Are You A Chilehead????
August and September are the favorite months of the year for Chileheads. 
That’s when the green chile harvest moves across the Southwest. If you live in that part of the country you have no doubt seen roadside stands, fields where you can pick-your-own, weekend festivals devoted to them and the very common chile trucks in parking lots that do on-site roasting in big rotary baskets. Some of the best peppers come from New Mexico and you might recognize one of the more famous areas for chile production….. Hatch. If you don’t live in that neck of the woods, keep an eye peeled in your local markets. Often referred to as Anaheim chilies, there are many varieties such as New Mexico, Big Jim, Sandia, Barker’s Hot or Pueblo chilies (which come from southern Colorado). All of these have subtle differences in flavor and depending on the variety, the range of heat goes from mild to very hot.
They are used in salsa, sauces, rellenos, or when making green chili (a pork based chili made without tomatoes or beans, it really is green). The best news is, they are not just for Southwest cuisine anymore. Heck, roasted chilies are even good on a cheeseburger or as a pizza topping. 
I buy a bushel of the fresh ones and roast them myself on my barbecue. Then I freeze them for enjoying all year long. For those of you that do not have access to them or the time to roast them, they are available roasted and frozen. They do come canned, but that should be your last choice.
Here is a teaser recipe of mine so you can enjoy these wonderful peppers. This is a basic recipe that can be used as a sauce, a salsa or just a condiment. It is meatless, so the true flavors will really come out. I like it spooned on grilled boneless chicken breasts or as a cooking sauce for chicken or baked fish. Treat it like a relish or use as a different topping for appetizers. It is really good on wedges of grilled polenta. It freezes well.
Green Chile Sauce
2 pounds of fresh roasted or frozen roasted green chile’s
10 - tomatillos
1 - bunch cilantro
6 to 8 green onions and tops
14 ounce can chicken broth
garlic salt
garlic powder
In a food processor, add the chile’s, cilantro, onions and tomatillos then pulse to a medium puree. (still some small chunks remaining) Transfer to a stock pot, add the broth and simmer for about 2 hours, cooking off some of the liquid. Add garlic salt and powder during the last 30 minutes to taste.
Photo Credits - Green Chile Sauce, Author; Frozen Chilies, Author
