Mama's High Strung ® august Archives

Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles

August24

It’s Hatch Chile season!

Over the years, I’ve written a lot about my favorite pepper, which is grown only in southern New Mexico’s fertile Mesilla Valley, where perfect conditions allow the chile to develop an intense earthy flavor.

Hatch Chiles are only available in August and September, so time is running out! Melissa’s Produce is roasting the chiles at select locations around the country. Click here to see if there is a roasting event near you.

I doubled down on the Hatch Chiles in this recipe for Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles with Watermelon & Hatch Chile Salsa. This savory cornbread waffle is also a great base for meat or fish. I served it with grilled chicken for a twist on traditional Chicken and Waffles.

I wanted gluten-free Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles, so I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but you can also use regular flour along with the corn meal. I also used fish sauce in the Watermelon and Hatch Chile Salsa to add some umami saltiness, but you can add salt to taste.

Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles with Watermelon and Hatch Chile Salsa

prep: 20 minutes
cook: 30 minutes

makes 4¼ cups salsa
makes 6 waffles

for the salsa you’ll need…

2 cups watermelon diced into ½-inch pieces

1 cup chopped Hatch Chiles

1 cup chopped spring onions

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons fish sauce

let’s get to it…

Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir gently so you don’t break the diced watermelon. Set aside.

for the waffles you’ll need…

1¾ cup milk

1 cup chopped Hatch Chiles

2 eggs, beaten well

⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1½ cups gluten-free flour or regular flour

2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder or regular baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cornmeal

let’s get to it…

Combine the milk, Hatch Chiles, beaten eggs, oil, and garlic together in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl or onto a piece of parchment paper.

Carefully add the sifted ingredients and the corn meal to the liquid ingredients. Stir to blend, but do not over mix!

Preheat waffle iron. When hot, spray on non-stick cooking oil. Add enough batter to cover the bottom griddle of the waffle iron. Cook until golden brown.

Serve with Watermelon and Hatch Chile Salsa.

Here’s how they do the roasting:

A video posted by Mama’s High Strung (@mamashighstrung) on Aug 23, 2015 at 1:24pm PDT

posted under Plated + Served, Recipe Box | 5 Comments »

What Are Hatch Chiles?

August27

Rosemary asks: Why all the hoopla surrounding Hatch Chiles?

Like anything in the food world that has a limited run, many people are drawn to the exclusivity and somewhat snobbish appeal of being part of a coveted gastro experience: think black French Périgord truffles or Copper River salmon.

But you’ve asked what are Hatch Chiles and why all the hoopla. One of the most unique qualities of these meaty peppers is that you can find them with varying heat levels… from mild to extremely hot. You really can’t say that about most chile peppers, can you?

Hatch Chiles are grown only in southern New Mexico’s fertile Mesilla Valley, where the soil is rich in nitrogen and minerals. Sun soaked days and cool desert nights help these chiles develop their intense earthy flavor. They are extremely rich in Vitamin C.

Hatch, New Mexico, is the epicenter for these chiles, which come into season in August and September. If you find yourself in this part of the world at this time of year, you’ll find chiles being roasted 24/7, Hatch Chile contests, and even a parade (which will be held this weekend! August 30^th to be exact!)

Roasting Hatch Chiles brings out their vibrant, hearty flavor. After roasting, the chiles are peeled… that’s when the excitement begins: what type of enchantment can I (and you!) create? This year I bought Melissa’s Hatch Chile Cookbook to find even more wonderful ideas!

Growing up in West Texas, I can remember my parents making an annual pilgrimage to New Mexico to buy huge bags of the chiles (25 lbs. or more!), which they would then roast, freeze and use the rest of the year. Maybe that’s why I’m so partial to Hatch Chiles… so many wonderful childhood memories of family, food and fun.

Sooo… get a move on. If you hurry, you can still make the parade!

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posted under Extra Helpings | 6 Comments »

Raspberry Whipped Cream Puffs

August7

Today is National Raspberries and Cream Day!

Please don’t confuse this momentous day of celebration with National Raspberry Cream Pie Day (that was August 1)… or National Raspberry Cake Day (that’s observed on July 31)… or National Raspberry Popover Day (long passed… May 3)… or National Raspberry Bombe Day (that’s not until next week).

(Come to think of it…who comes up with these “National Days” anyway?)

This is the day to buy pints and pints of beautifully luscious raspberries and pair them with rich, sweet cream for your own little bit of heaven on earth. Move fast because raspberry season officially ends in just a few weeks.

Raspberries are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and a great source of fiber, vitamin C and magnesium. But you won’t be thinking of that when you dive into these incredible Raspberry Whipped Cream Puffs.

I flavored the whipping cream with raspberry jam, which really makes the filling smooth and creamy (no seeds in sight but lots of raspberry flavor). You can make the puffs the day before and store them in an airtight container. Don’t fill them until just before serving so they don’t get soggy.

Now get moving! You have no time to waste…there’s another raspberry holiday right around the corner!

Raspberry Whipped Cream Puffs

prep: 45 minutes
cook: 45 minutes

makes 8 to 10 4-inch puffs

for the Puffs you’ll need:
1 cup water
8 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs
¼ cup powdered sugar

for the Raspberry Cream you’ll need…
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons raspberry jam
2 pints fresh raspberries

let’s get to it…
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with anti-stick spray; set aside. Move oven racks oven center. Heat oven to 400°F.
Heat the water, butter and salt in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat until the butter melts; remove from heat. Add the flour all at once. Return to low heat and stir until the dough forms a ball. Remove from heat and let the dough cool for 5 minutes.
Stir the eggs into the dough one at a time until the mixture is glossy and smooth (I used an electric stand mixer to make the tough job go faster). Spoon the dough into large, rounded mounds, 2-inches apart. I used a ½ cup measuring cup so they would all be the same size.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown (they will sound hollow when tapped). Prick each with a skewer to let steam escape. Cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar. Slice off the tops and remove the centers; set aside.
Whip cream on medium high for 1-minute. Add raspberry jam and beat on high speed for 1 minute. Taste the whipped cream. Add more raspberry jam if desired. Continue beating whipped cream until stiff peaks form.
Spoon whipped cream evenly onto bottom of halved cream puffs. Top with 3 or 4 fresh raspberries. Replace tops and serve immediately.

Cook’s Tip: Wait to fill the puffs just before serving so they don’t get soggy!

Make it Fancy: Place a star tip on the end of pastry bag and fill with the Raspberry Whipped Cream. Fill the bottom half of the cream puffs and proceed as directed above.

If you liked this recipe, here are some more great recipes with raspberries:

Coconut Raspberry Ice Pops

Black and Red Raspberry Tarts

Raspberry Jam Cookies

posted under Plated + Served, Recipe Box | 13 Comments »

Hi…
I’m Christina Chavez

I was a TV journalist for many years, but with a house full of kids I decided to come off the road, go to culinary school and follow my passion for cooking. Mama’s High Strung is all about food… everything from creative recipe ideas to some really cool kitchen gadgets and cooking tips. I live in Chicago, but I love to travel and write about my food discoveries! You can reach me by email: mamashighstrung@gmail.com