What to do with all the chiles I got in Oaxaca?
I was just in Oaxaca, Mexico (yes, the food is crazy delicious but I'm not actually not a fan of chocolate in my moles) and went on a mini-shopping spree at the markets. I got Chile Tuxta (or Tuxtla), Chile Pequin, Pastilla Oaxaqueno and powdered Mole Verde. And dried jicama flowers, which will become margaritas and iced tea.
Other than reconstituting the chiles and putting them in salsa, or making a rub for meat, does anyone have any ideas what to do with them? Has anyone used these chiles before?
I'll probably use the mole verde for chicken (the lady gave me a little piece of paper with a recipe on it when I bought it), but any other ideas?
Thank you all :)
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
5 Comments:
oops, I suck...there was just a dried chile post here a few weeks ago (I didn't read it because I was traveling!) but either way, any suggestions for the Mole or for those specific chiles are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
korovka at 11:56AM on 06/04/09
The latest issue of Saveur has loads of recipes from TX, many of which call for chiles.
I'm a Tex-Pat and stock up on dried peppers whenever I am there. I tend to throw them into things like a big pot of beans, or even collards/kale/mustard greens that simmer a long time. In beans, I especially like pequins, about six, but I like things really hot....
You can also experiment with making your own chile powders. Toast the peppers, grind, and then add cumin, Mexican oregano (not too much) etc. I use these blends as rubs for meat as well as in various kinds of chili and chilified stews. Also you can package them in little ziplocs as gifts for your foodie friends.
FoodieSearching at 11:24AM on 06/05/09
Put some dried chilis in a food processor with sea salt and some dried lime zest to make some nice smoky/spicy seasoned salt to rim your jicama flower margaritas.
zoverman at 11:41AM on 06/05/09
the flowers are jamaica, not jicama. the spanish word for hibiscus.
saltcrystal at 1:06PM on 06/05/09
I bought a bag of dried chile pequin because I missed seeing the fresh ones around where I used to live in TX, but then had no clue what to do with them. I found this recipe for pequin chocolate cupcakes on the cupcakeblog--and they turned out great! Very intriguing and delicious with a little bite to them. Took them to work and they were a hit!
Chewla at 2:41PM on 06/05/09