Anaheim chili peppers pack sweet punch

Elongated and light green, Anaheims are mild chili peppers common in Mexican and Southwestern dishes, where they often complement pork, poultry, black beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin, coriander and cotija cheese.

Large enough to stuff, they pack about the same amount of heat as Poblano peppers but are a bit fruitier in flavor. Crisp and slightly spicy with a subtle sweetness, they originated in New Mexico but are named for the city in Southern California where they were first commercially grown.

They generally stretch about 6 to 10 inches in length and can be used in just about any dish that calls for mild, sweet chilies. A favorite way to enjoy them is fire- or oven-roasting the peppers, then pulling off their charred skin and using the flesh to flavor sauces, stews, dips and side and main dishes.

Here are a couple more ideas.

Roasted Hatch Chile and Cilantro Hummus

From “Meatless in Cowtown” by Laura Samuel Meyn and Anthony Head

4 to 5 Hatch or Anaheim chilies, to make 2/3 cup roasted and chopped

1/4 cup tahini

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for serving

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, some liquid reserved

1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Smoked or regular paprika

Preheat the broiler. Arrange oven rack in the top third of the oven. Line a baking sheet with a sheet of foil. Place four or five Hatch or Anaheim chilies on the foil and broil until the skin is blistered and blackening, turning once with tongs, 5 to 7 minutes per side. (If the peppers are very large, you might need to turn them to a third or fourth side to make sure the skin on all sides is blistering.) Remove the baking sheet from the oven, gather the foil around the peppers and pinch the ends of the foil together to seal; let the peppers steam until the skin pulls off easily, about 15 minutes. Remove as much of the skin as possible. Seed and coarsely chop the chilies (if you are using a fifth chili, finely chop it and reserve it as a topping for the finished hummus).

Place the tahini and lemon juice in a food processor and blend well. Add the olive oil, raw garlic and salt. Blend well. Add the garbanzo beans to the food processor and blend until smooth. Add Hatch or Anaheim chilies and cilantro leaves to the food processor and blend until smooth.

Thin to the desired consistency, if necessary, with a tablespoon or two of bean liquid. Season to taste with additional salt, if desired. Transfer the hummus to a shallow serving bowl, drizzle with additional olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Top with chopped fifth chili, if using. Serve with grilled flatbread, pita chips or tortilla chips and raw vegetables.

White-Cheddar- Green Chili Mac and Cheese

From “Meatless in Cowtown” by Laura Samuel Meyn and Anthony Head

8 ounces elbow macaroni noodles (ridged, if you can find them)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk or half-and-half

1/2 cup chopped freshly roasted green chilies, or 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies

10 ounces mixed cheeses such as white cheddar and Monterey Jack (about 4 cups)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large, heavy pot of boiling salted water until tender but slightly on the al dente side. Drain in a colander; set aside.

In the same large heavy pot used for the pasta, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until the roux is bubbling (it should be light in color), about 2 minutes. Add the milk, whisking constantly. Increase the heat to medium-high and whisk until the sauce thickens and just begins to bubble around the edges.

Whisk in the chilies and cook until heated through and the mixture just begins to bubble again. Remove from heat.

If you’re planning to broil or bake the macaroni and cheese, set aside ½ cup of the cheese. Add the remaining cheese to the sauce, a handful at a time, whisking until melted. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately if you don’t plan to broil or bake it.

If broiling, arrange the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the broiler. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to 2-quart ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle with reserved ½ cup of cheese, and broil until the cheese melts and just begins to brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

Alternatively, bake it at 350 degrees until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Chilies Rellenos Casserole

From “Cook’s Country Eats Local”

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped fine

2 pounds ground beef, 90-percent lean

4 Poblano or 6 Anaheim chilies, stemmed, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (10-ounce) can Ro-Tel tomatoes and Green Chilies, drained

10 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup skim milk

2 large egg whites

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beef, breaking up meat into small pieces, and cook until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef mixture to paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.

Add Poblanos and cook over medium-high heat until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in beef mixture, garlic, cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt, oregano, ½ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook until beef mixture is dry, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in 2 cups Monterey Jack. Scrape mixture into 13-by-9-inch baking dish, pressing into even layer.

Combine flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Slowly whisk milk into flour mixture until smooth; set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Whisk one-third whipped egg whites into batter, then gently fold in remaining whites, 1 scoop at a time, until combined.

Pour batter over beef mixture. Bake until topping is light golden and puffed, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve.

Serves: 6 to 8