Organic Red New Mexico Chile Flakes
Red New Mexico Chiles are highly coveted for their complex flavor and subtle heat that has been carefully cultivated for the past century in the Rio Grande region of New Mexico. These flaked pieces of the long, thin-fleshed, fully ripened pods emit an earthy flavor with undertones of cherry that complements a recipe without killing it with spice.
Suggested uses
Basic prep
For maximum flavor dry toast chiles in a hot skillet until fragrant or in a 350° oven until puffy and fragrant. Rinse and soak in hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate or add directly to recipe that will cool at least 10 minutes.
Storage & handling
Store in cool, dry place.
Ingredients
Organic New Mexico chiles.
Red New Mexico Chiles are grown throughout the southwest states of America and California. These New Mexico chiles are also known as California chiles, Magdalena chiles, chile Colorado or chile seco del norte.
With their stereotypical shape (spoon-shaped elongated pods), New Mexico Chiles are often used for stringing "ristras," an arrangement for drying pepper pods by threading them onto a long string. While decorative, ristras originated as an efficient way to dry fresh chiles for later use.
The cultivation of this specific breed of peppers began in the U.S. around 1915. New Mexico Chiles (as their name implies) are cultivated throughout the southwest states especially New Mexico. They are also widely grown in California (including the areas around Anaheim, source of yet another name for these peppers) and throughout Texas where fields of these agricultural treasures stretch north and south along the Rio Grande River, thriving in the hot days and cool nights the region provides.
New Mexico Chiles start off deep green but gradually turn red as they mature. The fully ripe, red New Mexico chiles used to make this chile powder generally have a bit more heat.
The varieties grown in New Mexico tend to be slightly hotter than those grown elsewhere in the U.S.
Part of the Capsicum family, this broad species of peppers has been part of the human diet in the Americas since at least 7500 BC. While they are now staples in many cuisines, they were not introduced to Europe and Asia until the late 1400s when they were brought to Spain and quickly traded for their variety and as a cheaper alternative to the pricey peppercorns. Now, regional influence and cultivation has created wide variety of variations that are unique to specific cultures.
Classic recipe
Spicy “Three Sisters” Stew
In the Native American mythology of the Southwest, squash, corn and beans are known as the “three sisters.” This vegan stew celebrates the three sisters legend, owing its spicy heat to our New Mexico Chile Flakes, which are ubiquitous in the Southwest.
