When I saw hatch chiles on sale at the market, I grabbed a handful without knowing what I would do with them. Beautiful, fresh, seasonal produce has a way of seducing me and I always find a delicious way to use it. What’s your favorite preparation for these big, mildly hot peppers?
How about making a simple casserole? When I was first married, my mother-in-law gave me a recipe for a chili relleno casserole using canned chilies, cream, eggs and cheese. I used to serve it with a big pot of chili along with a salad to feed a house full of guests without a lot of fuss. So that was my inspiration for this easy weeknight dinner.
After cutting the tops off the chiles, splitting them in half and removing the seeds, I placed them in a greased casserole dish. Poured in a mixture of beaten eggs and half and half, topped with grated colby jack cheese and baked at 350 for 45 minutes. Sprinkled toasted panko crumbs on top to add a bit of texture in lieu of frying.
Learn to develop your intuition in the kitchen as you get inspired by seasonal produce and start cooking without a recipe. Adjust proportions to suit your needs and let me know what you add or subtract to make a similar casserole.
Ingredients for Hatch Chile Casserole:
- 3 1/2 hatch chiles, halved
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup half and half
- pinch of salt
- 4-5 ounces colby jack cheese
- handful of toasted panko crumbs
Why did I use 3 1/2 chiles? Because I had already greased a casserole dish that turned out to be a tad too small for 4. After baking, I thought that I could have just topped the casserole with the remaining half, but no worries. The remainder will go into another dish this week. Maybe an omelet? Who knows?!
What if you have leftover casserole? I reheated it and put into a burrito with pinto beans and salsa for lunch the next day. I don’t claim to make it the way our favorite Mexican restaurant does, but it was delicious and as easy as can be…just like a pot of my Wicked Quick Chili. How will you make it your own?
You make me hungry!