinds.
BTW, a ristra is a hanging wreath sort of thing -- usually they're just ornamental these days.
posted by xil at 2:27 PM on October 30, 2007
Individual peppers can vary wildly in hotness, and because the inner seeds and pith are the hot parts, the way peppers are cut and cleaned can make a huge difference. No matter what, you'd better be tasting your recipe as you go!
I suppose it's possible that one of those powders is supposed to be 'red' (roasted, pretty normal) chiles and the other 'green' (unroasted, more specific to New Mexico and slightly harder to find). But that's really just a guess, and it isn't too typical to mix the two kinds.
BTW, a ristra is a hanging wreath sort of thing -- usually they're just ornamental these days.
posted by xil at 2:27 PM on October 30, 2007
Agreed that there will be negligible difference between CA/NM chiles. They might even be the same variety. (There's no real variety called "New Mexico chile." Anything sold that way is a marketing gimmick, and they're keeping the variety name from you because they think you're too dumb to know the difference.)
That said, the heat is the real issue. The bigger and fatter the pepper, the milder it will be. Small and skinny = more incendiary.
Yes, use a variety of chiles when making chile powder. Pretty much any combination of two more more will work, but three is your best bet. I'd go for TWO of the following (ancho, cascabel, pasilla, guajillo, or mulatto) plus ONE of either aji, chile arbol, or dried thai chiles. The first group is on the sweet/aromatic side, and the second group is hotter.
Here's an Alton Brown recipe.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:30 PM on October 30, 2007 [2 favorites]
That said, the heat is the real issue. The bigger and fatter the pepper, the milder it will be. Small and skinny = more incendiary.
Yes, use a variety of chiles when making chile powder. Pretty much any combination of two more more will work, but three is your best bet. I'd go for TWO of the following (ancho, cascabel, pasilla, guajillo, or mulatto) plus ONE of either aji, chile arbol, or dried thai chiles. The first group is on the sweet/aromatic side, and the second group is hotter.
Here's an Alton Brown recipe.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:30 PM on October 30, 2007 [2 favorites]
Since you're in the DC area, you should get thee to the market. I know I've gotten packages of Arbol, New Mexican, and Californian chiles at Shopper's Food Warehouse in Seven Corners. By it's nature, Shopper's selection can vary, but they usually have a wide offering in their ethnic foods section; at one time or another, I've seen everything on mudpuppie's list there, and cheap.
Another option is to head to the new Penzey's location in Falls Church. They have some fine, fine chile powders there, but you'll pay a premium for them.
posted by MrMoonPie at 3:08 PM on October 30, 2007
Another option is to head to the new Penzey's location in Falls Church. They have some fine, fine chile powders there, but you'll pay a premium for them.
posted by MrMoonPie at 3:08 PM on October 30, 2007
Sunset magazine recently had an article about the famous Hatch chiles of New Mexico and how you are starting to be able to order them online, even fresh. If you're interested I can dig out the website. Looks like the article is online. For the full effect though you want the pepper hot out of the roaster, which requires a road trip. After screwing around with the recipes I came to the conclusion that California Anaheims and pasillas were going to be fine.
As the recipient of a bagful of smoked dried chiles from mudpuppie, I am not sure I would take her advice about peppers. What kind of irresponsible person bags chipotles and big red frying peppers along with habaneros, and then puts this into the irresponsible hands of a chef from Chicago?
p.s. - mudpuppie, we're almost out of your delicious peppers, send more!
posted by ikkyu2 at 3:15 PM on October 30, 2007
As the recipient of a bagful of smoked dried chiles from mudpuppie, I am not sure I would take her advice about peppers. What kind of irresponsible person bags chipotles and big red frying peppers along with habaneros, and then puts this into the irresponsible hands of a chef from Chicago?
p.s. - mudpuppie, we're almost out of your delicious peppers, send more!
posted by ikkyu2 at 3:15 PM on October 30, 2007
Here in southern New Mexico, the chile variety names I hear are Sandia, Parker, Big Jim, NuMex, and Santa Fe. I'm not an expert, but in my experience the heat varies quite a bit even within one crop all grown in the same field, and size doesn't necessarily coincide with hotness. The experts are here, and this is what they have to say about the connection between California and New Mexico chiles:
Q. What is a "New Mexico Green Chile"?
A. Around 1888, Fabian Garcia, a horticulturist at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts (NMSU today), began his first experiments on breeding a more standardized New Mexican chile. In 1896, Emilio Ortega (at the time, sheriff of Ventura County, CA), after visiting southern New Mexico, brought back chile seeds and planted them near Anaheim. They adapted well to the soil and climate, and this New Mexican chile adopted the name of Anaheim. This name has stuck with this particular pod type for many years. In 1907, Fabian Garcia was finally able to release his first standardized New Mexican pod type, after experimenting with many strains of pasilla, Colorado, and negro chiles, he released New Mexico No. 9. This was the granddaddy of all future standard New Mexico pod types, and became the standard New Mexican chile until 1950. In 1987, Anaheim became a variety under the New Mexican pod type category.
Ok, suddenly it feels like it's getting close to dinner time.
posted by Killick at 4:02 PM on October 30, 2007
Q. What is a "New Mexico Green Chile"?
A. Around 1888, Fabian Garcia, a horticulturist at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts (NMSU today), began his first experiments on breeding a more standardized New Mexican chile. In 1896, Emilio Ortega (at the time, sheriff of Ventura County, CA), after visiting southern New Mexico, brought back chile seeds and planted them near Anaheim. They adapted well to the soil and climate, and this New Mexican chile adopted the name of Anaheim. This name has stuck with this particular pod type for many years. In 1907, Fabian Garcia was finally able to release his first standardized New Mexican pod type, after experimenting with many strains of pasilla, Colorado, and negro chiles, he released New Mexico No. 9. This was the granddaddy of all future standard New Mexico pod types, and became the standard New Mexican chile until 1950. In 1987, Anaheim became a variety under the New Mexican pod type category.
Ok, suddenly it feels like it's getting close to dinner time.
posted by Killick at 4:02 PM on October 30, 2007
For the full effect though you want the pepper hot out of the roasterAnd that roaster must be located in a gravel parking lot next to that little posole place near the fleamarket. Ever tried to fit 5 pounds of dried roasted chiles into a carry-on bag? I did, last time I was in New Mexico. I will attest to the fact that hotness varies wildly, even in a single batch. The place I bought mine also sold them in ristra form, but those were the pretty ones meant to be hung as decoration, and I intended to actually eat mine (and eat them, I did). Witty, get the largest dried ones that are commonly available at the local Latin markets, not the dark wrinkly ones, just the regular maroon, smooth ones, and you'll be fine.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:21 PM on October 30, 2007
You can order your NM red chile and NM green chile right here. No experience with ordering on that site since I just buy mine at the grocery store -- looks like they take American dollars though!
The red is usually dried, the green which wasn't in your question, but is really yummy and I can't bring myself not to mention it is usually frozen. Anaheims will taste different because of where they are grown. Fresh or whole dried red chile is sometimes sold in ristras, which look a lot like those ropes of garlic you can buy. When I see it for sale it's always edible and meant for food, but I think in some other backwords parts of the US they might be painted with clear spray paint or some other abomination.
New Mexico chile is more of an NM thing than a "Latin" thing, so I'm not suprised you haven't seen it. There might be something else that would be good enough for your recipe.
p.s. Witty, would you share that recipe with us?
posted by yohko at 7:22 PM on October 30, 2007
The red is usually dried, the green which wasn't in your question, but is really yummy and I can't bring myself not to mention it is usually frozen. Anaheims will taste different because of where they are grown. Fresh or whole dried red chile is sometimes sold in ristras, which look a lot like those ropes of garlic you can buy. When I see it for sale it's always edible and meant for food, but I think in some other backwords parts of the US they might be painted with clear spray paint or some other abomination.
New Mexico chile is more of an NM thing than a "Latin" thing, so I'm not suprised you haven't seen it. There might be something else that would be good enough for your recipe.
p.s. Witty, would you share that recipe with us?
posted by yohko at 7:22 PM on October 30, 2007
The site I linked to above appears to be out of chile until 2008. I suppose you want to make this recipe before then. Here's a site where you can order ristras. Prices on the ristras seem to be reasonable, the shipping is a bit high but these things are a real pain to pack if they are to arrive with the pods whole and attached.
This site has fresh roasted red chile. I generally only see green chile roasted before, but roasted red sounds reallly good.
My vote would be to obsess over chilies. It's the taste, the hotness really does vary with a lot of factors. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go smell my ristra.
posted by yohko at 7:41 PM on October 30, 2007
This site has fresh roasted red chile. I generally only see green chile roasted before, but roasted red sounds reallly good.
My vote would be to obsess over chilies. It's the taste, the hotness really does vary with a lot of factors. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go smell my ristra.
posted by yohko at 7:41 PM on October 30, 2007
Habenaro, Serrano, and Thai are going to be the hotter ones. The longer you let it cook in whatever you're making, the hotter the overall dish will be... so if you want it mild, at the powder later.
posted by jeffamaphone at 7:47 PM on October 30, 2007
posted by jeffamaphone at 7:47 PM on October 30, 2007
If you're willing to wait until your online order comes in, one of the best places to get dried spices, including chiles, is Pendery's in Fort Worth, Texas -- www.penderys.com/
Since you're obviously a fan of fiery food, you probably already subscribe to Chile Pepper magazine -- www.chilepepper.com/html/
And you might know about the Ring of Fire, which links to sauces, salsas, jellies, chiles, etc. -- www.ringoffire.net/default.jsp
You might also check out Mrs. Renfro's, also of Fort Worth; mainly salsas and sauces, but they're damn good! -- www.renfrofoods.com/picitem.asp
posted by Smalltown Girl at 7:49 PM on November 1, 2007
Since you're obviously a fan of fiery food, you probably already subscribe to Chile Pepper magazine -- www.chilepepper.com/html/
And you might know about the Ring of Fire, which links to sauces, salsas, jellies, chiles, etc. -- www.ringoffire.net/default.jsp
You might also check out Mrs. Renfro's, also of Fort Worth; mainly salsas and sauces, but they're damn good! -- www.renfrofoods.com/picitem.asp
posted by Smalltown Girl at 7:49 PM on November 1, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
My advice to you is go pick out three different dried peppers that look good to you and grind them. Honestly, peppers don't taste that different. Depending on what your making, I doubt you can tell the difference.
I do remember seeing "California" chile powder at Whole Foods. You could look at the ingredients list.
What are you making?
posted by jeffamaphone at 2:13 PM on October 30, 2007