NOTHING SPICES UP LIFE IN THE Land of Enchantment like New Mexico green chile, a treasured and storied part of our agricultural heritage for centuries. Fragrant and fleshy, smoky and sweet, earthy and ethereal, the piquant pepper’s appeal lies both in its flavor and its versatility. Every harvest season, we begin another annual cycle: roast it, chop it, freeze it, stir it into sauces and stews, and pile it on our cheeseburgers … and whatever else.
“Green chile is such a deeply rooted staple in New Mexico cuisine,” says Izz Rivera, owner and chef of the Shop Breakfast and Lunch, in Albuquerque. “We love it because it’s easy to incorporate anywhere, like you would an onion. With fresh roasted green chile, the possibilities are endless.”
This flexible fruit also brings the heat. “There’s a chemical reaction when you eat spicy foods that stimulates the endorphins in your body,” says Matt Romero, who’s been farming New Mexico green chile for 24 years at Romero Farms, in Dixon. “It’s a positive experience.”
Chasing that high means pushing this little pepper well beyond the boundaries of enchiladas, tamales, and other regional fare. “Green chile is adaptable to many different foods,” Romero says. “You can put green chile in your scrambled eggs for breakfast, in your pasta for dinner, or even in your dessert.” To discover the innovative ways it shows up throughout the state, I tried everything from green chile cheesecake in Santa Fe to an award-winning white wine from Ruidoso, and all the funky, fiery foods in between.
Heat up and cool down with Hatch Chile Store’s green chile ice cream.
I began with a green chile appetizer in the lush agricultural village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. At Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm’s restaurant, Campo, green chile jam is an integral part of the nosh board. House-made charcuterie, pickles, bread, crackers, and artisanal cheeses are enhanced by a dollop of the jam’s smoky alchemy of roasted green chile, sweet sugar, and tart apple cider vinegar. Take a jar home from the inn’s Farm Shop to pair it with any dish.
“It’s a great addition to avocado toast and grilled ham and cheese,” says Sarah Sheesley, the property’s marketing director. Green chile diehards can also spoon it straight from the jar for a delicious dose of sweet heat.
Across town in Albuquerque, Quarter Celtic Brew Pub puts a New Mexico twist on Canadian poutine—french fries and cheese curds smothered in brown gravy. The Quebecois specialty is almost unheard of in New Mexico, so why is it so popular at the Albuquerque establishment? “We put chopped green chile right on top of the gravy,” says chef Niccolas Lux. The acidity from the chile adds complexity to the rich gravy to create a bolder version of the dish.
Quarter Celtic Brew Pub’s spicy poutine.
“It’s one of those things you hear about and you’re like no, but it’s perfect,” he says. “That’s the great thing about green chile, it’s weirdly the kind of food that works with other peoples’ dishes.” In this pub, that means green chile gets added to the creamy IPA-cheese sauce for dipping Shillelagh Sticks (pretzels) and green chile cheddar scones are served with traditional Mac Lomas Stout Stew. “We really wanted pub food that was a hybrid of classic Celtic and a little New Mexican,” Lux says.
In Truth or Consequences, the best-selling Famous Green Chile Philly has had a place on the menu of Johnny B’s Restaurant since the family-owned, sports-themed eatery opened in 2015. Inspired by an old-school Philadelphia cheesesteak, this hefty sandwich consists of thinly sliced steak, grilled onions and green peppers, and chopped green chile, all piled into a traditional hoagie roll and topped with melty Swiss-American cheese. “We’ve never been to Philly,” says Amber Morales, whose parents, Johnny and Jacky Baca, run the diner-style restaurant. “My parents have worked in restaurants their whole lives, and my dad was like, ‘I love the Philly sandwich, everybody loves the Philly sandwich, so why not add green chile to it to make it unique?’ ” Order a side of red chile for dunking to turn this sandwich into a Christmas-style New Mexican French dip.
Beer Creek Brewing’s green chile cheesecake.
At several establishments all across the state, green chile spices up dessert too. Beer Creek Brewing Co. outside of Santa Fe, situated along the Turquoise Trail, serves a rich, creamy New York–style cheesecake that’s kicked up with roasted mild New Mexico green chile. Heather Maxwell, the brewery’s former baker, surprised co-founder Rich Headley with the treat about a year after the brewery opened in 2018. “I said, ‘Oh my gosh, you’ve completely created something that is going to be legendary at Beer Creek,’ ” he recalls. Made by folding roasted, peeled, and chopped green chile into a whipped cream cheese filling, and topped with house-made apple compote and caramel sauce, it pairs exceptionally well with Beer Creek’s dry, dark Picture Rock Porter, Headley says.
How about a little green chile with that bowl of ice cream? The vanilla flavor brings out the sweet notes of roasted green chile, and the frozen treat is easy to create with an ice cream maker. Don’t have one of those? Head to Caliche’s Frozen Custard in Las Cruces for the Green Chile Sundae, composed of two scoops of vanilla custard with salted nuts (try the local pecans), candied Hatch chile, and a cherry on top. “It’s a green chile marmalade that makes our sundae so unique,” says manager Joy Cannedy (there are also Caliche’s locations in Alamogordo and Roswell). “It’s sweet with a kind of tang and with the salted pecans—it has that salty factor. It’s an acquired taste for sure.”
Noisy Water Winery’s green chile wine.
I ended my tour in the Ruidoso area, where Noisy Water Winery’s 2023 Besito Caliente Green Chile Wine is made. A blend of muscato and riesling that’s infused with Hatch green chile for about three weeks, the wine has a light green hue and notes of medium-heat roasted Hatch green chile with orchard fruits and honey. (The winery uses about one-third of a pound of Hatch green chiles per case of wine.)
“It was one of the first wines in the winery,” says owner Jasper Riddle, whose father, Rick Riddle, developed the blend. “He thought that showcasing a wine with a New Mexico product would be a fun thing.” Although some customers are wary, Riddle suggests giving it a try. “The nose is gorgeous. It just reminds you of that great roasted green chile smell.”
Speaking of that intoxicating scent, last year, New Mexico became the first state to adopt an official aroma: Green Chile Roasting in the Fall. Clearly, our profound passion for this ingredient has resulted in some unusual adulations and preparations. Be they savory or sweet, the flavors are unforgettable.
Read more: This year, New Mexico recognized its official state aroma. Now you can get it at home.
A Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm’s classic, this jam blends smoky, spicy, and floral flavors and is a staple at Campo, the inn’s restaurant. For an easy appetizer, spoon it over cream cheese for a tasty cracker spread.
- ¼ cup garlic, peeled and sliced
- 2 cups shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 quart roasted, peeled, and chopped green chiles
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 quart sugar
- 6 tablespoons (1.75 ounces/50 grams) pectin
Makes about 2 quarts
1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, or a similar heavy-bottomed pan, sweat the garlic and shallots in olive oil until the garlic is aromatic and the shallot becomes semitranslucent.
2. Stir in green chile, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and pectin and continue to cook until the pectin has thickened the mixture to your liking. If too thin, continue to reduce moisture in the pan until it reaches the desired consistency (test the consistency on a cold plate as you cook it to better see the thickness).
3. Put the jam in a clean container and chill in the refrigerator. The jam lasts 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator, or longer with proper canning methods.
The Albuquerque brew pub serves these scones with a hearty, house-made Mac Lomas Stout Stew. Pair them with soups and stews, or enjoy them on their own with butter and a savory jam, like the green chile version in the recipe above.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons roasted, peeled, and chopped green chiles
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup butter, cold
- 1 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
Makes about 18 scones
1. Grease a baking sheet and preheat oven to 350°.
2. Using a heavy duty stand mixer on the slowest setting, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt, green chile, and cheese together. Cut the cold butter into pea-size pieces and add to mix. Let the mixer break down the butter. Mixture will start to have a grainy, almost cornbread consistency. Turn off the mixer and remove the bowl.
3. Beat the eggs and heavy cream together in a mixing cup or bowl. Add cream mixture to the dry mixture gently folding by hand until a dough forms. (It will get sticky!) Make sure to keep additional flour at hand for dusting.
4. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface, pat into three 6-inch circles, about a knuckle-length in height. Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, cut each circle into 6 wedges.
5. Transfer wedges to the baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least an hour.
6. Place in preheated oven and bake 20–23 minutes, until the outside is lightly brown and the inside is cooked through.
This recipe comes from the Hatch Chile Store, an online-only shop that’s part of a five-generation chile farm based in Hatch, the Chile Capital of the World. Turn up the bliss factor by sprinkling a bit of cooked and crumbled Hatch Chile Store’s green chile bacon on top (or any other bacon you may have).
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
- 8 Hatch green chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded, and finely diced; divided
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
- Hatch Green Chile Bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
Makes about 1 quart
1. In a saucepan, scald the milk, cream, ½ cup of sugar, vanilla beans (pod and seeds), and half the chiles, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2. In a small bowl, whip egg yolks with the remaining sugar until smooth. Pour about ¼ cup of the scalded liquid into the egg yolks and mix well. Add mixture to the scalded liquid in the saucepan and cook over low heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Strain mixture into a bowl and add the vanilla extract.
4. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and chill completely. Place in an ice cream maker and begin to freeze, according to the manufacturer’s directions.
5. When the ice cream is about half frozen, about 10 minutes into the process, add in the remaining green chile, then freeze. Before serving, sprinkle with nuts and bacon (if using).
