Rancho Gordo: Vegetable Varieties: Chile Peppers

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It's a shame that dried chiles aren't used more in the American kitchen. They're loaded with flavor, nutrition and convenience. The Ancho has only a hint of heat and is incredibly versatile. Think along the lines of a sun-dried tomato.

Dried chiles are normally reconstituted in warm water for about 10 to 20 minutes before being used. If chiles aren't to be soaked, be sure and wipe them clean with a damp cloth.

The Ancho is a dried Poblano, the kind of chile most cooks use for chile rellenos. Ancho means "wide" and this chile is wide at the top. Normally, there is very little heat associated with these chiles, but nature can play little tricks now and again. The Ancho is the base for many chile sauces in Mexican and Californio cooking. It has a deep raisiny flavor that is addictive.

The Cascabel is one of my favorite chiles. It has a distinct, almost nutty flavor and is mostly used alone in sauces rather than mixed with other chiles to keep the Cascabel flavor pure. Works well in tables salsas, chile sauces and surprisingly, it's great paired with mushrooms. Cascabel means "rattle" in Spanish and if you shake them well enough, they can replace the maracas in your salsa band.

Ouch! The De Árbol chile is not unlike a cayenne pepper. It has a sharp heat but it also enjoys a rich, woody flavor.

What a great chile! Cylindrical fruit are twice the size (3 to 3-1/2") of regular Serrano chiles. Serrano del Sol sizes up, turns from dark green to scarlet quickly, and has knockout flavor (hot!). The serrano originated on the mountain ridges (serranias) north of Puebla and Hidalgo in Mexico. They are usually eaten fresh green or red in sauces, condiments, or as a key ingredient in fiery Mexican dishes.

One of the most popular chiles in Mexico. Mildly hot 4-6 in. fruits are widely used for making chile rellenos and mole. Dark green skin turns red when ripe. Known as Poblano when fresh. Ancho when dried.

Very small and painfully hot, supposedly even hotter than a habanero. ¿Quien es el mas macho? We shall see, amigo!

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