Some like ’em hot; some seek mild

New Mexico’s Hatch Valley — have long made the 600-mile trip east to San Antonio. But these days, they’re finding an audience far and wide.

For the specialty produce supplier Melissa’s, Hatch season has become a coast-to-coast celebration.

“This is, like, the coolest thing in produce departments across the country,” said Melissa’s spokesman Robert Schueller. “There’s nothing where you create drama in front of the store to this level.”

Why does that matter to home cooks? Well, for starters, with Hatch chiles in kitchens across the country, inevitably the pepper has been put to applications demonstrating its versatility beyond the official state question of New Mexico: “Red or green?”

This week we’re serving a half-dozen recipes that play with flavors both familiar and less common, all of which showcase Hatch chiles in a unique way.

Want a fast snack that’s big on flavor and nutrition? Then try Hatch Hummus. The vibrant flavor of flame-kissed chiles are just the ticket to enliven the Middle Eastern staple.

If it’s a froufrou party appetizer you’re after, we have you covered with Figgy Hatch Bites. And for a showcase Sunday supper, a Hatch-spiked twist on braciole, the Italian-American favorite featuring a pounded steak wrapped around herbs and cheese, is sure to satisfy.

All recipes can be adjusted to your level of spice preference. In San Antonio, we’re most likely to see Hatch chiles sold as

“mild” or “hot,” but the peppers come in a range of heat levels depending on the variety.

The New Mexico 6-4 is among the most popular mild variety, at roughly 1,800 Scoville heat units, and the Sandia is a favorite on the hot end with a score up to 10,000. The Big Jim variety is the best of both worlds, clocking in around 6,500.

No matter how hot you like it, get it while you can. Hatch chiles should be available through September.