New Mexico Chile-Rehydrating Dried Red Chile Pods

Not all the peppers are harvested while still green. By the end of August, those remaining in the fields have soaked up enough New Mexico sunshine to make them turn a deep, earthy red color. Some are picked now, others are left to sun-dry on the plants. Later, they'll be harvested, dried further, and packaged either in whole or powdered form.
	Fresh red chiles are strung into "ristras", and at this time of year you'll see the colorful strings of peppers hanging nearly everywhere you go in New Mexico. They're not strung this way just to look at. Hang a fresh ristra in a warm dry location until the peppers have dried, and you have the starting point for making your own Red Chile.

	Select about a dozen dry pods in good condition and wash them in warm water. Be sure to wear gloves while handling the pods.
Remove the stems, seeds, and "veins". The heat of a chile pepper resides in the membranes or veins holding the seeds, and some of it transfers to the seeds, so if you want a hotter chile, leave some of the membranes and seeds.
	Place the cleaned pods in a saucepan and add 2 cups of water.Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
The chile flesh will become plump, red, and softened. If not fully rehydrated, remove from the heat, cover the pan and let it steam for a few minutes until the chiles are soft and pliable.
	Taste the chile water...if it's bitter, replace it with 2 cups of fresh water. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until a smooth puree is obtained.
Strain the puree through a sieve or colander to remove the chopped bits of skin and any remaining seeds.
	This basic red chile puree is the base for most Red chile dishes. The puree can be frozen at this point for later use, or used right away to make enchilada sauce, chile con carne, and many other recipes.

The above information is taken from our "Tale of Two Chiles" cookbook and video, where you'll also find traditional red and green chile recipes, lots of useful tips about cooking with chile, and video tours of both the Hatch Chile Festival and "The Whole Enchilada" fiesta in Las Cruces!