Tonights Dinner Decided From
It is that time of year again. Hatch chili season. We absolutely love hatch chiles in our household. They are the perfect blend of smokey with just the right amount of heat. I try to use these hatch chilis in as many ways as possible while I can get them fresh. This macaroni and cheese recipe is probably my favorite way to incorporate the chilis. This recipe was posted by Stephanie on iamafoodblog.com. Hatch chilis are seasonal so if you can’t find them in your grocery store you could substitute jalapenos for a spicier version.
This first thing you should notice about this recipe is that it only calls for 8 ounces of pasta. So if you are hoping for some leftovers or if you are feeding a decent sized crowd then you are going to need to double the recipe.
When I make this recipe I usually follow the recommendations and use a combination of monterey jack and cheddar. But you can of course go with whichever cheeses you prefer. I think if you used gouda it would be amazing. Or even use some pepperjack to compliment the heat of the hatch chilis.
Now to the star of this recipe, the hatch chili. To prepare the chils fresh from the grocery store put them on a baking sheet and throw them under the broiler in the oven. Roast them a few minutes per side until they start to char. Then place them in a plastic bag and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. The skins should be easy to slide off. Then de-seed the chilis before chopping. The original recipe only calls for 1 cup of roasted chilis, but I used two cups plus some extra to top off before serving.
Lastly if you have ever made home made macaroni before you know it can be tricky to get the right creamy texture you are looking for. I also try and follow the recipe as written but you might have to make some impromptu decisions with exactly how much milk butter and flour you need to add. You also might need to make some minor changes as well depending on the type of cheese you chose at the beginning.
If you love hatch chilis as much as we do then this is the perfect recipe to show case the smokey heat of these peppers. This is a recipe I make every year when hatch chilis start showing up in the grocery store. Of course you can substitute any pepper here. You could sub anaheim chilis for a milder flavor or jalapenos to spice things up.
